Despite the impact of the banks self-made crisis, people I am talking to are still working hard. Times are always tough when you are running a business, and having waves of negative publicity rolling over you doesn’t help. When faced with a decision, it will be more tempting to play it safe than to take a small risk.

I’m not talking people into taking unacceptable risks, but to look carefully at what is a real risk, and what is a perceived risk.

The opportunities are still out there.