tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post7134802028392338680..comments2024-03-24T17:06:47.135-04:00Comments on Story Bones: The stories we tell ourselvesSteve Buchheithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-49706644893162166892011-07-18T16:05:43.104-04:002011-07-18T16:05:43.104-04:00With your experience, I'm surprised at your co...With your experience, I'm surprised at your comments.<br /><br /><i>Either we have brave business people, or ones who are too afraid of their shadow to make a move. </i><br /><br />It's not either/or. It's both/and. The economy - and frankly, the government and its rules/regs - is not a non-entity in decision-making about business. <br /><br />Let's go back to light bulbs for a very weak hypothetical, but it works for an illustration. (Pun intended.)<br /><br />I own Business A. I need to upgrade my lighting in my business. I prefer incandescents for a variety of reasons - my product looks better under them, my fixtures currently work with them, I like them better, what-have-you. <br /><br />Right now, there's a repeal working its way through Congress. Hey, if it goes through, I get to continue to buy the product I like best. If it doesn't, and I don't want to use CFLs and halogens have some side issues that concern me. LEDs aren't an option because of their poor quality of light.<br /><br />What do I do?<br /><br />I sit and wait to see what Congress is going to do. Maybe I go out and buy up a supply, delaying my decision. Maybe I hold onto the cash pending the development of a better light bulb.<br /><br />You want to tax that money that I'm holding on to for future investment whenever I have to make a decision? How on earth is that a good thing?<br /><br />Uncertainity is indeed an issue. Maybe it's the MBAs running the show. Maybe it's my uncles in their businesses -not one of them is an MBA, btw - who say "Until I get a clue what's going on with the health care, I'm not doing anything." <br /><br />ACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-82723577365767618612011-07-18T10:11:38.020-04:002011-07-18T10:11:38.020-04:00I'm a freelancer, Cassie. I've also helped...I'm a freelancer, Cassie. I've also helped manage a studio (because the owner didn't want to/couldn't because she was distracted by her home life).<br /><br />At the studio, I was also there when the owner cut her salary and took her pay out from the profits (as an S-corp distribution, which, thanks, to the Taft Administration, aren't taxed under the Ohio tax code, and are considered Capital Gains under the federal code, which is taxed lower than income). I also managed a 14 person art department for E&Y back in the 90s. While I didn't have full control, I did have to meet numbers of productivity and manage a budget as well as being the personnel manager. Not to mention my experience with budgets and business as a councilman.<br /><br />Also, I do know the difference between "Fully Realized Profits" and "Profits Before Expenses". In this case, we're discussing the former, but the companies are trying to confuse it with the latter (they have to disclose these numbers in the appropriate categories in their SEC reports, quarterly and final).<br /><br />So, here's a link, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/14/AR2010071405960.html Non-financial companies are sitting on $1.8trillion cash (Profits after expenses - or "cash in the bank"). <br /><br />Also, as to "uncertainty", if that was a problem, we would never have gone after new clients. Talk about uncertainty in sinking cash into a project.Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-14395203797031043432011-07-17T22:50:48.128-04:002011-07-17T22:50:48.128-04:00Have you ever owned a business?
ACHave you ever owned a business?<br /><br />ACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com