Hi Michael,

Personally, I think Australia is probably over-regulated....

When I visited Gordon in Cayahuga Falls, Ohio, way back in 2000, Gordon drove me around and showed me some of the "entrepreneurial" sights.... Kind of like an entrepreneur's tour of the area! I saw things like the SCI premises (mostly from the outside), Ben Suarez's mansion (from afar), Rick Suarez's "castle" (that's the most accurate word I can think of for it!), Gary Halbert's old house (he was from the area too) - things like that....

One other thing we saw was something simple. It was summer, and as we drove through one suburb, we saw some kids at the side of the road with an old-fashioned lemonade stand. As we drove by, one kid rushed up to the car with two plastic cups full of lemonade, wanting to sell them. We bought 'em (helping out some young aspiring entrepreneurs), and continued on our way....

Now, in Australia, I have never seen kids with a lemonade stand.... The laws don't allow it. They'd be shut down for not having the appropriate business, food, etc. licenses....

I agree with you, over-regulation stifles entrepreneurship and because of that it's probably bad for the economy when that happens....

I think you need a balance between protecting the interests of consumers, yet NOT stifling entrepreneurial activity.... I think many places OVER-regulate!

Sometimes, also, it's not really to protect consumers, but to protect certain vested interests.... In the kid in your story, Michael, who's to say that some of these laws aren't pushed by florist chains who just don't want too much competition? I think a lot of these kinds of laws are encouraged by various vested interests, trying to keep out as much competition as possible!

Anyhow, that's often the reality, I think.... New industries are often good, since you may be able to get in before all the regulation barriers go up!

Despite these difficulties, entrepreneurship is still the way to go.... I hope that kid in your story isn't discouraged! There are literally thousands of business opportunities around us, so with some creative thinking, you can find something which works.... :)

- Dien Rice