As somebody who works with money all I can say is save and live well under your means. I don't care how loan rates are since the 70's or whatever at your bank tells you, don't do it. You, as a regular citizen can't do much else about it.
Pretty much what I'm doing. Just trying to pay off debt and cut down on extraneous expenses.

That bagel shop you want to open? Ride down the streets you frequent for consumership and count how many stores came and went in the last 5 years.