A burrito company known for super-sized stuffed tortillas goes small. A chocolatier turns to cheaper pick-me-ups rather than expensive indulgences. A furniture retailer expands in the midst of the housing market bust.

Three businesses with three different stories, yet one unmistakable conclusion. For all the hand-wringing about the economy, plenty of companies are getting it right. They’re doing it the same way businesses have survived bad economies for decades: through innovation, cutting costs and a little luck.