Daytime television gained some viewers during the recession, which was not such a bad thing for some specialty contracting firms, says Zach McGuire, MasTec Inc. advanced technology group president. The increase in the number of people watching TV spurred demand for more channels, more shows and more work for firms like McGuire's with expertise in satellite TV installation and service upgrades.
"We're not recession proof," McGuire says. He adds, however, that his firm's ability to provide satellite TV expertise for both commercial and residential building clients has allowed it to grow when many of its rivals have shrunk or gone out of business. In fact, he says, this specialization is largely responsible for the Coral Gables, Fla.-based firm's whopping 245% increase in revenue for the tristate region last year.