Why Small Businesses See a Gloomy Future

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We also should consider checking out some of the "liberty Candidates" and helping them out spend 2 hours a week making phone calls for them. The politicians get huge donations from corporate America , usually it comes from taxpayers actually, put out signs do what we can to return control to us the people. Put up signs, or donate if you have extra cash. I would prefer man hours to cash LOL!

Delia Lopez of OR 12:05PM January 16, 2010

There is no question that things look different from the trenchs. As a serial entrepenure ( Three business, one in health care, one in rental property and an internet start-up, barhobby.com.) I'll take the opinion of someone who is actually out trying to make it in business than someone with mulitple advanced degrees who has never had to make payroll.
Maybe the recession does feel over to someone who hasn't had to make some hard choices to keep afloat. Economic reality and economic theory are two different things.

Dave Waale of MN 9:13AM October 15, 2009

I like Jake of Ohio comment. I don't have any employees and I too need to file all those things ..not to mention insurance policy's for the business the vehicles. also add in advertisement and equipment up keep .I cant afford to have health insurance for my wife or my self. I have left my prices the same for the last 3 years to help do my part for the recession .and because I bought this business just before the down fall i have a no compete agreement if i default the payment .And where am i going to find a job now !

Drain Solutions of NY 9:17AM September 29, 2009

We need to take back this country from the corporations. Spread the word...vote out every incumbent!
If 10% of the population with participate in a vote-out-the-incumbent drive we could change everything. Campaign finance reform and term limits would go a long way toward fixing the problem but the corporations are the ones writing legislation so it will never happen.
We can change this country with our votes. Don't consider their political party affiliation. The Dems and the Repubs are one and the same "corporate" party. If we vote out every incumbent during the next election you can bet the rest of the worthless bunch will sit up and take notice.
Spread the word on every blog.

dhood of TX 8:15AM September 26, 2009

I think a major reason small businesses are not doing well is the high prices they charge. I've been so numbed by sticker shock that I don't even shop small businesses any more. If I can't do it myself, get it used or get it from WalMart I do without. Sometimes I think I'm in some kind of parallel universe as I wonder how people can afford many of their purchases. It can only be by debt. Those days of debt are gone as will be many small businesses.

Pauper of FL 12:17PM September 25, 2009

My small business is nearly 15 years old. I decided not to expand by hiring employees because it is just too complicated with all the tax filings, withholding, unemployment tax, workman's comp etc. There ought to be a blanket exemption allowing 1099-Misc use for businesses that have no more than "x" employees (say "10"). Once you get past that the cost of all those reports etc. is small enough considering the amounts involved.

Jake of OH 12:50AM September 25, 2009

Small business retailers haven't got a chance when such entities as Wal-Mart are so large that they tell their suppliers what they will pay for their products, not the other way around. When a small business pays the same amount to a supplier as Wal-Mart sells the item for, there isn't a chance.
Way back when, the A & P stores were forcibly downsized for this same reason (monopolization). Wal-Mart today has a much larger share of the market than A & P stores ever did.
Another side effect is that many suppliers have to do business with Wal-mart or go under and in order to meet Wal-Mart's pricing requirement many US companies have had to more overseas. Even such staples as Levi's and Huffy moved out of country and companies such as Lovables and Vlasic have either gone bankrupt or close to it due to Wal-Marts 'reverse economic'. When a retailer is so powerful that it can dictate the prices that it buys products for, then the system is no longer working and action needs to be taken.
Please think about this 'high cost of low prices' the next time you go shopping.
Thank you.

william of WI 4:44PM September 24, 2009

Of course, you might take away from this article that they are terribly ineffective and unorganized. It would be interesting to know how many new and innovative business have died in limbo due to the federal governments utter failure here.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/54199852.html

The adorable Jeffy of MN 11:15AM September 24, 2009

http://www.jsonline.com/business/54199852.html
Of course, in true bureaucratic fashion, they have woefully ineffective. As they are in nearly every effort.

The adorable Jeffy of MN 11:10AM September 24, 2009