Job Creation Requires Risk-Takers
In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak decided to go into business assembling computers. They had no money, but Jobs approached a local computer store, The Byte Shop, that had shown interest in their machine, but only if it came fully assembled. They would pay $500 each for 50 machines upon delivery. Jobs then took the purchase order that he had been given from the Byte Shop to Cramer Electronics, a national electronic parts distributor, and ordered the components he needed to assemble the Apple I Computer. The local credit manager asked Jobs how he was going to pay for the parts. Jobs replied, “I have this purchase order from The Byte Shop chain of computer stores for 50 of my computers and the payment terms are COD.” Jobs requested that if Cramer provided the parts on Net 30 Day terms,... Read More
Five Hot Spots That Have Obama Running Scared
As we race toward the November election, you can be sure that President Barack Obama and his disciples will be ticking off his perceived accomplishments in his bid to win re-election. He will attempt to position himself as the tax-cutting, regulation-busting friend of small business. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you listen closely, he will side-step the priorities he failed to accomplish in his three years in office, and won’t accomplish in 2012. They all have one thing in common: They are needed like blood to resuscitate a hemorrhaging economy where flat lining job creation is beyond the hope of recovery anytime soon. Here are the five issues he must address to create jobs but will fail to act on. 1. Using tax reform as a competitive advantage When a company spends its energy... Read More
Five Hot Spots That Have Obama Running Scared
As we race toward the November election, you can be sure that President Barack Obama and his disciples will be ticking off his perceived accomplishments in his bid to win re-election. He will attempt to position himself as the tax-cutting, regulation-busting friend of small business. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you listen closely, he will side-step the priorities he failed to accomplish in his three years in office, and won’t accomplish in 2012. They all have one thing in common: They are needed like blood to resuscitate a hemorrhaging economy where flat lining job creation is beyond the hope of recovery anytime soon. Here are the five issues he must address to create jobs but will fail to act on. 1. Using tax reform as a competitive advantage When a company spends... Read More
My Prediction: US Will Return to Greatness Once Again in 2012
As this is the week of predictions, I have a prediction of my own. After nearly four years of crushed optimism, I predict that in 2012, America will get back on its feet by getting back to its roots. As a nation, we will rediscover our exceptionalism and stop making excuses for it, or worse, being ashamed by it. We have temporarily lost our way. We have turned our focus away from the heritage of our Democracy; a symbol of strength and fairness once respected around the world. That’s the America that our forefathers set in place, and that’s the America that we need to get back to. The pursuit of happiness codified in our Declaration of Independence is made possible by the existence of our free enterprise system. Our founding fathers guaranteed us the equality of opportunity; they did not... Read More
My Prediction: US Will Return to Greatness Once Again in 2012
As this is the week of predictions, I have a prediction of my own. After nearly four years of crushed optimism, I predict that in 2012, America will get back on its feet by getting back to its roots. As a nation, we will rediscover our exceptionalism and stop making excuses for it, or worse, being ashamed by it. We have temporarily lost our way. We have turned our focus away from the heritage of our Democracy; a symbol of strength and fairness once respected around the world. That’s the America that our forefathers set in place, and that’s the America that we need to get back to. The pursuit of happiness codified in our Declaration of Independence is made possible by the existence of our free enterprise system. Our founding fathers guaranteed us the equality of opportunity; they... Read More
Top Job for US Must Be Re-selling American Exceptionalism
The Commerce Department recently released figures that from the start of the 2000s, U.S. multinational corporations added 1.5 million workers to their payrolls in Asia and another 477,500 workers in Latin America (not including Mexico). At the same time, some 864,000 U.S. jobs were cut. From 2000 to 2009, U.S. corporations increased employment in Canada by 1.0 million (up 6 percent); in the U.K. by 1.1 million (up 8 percent); in India by 453,000 (up 642 percent); in Brazil by 505,300 (up 47 percent); in China by 943,900 (up 262 percent; and in Mexico by 904,300 (up 17 percent). Why is it that American companies are excelling at creating jobs, but not for Americans? Does that mean these U.S. corporations aren’t supporting America? Or is it that America isn’t supporting these corporations? More... Read More
Top Job for US Must Be Re-selling American Exceptionalism
The Commerce Department recently released figures that from the start of the 2000s, U.S. multinational corporations added 1.5 million workers to their payrolls in Asia and another 477,500 workers in Latin America (not including Mexico). At the same time, some 864,000 U.S. jobs were cut. From 2000 to 2009, U.S. corporations increased employment in Canada by 1.0 million (up 6 percent); in the U.K. by 1.1 million (up 8 percent); in India by 453,000 (up 642 percent); in Brazil by 505,300 (up 47 percent); in China by 943,900 (up 262 percent; and in Mexico by 904,300 (up 17 percent). Why is it that American companies are excelling at creating jobs, but not for Americans? Does that mean these U.S. corporations aren’t supporting America? Or is it that America isn’t supporting these corporations? More... Read More
Our President Should Think Like a CEO
The Wall Street Journal recently convened its annual CEO Council. This year, some 100 CEOs gathered and concluded that the nation’s top five priorities are: • create a globally competitive tax system; • immigration policies should support innovation; • improve human capital; • upgrade our energy infrastructure; • invest in R&D. The question that must be asked is: Why doesn’t President Barack Obama and members of Congress come to these same conclusions? The answer is that the country needs to be run by people who understand business. This isn’t the case. If it was, we wouldn’t have some 14 million unemployed Americans. This should be the impetus for demanding that any presidential candidate must have a sound business background. Being a community organizer doesn’t prepare... Read More
Our President Should Think Like a CEO
The Wall Street Journal recently convened its annual CEO Council. This year, some 100 CEOs gathered and concluded that the nation’s top five priorities are: • create a globally competitive tax system; • immigration policies should support innovation; • improve human capital; • upgrade our energy infrastructure; • invest in R&D. The question that must be asked is: Why doesn’t President Barack Obama and members of Congress come to these same conclusions? The answer is that the country needs to be run by people who understand business. This isn’t the case. If it was, we wouldn’t have some 14 million unemployed Americans. This should be the impetus for demanding that any presidential candidate must have a sound business background. Being a community organizer doesn’t... Read More
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
As I watch the general malaise gripping Washington, I find myself thinking about the lyrics of Tom Petty’s hit song: “The waiting is the hardest part.” I know I am not the only one waiting for something to happen to get this nation back on track. Our small businesses, entrepreneurs and 14 million unemployed feel an endless gnawing, the grinding of gears, as America performs like a broken clock. Time stands still. It has become all about the waiting. • The waiting for the Supreme Court to strike down Obamacare so we can get our future healthcare costs under control. The Affordable Healthcare for America Act is anything but affordable. When the majority of states consider it unconstitutional, something is very wrong. It’s just one more thing keeping small business from hiring. If you... Read More
