Small Business:

I was going to start this thread with "Entrepreneurs" but ya know
I never developed a taste for that description.

I was a SBO for almost 30 years.
Are there any members here that owned at a point in time their own business?
Or still own a small business.

I discovered as a homeowner, I also faced some of the same issues confronting me on the business side as well.

Namely Government intervention.


Im just curious if the issues I faced were mine alone, or were they prevalent in the Small Business World.

Any takers here?.

OK I will give an example in the homeowners world.
I bought a home:
I paid for it with my money that I earned on my own.
I am now ready to sell My home.
The Government comes in and decides on their own, who I can sell to.

Does the Government have this right?

Roy...they shouldn't have that right.

It's late. I want to talk more with you about this, though. It's an interesting thread.

I have owned several small businesses and am currently still running one.

To me, more important than the gov't sticking it's nose in, is trying to get the proper mix of employees. Hardest thing to do. People I have now are the best. Some vets, some not, multi-racial, etc. I have found that if you will take care of your employees, they will take care of the company. Inventory shrinkage (theft) is non-existant. During a tight period, we all took a hit so that nobody would have to get laid off.

Cedar, on the surface it would appear that the govt. doesn't have a right to tell you who to sell to. What are the details?

I once lived in a city where you could not have a car on your property unless it had valid plates. I felt that since it was my property, I could have anything I wanted on there. I lost that one.

Also lived in a different city that had an ordinance that could dictate how you paint or remodel your house, both inside and out. This was because it was in a historical district. I sold that house quick.

quote:

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Originally posted by cedarbird6:
OK I will give an example in the homeowners world.
I bought a home:
I paid for it with my money that I earned on my own.
I am now ready to sell My home.
The Government comes in and decides on their own, who I can sell to.

Does the Government have this right?

---

Roy, care to fill us in on the particulars?? My wife, being a Realtor, knows a lot about this kind of stuff.

Thud357l
Excellent approach.
Cedar, on the surface it would appear that the govt. doesn't have a right to tell you who to sell to. What are the details?
_________________________________________

On the surface the appearance is innocent enough. However let any one with imaginings file suit against you for not selling your home to them and your hockey puck is in real serious hockey poop.
And in the end no matter the out come you get the privilege of paying all your cost of explaining to some stranger (judge) why you sold to whoever.

I have a serious problem with this.
___________________________________________

I once lived in a city where you could not have a car on your property unless it had valid plates. I felt that since it was my property, I could have anything I wanted on there. I lost that one.
Also lived in a different city that had an ordinance that could dictate how you paint or remodel your house, both inside and out. This was because it was in a historical district. I sold that house quick.
____________________________________________

I have no problem with the above as long as the restrictions were in place at the time of purchase. Otherwise Grandfather status come to mind.
If the restriction generators (creators) don’t like your Grandfather attitude they should be able to offer you (the Grandfatheree) the market value for your assets.
If you (the Grandfatheree) don’t like the restriction generators attitude then it is tough schit for restriction generators.

In the end I believe any one with reason will agree that no out side individual should have authority over the distribution or management of any other persons personal assets.

SHIT!!! I've had me Veterinary Clinic in this town for 23 years and it is a NEVERENDING BATTLE with the STATIST ASSHOLES out of Nashville!!! Hell, the locals love me...

Yogi

Cedar, you can thank the azz holes for ordinances suchs as valid plates being required. Even then, people STILL disobey them. The point behind those types of ordinances is to get rid of the junkers, cars up on blocks, etc. Some people take NO pride in their property. Hence, the beginnings of common interest communities, with covenants, restrictions, etc. Personally, if someone has a project vehicle, that's cool. But please, don't leave it up on blocks for weeks or months or years. I appreciate people that have some respect for their neighbors and keep their yard nice. We have that problem in this small town. I live on a public golf course and we have covenants.(Be careful of buying on a public course, the patrons suck , but the property values do rise quite rapidly) They suck. I've fought some of them and won, some I've lost. Not 1/2 a mile away, people have junk in their yard and the entire neighborhood looks like garbage. It's all junky and stuff. The local PD won't even enforce the state motor vehicle laws around the city, do you think they would attack someone over a local ordinance ?? It all boils down to respect and people having to legislate it because some losers don't have any.

Thud357l
To me, more important than the gov't sticking it's nose in, is trying to get the proper mix of employees. Hardest thing to do. People I have now are the best. Some vets, some not, multi-racial, etc. I have found that if you will take care of your employees, they will take care of the company. Inventory shrinkage (theft) is non-existant. During a tight period, we all took a hit so that nobody would have to get laid off.

______________________________________________

I agree with you. As an SBO your very survival is first and foremost. Your story is told many thousands of times by just as many SBO during hard times.
However after success is in place, your attention is turned to other areas that will help insure the continued objective,
The Success of Survival..

If you employ 100 or less the shackles of government interference are very loose. You become just another tax collector and it is your responsibility to pay for and manage that department.
But Katy bad the door if you for any reason prove to be human and actually make a mistake.

On the other hand if you have the misfortune to arrive at the door of an American success story, and employ more than 100 employees. The interference from government is staggering.
And Katy ant got a big enough bar to block that door. You will ether succumb to outside interference and accept a business partner that knows jack schit about your business or you will find yourself in an American failure story.

I already know this opens a can of worms. We can go for hours on end justifying the pros and cons over government participation (interference) with Small Business and their Owners.
This is not my objective.

In the end I believe any one with reason will agree that no out side individual should have authority over the distribution or management of any other persons personal assets.
This includes Small Business.

OK, and I agree with you, Cedar, but how do you propose to get Govt out of Businesses ?? I feel the same way, the Govt should have NO say as to how a business is run (legally, of course).

Thor...What THIS tells me is that IF you do NOT like the vehicles up on blocks in my yard and the looks of my property n' house...BUY into your "covenant" community and live happily ever after!

Yogi...such is life...

Cedar, there is no way in hell I would ever live in a 'covenent' community..I can only imagine how hard it must be for a small businesman with todays petty beaurocracy and petty bullshit.

Thor
All your concerns are valid. I have no problem with ordinances design to improve the well being of its citizens and or the general appearance of its neighborhoods.

My problem comes with these ordinances written, enacted and enforced
after the fact.
This excludes life stiles in effect at time of purchase.

I think we all can agree you can not apply a newly written ordinances and enforce it on preexisting homes, then dictate changes to their life style to reflect those life stiles seen today as correct..

This is a blatant interference with personal liberties, all because we do not approve of the choices some one else has chosen.

Amvet

The business world in a since runs parallel to combat.
Unless you have actually experienced combat conditions you can not fully appreciate all that is required.
Unless you have experienced the ownership and managing of a small business you can not fully relate to all its ups and downs.
Many a sales person has reported the fight is ferrous.

The commercials you see on television have caused many many Americans to loose every single dime they had. And do cause many more American to risk every thing on wishful thinking.

It is not a take your vacation when you choose.
It is not buy the mansion on the hill.
It is not buy the 50 footer for Caribbean getaways.
It is not stay home and just open the mail and let all the money drown you.

It is a 24/7/365-sweat job. The average SBO will invest his initial time for less than one dollar an hour. At times his family will grow up before he realizes they no longer live at home. There will be time their spouse will not recognize then in daylight. There will be times when the attempt will destroy a mirage.
These are not the promises you see on television.

For some the attempt is easier than others. But the balls, guts, and sheer determination to just do it, is always over looked.

Thus the question how much interference from out side sources is acceptable.
Knowing what I know
I say none.

Roy you know Ralph Kramden form the honeymooners and all his business schemes? Well, after he got kicked out of the service, my ex was that man. I know what you are talking about when you speak of people reaching for and expecting pie in the sky and getting disappointed when they find out it is hard work.

And as far as seeing how much effort it takes into creating and maintaining a small business you are absolutely right..I don't have a clue. But if it is anything like the rules and regs in 'covenent houses' or the like, or even close, hon, my hat is off to you.

::::::: salute ::::::::::