1 vote
Make an even playing field. Small business can not afford new tecnology that the larger companies can. Vendors have access to my money faster than I have to my deposit. Bank fee are outragious. Uncollected fee plus overdraft fee because check came in eft whereas deposit was hand delivered. Can not afford or keep up with new banknig
3 votes
simplify funding in the SBA loan programs, make the guarantee requirements less onerous.
3 votes
Increase economic stimulus in inner cities to create self sustaining communities. Welfare to Jobs creation Zones.
0 votes
After looking for one product online(a dog house) I found it sells for about $230 (list price) and on sale about $130. Then, I looked for suppliers of dog houses. The same product as far as I can see from the pictures is manufactured in China. If I were buying this product, I would gladly buy it from my carpenter/woodworker neighbor at the same price. I am sure my neighbor would be glad, too, to sell it to me.In fact, ...more »
After looking for one product online(a dog house) I found it sells for about $230 (list price) and on sale about $130. Then, I looked for suppliers of dog houses. The same product as far as I can see from the pictures is manufactured in China. If I were buying this product, I would gladly buy it from my carpenter/woodworker neighbor at the same price. I am sure my neighbor would be glad, too, to sell it to me.In fact, my neighbor could partner with the other woodworker one block down from us and make the product at a faster pace(one does the roof and the other does the floor and the sides). Maybe there are more woodworkers in the neighborhood. I don’t know. Then, all these woodworkers could supply the local pet store with awesome local dog houses. And, at night I could go to sleep more comfortably knowing that I helped the local economy and a group of small business owners(some of them are my neighbors.) Well, the model is to, probably, tally of products that we are buying everyday and figure out which can be locally manufactured, again, and tally of our own strengths and bringing them together(fell free too add, I am just thinking out loud.) Maybe a shared facility for people with talent, like incubators. Not to forget our choices, like buying local. Maybe deals with supermarkets which can work with these talented people looking for work and be productive. I don’t know. I am just self brain – storming.
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3 votes
Many individuals work as sub-contractors when they are really employees. These "sub-contractors" have no health insurance and no insurance for injuries on the job. I believe a clarification of the status "employee" be made and government regulations can follow-up on "employee"/"sub-contractor complaints with authority to remedy this abuse of human potential. Sincerely Harry Hansen
2 votes
There are many ideas listed here which are complicated and expensive. The free market will make the final decisions. Business requires regulation as unregulated profit results in abuse of employees, consumers, and inferior products and/or services. Health insurance also becomes a part of the problem as countries with universal health care are subsidizing their own businesses and causing competition problems for American ...more »
There are many ideas listed here which are complicated and expensive. The free market will make the final decisions. Business requires regulation as unregulated profit results in abuse of employees, consumers, and inferior products and/or services. Health insurance also becomes a part of the problem as countries with universal health care are subsidizing their own businesses and causing competition problems for American companies which provide Health Insurance for their employees
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1 vote
Re-evaluate the term "obviousness" regarding Patent Applications. The misuse of this word has the ability to eliminate any new idea.
6 votes
Provide better access to contracts for small businesses to increase job creation and meet participation goals for WOSB, VOSB, DVOSB, and SB. The Teaming Pilot Project should be expanded and become a permanent SBA Program.
3 votes
Cleantech entrepreneur and operator; focused on commercializing new technologies and growing early-stage to midsize companies. My ideas for the list. 1. Allow entrepreneurs to be eligible for unemployment compensation. 2. Implement a one-payer, National Healthcare System; the social contract with large employers is gone and the healthcare/insurance/politics game is a mess. 3. Simple, flat-tax-like system. No more GE-tax ...more »
Cleantech entrepreneur and operator; focused on commercializing new technologies and growing early-stage to midsize companies.
My ideas for the list.
1. Allow entrepreneurs to be eligible for unemployment compensation.
2. Implement a one-payer, National Healthcare System; the social contract with large employers is gone and the healthcare/insurance/politics game is a mess.
3. Simple, flat-tax-like system. No more GE-tax stories.
4. Reform tort and contract law. Want to license something from a national lab? You’ll meet one inventor and four lawyers.
5. Accelerate the SBIR process. Quick answer in 30 days.
Also, while I’m not a protectionist, and I understand it is not a role for Government, we Americans need to start, once again, buying products and services made here in the USA. How can we possibly win when we are shipping our dollars, our capital investments, and our technologies abroad while simultaneously not investing here? It’s a no-win scenario for most Americans. We also need to get healthy, and we need to eliminate the subsidy and special interest bureaucracy that we’ve allowed to flourish in DC.
Thank you for this effort.
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1 vote
I believe employee owned business should be encouraged. It is important that start ups understand that they can compete if they work together. Creating a brand and working at different locations independently is even possible while the co-operation creates leverage in purchasing, negotiation and marketing etc. Worker owned co-operatives should be encouraged. For example, a barber shop brand through out the city where ...more »
I believe employee owned business should be encouraged. It is important that start ups understand that they can compete if they work together. Creating a brand and working at different locations independently is even possible while the co-operation creates leverage in purchasing, negotiation and marketing etc. Worker owned co-operatives should be encouraged. For example, a barber shop brand through out the city where independent barbers act under one brand name, adhering to same standards, utilizing a customer service software, having a commercial and being local. Maybe a taco maker brand with the same standard of taste, look, service standards and independently operated by at different locations by worker owners while marketing, advertising, purchasing, negotiating as one. Cost savings and synergy therefore better competing grounds for small businesses. Encouraging such concept could be by educational and financial means.
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2 votes
In order to get and SBA guarantee a bank should be required to give the applying business its best rate.
69 votes
Following the principals of crowd funding (e.g. crowd vetting, all or nothing funding, small dollar investments, community forum for knowledge sharing), allow SEC registered Internet platforms to offer limited offerings for entrepreneurs and small businesses (small businesses being defined as less than $5 million annual gross income). The window will allow for a maximum capital raise of $1M from micro-angels (capped ...more »
Following the principals of crowd funding (e.g. crowd vetting, all or nothing funding, small dollar investments, community forum for knowledge sharing), allow SEC registered Internet platforms to offer limited offerings for entrepreneurs and small businesses (small businesses being defined as less than $5 million annual gross income). The window will allow for a maximum capital raise of $1M from micro-angels (capped at $10,000 per person).
Full framework and proposal at www.startupexemption.com
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0 votes
Cleantech entrepreneur and operator; focused on commercializing new technologies and growing early-stage to midsize companies for the long-term health and strength of our country.
Ideas cover unemployment compensation, taxes, healthcare, subsidies, SBIRs, and buying products and services made here in the USA.
2 votes
The online trademark application is very cumbersome. I think the most important way this form could be improved is to make it a dynamic form in which each of the questions asked are determined based on the applicants answers to the previous questions. For example, many of the questions/fields listed on page 6-10 of the "TEAS Plus" preview document are only relevant if the applicant is applying for a "special form" trademark ...more »
The online trademark application is very cumbersome. I think the most important way this form could be improved is to make it a dynamic form in which each of the questions asked are determined based on the applicants answers to the previous questions. For example, many of the questions/fields listed on page 6-10 of the "TEAS Plus" preview document are only relevant if the applicant is applying for a "special form" trademark as opposed to a "standard character" trademark. If the form simply asked the applicant whether they were applying for a "special form" vs. a "standard character" trademark, the form could display only the relevant fields.
Additionally, after reviewing the site again yesterday, I found the "Basic Facts about Trademarks Manual" to be extremely helpful. The section explaining the "Use in Commerce, Section 1 (a)" for example, would have provided the clarity I needed when applying. While I glanced at this manual prior to starting the application, I did not process the information very well because 1) it was a 24 page manual and 2) I had not started the application, so it was hard to know which areas were going to be confusing for me. I would highly suggest doing the following:
1) Emphasize the importance of this document
2) Instead of presenting this as a 24 page document, include links to the relevant sections of this document throughout the application.
3) Consider renaming the document to something like "Trademark Application Guide - Tips to Avoid the Most Common Trademark Application Mistakes". Using the term "manual" makes most people ignore this document.
I have several ideas for improvement and would be happy to discuss this with someone or perhaps even assemble a committee of entrepreneurs and marketers to work with the USPTO office to improve the application. If this would be helpful, please let me know.
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1 vote
Available help to women entrepreneurs, see article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesa-mitchell/women-entrepreneurs-trapp_b_860298.html
1 vote
Most small businesses fail in the first three years. I would not recommend throwing money at the problem because much of the money will be waisted. Americans are very good at judging if a product or service is worth purchasing. I am concerned about large corporations who literally have huge monopolies like that auto industry. I have been waiting for a long time for an automobile which gets good gas milage and so far ...more »
Most small businesses fail in the first three years. I would not recommend throwing money at the problem because much of the money will be waisted. Americans are very good at judging if a product or service is worth purchasing. I am concerned about large corporations who literally have huge monopolies like that auto industry. I have been waiting for a long time for an automobile which gets good gas milage and so far I have been disappointed. The automobile industry can stop any innovation in gas milage improvement and it seems clear that auto companies do not compete on this issue.
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2 votes
Simplify the process for government contracts. Make a simple streamline process which requires verification, such as on the medicare side, but ensure that we are hiring American, not picking out of country engineers, etc.
Even applying for government jobs is a nightmare. Make things simple and straight-forward. You may even be surprised how much money you could save.
2 votes
Let's let entrepreneurs piggyback on one of the largest sources of local/regional awareness that's already in place across our country... the plain-old green exit signs at every highway exit. Here in North Carolina you drive past about 150 startups as you go from RDU International Airport to Chapel Hill, Raleigh or Durham (10 miles). Along your drive you are notified about every Shell Gas station and every Cracker Barrel ...more »
Let's let entrepreneurs piggyback on one of the largest sources of local/regional awareness that's already in place across our country... the plain-old green exit signs at every highway exit. Here in North Carolina you drive past about 150 startups as you go from RDU International Airport to Chapel Hill, Raleigh or Durham (10 miles). Along your drive you are notified about every Shell Gas station and every Cracker Barrel restaurant but you see nothing about the area's booming high tech startups. My idea is simple, create a new standard highway Innovation Sign that features the logos of high tech startups within 5 miles of each highway exit. This will shine a light on our nation's best and brightest and is a simple and highly visible way to bring awareness to the work that is being done to create new jobs across our country.
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8 votes
Allocate $1 billion from the US Treasury to making loans in the amount of $10,000 to $100,000 to main street entrepreneurship. Use the existing network of CDFIs (i.e, Neighborworks) and an incubator program like www.vilcap.com to allocate the funds. Vilcap lets the entreprenuers themselves choose who gets a loan - and entrepreneurs are much better at due diligence then investors or bankers. We need to give all the ...more »
Allocate $1 billion from the US Treasury to making loans in the amount of $10,000 to $100,000 to main street entrepreneurship.
Use the existing network of CDFIs (i.e, Neighborworks) and an incubator program like www.vilcap.com to allocate the funds. Vilcap lets the entreprenuers themselves choose who gets a loan - and entrepreneurs are much better at due diligence then investors or bankers.
We need to give all the little guys a chance to create 5-10 0r 50 jobs in their local entrepreneurial efforts. Large scale change, VC, innovation, patents etc... are irrelevant. Creative types and hustlers make things happen, and they only need a drop to catalyze change.
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11 votes
How about reducing the Federal Tax of 34%? I'm being taxed as two people, Employer and Employee, how fair is that?
2 votes
I suggest you...not eliminate or gut the "one year grace period," nor switch the US to a "first to file" country, with regard to patent application filings. These changes (S.23 and HR 1249), if enacted into law, will be very bad for small technology businesses, where most of our job growth is.
0 votes
STOP REMOVING BARRIERS (It only arms the Enemy)! THE DARK DECADE WAS CREATED BY ALL THE DEREGULATION'S... "THE BEST NEW IDEAS ARE THE OLD IDEAS!” Reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act as well as Roll Back all the Federal Regulations that were changed from1996 forward... Just tell our POLITICIANS to return the Federal Regulations as they were prior to 1996 & "PLEASE STOP HELPING US" (Leave us alone)!!! Americans will ...more »
STOP REMOVING BARRIERS (It only arms the Enemy)!
THE DARK DECADE WAS CREATED BY ALL THE DEREGULATION'S...
"THE BEST NEW IDEAS ARE THE OLD IDEAS!” Reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act as well as Roll Back all the Federal Regulations that were changed from1996 forward... Just tell our POLITICIANS to return the Federal Regulations as they were prior to 1996 & "PLEASE STOP HELPING US" (Leave us alone)!!!
Americans will fix things ourselves (That’s what Entrepreneurs do).
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3 votes
I want to emphasize the need for web-based apps (or offline programs) which seamlessly allow entrepreneurs to bring ideas to fruition. From initial concept all the way to manufacturing, programming, financing, etc. We need to tap our collective brilliance while ensuring that those with brilliant ideas are protected/rewarded accordingly and, if needed, are guided through the development process effectively, efficiently, ...more »
I want to emphasize the need for web-based apps (or offline programs) which seamlessly allow entrepreneurs to bring ideas to fruition. From initial concept all the way to manufacturing, programming, financing, etc. We need to tap our collective brilliance while ensuring that those with brilliant ideas are protected/rewarded accordingly and, if needed, are guided through the development process effectively, efficiently, and interactively. Think of a business planning wizard on steroids. Pulling in statistics from the USPTO Patents Prior Art, Current News (Google Alerts), the Census (market demographics), etc. - a finely tuned program geared towards bubbling up the best new ideas and making them a reality today. We should really be running this country with precision and promoting entrepreneurs who have viable ideas. Now!
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5 votes
Allow the US Patent office to keep all of the fees it collects, thus providing the necessary resources to address the patent pending backlog.
2 votes
END the DOMINATION & CONTROL THE "FED" HAS ON WALL STREET (ONLY SMALL INVESTMENT BANKS FINANCE SMALL BUSINESSES...)! "REINSTATE THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT of 1933." YOU’LL SEE SMALL FIRMS POPPING UP & UNDERWRITING SMALL BUSINESSES AGAIN! We need to End the Domination & Control the Fed & its Member Banks have had (Shutting Down the Small Firms) since they took over Wall Street in 1999. However, there's NO WAY President ...more »
END the DOMINATION & CONTROL THE "FED" HAS ON WALL STREET (ONLY SMALL INVESTMENT BANKS FINANCE SMALL BUSINESSES...)!
"REINSTATE THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT of 1933." YOU’LL SEE SMALL FIRMS POPPING UP & UNDERWRITING SMALL BUSINESSES AGAIN! We need to End the Domination & Control the Fed & its Member Banks have had (Shutting Down the Small Firms) since they took over Wall Street in 1999.
However, there's NO WAY President Obama or “SBA” has the ability or strength to buck the $300MILLION in Bribes that the Lobbyists paid to Repeal the Law (The crooks are almost all still in power); so since that isn’t going to happen, I have and will share Five Thoughts that will work (But you have to read my Rant).
Most people just really don’t have a reason to understand what has happened…
I am a Financial Professional who has financed many Small Businesses, and taken over 30 of them public over my 25+ yr career. I'm not a Stock Broker; I'm an Underwriter, and a Corporate Finance Consultant with a particular area of expertise in Start-up, Small-Cap, & Micro-Cap Financing's.
Since the Banks were allowed back on Wall Street (1999) the 12 largest Wall Street Investment Banks were merged into Bank Holding Co's in less than a yr, with over 70% of the Mid Tier Firms becoming consolidated and 95% of the Small Independent (Small-Cap + Micro-Cap) firms either gone out of business (As a result of the Stock Market Melt-down of 2001), or by the subsequent changes in legislation (Sponsored by Bank Lobbyists to shut down Small Investment Firms), which made Capital requirements more stringent, Regulations onerous, and reduced the profit margin for Risk Capital & Trading OTC Stocks by about 90%.
The regulators got rid of the pesky Small Investment Banks & Penny Stock Firms by making it more expensive to Enter and to Stay in Business. They Increased the Risk; they reduced the Profits, and then made it more difficult to operate. (Well Done!) As a result they have eliminated 95% of the Investment Firms (NOT BANKS) that focused 100% of their attn to the "Small Business Sector."
The Bank Lobbyists bought control of The House in 1999, and had the Glass-Steagall Act (Which separated the Banks from Investment Banks) Repealed, and in less than a yr, the Banks took control of Wall Street (As they had Prior to the Financial Reforms in 1933). The Banks would then played a key role in shutting down the very firms which use to Financed Entrepreneurs and the Small Business Sector which kept the American Middle Class moving with upward mobility; as they had become the largest Employers in America after WWII. As a direct result of these Financial reforms that were put into place by FDR, the Post WWII era had left the "Gilded Age of the Robber Barron's," as the American Middle Class had expanded the wealth of the Nation so much, that they would eventually own over 51% of the wealth.
"Whoever owns the Media controls the Hearts and Minds of a a Nation." In 1996, the GOP started a Coup de Tat that began to take shape immediately after they kicked the teeth out of the FCC by allowing Multi-Nat'l Corp's to seize control of the American Media. Then between 1996 and 1999, the "GOP Agenda of Deregulation" (Particularly of the Financial Sector & Anti-Trust Laws) allowed the Ruling class to not only convert the majority of the wealth of America back to themselves, they've almost killed the entire Middle Class; as today (Only a decade later) the richest 400 People now own over 51% of the wealth of our nation. These "Reforms" (Deforms...), gave both control of the Money Supply as well as the Capital Markets back to the Fed & its Member Banks; just as they had operated before they caused the Great depression. They have since manged in short order to cripple the largest Employment Base the U.S. ever had, the American Small Business Sector; and also created Hyper Inflation while doing so.
Did anyone realize that in 2001 we not only went from a Balanced Budget to Deficit Spending that Wars started, but relentless money spending then mushroomed as the FED cut their Rate of interest from 4.7% to under 1.3% to "Recapitalize the Banks" (With Cheap Dollars), and the prices of Gold, Oil, Gas, and later Real estate would all become 3 x more expensive against the U.S. Dollar (But not of that of the world). Just because the very TV stations that the Multi-Nat'l Corp's own didn't tell you what was going on (As they raked in Record Profits), doesn't mean it didn't happen...
After the country went into the Great Depression (As a result of Bankers who manipulated and caused the Great Crash and Bank Failures of 1929), FDR both protected the Nations depositors while leveling the playing field for Entrepreneurs and Small Business with the "NEW DEAL." He (In 1933) changed the tone of business and increased the country's Standard of Living greater than any Nation had achieved through the Financial Reforms that divided the Money supply from the Capital markets. Anti-Trust Laws went into effect Robber Barron's no long could operate with Total Domination & Control of Corporate Entities through Monopolies; as he broke up Monopolies like Standard Oil's Total Domination of the oil refineries as well as Robber Barron's of other industries. Also, Wall Street became independent from the Banks through the "Glass-Steagall Act of 1933," and the "FED" was then left only in charge of the the Money Supply (Inflation) through the Nat'l Banks and Member Commercial Banks; as the Bank Act of 1933 gave the Banks borders to operate within and the S.E.C. Act of 1933 was created to establish a Government Agency that would Regulate and Oversee the Capital Markets (Investment Banks).
Main Street was separated from Wall Street, and the Investment Banks then only had direct access to "Investor's Capital" who intended to invest in volatile securities, rather than having the ability to margin or leverage unwitting Bank Depositors of their savings. But, as the Investment Banks were no longer all owned by the same ruling class that the Banks and the FED was, they had their own appetite for risk reward ratios and plenty of participants who wanted to back new fledgling small businesses, which became the new "Wealth" and Employers of the Nation. They always managed to find new companies to Capitalized and though many would fail, most either became successful enough to employ a dozen people (Or more), or were merged into another company which had some asset or management expertise that together became a successful entity. This was how the Small Business Sector was able to maintain more than 2/3 of the Nation's Employment; as there were always new innovations and opportunities being presented by the American Entrepreneurs. This was essential to the agenda to convert the Wealth of the Nation from the Middle Class to that of the Ruling Class by shutting down “Access to Capital” for the growing Small Business Sector so their Multi-Nat’l Corp’s could buy out the competition cheap or simply by pushing them out of business and taking over their markets (It worked...)!
BEFORE 1999, THE MIDDLE CLASS OWNED MORE THAN 50% OF THE WEALTH IN THE UNITED SATES. TODAY, 500 PEOPLE OWN 51% OF THE WEALTH, AND THE RICHEST 5% OWN MORE THAN 80% OF THE WEALTH IN OUR COUNTRY… EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF WHAT THE GOP DID FROM 1996 FORWARD RESULTED IN THIS CONVERSION OF WEALTH FROM THE MIDDLE CLASS TO THEM.
While “Big Board Firms” stole 100’s of Billions, and received a Trillion Dollar Bailout, the result of this Brilliance of the Powers to Be, they eliminated 95% of the firms who use to finance Star-Ups, Small-Cap, & Micro Cap. Companies…
The “FEDERAL RESERVE” through its Member Banks, have either acquired or dismantled (through legislation), 95% of the Capital Resources that use to "CAPITALIZE" the Small Business Sector. The largest sector of Employers in the U.S. (75% of American Employment) has been “CUT OFF” from Capital!
“Capitalism only works if everyone has access to Capital.” Otherwise what we have is “Corporate Anarchy” (What we have)! Small Businesses & the American work force have been purposely shut down.
If 300 million Americans are playing the game “Monopoly” (By the rules), and the Bankers decide that they will only give their 400 friends $200 when they pass “GO” and the rest of America gets nothing, it doesn’t take long before America loses and all property is owned by the 400 friends of the Bankers. “WHAT CAN GOVERNMENT DO?” (You’ve got to be kidding) After you guys finished what Bush/Cheney did to us, “Now the Federal Government gets to ask this question?”
So, “Better I ask YOU!”
Where does the Entrepreneur go to get a $150K Bridge Loan or a $1M to $2M Private Placement, and maybe a $6M to $10M I.P.O.? Banks? No, "They don't know how..." (It’s not what they do) Investment banks? NOPE! There are only Big Firms left in the business and “Big Firms don't fund small deals..." Venture Capital? "BINGO!” Except you give up 51% to 90% of your Company (But if you are lucky you’ll get a Job). You could try to find an SBIC, but they will look at the business model like a Bank will; and although some may have a degree of competence & expertise in Financing Small Businesses that may, or have gone public, they don’t specialize in it. They look at everything from a place of DEBT.
Most of Washington (90%) have no idea what they did when they Repealed Glass-Steagall in 1999. Less than 1% of America has a CLUE what it was. If you were not in the business (As a Lawyer or an owner) you’d have no reason to hear of it… It was the Law that separated the Banks, Insurance Co’s & the Investment Banks after the owners of the "FED" caused the manipulation of the Stock Market Crash and Bank Failures of 1929; which then resulted in the world’s Great Depression, and WWII. None of that was “Unintentional!” Neither is 10% of what the influence of the "FED" has done under the watchful "Blind Eye" of the past 10 yrs of Tyranny either... That is why there is No Economy and we are going into Debt while we generate more inflation as the prices of natural resources (OIL & GAS & GOLD) Sky Rocket. The owners of the “FED” also just happen to own most of the OIL. That’s "FACT not THEORY!"
John D. Rockefeller was the richest man in the world when they organized the Federal Reserve Banks; and his “Standard Oil” had the Monopoly on Oil Refining in the U.S. He also controlled the FED with his buddies and used it to manipulate the Markets which caused the Great Depression & WWII (While converting the Nation's Wealth to he and a few of his friends). Then F.D.R. with “Anti-Trust Laws" (Which prohibited that type of Domination of any industry in the U.S.) which allowed for Competition. Until recent (Deregulation) legislation were passed that “DEFORMED” the Laws protecting Small Business having market share, and Middle Class Growth, there was a level playing Field, and all Small Business owners (Entrepreneurs) could compete in a Free Enterprise Environment. “That Changed quickly when the GOP Congress ruled Washington with their “De-Regulation” from the mid 1990’s thru 2006; as the ownership of the Media, the Money Supply, and the Capital Markets became consolidated, and so did then the wealth of the Nation.
NOW OUR GOVERNMENT WANTS TO REMOVE FEDERAL BARRIERS? (What a Joke!) Anything that uses the word Federal "IS" a Barrier…
OK, (Since you allowed me to Rant), here are some ideas that will help:
1) Matching Debt/Equity Funds for Start-up Companies that can be accessed through Small Cap Firms (Don’t allow Banks to do this because they don't know squat about Equity Financing's).
2) ELIMINATE BARRIERS for Small Investment Firms to get into business. Reduce the Capital Requirements and Harsh Rules that have been put in place to “CREATE BARRIERS.” They were only put in place so that there will be few (If any) Small Firms to compete with the Banks, and the Big Board Firms. The small firms only represented 10% of the Wrong Doing on Wall Street (Before Wall Street ran a muck), and they didn’t get bailed out, they were put “Out of Business” and since then, there have been “No Small Business IPO’s!” These small investment banks were only eliminated so that the Big Firms could have Total Domination & Control and they could END the FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM (Because the Ruling Class wants it all…)
3) Tax Credits for investments in "Start-Up Companies" with a minimum of 3 Employees. I don't want to make phony one man consulting group’s easy cons for loophole financing (There should be a other considerations, but as few as possible or the whole program will become inefficient & useless). There needs only to be Real Effort, not success. Nobody can (Or should) guarantee success, but if the “Professionals do their jobs right,” they will mitigate the risks and earn.
4) Finance Training Facilities for both Entrepreneurs & Small Cap Investment Firms. The Big Boys crushed the most essential asset of America, the Small Business Sector, and the Investment Banking Firms who supported them. It will cost money and 6 months to “ramp up” for each firm to get to hire & train Brokers and Investment Advisers (Licensed & Trained) to aggressively be able to conduct due diligence, assist owners & management on the steps of writing Business Plans, Introducing Professionals in Meetings, and to recruit Seasoned Mgt. to assist these young fledgling businesses so they pose less risk Small Business Financing; so that for the Investors, and try to get this small-Cap and Micro-Cap investment market fired up again…
5) Deferred Compensation Taxes. It will cost each of these Companies 2 to 3 x more money if they have to take out all the Taxes associated with Employment (early on); so if they could pay the employees free of Withholding, Social Security, and Workman's Comp for a 6 month period, that should get the business into "Cash Flow;" so that these Employees will have a job with a Company that has a better chance to survive (These are only ideas that “Government can assist on,” they don’t have to all happen)!
Successful start-up companies need 4 things to be present:
I. PRODUCT - (Or Service) One that is timely and cost efficient.
II. TIMING - Requires a product & talent meet the window of opportunity.
III. MANAGEMENT - Inventors are usually bad managers. They need help.
IV. CAPITAL – Structure is important (Takes yrs of experience to do well).
I use to have SBIC’s around my firms, their underwriters have worked for me, and I’ve done business with and through them on several deals. They are great for long-term investment Capital, but you need people who will “Roll the Bones” with $300K to $1,000,000. to get Start-up companies off the ground. These aren't typically the type of investors who want to wait and see if the project will work in a yr or two (Not without wanting a Controlling Stake in the deal). So, you will crawl at the Pace and Speed of the management of the SBIC, and the SBA.
I like to use SBA Loans or Financial Guarantees, or through SBIC’s after the company exist. Then there is equity on the Balance sheet, assets available for Collateral, and probably “Cash Flow” to pay debt service and receivables to securitize notes... That stuff doesn’t exist with “Start-up’s,” and by the time a Start-up can afford to pay any debt service, I’d already have it Publicly Traded on the OTC Market so that liquidity is available for the Investors and Valued Securities are available to recruit some Expert Management, as well as provide enhancements for Lenders (Such as SBIC’s) for earlier stage financial risks.
So where are these “Small Cap Firms?” Well, I’m in that business for over 25 yrs and “NONE” of my 30 + Friend’s Firms exist... They all went out of business. These were “Good, & Reputable Firms” (Not Bucket Shops). WHY? YOU GUYS! Greedy Politicians who didn’t think or Care about the ramifications and consequences of bowing to the Ruling Class after taking the Bank Lobbyists Bribes and they un-did the safety Regulations that kept our Banks Safe, and the Investment banking Community form being Dominated & Controlled by the Federal Reserve Banks, and their Member Banks.
As a result of Congress Repealing the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 (During the session of 1999), they allowed the Banks back on Wall Street. Not only did they have control of the money supply from the FED, but then they also took Total Domination & Control of both the Money Supply & the Capital Markets… Which means that they also decide WHO GETS the MONEY & WHO DOESN’T? So the FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS and their MEMBER BANKS returned to what they were prior to the “Great Depression” and they have returned the country back to the days of the Great Depression; as they have once again manipulated the markets to convert the wealth of the Middle Class to that of their own.
(PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG!)
They Banks manipulated the markets in 2001, and again in 2007, and created the financial mess this Country is in! So why doesn't Washington Fix it?
“Ask Barney Frank” (Who took the Bribes), or “Chris Dodd” (Left the Senate…). The (2) Democrats were the most powerful men overseeing Banking & Finance in Washington (In both the House and the Senate), and they’re both in Bed with the Banks, so they did absolutely “NOTHING to Rat themselves out…" The Republicans “SPONSORED the BILL;” (It’s always been the Agenda of the GOP to wipe out the Middle Class since Reagan left office). "SO WE’RE SCREWED!" Both Parties screwed us, and so what now? Now the Federal Government (After the House, the Senate and the White House have all changed from Republican to Democratic, with the midterm already changing that), “NOW YOU ASK?”
Since the common “Enemy of the People” were Al Qaeda & the Banks (Before the last Pres. Election), “That may have been a Good time to ASK!”
I am VERY ANGRY! “Real People have Lost everything they owned!” Professionals (Both College Educated or Not) who ran well managed Small Businesses that employed Americans and maybe earned $350K to $1M per year, now own “Nothing!” So now what the Government wants to know, “How to better LEND MONEY to Businesses that Can Not Pay It Back?” (IT WON’T WORK…) NO…
Nothing is going to Change (Long Term) w/o Reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act. That “Coup de Tat,” the Banks put over on the U.S. Citizens was the worst thing that perpetrated on America and the Middle Class since the Federal Reserve Banks were created to turn the Nation’s Money System over to Private bankers (In 1913). Instead of the majority of the “Wealth of our Nation” being owned by the Middle Class, it is now owned by 400 of the richest people in the world (All in 1 decade), and SMART AMERICANS are now wards of the State.
Tell me the difference between what the bankers did in 1929 and what they’ve done in the 3 hits in 2001, 2007, and just before 2008? It isn’t because the Democrats want us on Social Services, it’s because the Ruling Class, “Those who own the FEDERAL RESERVE the OIL, & Control the Multi-Nat’l Corp’s!”
By separating the Banks from the Investment Banks F.D.R. was able to eliminate 90% of the risks that Banks took by not allowing them to use Depositor Money to wage bets on Stock & Bonds, or Insurance Deals that could put unwittingly depositor’s moneys at Risk! By Surring-up the stability of these deposits, the Government was able to create the FDIC, which insured Deposits at the Banks, and People regained confidence in the American Banking System. No longer did the "FED" and its Member Banks have Total Domination & Control of the Free Enterprise or Capitalism in America. Not until 1999…
In 1999, the Bank Lobbyists bought off Congress and by using a Merger between Citi Bank and Travelers Insurance as their "Poster Child" justification for Repealing the Glass-Steagall Act which stood in the way of this new (Old) “Hybrid Bank” that was suppose to increase it’s services in order to compete in a Global market with European Banks. (How’s that for B.S.?) The Bank Lobbyists bought off Congress for an estimated $300 Million and they were able to undo the most essential Law that protected the Public and the Deposits from becoming "At Risk;" and the Banks borrowed all the money they wanted from the FED to acquire the Investment Firms on wall street, and in less than 2 yrs, they managed to replicate exactly what they did in 1929 (When they cased the Market meltdown) which the Glass-Steagall Act prevented from ever happening again, and then they caused the Bond Markets to crash, and then the banking system all together. “We bailed them out!”
Does this administration really want to get America going? Or do they want to "Look like they’re getting America going...?" We are heading into elections so I don't believe anything in Washington now... This essay will more than likely fall on deaf ears and not be heard by anyone who will do anything…
But (As an exercise):
Say we have all the money in the world to “Get to Small Businesses…” HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT?
HOW DO YOU GET CAPITAL TO ENTREPRENEURS & SMALL BUSINESS? THE BANKS? How the hell do you put Debt into Start Up Companies that have little to no income (That is just Stupid…)? You must get them an infusion of "Equity Capital" & there isn’t Small Equity Firms left… BANKS ONLY OWN THE BIG FIRMS
(Big Firms won’t do small deals)!
I FEAR THIS IS NOTHING BUT FEEL GOOD POLITICAL WINDOW DRESSING
Getting the Small Business Sector Growing is only the most essential aspect of our future. It employs 75% of AMERICA (For God's Sake)! Raise more Taxes? “From WHO?" If we get Small Business going you get America going. Everyone will have Jobs and Pay Taxes again. It’s always been that simple…
It's just that Nobody Cared to do anything about it... I still doubt anyone will listen or do anything about it because I believe in my heart that this “Blog” is just more Political B.S. so that Politicians can stand on Ceremony… (WHY NOW?)
THIS SHOULD’VE BEEN THE 1st THING THE ADMINISTRATION TACKLED (While they had control of Both Houses).
I fought tooth and nail for Obama, but I don’t believe in any of the self serving politicians anymore (And “I like Him!”).
I’ve taken over 30 “Start-up & Small Cap Companies” Public (Most are still alive). "I'’LL WORK FOR FREE!” (HELP GET THINGS GOING), “I’M A CAPITALIST!”
Capitalism does not require Greed to work. On the contrary, it’s GREED that doesn’t want Capitalism to work. Those who are Greedy in business don’t want others to become “Capitalized.”
Capitalism works fine. But those who have the most Capital will only dominate unbridled Capital markets; and their aim is to create Monopolies & Limit Competition. That’s what Officials (Regulations) are for… If there were no Officials, what would a Football Game look like (With Millions of dollars at stake)? The Biggest & Baddest will win every Bloody Game.
Independent Investment Banks had 50% Margin Rules to follow. If we bought $50K worth of AT&T we could borrow another $50K to buy more AT&T. Then we’d have $100K in AT&T stock and $50K in Loans (50% Loan Margin). When Nat’l Banks took over Wall Street, they took $50K on deposit at the FED, and Borrow $500K, then with their Investment Bank they bought $1M in AT&T. (We got $100K of Stock w/$50K, they got $1,000,000).
In 2001, when the Stock market Melted Down (We lost $7Trillion in a few weeks), the 50% rule was still in effect. Then after 911, they changed the rule to 75% (Which sounds like a 25% increase but it’s 300% increase), so now $50K buys $200K in stock! Loan Increase of 300%! (But by now, 95% of all Small-Cap Independent Investment Banks that use to Finance the Small Business Sector were gone), so the only firms that were able to take advantage of this were the Big Firms that are owned by the Banks. So the Banks take their $50K and borrowed $500K from the FED, and then go and buy $2,000,000 worth of stock. While we lost $7Trillion Dollars they bought it up “Pennies on the Dollar” and with 4,000% more leverage. Now Banks control the stock that we use to, and we have no access to Capital; while their Multi-Nat’l Corp’s they have stock in use “State Contracted & Sponsored Slave Labor” to manufacture what use to be “Made in America.” “HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PLAYING OUT?”
Capitalism is supposed to be a means of creating an economy; not tear it down. You don’t have to be a NICE GUY to play, and you don’t need to be a Cold Blooded Prick to win either. WE DO NEED REGULATIONS AS BORDERS OR THE GREEDY WILL TREAD ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE THEY AREN'T INTERESTED IN AMERICA, THEY’RE ONLY INTERESTED IN THEIR WEALTH!
Mr. “I work for the Government & I’m here to help!” What're you going to do?
YOU KNOW WHO I AM? WHO ARE YOU?
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS?
WHO IS READING THIS TO DECIDE WHAT IS GOOD?
“Guns don’t kill People; People kill People” (With guns). If the Capital markets are controlled by a few (With unlimited money from the FED), they can just buy out competitors or change Laws to crush Small Business & Free Enterprise to wind up where we are now, “Corporate Anarchy.”
Pigs will eventually eat themselves alive (After they eat our children).
WE NEED TO END THE FED! But (Until that happens), why not just reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, and get the Banks off of Wall Street for good? Where are our leaders? YOU (Reading This), “What're you going to do?”
Incentives, Tax Breaks, Bank Guarantees, Deferred Taxes, Matching Funds, etc. "NONE OF IT WILL WORK!” Not unless we have the infrastructure to service the 1,000's of new and fractured small businesses that are in drastic need of both Capital and Financial Services... Getting the Small Investment Firms to "Spring Up" (And they WILL) is the only way you are going to get the Money to the Businesses (Curtailing Corruption), and maximize the deployment of Capital with efficiency; as the Investment Bankers don't make 1/3 the money until the business is operating and its stock is publicly traded.
THE SBA or “SBIC’s” will not get this done. They are just not equipped with the working knowledge of the Markets, as they are all about Debt, Interest, Security, Collateral, and Financial Guarantees. That’s great if you are fresh out of college and you want to start up 12 businesses in 12 yrs and maybe get ½ of them to repay the loans… “YAWNING” You need Investment bankers with a No B.S. Attitude, that will sit down with SEC Lawyers, Acct’s, & recruit a couple members to the Board’s of Directors for these companies (So that they don’t get side swiped or blindsided), to help these businesses grow organically 20 at a time! THROUGH 500 firms hiring 50 to 200 Brokers, who will take orders, sell stocks, mange accounts, and do what Wall Street use to do, “Underwrite Businesses!” Companies shouldn’t “Start with $1Billion” before they know if it will work…
I am ready to “Click” the [SUBMIT NEW IDEA] Button. But, “The best NEW IDEA is still the Old Idea!” Reinstate Glass-Steagall & Roll Back all the Federal Regulations that were changed from1996 forward, and we will fix things ourselves (That’s what Entrepreneurs do).
Thanks for reading…
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