Small Business Appreciation

Article: Dead body found in duct work of business that had been closed for several months.

The piece went on to detail neighbors' views that the empty storefront needed addressing.  And, one comment in particular caught my eye:

"Put another business there that could generate jobs for the community, or maybe a community center for children," said (one neighbor).

"Put another business there."  Really?  And, who would do this?  The government?  Just put another business there, that simple.

This manner of thinking highlights the problem with our educational system: people are completely clueless as to how business operates, who runs business, or even the risks involved.

Every high school student should take a semester course in entrepreneurship.  Not to build up a generation of entrepreneurs--let's face it, you're either born with the spirit or not--but to give the students, a majority of them who will work for someone else, a healthy appreciation for what goes into running a business.  They need to understand taxes, payroll, federal and state rules and regulations, insurance, and the plethora of other details and legalities of running a real business.

Instead of teaching "class warfare" and portraying business owners as evil, we should foster understanding of what business owners, especially of the small business variety, endure to make their dreams a reality.  Sure, there are greedy, stick-it-to-the-employee business owners out there, but they are the minority not the majority.  The majority of small business owners take pride in providing goods or services and jobs to the community.  Most of them are not rich fat cats trampling on the poor, but rather, hard working people taking risks, providing opportunities, and supporting the community.

Whether it's a mom and pop shop or a large corporation, our future workforce should understand that their job security rests solely on the success of the business with whom they're employed.  When they fully appreciate the magnitude of what it takes to keep a business afloat and generate jobs for the community, they may garner sympathy rather than animosity towards business owners.

Most business owners have walked in the shoes of both employee and owner, but most employees can't say the same.  How would our workforce change if employees truly grasped the strife, sacrifice, and satisfaction that accompanies business ownership?