ReadWriteWeb links to a video of Steve Ballmer speaking at Stanford’s Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders program. He talks about, among other topics, why now is a great time to start a business.

He also encourages the audience not to be dissuaded by others’ skepticism:

“My parents thought I’d lost my mind to drop out of Stanford Business School to go to a company that makes software,” Ballmer said. “My dad said ‘what the heck is software’ and my mother said ‘why the heck would a person need a computer?’”

With so much pessimism about the economy, it’s always a good reminder that there are hidden opportunities in times like these.

Image credit: Dan4th, via flickr

An article in FT.com addresses the gloom typically felt by executives (and others) during a downtown and offers reasons to be cheerful.

There is still business to be done, demand to be met, and customers to be served.

Moreover:

Donald Sull, professor of management practice at London Business School, wrote recently about seizing the upside of a downturn. “Most managers look for golden opportunities when the good times are rolling,” he said. “This is a mistake. The best opportunities often arise during downturns when distressed sellers are forced to offload valuable assets at bargain prices.”

Sure, it’s hard to hear this when you’re struggling with something external, like being out of work, or if you’re a manager, being required to let people go. These are difficult circumstances, but it’s no less true that there are still opportunities out there.

Now let’s hear from you: what are your stories of opportunities that have come to you at this most unexpected of times?