10 iconic companies that were born during a recession

From the Panic of 1837 to the last recession in 2000s, many companies were born when the economy was down in the dumps. While it many seem like the worst time to launch a company, history is replete with examples of how companies got their footing during such crises. According to a new study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, more than half of the companies on the 2009 Fortune 500 list were launched during a recession or bear market, along with nearly half of the firms on the 2008 Inc. list of America's fastest-growing companies. We feature some companies born during a bear market and gone on to become iconic brands.