Clearfly is your average phone service provider, but with a twist for businesses. "We're able to provide internet and phone together, which is a very unique combination," said Chris Hunter, Clearfly Communications.

Bucking the odds, this small business, dependent on the availability of credit, is doing big things during this global financial crisis. "What's been successful for us is our religious planning and budgeting, and when times are good we make sure we're still fiscally conservative," said Hunter.

Their expansion of services to 300 markets in 12 states has even received a nod in the Wall Street Journal's Market Watch section this week. "Technology is the innovation for problems that are currently in the marketplace," said Hunter. "So, there's always a great need for technology."

Researcher for Montana State University Billings, Scott Rickard, agreed, and said that is not the only industry that tends holds its own during times of economic slowdowns or recessions. He crunched the number of added employees in those type of years since 1970, despite an overall decline in workers.

"People are getting back to basics and opting away from the luxuries," said Rickard about the mindset of consumers right now. With that in mind, here are the areas Rickard said tend to do well in Montana: Service industries, like repair workers as people are more likely to fix what they have rather than buy new; business services, as companies are contracting out work to avoid adding employees; and professions like accountants, attorney's, engineers, and healthcare workers.

On the flip side, Rickard said declines are usually seen in luxury service providers, like retail, resorts, car sales and derivative-based financing.

"The people who make the decisions in the company are forced to look long and hard at what they do well and what they do best, where they have the competitive advantage, and what they can make the most money doing," said Rickard.

That is what is happening at Clearfly, but should they lose power, Hunter said they have got back up, "These are tough times and we've got a Plan B that we budget around and I feel comfortable in that." Rickard said having a higher education degree does not equal job security during tough times. He said employers usually look at productivity.