Small Business Owners Have Much To Be Thankful For
Has the “turkey shortage” rumor crossed your path? Supposedly prices are going to jump just in time for Thanksgiving.
Hogwash! (Unfortunately, “turkeywash” just doesn’t sound right.)
You’re still going to be able to get great deals on turkeys at your local supermarket. However, the “yes there is a shortage and no there’s not a shortage” news stories remind me of what the media has been saying about the small business climate for months now.
Economists and statisticians just can’t decide if this is the best of times or the worst of times. Here’s what I say:
You decide.
One of the things small business owners have to be truly thankful for is that in many ways they make their own future. Smart and hard-working small business owners can do well even in soft economies. In fact, it is those smart and hard-working small business owners who pull our economy out of its doldrums. And if things aren’t going quite as well for you as you would like, do what small business owners have always done: pull harder.
I am thankful for the legions of you who keep plugging away even when the talking heads on TV say you should be crying in your beer.
Here are more things I’m thankful for:
The app revolution. Clever programmers seem to be at work 24/7 developing inexpensive or free apps that allow small business to compete directly with the major corporations. For example, you can easily have a social media marketing campaign that one ups your Fortune 500 competition by making smart use of apps.
A more small-business friendly Congress. Okay, admittedly I have to take somewhat of a “wait-and-see” attitude here, but early indications are that this Congress will make some moves favorable to small business. The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will get a new chairman. Sen. James Risch should shine the light on the impact of federal regulations. There’s also a chance that business taxes will be overhauled.
More tax-cutting state governments. Republicans running on tax-cutting platforms won a lot of state elections in this last cycle. If they keep their promises, it should be good for small business owners.
Crowdfunding taking off. Who cares that banks aren’t lending if we have crowdfunding to pick up the slack? For many startups, it’s a much better idea to bring in investors than it is to incur debt. Just a few years ago, this route to capital didn’t even exist.
The economy really is getting better. As I sit here today, I think it is undeniably true that the economy is improving. Small business owners can take heart in that and not be so worried about following through on future expansion plans.
You have some great employees. The connections small business owners make to their employees and vice versa are priceless. Unlike corporations where faceless HR departments often lose the personal touch, coworkers in small businesses can be “comrades in arms.”
You’re in charge. Many start small businesses because they are just plain tired of working for other people. To be master of your own destiny is indeed something to be thankful for.
What would you add to my list? I’d love to know what you are especially thankful for.
