Grrrr.... "Why don't the unemployed just start their own businesses?" Sick of this argument!

I hear this a lot from people in arguments about the economy or unemployment. "Why can't people just be entrepreneurs?"

Some can, sure. But its logically impossible for everyone to have their own business. Maybe one out of ten can pull it off. What about the other nine?

Let's leave aside most of the hudles for a moment...stuff like the need to raise startup money, the need for everyone to have a brilliant idea, and so forth. Just consider the base logic of this argument.

Imagine a world where everyone "starts their own business." You are thirsty so you go into the coffeeshop. There you find a self-employed cashier, to whom you give your order. The cashier then outsources the order to the barrista, who has a coffee-pouring business. After she fills out the proper paperwork, she pours the coffee. She then uses her iPhone to contact the latte-foamer, who is an independent contractor working for himself and totally unconnected to anyone else in the same building. He foams the latte, his area of expertise. Then he sells the product to the counter-keeper, who runs a small business involved in passing coffee between the foamer and the customers. After it is all over, an independent table-cleaner wipes up and presents a separate bill to the customer.

See how silly that is???

Originally posted by Partygirl
See how silly that is???

Silly indeed. I must admit I can agree with that.

I'm not sure if a minimum wage job can be defined as a business.

I am what you would call an entrepreneur, but it's TOUGH. I can see that this is not something for everyone.

I see people on other forums hearing how "easy" it is supposed to be to make money "on the internet"..but there is A LOT of work, motivation, skills etc. involved. It's also not something you can learn or do "on the side" while having a "real" job 8 hours/day. You must be dedicated and have a PROVEN plan and strategy - otherwise you will fail. And often it's still trial and error until you see success.

But its logically impossible for everyone to have their own business.

Not true, because "everyone" basically is a business. They are selling their work, service or skills. Even if you work some stupid job in a warehouse..you are selling your LABOR.

As someone with your own business or as an entrepreneur..you simply realized that working for OTHERS cannot be the ultimate thing..because you are basically working for increasing your bosses/company profit, not YOURS.

You are "used", so to speak. If it wouldn't pay off for the employer to have you employed, he wouldnt have employed you in the first place. So...the entrepreneur works for himself and its his OWN profit coming right from his own work/success, not for others.

I agree.And the governments make it easier for corporations than small business.They need to limit market share so that there is more opportunty and competition in markets instead of monopolies.

I dont know ,maybe pick some different people to argue with
.Like the unemployed or homeless

Who exactly is saying these things, you make it sound as if every one is?


You are obviously correct in your assessment of the issues with creating a business on your own, but what made you post this issue in the "Global Melt Down" section of the forums and not in the "Rant" section of the forums?

I started my house painting business sixteen years ago and I haven't looked back. I had a couple of really lean years, then business picked up. In the beginning I didn't have much start up money, just twenty bucks and an old Chevy truck. I borrowed ladders from relatives till I had enough money to buy my own. Today I have all kinds of equipment and tools. I don't have to advertise. I do good work, word of mouth is my advertising. I was afraid to take the risk in the beginning. I didn't have enough money, I didn't have any tools. I took the risk anyway. It paid off.

reply to post by Partygirl


A lot of the people you are talking about think they are too good to pour coffee. Then there are those who engage in legitimate and non-legitimate work while yet claiming unemployment. There is a lot of gaming the system going on. And a lot of "I'm too good to do that kind of work" going on. And you don't have to be brilliant to mow a lawn or throw papers or clean parking lots.

edit:
Oh I forgot to mention, your argument is a red herring.

Most average Americans live paycheck to paycheck. A huge majority BARELY have any money left over after they "splurge" it on the necessities of life each month. Many go without electric in order to pay the rent or mortgage, and to put food on the table instead.

So with this description of the average American of CURRENT TIMES, how do these SNOBBISH-detached-from-reality delusional folks expect everyone to just go out "open a business"???

[color=gold]Its is FRIGHTENING just how detached from reality that some humans among us really are. WOW!!!

"Yep, just start a business, no sweat", says they. Says they who INHERITED a business from their parents, or whom were born rich. Those who have always had it EASY from someone elses hard work, or from being at the right place at the right time, knew the right person, back-stabbed their way to the top, or who whored themselves out, or one who just simply got LUCKY in life.

Building a business up from the ground via hard work ALONE is MOST LIKELY to FAIL WITHIN THE FIRST FEW YEARS!!!! Which you NOW end up in a HUGE financial HOLE deeper than before...

SO...those chances of success (even if you can AFFORD TO START UP A BUSINESS) are extremely rare to say the very least. Most average folks would probably consider cutting off an arm or a leg to have such luck!!!

Well, I gotta tell ya detached folks, not everyone was born like you with a silver spoon in their mouths!!

Hopefully there is reincarnation where the roles will be... SWAPPED in the NEXT life!!!!!!!

...then they will see what the average folks are really up against!! That would be SWEET, SWEET justice!!

I agree with you as well. I think many of the people who say that...are not business owners, still live at home, are not unemployed, or completely clueless to the impossibility and obstacles of success...or even in starting one's own business.

Maybe, all of the above.

I hear this a lot from people in arguments about the economy or unemployment. "Why can't people just be entrepreneurs?"

This is also a question which often spurs high emotions in me.
And always when i have high emotions, even when i am just plain disgusted, i know there is something interesting to discover. So I start do explore:

The argument comes often from filthy rich politicians who had a good start, being a heir of tons of money and connections, so they made even more money, without really being good at business.
Bush junior for example (there are many more), the first 3 companies he owned have been complete failures.

But since they are well connected they are good in fighting off competition, because they make the rules.
See for instance the Lemonade stand movement: Arrested for selling lemonade:


Possible Solutions ?

- In Germany there is a guy who started a coffee/sandwich shop his project was to employ only people who have been unemployed since some time. It turned out to be a huge success, because everybody working there is so happy to have a job again that their motivation thrives. People like the idea as well and are fed up by the big corporations like starbuck, so they go to this place to get coffee and sandwiches.

- In Switzerland (and other places) there movements which created "Tauschring" Exchange rings in english.
The idea; many people do not have much money, but everyone has some talents, time and needs.
So you can go to the website and register there. You indicate what you are good in, and what you want to have.

- Let's make an example: I speak german and can teach it to you. On the other hand I have bad back and like to have some massages.
On the other side there is a woman from asia who does massages, but does not speak german. So we agree to exchange - I teach her 2 hours of german a week and in return get 2hours of massage.
Some of the rings have even a bonus system. Example: I give german lessons to a IT-guy. Since I do not need IT services at the time i will get a time bonus for giving lessons, and with this time bonus I "buy" another massage at the asian woman. So she in return gets a time bonus, which she can spend on the IT-guy, because she needs a website.

It works as well for goods, not only services: Example: I have so many books, so many I read once and then they just settle dust. So I exchange them with somebody else who is in the same situation.

It s a very neat system based on peoples talents and need instead of money.
It favours local trade and craft, and brings people closer together, while leaving banks and bigger corporations outside.

Ehh, i had some long winded thing going here but screw it, its redundant and complicated so i'll just keep it simple:

You are basically, correct, it's a silly argument to use in the way you describe.

Also it serves to deflect from any real solutions and/or responsibility.

We are being robbed, conned, and sold out, and you could wave a wand and turn everyone into Bill Gates and it wouldn't make a damned difference.

When you get laid off from work the clock is ticking. Money is saved to pay for bills and mortgage so the house is not lost and the kids can be fed until new work is found. Starting a successful business at that point is next to impossible unless you happen to find a job or field of work that has less candidates than jobs and pays a living wage.

Heck, even George Noory of Coast to Coast AM has said many times that he has to financially help his adult kids out because the economy is so bad.

Most job postings get a minimum of 300 applicants these days. I don't think most people are lazy, I just don't think the work is out there for many people.

This is the worst I've ever seen it and I don't see anything intelligent happening with this country to change things (by either the Dems or Repubs).

reply to post by svetlana84



You do realize that the entire video was staged, the sellers here expected to be arrested. They were selling in an area that required a permit.

I feel ashamed that people still feel the need to pass this propaganda as anti-freedom.

What if every every body decided to "sell" their product in a public space...what would happen to our public spaces?

They would turn into semi-permanent shopping malls, I suppose you would post video about that instead, insisting on laws to protect the free space of us as well.

You cant have both.

Originally posted by jcord
reply to post by Partygirl

 

A lot of the people you are talking about think they are too good to pour coffee. Then there are those who engage in legitimate and non-legitimate work while yet claiming unemployment. There is a lot of gaming the system going on. And a lot of "I'm too good to do that kind of work" going on. And you don't have to be brilliant to mow a lawn or throw papers or clean parking lots.

edit:
Oh I forgot to mention, your argument is a red herring.

edit on 24-11-2011 by jcord because: (no reason given)

Even if all unemployed people were gaming the system, which they aren't, it wouldn't even compare to how the International Banks gamed our country out of Trillions. And it's because the money has been sucked out that people can't get the work they so desperately want.

Partygirl, thanks for the input. This thread made me think.
As I said early every time when my emotions go high i try to make something out of it.

So I just started a new thread, where i want to collect and discuss SOLUTIONS.
I think we have to move on from the rants (which are ok, since the stir up emotions, which creates energy)
to the solutions.

Please see it here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

It's not my intention to derail your thread.

If you view my posts you will see that it is a favorite passtime of mine to hate on the "banksters." But, I pose this question to you: do two wrongs make a right? Keep your integrity or you are the same type of filth that the banksters are.

Originally posted by thepixelpusher

Originally posted by jcord
reply to post by Partygirl

 

A lot of the people you are talking about think they are too good to pour coffee. Then there are those who engage in legitimate and non-legitimate work while yet claiming unemployment. There is a lot of gaming the system going on. And a lot of "I'm too good to do that kind of work" going on. And you don't have to be brilliant to mow a lawn or throw papers or clean parking lots.

edit:
Oh I forgot to mention, your argument is a red herring.

edit on 24-11-2011 by jcord because: (no reason given)

Even if all unemployed people were gaming the system, which they aren't, it wouldn't even compare to how the International Banks gamed our country out of Trillions. And it's because the money has been sucked out that people can't get the work they so desperately want.

edit on 24-11-2011 by thepixelpusher because: (no reason given)

reply to post by mileysubet


Mileysubet

You do realize that the entire video was staged, the sellers here expected to be arrested. They were selling in an area that required a permit.

Yes I realize it was staged. Staged to show the problem; that today it s not even possible to sell lemonade because the rulers set up so many rules which oppress the small entrepreneur.

The group did it after a girl was arrested for the same cause.

What we see is 10 government paid cops arresting free entrepreneurs. To protect the income of the big corporations. Who pays the cops our tax money. How we pay taxes ? I do not know, because my income, the lemonade stand is out of business. The root of the problem.

in a free and open society it should be possible to sell your hand made lemonade without a permit.

Yes! there were a couple of times on this site when I have explained my current situation with regards to employment and money troubles and there have been a few people on here who have said that very phrase "just start your own business!", "do this, this, this and this and hey presto! you're rich!"
You know who you are!!

maybe the gov't should do away with all the fee involved with making a business legal, and perhaps provide some free legal counseling for those who want to make sure their business is legal. and then, provide some low cost insurance in case someone makes an honest mistake while doing the job and find out they are getting sued for everything they don't own!!

most business start up with gov't backed loans from the sba, and most businesses will fail within a year or two...
so, well, got to ask....
the people who keep encouraging others to go out and start their own business, weather or not they have the desire, or the idea...
well, do they like being the purse that gets raided everytime someone fails and the gov't has backed their loans and endeavors and now end up paying or are they on the other side, making the loans, slicing and dicing, and packaging them up to sell to the investors (including whoever is keeping your ira account probably) at triple a rating???