What If Government Stopped and Nobody Cared

In a previous post, I quoted P.J. O'Rourke, who once wrote, “The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop.”

On the state level, we recently found out just how to do that here in New York. For those not familiar with NY politics, there is what is considered the holy trinity of power brokers in state government; the Governor, the Senate majority leader and the Assembly majority leader. A few weeks ago, that included Governor David Paterson, Assembly Majority Leader Sheldon Silver and Senate majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

That was until last week, when two Democratic Senators switched their allegiance to form a coalition with the Republicans to oust Malcolm Smith as Senate Majority Leader. Since this little coup has take place, the remaining Democrats refuse to work with the new leadership. As if this didn’t sound silly enough already, the secretary of the Senate actually refused to turn over the keys to the Senate chamber to the new Republican leaders.

So since June 9th, the legislative branch of NY State Government has ceased operations. The effects of this government stoppage have been monumentally insignificant. Life has continued to go on in the Empire State. It is amazing how we have managed to survive with this huge void in leadership in State government.

To give you a sampling of what New Yorkers are missing, I randomly pulled three pending bills proposed recently in the State Senate. I started with Senate Bill S05700, proposed by Senator Klein, which prohibits issuing a credit card to anyone under the age of 21 unless that person has had parental consent and has completed a course or instruction in financial responsibility and liability. I wish I could propose a bill requiring a course of instruction in financial responsibility and liability for our elected officials.

Then there is S05701, proposed by Senator Schneiderman, that “requires licensure for instructors in religion, dancing, music, painting, drawing, sculpture, poetry, dramatic art, languages, reading comprehension, mathematics, recreation and athletics.” Luckily, my past work as a disc jockey was in NJ, not NY, or I may have been arrested for instructing the guests at the Weinstein Bar Mitzvah how to do the Electric Slide without proper credentials.

Next up is S05702, proposed by Senator Johnson, which “authorizes the metropolitan transportation authority to create a regional bus authority.” After all, we can just never have enough authority.

I will stop there. While this was just a small sampling, in my more in depth search, I was hard pressed to find any bills that appeared to provide any significant action.

My belief is that in regards to small business, the stoppage of the NY State Senate is one of the best things that could have happened. Aside from giving us a break from some pretty silly proposed legislation, the recent stoppage of government is preventing our lawmakers from further raising taxes, imposing new fees or creating a greater regulatory burden. While lawmakers don't like to admit it, New York ranks 49th out of 50 states, topping only New Jersey in the taxes and fee burdens placed on businesses. Here is a link to that study by the Tax Foundation: Tax Foundation

In a previous magazine article, I quoted Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana, who once said, "It's essential to remember that government does not create jobs or wealth. At its best, it creates the conditions in which men and women of imagination and enterprise create wealth for each other. At its worst, it drives away such people and the jobs they create."

Unfortunately, since the Legislative session started last January, there were no indications that the New York government was doing anything to create better conditions for entrepreneurs in this State. In fact, in the first few months of session, the Legislature was seriously considering raising a number of taxes and fees. I was at a meeting last week and one business leader, whom I hold in high regard, said, "At least now that the State Senate is completely dysfunctional, they aren't doing any more damage."

It is hard to tell whether it will be days, weeks or months until the NY Senate fixes this leadership issue and gets back into session. Inevitably, they will return, but will business owners really care?

Over Stimulated

It has been too long since my last post and I apologize for my absence. I’ve been real busy at work and much of my time hasn’t been as productive as I would like it to be. A major reason is because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress last February, which is often referred to as the “Stimulus Bill.”

My problem is not with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The President of the United States and the members of Congress should be given kudos for their efforts to take an active role in trying to get our economy on the right course. While no legislation is perfect, I am not going to waste one ounce of energy noting where this bill falls short of meeting the needs of small businesses. There are still plenty of positive programs that are coming out of this piece of legislation; some have already been implemented and some programs are still under development.

My challenge has been the volume of phone calls that have been coming to my office from both existing and aspiring small business owners who want to know what is in the stimulus package for them. More specifically, I have been getting a number of requests for grants that may be available to businesses from the “stimulus money.” Frankly, I am over stimulated with these requests!

I’ve actually taken the time to read the portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that relates to the Small Business Administration (it is just one section of a very large piece of legislation). No where in that legislation does it say that grants are being made available directly to for profit businesses. It has been a long standing policy of the US Small Business Administration not to offer grants to for profit enterprises. See this link: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/grants/index.html

Unfortunately for me, this gets lost on many existing and prospective small business owners. They still call up our office seeking their “stimulus money.” I then explain the programs of which I have been informed. When they find out that there is no free money available, some just hang up, while others give me an explanation why they are more deserving of government money than those “big investment banks that were bailed out.” While I may not disagree with them, I didn't write this legislation. Still, I try to be tactful in my responses and I can honestly say that the same courtesy has not been extended to me.

I understand that many small businesses are facing challenges in this economy. Yet I have said this before and I will say it again; no matter what the state of the economy may be, there will always be challenges for small businesses. The responsibility of dealing with those challenges falls squarely on the shoulders of the small business owner who chose to enter the world of self employment. If a business owner is not prepared to accept accountability for the risks of owning a small business, then they should not enter the field of self employment.

The rationale behind the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to spur the economy. Business owners who wish to be candidates for some of the programs available need to put together a strong business plan showing likelihood that they can contribute to economic recovery. This simply entails showing a profitable business model. Yet most of the inquiries I am getting are from people who have yet to think through the business planning process. When I tell people that a business plan showing profitability is going to be a requirement to funding, I am often told that “I just don’t have time to do that.”

Many people forget that most of the troubles with our economy stemmed from lenders who did not do proper diligence in ensuring their customers could service their loans. Part of that is not assessing whether clients had contingency plans to pay back their debts, which is a component of any good business plan.

All of the government programs still require working with lenders and whether they received TARP (bailout) money or not, lenders are not going to approve loans without responsible underwriting practices. In other words, banks cannot afford to make more bad loans. So most lenders are paying closer attention to contingencies, or second form of repayment, should the business model not satisfy the debt paymnets. That is where our economy is faced with a slight dilemma. Banks need to make more credit available if our economy is to grow, but banks can't afford to take too much risk.

There are provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will help loosen these credit markets and allow for more investment in small businesses. Still, there is a fine line between loosening credit and irresponsible lending. That is why any loan application that utilizes government resources needs to include a well thought out business plan making a strong case that the business is likely to generate profit, no matter what the state of the economy may be. Like it or not, our government can't take too much risk. The onus is still on the business owner to assume the lion share of risk.

As more small business owners use their creativity to find ways to be more profitable despite the challenges in the marketplace, we will quickly see a recovery. These successes will create a ripple effect on our economy. Spending will increase, more jobs will be created and our economy will become more vibrant.

There are opportunities for those who wish to be a part of the solution to the current economic challenges. All it takes is a good plan and an unending dedication towards profitability. Now is not the time for small business owners to be looking for the government for solutions, but rather to show the government that they can succeed despite any challenges. Perhaps it would help if more people thought about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the perspective of what they will provide in return for the government's assistance. I think of the inspiring words that John F. Kennedy spoke at his inauguration, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Tax Payer Soliloquy

Yesterday was tax day. I belong to a Rotary Club here in Plattsburgh, and one of my fellow Rotarians (who happens to be a prosecutor) made this joke during the meeting: “Remember that tax evasion is a crime; tax avoidance is a duty.”

While that statement was said in jest, it brings to point a reality of civic responsibility. We obviously need tax dollars if we are going to provide governmental services, but it is hard to sustain services if everyone is trying to avoid paying taxes. Taxpayer avoidance is not something new. The philosopher Plato wrote, “When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.” I concur with Plato that there is a certain civic duty in paying taxes; but I also agree with Arthur Godfrey, who once said, “I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is I could be just as proud for half the money.”

Part of my job as a business counselor is to help my clients get financing for their businesses. A key component of their loan application is a recent history of tax returns. The problem is that many of my clients have taken on the position that tax avoidance is their primary duty, so their businesses show little or no income. That may be well and good when it comes to tax time, but it certainly limits the prospects of getting financing based on the strength of the business.

To defend my banker friends, I need to add that if you really think about an enterprise, the tell tale sign of success is profit. So why should a bank lend money to a business that has not shown the fiscal ability to generate profit from their efforts? Yet I have had numerous bankers tell me about their loan applicants who wink at them and say, “Our tax returns don’t provide a true portrayal of our financial situation.” Let me add that making such a statement will not contribute to the chances of getting a favorable lending decision.

It’s a point to ponder. Yes, it is good to show profit to position a business for growth. Yet at what point is there so much being taken in taxes that business owners doesn’t see enough reward for their risk and hard work?

I am not taking a position either for or against tax avoidance. I was not part of any of the "Tea Parties" yesterday. Yet the discussion of taxes, civic responsibility and economic development should be revisited by our lawmakers with an understanding of what it takes to start and run a business.

With apologies to William Shakespeare, I offer this “Taxpayer Soliloquy”:

To pay or not to pay: that is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in business to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous tax burden,
Or to take arms against a sea of taxing agencies,
And by opposing not pay them? To hide: to deduct;
No more; and by deducting to say we end
The heart-ache and the overly taxed income
That earnings, 'tis financial summation
Devoutly to be kept! To hide, to deduct;
To hide: perchance to go too far: ay, there's the rub;
For in not paying taxes what consequences may come
When we have overcooked the books and get caught,
Must give us pause: there's the IRS
That makes calamity of our accounting;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of their audit?
The tax agency is wrong, our accounting is reasonable,
The complex changes to tax code, the laws confusing,
The insolence of tax collectors and the interest and penalties!
That patient merit in trying to understand the rules,
When the business might have to pay taxes
Even without making money? Who would be so foolish,
To grunt and sweat running a business,
To give all the earnings to the IRS,
The unforgiving agency from whose wrath
No business can survive, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear paying tax bills we have
Rather than pay the vendors, at least we won't go to jail if they are unpaid?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus to run a successful business
Is sick with the thought of paying all earnings to the government,
And enterprises of great growth potential,
With regard to taxation and regulation, see no benefits for their risks and toils,
So lose the opportunity for economic development.


I will conclude this post with a little humor from Will Rogers:
"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for."

If Opportunity Doesn't Knock, Build a Door!

A famous comedian, Milton Berle, once said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” Maybe this was said in jest, but there is a deep philosophical meaning to this statement that I think can be applied to today’s business environment. We can't just sit here waiting for things to get better. We have to make things get better through our actions.

There is no doubt that the markets, both globally and locally, have changed dramatically over the past few months. Retail sales in many sectors are falling and we’ve seen an increase in unemployment and cost of living indexes; especially in the volatile food, energy and health care markets, costs have increased significantly.

Yet despite these challenges, I would like to jump up on my soap box and scream, “Seize the opportunities.” There is still so much that is needed by people in this world, both globally and locally.

When people talk about “today’s economy,” most are referring to the macroeconomics of trends in gross domestic product, retail sales figures, inventory, industrial averages or some other economic indicators. No matter how dire these indicators may seem, there are always going to be business opportunities on a microeconomic level.

Capitalizing on those opportunities is the challenge. Many business owners are focusing too much on reacting to market changes rather than focusing on growing their businesses. I continually hear the refrain, “we will think about growth once the economy gets better.” The reality is that businesses can create their own economies by being proactive and building the doors to welcome opportunity.

Sure businesses may have to make adjustments to deal with the current market changes, but proactive business owners will always continue to seek areas for new business development. The following are areas to consider:

Grow Market Share – Now is an especially good time to pay closer attention to the competition. Some competitors may be offering less favorable credit terms, reducing inventory, providing less services or even closing their doors during this recession. All of these areas leave room for businesses to position themselves to gain more market share.

Add Product Service Lines – One of the new buzz words for small businesses is “diversity.” This refers to adding more product or service lines to meet other demands of an existing customer base. It is just a matter of paying attention to the needs of existing customers and finding product or service lines that meet these demands. Just make sure that new additions compliment, rather than replace existing product/service lines.

Innovation – Wherever there are problems, there remains opportunities to develop new solutions. Innovation is the seed to entrepreneurism. Since everyone is bemoaning their problems, be the solution finder! Innovation comes in different forms and scales, whether it is product improvement, service improvement or a completely new product/service entry into the marketplace. There are no bounds to innovation except feasibility – will this innovation generate a profitable business model?

Now is not a good time to be passive and wait for things to get better. Business growth is a function of developing a good plan and taking action to achieve specific goals. History has proven that it is those who create their own opportunities who sustain success. I think it is only fitting to conclude with a quote from another comedian, Jonathan Winters, who said, “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.”

Roller Coaster Story with a Tom Robbins Twist

I remember vividly my first date as with my high school sweetheart. I was sixteen years old and a beautiful girl in my French class asked me to join her at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. I quickly accepted, looking forward to getting to know a little more about this girl that I had been admiring for sometime.

There was a slight problem with this venue for a first date. At that point in my life I had never been on a roller coaster and she kept talking about her two favorite rides at Great Adventure – “Rolling Thunder” and “Lightning Loops.” The anxiety of being on a first date is tough enough, but for me, the larger anxiety was that I would have to either experience a roller coaster for the first time and risk hurling next to the girl of my dreams; or I could be a wimp and explain to her that I was too scared to go on the roller coaster.

As silly as this sounds today, this over dramatic teenager seriously thought about canceling the date, fearing that I was in a no win situation. Luckily for me, what little testosterone I had at that age (I was a real late bloomer) kicked in and convinced me to just go for it.

As soon as we paid our admission to the park, my date high tailed it right to the line to get onto “Rolling Thunder.” The anxiety kicked in again as we waited in line. This psychosomatic nausea started as I was able to see the roller coaster go creeping up so slowly and then hurtling down at great speeds. Would I be able to handle that speed?

We made some small talk while waiting in line and I did my best to hide my fears. Once our turn came to get on, I was relieved that we did not end up in the front seat. Small victory, but I was still pretty anxious about the first impending drop. Once they locked the restraining bar there was no turning back.

I quickly turned to my date and told her that this was my first time on a roller coaster. She just laughed and told me to enjoy the ride. I guess I was hoping that she would tell that there was nothing to worry about, but she didn’t give me that satisfaction. As the coaster went on the first climb, I started to get a bit scared watching us get up to about 8 stories high, so I chose to focus my gaze on my date. I don’t know why, but as we reached that apex and the split second before our drop, I was overcome with a feeling that this was an awesome experience. It is amazing how sometimes your mind can process so many thoughts in such a short time. In that split second, I felt exhilarated. I was sitting next to a beautiful girl, I was having a fun day at Great Adventure, the sun was shining and the park just looked so beautiful from that vantage point. My date hooked her arm under mine, drawing me close to her, which just added to the moment.

As we began our descent, I was thrilled by the speed. My date and I were laughing, enjoying the ride as she snuggled close to me. After that, we held hands, hit every ride in the park and the perfect day ended up with me getting on my tiptoes (like I said, I was late bloomer) for my first kiss with my new girlfriend as she dropped me off at home.

So Rick, what’s the point? Feeling nostalgic? Maybe, it’s just that my head has been in a bit of a fog lately and I can’t help but think of roller coasters when thinking about the economy. Most people who are discussing the economy act as if we are in a free fall right now. Well if that’s the case, let’s enjoy the ride.

We all have our own set of unique problems. Right now, I am still trying to get over a real bad head cold and it has given me a quick break from thinking of this roller coaster ride. It is amazing how unimportant the economic news becomes as you think about trying to breathe clearly once again.

More than anything, I would love to put my big nose to proper use and savor the aroma of my morning coffee (roasted at Lakeside Coffee in Rouses Point) or the fresh, North Country air. I can’t right now, but wallowing in self pity won’t make me feel any better. I just have to take better care of myself and hopefully my immune system will do the rest of the work.

So I have been using all my free time to rest and enjoy one of my great pleasures, which is reading good fiction. I find that reading fiction allows my mind to wander and provides useful escape from the challenging realities of life. Right now, I happen to be reading “Skinny Legs and All” by Tom Robbins. I first read this book right after it was published in 1990. Tom Robbins has this magical way of spinning words and making serious social commentary on some pretty controversial themes, yet in a very light-hearted manner. This particular novel gets into some pretty taboo stuff that really belongs nowhere in a business blog or a commentary about the economy. At least that is what I thought until I came upon this little excerpt that made me think of this roller coaster economy yet again(and inspired me to add one more blog post):

“During periods of so-called economic depression, societies suffer for want of all manner of essential goods, yet investigation almost invariably discloses that there are plenty of goods available. Plenty of coal in the ground, corn in the fields, wool on the sheep. What is missing is not materials but an abstract unit of measurement called 'money.' It is akin to a starving woman with a sweet tooth lamenting that she can't bake a cake because she doesn't have any ounces. She has butter, flour, eggs, milk, and sugar, she just doesn't have any ounces, any pinches, any pints.”

Basically, we are paying attention to the units of measure, like the Dow Jones Average, rather than the actual supply and demand of products/services and the never ending competition to find our proper place in the market. Business owners that focus on the resources they have available can still find the means to bake that cake and measure their success.

Tom Robbins also wrote:

“The introduction of money, with its seductive, if largely ambiguous promises, added a fresh measure of zip to the sport of life, but the zip turned to zap when the players, stupefied by ever-shifting intangibles, began to confuse the markers with the game.”

Even though this book was written over 19 years ago, I find this passage to be so relevant to small business and the current economy. If you focus on the game, small business can be an exciting and profitable game. You just have to pay attention to the task at hand and the real indicators of success, not some outside market news.

One final excerpt from this book:

“The ones who’re so upset about everybody not being the same, about competition, about standards of quality…they’re usually people with average abilities and average minds. And below average senses of humor. Whether it’s a matter of lifting the deprived up or dragging the gifted down, they want everybody to function on their level. Some fun that would be.”

So continue to compete with your business. It may be a roller coaster, but it is a fun ride if you possess the right attitude. As Hugh Downs once said, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” If we want to savor life, we have to choose to accept our circumstances with a positive attitude and proper perspective. We should also compete, not so much with each other, but with ourselves to achieve greater things.

Focus on what matters. Is it the game or the price of admission? We all have our own answers.

A Fish Story

I originally went to Alaska back in 1997 to help friends of mine, Jill Ramiel and Ken Alper, open up a bagel store -- The Silverbow Inn, in Juneau. One day, after helping build their bagel oven, I went fishing with the oven installation guy. He had a little skiff with an outboard motor and we were trolling for king salmon. This was my very first time salmon fishing and he helped be cut my herring bait at a bias so I could get that “sexy twirl” that drives the salmon crazy.

After fishing for about an hour, our outboard gave out. The oven guy, Randy, went to work on it while I just kept casting my line out and reeling it in slowly; trying to mimic the speed we were traveling at while trolling. Our skiff was drifting near the shore, which was fine by me, considering our motor wasn’t working. Meanwhile, Randy was getting frustrated that he couldn’t get the motor started. I guess he took it out on me a bit when he said, “Why the hell are you still fishing you idiot? The water is only about foot deep over here.”

I am a pretty stubborn guy and I threw my line in the water again; as I was reeling my line back in I got a huge strike. The line started screaming out of my reel and Randy started yelling instructions to me as I fought to land my very first salmon. Luckily, I hooked this fish pretty good, as I probably didn’t score many style points in landing this salmon. Randy netted it for me, and luckily, he got the motor started shortly thereafter so we could head back to the shop.

When we got back to the Silverbow Inn, we weighed in my prized king salmon at 38 pounds. Once the weigh in was completed, Chef Stefani Feller (now Marnon), who was helping open up the restaurant at the Silverbow, cleaned and marinated this fish. A group of friends then joined us on the rooftop picnic area that Jill and Ken had set up at their cool establishment and Chef Stefani grilled us the salmon. She handed me the first plate of fish. I declined, saying that I am not a big salmon fan. Well, I soon learned that when Chef Stefani hands you a plate of food, you don’t decline!

I then proceeded to savor one of the most delicious meals of my lifetime. There is just nothing better than grilled king salmon, especially if it was caught just a few hours prior. It was an amazing experience that I just had to share one more time (many of my friends have heard this story ad nauseum…sorry)!

Still, this is my small business blog and I need to relate this story to business. There are some subtle lessons that can be learned from this experience. First, be careful about listening to the naysayers. Maybe conventional wisdom was that not many salmon are caught that close to the shoreline. You obviously don’t see the big name fishing charters trolling for salmon in that part of Auke Bay. Yet you can go to the Silverbow Inn and look at the photo album they keep in the bagel shop and you will see a picture of me with my prized salmon.

Another lesson is to always accept a gift with proper respect. Luckily for me, Chef Stefani was kind enough to force me to eat what would be one of the best meals of my life. She could have easily been offended and dished out my portion to our other friends dining on the roof. Yet she just looked at me and sternly said, “You caught it and you are going to be the first to eat it.” In hindsight, I wish I would have accepted her offer with graciousness and with respect immediately after she handed me the plate. She used her amazing culinary talents and offered me a gift; to this day I am so embarrassed that I was that foolish to initially decline such generosity. My apologies to Chef Stefani and thanks again for giving me a second chance.

That second chance is another lesson to be learned. Sometimes we make mistakes the first time, but we are often given another opportunity to get it right. Luckily, I got back in her good graces by complimenting her culinary prowess enough that she even let me have a second helping when I asked.

The final lesson to be learned from Rick’s fish story is what was said to me as we were winding down the evening. I can’t remember which friend said this, but as we started talking about our next fishing day, someone chimed in with Lao Tzu’s maxim, “Give someone a fish and they are fed for a day, teach someone how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.”

This is probably the best way to describe what business is all about. Some people think the secret to success in business is all about capital or access to funding. This is a huge misconception. There are plenty of businesses that have had access funding and they still fail. You can give someone all the money in the world; it may feed a business for a while, but it’s not invested in a sound business model, it will eventually be lost.

Business is about learning to be self sufficient. To be successful, it only takes the willingness to learn how to “fish.” There are various methods and some may work better than others. Yet it all boils down to learning how to most effectively use the skills you have to operate your business towards generating a profit. There needs to be some bait; something that has that “sexy twirl” to attract customers. Another important skill is learning how to budget your resources wisely, as some days the “fish” may not be biting.

Business requires a certain amount of skill, some trial and error, some patience and a little luck is always welcome. There are some good days and some bad days, just like fishing. I will conclude this fish story by paraphrasing a popular bumper sticker: “A bad day in business is still better than a good day at work.”

Responsibility and Accountability

I had a very difficult day at work yesterday and I am going to use this post as an opportunity to vent some frustrations. One of my fellow counselors received a phone call from a very irate client. In a nutshell, this person used quite a few expletives in explaining that we ruined their business and the advice we provided is driving their company to bankruptcy.

This happens every so often in our field of work. We have clients who want to start businesses, or who are already in business, and they expect us to tell them everything they need to know to be successful. We do our best to help, but sometimes things don’t work out. While we can provide technical assistance and offer best practices clients should consider, we cannot guarantee success. We also can’t conceivably think of everything a business must know before beginning their business. Every business is different and has different needs.

Yet when things go wrong, the blame game begins and sometimes we become the chief culprit. It’s certainly not a pleasant position to be in, but I can live with the fact that I am sometimes going to be a scapegoat if things don’t go well for a client who sought advice from our Center.

Still, every time there is a problem, I look for the lesson learned in the situation. In this particular case, I believe the lesson learned is something that I have already discussed in a previous post – small business owners need to learn to accept responsibility and accountability for what happens to their businesses.

I remember a time back when I owned my first two bagel stores. I was at my Pennsylvania store and I was having a really bad day. My baker messed up our wholesale deliveries and I had to deal with a very good, but very irate customer. On top of this, I really didn’t like the way our bagels were looking. Some bagels were too light, some were too flat and some were too wrinkly.

I was in a foul mood and I was complaining to Anthony, one of my partners in the business. “Dave really sucks,” I said, “he can’t follow simple instructions, he doesn’t pay attention to detail and he just doesn’t care about the quality of his work.”

Anthony just smiled at me and said, “Who was the idiot who would hire someone that bad?” Needless to say, that shut me up quickly. I mentioned in an earlier post how I learned to take responsibility and accept blame for everything that went wrong with my business. On this particular day, I forgot that lesson learned for a moment. With just one simple, not so rhetorical question, Anthony reminded me about the true root of the problem; I was placing blame rather than accepting responsibility for a problem that I, myself, created.

For the most part, I have been much better at accepting responsibility, but I have to admit there are times that I have fallen off the proverbial wagon. I try to catch myself, but I guess it is just human nature to try to avoid accepting responsibility at times. Well, maybe it is just Rick nature, but in any case, I know that little gets accomplished when we place blame, and quite a bit gets achieved when we accept responsibility and start focusing on solutions.

I truly am sorry for all the mistakes I have made and it hurts to know that I may have been responsible for other's misfortunes. I know my regrets are not going to fix the problem, so all I can do is ask for another opportunity to be part of the solution.

Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr is attributed with authoring the “Serenity Prayer” which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous. I cannot think of a better way to conclude this posting:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”