Is entrepreneurship dying in America?

Hi,

Link is below.

In other news the Dow is at support levels right now. If it breaks below 8200 it's not what would be called a good sign.

Best,

- Boyd


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/752833/posts

Would have been your answer if you were in attendance at Kaeser and Blair's last convention in Cincinnati last week. There was a record number of dealers in attendance.

The Top 30 dealers were recognized and rewarded for their achievement. These few dealers sold over $17 Million worth of promotional products to all kinds of business, industry, and government agencies.

Each of these dealers operate as independent agents, with no territories or restricted accounts. At least 3 of the dealers sold 90 to 100% of their order through the internet, while the majority still engage in face-to-face selling.

Many of the Top 30 have combined online and offline sales to increase their volume.

Only a few of these leaders has a guaranteed income or benefits from a job or retirement. I know I chose self-employment 15 years ago, and wouldn't consider going back to employee status for anything.

There was a lot of new faces and fresh ideas in attendance, somewhat surprising when you know that Kaeser and Blair is over 100 years old.

The company ranks in the Top 20 nationally out of over 17,000 distributors of advertising specialty products. But, their entire $61 Million in sales for last year was generated by those independent agent/dealers.

Entrepreneurship was very much in evidence as I visited with many dealers from young to old, and all across the US.

One rookie dealer rode a bus to come from El Paso, Tx, almost a 36 hour trip. She was excited about the opportunity afforded her through K & B, and wanted to find out more about how she could grow her business into a full-time replacement income. She was still very excited in spite of facing the long bus ride home.

(One side note: There are no color barriers at K & B, as I observe several of the dealers of ethnic backgrounds returning over the past 6 years. Each is coming for the same opportunity, which is only limited by their efforts and customer base they serve. There are also a few dealers who have severe physical challenges who have proven that they can overcome any difficulty they choose.)

The spirit of entrepreneurship was definitely in evidence as I have witnessed in each of the past 7 conventions.

I just wish some network or production company could come and create a "good news" type story to put on the evening news or some 20/20 type program to serve as an example of the entrepreneurial spirit thriving in the US.

Definitely makes me appreciate being a resident and citizen of the United States. But, I know there are entrepreneurs in other countries. They must be, because we keep importing more of them who come here to the "Land of Opportunity". It's just part of the reason why the US has been such as successful example of capitalism.

JMHO,

Dennis Bevers

I've attended every




Just one option for a home-based business!

Hi Body

>In other news the Dow is at support levels right now. If it breaks
>below 8200 it's not what would be called a good sign.

I just looked at the DJIA and it's 80 points from breaking into the7,000's.
We are in a double dip recession, but most people don't know it.

Why! Because the gov has not told us, and the financial analyst reports
you see and hear on TV are so far off, you are better off watching cartoons.

I started a forum called "Stock Market Trends" and would like for people
to visit and post their ideas of what the stock market is up to and where it's
going. I will not put the URL on this post . . . I don't want to upset Gil.
She will say it looks like an ad to me.

>Is entrepreneurship dying in America?

Are economy is in contraction and everyone is going to feel the pinch.

Regards,
D.R.(Don)McArdle

The front page of USA Today (Wednesday) mentions that this is the first recession in the last 50 years where entrepreneurship has failed to assist with a recovery. According to the study they cite self-employment is at record lows relative to previous recessions. They cited a few reasons why people are opting "out" of entrepreneurship.

1. Rising Health Care Costs (This is a worry that I have myself since the premium for my family and I would be rougly $800/mo. The only solution I can come up with is to take a high deductible and never get sick ;-) We should probably start another thread on how self-employed people manage their health-care costs...)

2. Financing Problems created by too much consumer debt (We've already spent all our money on big screen TV's so we have nothing left to start a biz.)

3. Recent Corporate Scandals like Enron (I don't agree at all with this one. If anything, it would make me feel like my corporate job isn't safe at all...)




USA Today Article

> The front page of USA Today (Wednesday)
> mentions that this is the first recession in
> the last 50 years where entrepreneurship has
> failed to assist with a recovery. According
> to the study they cite self-employment is at
> record lows relative to previous recessions.
> They cited a few reasons why people are
> opting "out" of entrepreneurship.

> 1. Rising Health Care Costs (This is a worry
> that I have myself since the premium for my
> family and I would be rougly $800/mo. The
> only solution I can come up with is to take
> a high deductible and never get sick ;-) We
> should probably start another thread on how
> self-employed people manage their
> health-care costs...)

Several business owners I know take care
of their Dental needs through "dental universities"...at dental board exam time
many dental students look for "free patients"...
and many dental schools offer services for
a reduced fee....

I'd like to see a thread on this too....

I can tell you if you are lucky enough to
live in a state which carries State Disability
Insurance, it can be a life saver should you
become ill...you of course need to pay a
small quarterly premium, but it's worth it
if you are injured and unable to work...you
would be surprised at the number of self employed
people who ignore "disability insurance"....

Hi Boyd

Sorry I misspelled your first name on my last post.

>Is entrepreneurship dying in America?
>For the first time in more than 50 years, entrepreneurs are failing to
>lead the United States out of recession, government data suggest.

This is a new one on me . . .
>" entrepreneurs are failing to lead the United States out of recession,"

I always thought the consumer leads us out of a recession. The economy
is consumer feed. The Mom's and Pop's that make $60,000 or less a year
are the real driving force behind the economy. The sad thing is the middle
class is flat broke, credit cards are max-ed out, and their savings is about
zero. They refinanced their homes, now they have nothing to fall back on
when things get bad.

The entrepreneurs online or off-line success rate is about the same 95%
will fail within 5 years.

Regards,
D.R.(Don)McArdle

> Hi,

> Link is below.

> In other news the Dow is at support levels
> right now. If it breaks below 8200 it's not
> what would be called a good sign.

> Best,

> - Boyd

Hi,

Your wrote:
> The sad thing is the middle
> class is flat broke, credit cards are max-ed
> out, and their savings is about
> zero. They refinanced their homes, now they
> have nothing to fall back on
> when things get bad.

I agree with you. What bubbles are left? FWIW, the link below is to a Morgan Stanley letter on bubbles.

Best,

- Boyd


http://www.morganstanley.com/GEFdata...i.html#anchor0

Hi Boyd

That's a good link, the guy makes sense.

>What bubbles are left?

I see three bubbles left over from the recession that started in 1970-1982.
Oil that went from $2.00 a barrel to where it's at now $30.00.

This is what brought on the high inflation that increased the home prices.

And if you want to add bubble number three it's social security that was
increased to pay for the Vietnam War.

After all bills are paid by social security there is a surplus of $60 to $80
billion left over for congress to throw away.

If the surplus was given back to the worker by decreasing social security,
he would have $50.00 to $100.00 more to spend a month.

Regards,
D.R.(Don)McArdle

> Hi,

> Your wrote:

> I agree with you. What bubbles are left?
> FWIW, the link below is to a Morgan Stanley
> letter on bubbles.

> Best,

> - Boyd

The biggest problem in a "recession" is not so much the decreasing value as it is the "lack of doing." The decreasing value is just the end result.

Basically, when people use credit or debt for consumer purchases, they are getting rewards now for work that they have yet to do. Unfortunately, most of America has forgotten this point and is drowning in debt that's compounding faster than they can work it off.

And by "work," I don't mean jobs per se -- I mean productive labor. Labor that has value to others.

Many people seem as though they have no fear of debt -- and I worry that the current corporate scandals are teaching them that it doesn't matter how indebted you are, there's always bankruptcy.

The key has always been: you must produce more than you consume.

Then, the gov't steps in and actually makes it even harder to take action (before you start your productive endeavor, Mr. Entrepreneur, please get in line and fill out this form, then this one, then that one, and ...)

It's just astonishing how selfish our politicians are when considered as a group.

Ok, I'll stop rambling.

-Phil

Hi Phil

>The key has always been: you must produce more than you consume.

I disagree with your statement.

I think if you produce more than you consume, that's is a big problem.
The warehouses are filled up to the roof and the workers are laid off

Supply and demand is the answer to a smooth operation.

Regards,
D.R.(Don)McArdle