This was a question posed by Dave Ramsey from Fox Business Network on Good Morning America this morning, Jan. 8, 2009. He went on to say, "Or is he (Santa Claus) every business owner who lives on the fruited-plains of America who are responsible for producing the goods and services that drive our economy".
I've said this a dozen times — our economy will NOT be 'fixed' by government, education or religion — our economy's health has always relied on the force that good 'ol capitalism brings to bear on all aspects of that economy.
Business owners by their very nature are confident, self-assured, smart, they work hard, they listen to what their clients need, they design systems that improve their ability to be flexible and nimble.
When they relax their diligence, when they stray from the very values they started their company on, when they allow complacence to set in or when they take themselves too seriously, when greed becomes their motive for staying in business, they struggle and sometimes they go out of business. And you know what? They should! There is no free ride. Hard work is what made this country great and it's hard work that produces success. Not handouts. Not bailouts. Not government funded financial or banking systems.
People that run businesses are the backbone of this country. According to Inc. Magazine, emerging growth businesses, those businesses who start out small and grow rapidly, created almost as many jobs, 10.7 million, as the entire US economy, 11.1 million jobs, from 1995 to 1999. That's a huge statement on the innovation, the creativity, the sheer tenacity of bright-minded every day people deciding to follow their dreams and make their run at living the American dream.
Now, if you remember, starting around 1999 and continuing into 2002, the dotcom blow up took place, wiping out many businesses and wiping out many jobs. That impact reverberates today. The point is the economy did come back from that experience, businesses that didn't lay a solid foundation are gone and the ones that followed the time-honored rules of business are still around.
Lots of businesses are doing well today. I saw revenue growth in my own business of over 56% and clients that I'm working with are seeing tremendous growth and opportunity.
I've seen this in print many times and I'm happy to repeat it. Turn off your TVs, your radios and stop reading the gloom and doom editorials. Be smart. Be confident. Continue to be diligent with your spending and flexible with your clients. Business owners will provide the grist this economy needs to get back on its feet. That's my opinion, what's yours?
