[Hidden-tech] Business stimulus for HT members ?

[Shel Horowitz]

At 11:43 AM -0500 12/14/09, Rich wrote:
>With all the discussion of business stimulus I thought I would pass 
>interesting items on as they pass my desk.
>I am specifically interested to know what HT members are interested in.
>
>As with most of you, my business is not the type banks see any value in,
>no inventory, just a bunch of (smart) people.
>And that is exactly the point, I get asked by economic development planners, 
>and the only answer I can give so far, is that part of their jobs is 
>to help us
>determine how the state/fed/etc can help small business.
>
>What I have found is that all they do is keep defining small 
>business as bigger,
>so it's easier for them to work the overhead.
>
>BTW, I don't think there is anyone in HT who is what is defined as 
>'small business'
>we are now defined as micro-business - small is $5-100Mill
>
>So a question to all of you - who is interested in discussing  how to get
>all these agencies spending our money to put in back into HT type businesses ?

Great post, Rich. But let me play devil's advocate...


Yes, we want to be counted as businesses, and yes, the trend to 
exclude us has gotten worse.

But as a taxpayer, I want to see stimulus funds going to job 
creation, and going to businesses that are hitting a financial wall 
without help. Many of us H-T folk have little or no inventory, create 
few if any jobs, and have fairly minimal capital needs (upgrade the 
computer every few years). If we could tap into the pool of stimulus 
money for making our homes more energy-efficient, great. But the 
business stimulus pool should really go to those who are creating 
jobs. That of course could easily be companies well below 5MM, maybe 
even as low as 250K--which is still well above my class.

I suspect my situation is fairly typical in our circle: I've been in 
business 28 years and have only created one part-time job (a steady 
independent contractor, to be accurate). I have no debt other than my 
home mortgage, have a few thousand dollars worth of inventory 
(books), and mostly create what wealth I create on the basis of my 
brainpower and writing/marketing skills. I submit that people in my 
situation need reasonably priced creative marketing, not a bailout.
-- 

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Shel Horowitz
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