Nelson Davis | Small Business Expert » Archive
Off the Books and Underground
Some years ago while taking a walking tour in downtown Los Angeles, the tour guide waved his hand at a commercial strip on Broadway and said something that stayed in my mind. “More cash changes hands every Saturday on this street than in Beverly Hills” was his observation. Notice he said cash and not higher gross sales. There is an unmeasured segment of the small business community that seems to be growing, especially in urban areas. It is a world where cash is not just King, but the entire royal court! Politicians and regulators need to absorb the lessons coming from the off-the-books economy. We’ve all heard the term “underground economy” which refers to individuals and businesses that deal in cash and/or use other methods to conceal their business cash flow. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Business & Politics, Business Concerns, Economy, Money
Grateful Thoughts on Business
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. Marcus Tullius Cicero We are nearing the end of a year that has been obviously challenging for most of us, including even the most ambitious small business owners and entrepreneurs. Eleven months ago I was brimming with hope that my business would sprout new wings and land on higher plateaus. The year turned out to be less than sparkling in many ways as some of the dream balloons turned out to be heavier than air! But the holiday season beginning with Thanksgiving is my favorite time to absorb the past year’s lessons and top up the hope reservoir for the year ahead. We should all devote significant time to listing the things we are grateful for, … Read entire article »
Filed under: In Perspective
A Small Business Wiki Leak
Conflict is what I feel about the current plight of Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder. I’m an advocate for small business and believe that he is a fellow small business owner. On the other hand I’m not sure that his pursuits are business driven. Looking at the various reactions to the systematic leaking of diplomatic cables, I’m reminded of Jack Nicholson’s immortal “You can’t handle the truth” line from the movie “A Few Good Men.” We ask for greater transparency in business transactions and government actions but when the real facts are poured over us like confetti, there is lots of shouting to stop throwing that stuff around. Whatever the political noise around it right now, I do believe that WikiLeaks is a small business and that is my level of interest. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Non-Profit, On The Media, The Business Mind
Business, Politics and an Election
With a handful of primaries now behind us and the November elections barreling toward us like a dry tsunami, I’ve been thinking about the challenging place we find ourselves in as a nation. There may be a movement that is bringing business people to elected office while sending old guard politicians to the lobbying bench. Increasingly, people whose names we know because of their political careers are being opposed or defeated by names previously seen in the Wall Street Journal or even at the town bake sale. As an advocate of sound business principles being a great help in solving many of our problems, I see the changes moving across the political landscape as a good thing. Here in California, I’m finding this election cycle more interesting than any of the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Business & Politics
Business Ownership—the Ultimate Benefit Program
The horrific wrangling, finger pointing and just plain denial that has been going on in Washington DC during recent weeks isn’t really about raising the debt ceiling. Beyond the ever present politics, it’s about spending future generations’ financial heritage on today’s entitlement benefits programs. I believe the underlying money crunch means that some modern “American Life” perks will almost certainly be gone with the wind during the next few years. The reality in my view is that you’ll have to create your own benefit programs by learning to be self employed and taking control of your own destiny. It was during and after World War II that our elected representatives including the White House began to create a fluffy pillow of entitlement programs. For decades, Americans have expected pensions, employer … Read entire article »
Filed under: Business & Politics, Economy, In Perspective
Purpose in Small Business Week
It will probably surprise most people to know that small business actually has a week of its own, officially declared by the president of the United States. On one hand, Mothers Day doesn’t get the presidential proclamation, but Small Business Week doesn’t get the publicity or the spending splurge, but each has a purpose. There has been a Small Business Week since 1963, a time when the public perception of small business was really small. The corner store, the barber shop or the gas station typified the hopes and aspirations of someone who wanted to own or start a small business. In reality, a business can be classified as small all the way up to 500 employees. For my own celebration of the week this year, I put the focus on having … Read entire article »
Filed under: Business Concerns, Expert Advice
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