Small Business Woes

Mortgage companies going bankrupt? Everything you buy is "made in China"? Working more than you used to for less money?

We are a small business (sole proprietor) who is suffering through this strange economy. We are a very small shop with only 1 full-time employee, 2 part-timers and 2 sub contractors. And we lose jobs to China just like the big dogs.

This shop has been in business for 25 years, so we've seen ups and downs. This current economy is about the strangest one we've seen. Some lessons have been learned, and some situations are terribly confusing. Political decisions have impacted us considerably. Mass layoffs in almost every industry throughout the US over the years have impacted us terribly. Business closures, bankruptcies and sell-outs have impacted us harshly.

We lose customers because they've lost customers and must shut their doors. Our competition is dwindling with shops going out of business every month (I guess that's sort of good - in a selfish anti-free-enterprise type of way. Whether you believe it or not, competition is a good thing). Our vendors are going out of business due to the loss of customers. Taxes are rising and killing the little guy, while the big dogs get incentives for going overseas and usually pay no tax.

It's a dog eat dog world and I'm hoping that our experiences at this little local shop will help people avoid being eaten up.