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I am so curious why you repeatedly spit in the collective face of the millions of small business owners in the US and around the world. If what you say were tr

by Zetice 3y ago

I am so curious why you repeatedly spit in the collective face of the millions of small business owners in the US and around the world. If what you say were true, the world would exist as a series of 3-5 megacorps, and small businesses would not exist. Since they do exist, how do you square that with your claim that only the "extremely rich would be able to start a business of any size" is currently true?

deleted 3y ago
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garrickvanburen 3y ago
I agree, most businesses are very small. Large businesses and especially very large businesses are the exception. 4.7M of the 8M US businesses have <5 employees. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/small-business-week.html https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/small-business-week.... Starting a business requires little more than filing incorporation documents with your state. Growing a business to dominate a market and get crazy rich may require outside funding, but growing a business to support and maintain your individual lifestyle does not.
matwood 3y ago
I would also add to your point that starting a business is easier than it has ever been. While far from perfect, the internet has been an amazing equalizer.
- ethbr0 3y ago
  On the one hand, it makes it easy for you to reach customers. On the other hand, it makes it easy for your competitors to reach customers. I'd argue that, on the whole, the internet has made starting "just an idea and a garage" businesses harder, because they now face immediate, maximally-funded competition. Whereas pre-Internet they would have been geographically/physically protected for awhile. True, net win for customers, efficiency, etc. (maybe). But you couldn't start a Starbucks these days.
dpc050505 3y ago
> spit in the collective face of the millions of small business owners in the US and around the world. Their income is similar to that of most working professionals and their assets are similar to the savings of most working professionals. They entrepreneured themselves into having a job, they're not the investor/capitalist multimillionaires we picture when we think of rich people. >the world would exist as a series of 3-5 megacorps, and small businesses would not exist The economy exists as the 500 megacorps that make up the s&p 500. Small businesses just fill in the gaps and are for the most part beholden to the megacorps for their business, their supplies and/or their financing.

by Zetice 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

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garrickvanburen 3y ago

I agree, most businesses are very small. Large businesses and especially very large businesses are the exception. 4.7M of the 8M US businesses have <5 employees. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/small-business-week.html https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/small-business-week.... Starting a business requires little more than filing incorporation documents with your state. Growing a business to dominate a market and get crazy rich may require outside funding, but growing a business to support and maintain your individual lifestyle does not.

matwood 3y ago

I would also add to your point that starting a business is easier than it has ever been. While far from perfect, the internet has been an amazing equalizer.

ethbr0 3y ago
On the one hand, it makes it easy for you to reach customers. On the other hand, it makes it easy for your competitors to reach customers. I'd argue that, on the whole, the internet has made starting "just an idea and a garage" businesses harder, because they now face immediate, maximally-funded competition. Whereas pre-Internet they would have been geographically/physically protected for awhile. True, net win for customers, efficiency, etc. (maybe). But you couldn't start a Starbucks these days.

dpc050505 3y ago

> spit in the collective face of the millions of small business owners in the US and around the world. Their income is similar to that of most working professionals and their assets are similar to the savings of most working professionals. They entrepreneured themselves into having a job, they're not the investor/capitalist multimillionaires we picture when we think of rich people. >the world would exist as a series of 3-5 megacorps, and small businesses would not exist The economy exists as the 500 megacorps that make up the s&p 500. Small businesses just fill in the gaps and are for the most part beholden to the megacorps for their business, their supplies and/or their financing.