How to Stop Debating the Stimulus and Begin the Rescue

GL Hoffman

Today in Denver, President Obama will sign the stimulus and recovery bill into law. All I can say is: Finally.

Admittedly, I was on the fence--teetering, if not leaning slightly, to the right on this issue. I do know the government is the one remaining participant in the economy who can do something to get things moving again. I am just a bit worried that economic incentives are slowly being squeezed out of our economy, a situation eerily familiar to what happened in Atlas Shrugged. But, hey, let’s all do what we can to make it work and in the process get everyone back to work.

I am not going to complain any more, even if my suggestion wasn’t taken. (The idea, as presented here, was to simply grant every proven entrepreneur $100,000 for business expansion and general purposes. That might have been stimulative. At least, to me.)

Moving forward, here are five suggestions on our next steps--the rescue phase:

1. Start inspiring. Too many are waiting on President Obama to inspire us all to action. He’s a real leader, but he can’t get to everyone. Business leaders who own big megaphones can’t either, they’re afraid of sticking their heads out too far. It’s left to us. We probably can’t inspire millions, but maybe we can start with ourselves, then add three more, then ten.
2. Remember who we are and what we have accomplished. Keeping these memories front and foremost will give you perspective and the knowledge that better times are most certainly ahead.
3. Stop complaining and whining. The battle over how to stimulate the economy is over. Move on. Sure, you do have the right to say anything you want, just know that the beginnings of a recovery are so fragile that even the slightest negativity will mean that someone will work just a bit less.
4. Tell positive stories about your company and your own successes. Brag a bit. Tell the media.
5. Try this: for every story in your local press about a layoff, go to Linkup.com and find a company hiring in your area, then post a comment.

Baby steps, everyone, baby steps.

G.L. Hoffman is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor/operator/incubator/mentor. Two of his companies have traveled the entire success path from the garage to IPO. Currently, he is chairman of JobDig, and his blog can be found at WhatWouldDadSay.com or at JobDig.com.

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