Starting Your Own Business with Successful Entrepreneur Erica Douglass

I am in the “almost/nearly 1%” category. I have started and still own/run three businesses. I am proud of my hard work and effort. No one handed me anything, I started with zero dollars, a great idea and passion.

In the past ten years, I have hired 30 employees.

I hired someone just last week to come to my office and help with writing more content. I am interviewing two more people tomorrow. On Monday, I hired someone to do remote work for me (she is in FL, I am in NJ). I have contacted Whoosh about links.

I appreciate each citizen’s right to assemble and to speak their mind. It’s a privilege we have in the United States. In this case, their energy (my opinion) seems severely misguided. Some people “are where they are” because of some hard times. I can empathize as I have been there, and feel I am now helping others.

However, others are in a tough spot due to bad decisions. Bad decisions can be great learning experiences and even become turning points for some. But whining never helps.

Complaining is the denial of responsibility. And blame is just another way of excusing yourself from being responsible. It’s your life. Do something.

I was going to leave a long message, citing Joseph Stiglitz and Elizabeth Warren. And, both of whom I believe would support your thesis about personal responsibility and being the change we want to see. However, I think that is a post that’s better off on a political site rather than here.

So, actually, what I want to know is if you’re still moving to Austin now that Californians can still be Amazon affiliates

Really good stuff Erica. The current economic situation is not as bad as many think it is. No, really think about it. Most of us who read this post have a computer, home, and a job. Most politicians, and news-makers are looking for things people want to read or hear about.

People want to read of hear the miseries of others… and it will always be so. Today, tomorrow and forever.

I do agree on your starting an online business…it could be very beneficial and yes…possibly others to help you become successful.
And in turn help others become financially stable.

Capitalism at it’s best.
Paul

Paul, America is not represented by people who read this post. Only the strivers with computers like you and me and Erica. I agree that media-career whores love finding bad news you’re saying that People like misery? Really?

Great article, Erica!

Cable news channels (all of them) are propaganda machines. It’d be great if we could drive the voter participation percentage down to the single digits. That would send a real message to Washington that we are not falling for their false paradigms.

I could ramble on more but instead I’m going to create!

Even better, we could advertise a few freelancing jobs on job portals to get some valuable content to our blogs. Its been a long time since I watched even half an hour of TV continuously, and I am quite fine! In fact, I am using my time much better now.

this is such an encouraging and motivating words! stop all the talking and start creating something!

i can feel your words and let’s strive for a better future for ourselves and our nations!

Erica,

I don’t pay much attention to the media either so I understand how ignoring the news can lead to gains in personal productivity. I also agree that we need to take more personal responsibility for improving the outlook for our personal lives and the outlook for our nation.

But, you have to remember that all of the freedoms that you currently enjoy (e.g. the right to speak you mind, pursue happiness and vote with your feet/dollars) were won for you by people who did NOT disengage from politics. In fact, many people fought and died for YOU in several wars and social movements. Don’t pretend like their sacrifices “do not matter” to you today.

They do matter. There was a time when women were not welcome in business and could not vote. These changes occurred because people engaged in the political process.

If your only reaction to our broken political environment is to leave town every time a stupid law is passed you are going to eventually run out states to move to!

Anyway, thanks for starting this discussion. This is exactly what we should be debating right now. This topic is much more important than 90% of the “news” in the mainstream media.

I’m not a strong advocate for either side, but I found this article yesterday really intriguing. It really showcased maybe occupy wall street isn’t about people who want to showcase their unhappiness, but their desperation.

The article shows using charts of why people are so angry – some facts to consider are income inequality. We are ranked 93rd in the world for income inequality (behind China, Iran and India), social mobility is at an all-time low (and that most people have no problems with social inequality, so long as they believe they have a chance at the American Dream), and the nation’s highest earners have paid the lowest taxes they’ve ever had.

Please read this article, as not everything is as clear cut as we sometimes assume.

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-wall-street-protesters-are-so-angry-about-2011-10?op=1

What are these 99%ers, 53%ers and other people you’re talking about, Erica? Is somebody protesting something? Whatever, I’ve been busy writing. Who can afford a television if they’re not making money? This post makes no sense. Moo?

Erica,

First, great to have you back!

Completely agree. This post would make any sense to any reasonable Entrepreneur – it’s common sense!

However, I also agree with Andrea who mentioned a very good point, yes, divest in the unnecessary with caution. When you unsubscribe to cable services and the like, it directly affects the revenue of said ‘evil’ corporation which directly in turn affects lives and jobs of the people who actually do the work – not the executives at the top of the organization. Corporations are comprised of actual people. Invest in your local services and that will keep your neighbor employed.

Second, we all agree that change needs to happen – but, it is highly unlikely groups of protesters are going to cause any real change (Other than lip service – for the sake of PR) from any corporate board. Corporate boards are comprised of shareholders who want their investments to make as much healthy profit as possible.

If people want to make a difference, they should consider divesting in the stock market, 401k plans, funds, money markets and cease using credit cards to purchase miscellaneous things they don’t need (Banks make a fortune on the interest rates).

Everyone wants change (Including me), but not one of us knows of a plausible solution, nor a realistic plan to implement change.

We all have to take responsibility and make it happen ourselves. Having said, I’m going to hire a new programmer and a new Business Developer to contribute!

You are completely missing the point. Occupy Wall Street is not about jobs versus entrepreneurial spirit.

It’s about a few Wall Street bankers that took down the economy based upon shady practices, unethical decisions, and fraudulent business methods. It is about the politicians that allowed this to happen. It’s about laws that were changed to allow bankers to invest our money for their own profit. The effects are far reaching, including job reduction, foreclosures, and the reduction of the buying power of the American public which DOES decrease the larger market for entrepreneurs selling products… making it less likely that entrepreneurs can hire more people.

Those “whiners” on the streets of New York and elsewhere are the people who are working to raise the awareness on a larger scale of the macroeconomic situations that exist, the unfairness of it, and the nepotism that will prevent YOU from fully succeeding in your dreams. And the rest of us who are not receiving bailouts, subsidies, and government support. (fyi, banks, oil companies, and large agribusinesses all have a leg up on entrepreneurs because of government support)

We are not working in a free market economy. It is socialist. But it’s not socialist in the way the media portrays. Big business gets the handouts while you’re working 80 hour weeks on your business.

I’ve been working in entrepreneurial situations since I was in junior high school. I get the picture, and I know what you’re saying. But it doesn’t give us license to ignore a large portion of our population who are not necessarily entrepreneurial, who need experience, healthcare, or whatever. It doesn’t give anyone the right to ignore the larger economic picture.

To do so is arrogant, prideful, and small minded.

I have to agree that it is time to start taking action. People need to quit complaining about thier circumstances. Get out there and start creating value and money will come your way. If you read the We Are the 99% blog, most of the people on thier are complainers who think they are entitled to jobs or money. I am not in the richest 1%. Far from it. But I don’t consider myself one of the 99% either because I am out creating value, getting paid and taking responsibility for my own life rather than blaming others for my problems.

Stephy and others above said it all quite well. But I’ll add my two-cents’ worth.

I think the Wall Street demonstrators — and those in other cities who are part of this loosely knit “movement” — are making a lot of people uncomfortable for the same reason that (if you’ll pardon my drawing on my own experiences) snarky bloggers who criticize the self-help industry have made some of the self-help/motivational gurus and their followers uncomfortable. Both the bloggers and the demonstrators, by pointing out lies, hypocrisies and corruption, pose a threat to their targets’ cash cows, not to mention the carefully constructed worldviews of their targets’ followers.

True, there are whiners in every protest movement, people all too willing to play the victim. OTOH, some of the rich bankers and stockbrokers whine as well because they’re so misunderstood by the unwashed masses, and some of the selfish-help gurus whine for much the same reason. And they all whine when they get indicted or imprisoned. And so it goes.

Regarding the “Occupy” demonstrators, my sense is that many of the folks who definitely are NOT part of the fabled “1 percent,” but are jeering at the demonstrators, are probably feeling pretty insecure about their own futures. Dismissing the demonstrators is a way of whistling past the graveyard, pretending they’re not scared and hoping against hope that they won’t be the next to fall on hard times. (Again, this is somewhat akin to self-help gurus — and especially their followers — blasting critical bloggers for being un-evolved, jealous losers.)

As others have noted here, it’s not an either-or situation with the protesters. There are shades of complexity. One can be a reasonably successful entrepreneur and still be sympathetic to the protesters and angry at a corrupt system that hurts all of us and ultimately stifles entrepreneurship.

I’m keeping up with the demonstrations to the best of my ability and giving the protesters encouragement any way I can, but I am still working my butt off to make a living. When my primary book business took a hit during the recession (something one of your pals crowed about on his blog, by the way, though he later took that down), I didn’t sit around and blame the government, the Wall Street bankers, or for that matter the targets of my hobby blog. I adapted and found alternative ways to make a living doing what I love most: writing. But I’m not complacent about it and take nothing for granted. I’m doing all right these days, but still can’t afford to help someone find career fulfillment cleaning my toilets and scrubbing my floors. If that stuff gets done, my partner or I do it.

And while I applaud entrepreneurship and the idea of making lemons out of lemonade, it simply is not that easy for everyone. No matter how positive an attitude one has, not everyone can or will be an Internet millionaire or any other kind of millionaire. Sometimes it’s largely a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Not everyone will even be in the position to offer employment to others. That shouldn’t keep any of us from trying, but we also need to know when to give up and try something else. I don’t see you as elitist, Erika, but I do think your post overlooked a few salient points. One of these points is that there’s a lot of gray area between protest as a crutch and protest as a real force for change.

Interesting perspectives here, from both sides. I have to agree with the notion that it’s not an either/or situation, as there are whiners on both sides of the fence here. The one thing that sticks in my mind, however, is a sense of gratitude that there were a bunch of “whiners” a couple hundred years ago, who stood up for what they perceived as abuses of power and influence. Were it not for the “whiners” of that generation long past, we’d all be having Tea at 4PM and bowing to the crown.

When something is as broken as our economic system has become, you either do something to change it or attempt to distract yourself with the minutiae of your own life, to the extent that you can write off others’ noble efforts as being inconsequential. Let them eat cake…

hey Barry — Yikes you’re so superior. My point is that without people getting in the street and “whining” about injustice there would still be “strange fruit” hanging around. But you don’t see the connection. MLK was called a commie and a whiner, aqnti-american and every name in the book/

I wish I could be glib about the outrageous rip-off of the American people like you.

Have fun on your boat.

but before you go… KATHY really said it well…

“You are completely missing the point. Occupy Wall Street is not about jobs versus entrepreneurial spirit.

It’s about a few Wall Street bankers that took down the economy based upon shady practices, unethical decisions, and fraudulent business methods. It is about the politicians that allowed this to happen. It’s about laws that were changed to allow bankers to invest our money for their own profit. The effects are far reaching, including job reduction, foreclosures, and the reduction of the buying power of the American public which DOES decrease the larger market for entrepreneurs selling products… making it less likely that entrepreneurs can hire more people.

Those “whiners” on the streets of New York and elsewhere are the people who are working to raise the awareness on a larger scale of the macroeconomic situations that exist, the unfairness of it, and the nepotism that will prevent YOU from fully succeeding in your dreams. And the rest of us who are not receiving bailouts, subsidies, and government support. (fyi, banks, oil companies, and large agribusinesses all have a leg up on entrepreneurs because of government support)

We are not working in a free market economy. It is socialist. But it’s not socialist in the way the media portrays. Big business gets the handouts while you’re working 80 hour weeks on your business.

I’ve been working in entrepreneurial situations since I was in junior high school. I get the picture, and I know what you’re saying. But it doesn’t give us license to ignore a large portion of our population who are not necessarily entrepreneurial, who need experience, healthcare, or whatever. It doesn’t give anyone the right to ignore the larger economic picture.

To do so is arrogant, prideful, and small minded.”

Not interested in whining, so here is how I employ people in my business —
1. hired “cash” helpers (house keeper, accountant, web site developer);
2. barter arrangements (web site management, social media, desk-top publishing, graphic design for book covers, strategic and business planning);
3. creative collaborations (research and development, e-book writing, journal articles, paper books, software design).

I, long ago, discovered that I cannot do “it” alone so know the people I am looking for are looking for me.

Hi Erica,
I recently launched my blog at beginideas.com for this main reason. Our founding fathers formed this country for the sake of freedom. We should all try to be entrepreneurs, as much as possible, to help change the world. It’s patriotic. It’s freedom.

Thanks Marc,

Well said.

PS: Barry has a boat now. Proof thug capitalism works and all is well!

Barry,

Here are the facts (and the opinion) of Mr. Buffett himself….

—New York Times 8/14/2011

OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched.

While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as “carried interest,” thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they’d been long-term investors.

These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It’s nice to have friends in high places.

Last year my federal tax bill — the income tax I paid, as well as payroll taxes paid by me and on my behalf — was $6,938,744. That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income — and that’s actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent.

If you make money with money, as some of my super-rich friends do, your percentage may be a bit lower than mine. But if you earn money from a job, your percentage will surely exceed mine — most likely by a lot.

To understand why, you need to examine the sources of government revenue. Last year about 80 percent of these revenues came from personal income taxes and payroll taxes. The mega-rich pay income taxes at a rate of 15 percent on most of their earnings but pay practically nothing in payroll taxes. It’s a different story for the middle class: typically, they fall into the 15 percent and 25 percent income tax brackets, and then are hit with heavy payroll taxes to boot.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, tax rates for the rich were far higher, and my percentage rate was in the middle of the pack. According to a theory I sometimes hear, I should have thrown a fit and refused to invest because of the elevated tax rates on capital gains and dividends.

I didn’t refuse, nor did others. I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone — not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 — shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain. People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off. And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation.

Since 1992, the I.R.S. has compiled data from the returns of the 400 Americans reporting the largest income. In 1992, the top 400 had aggregate taxable income of $16.9 billion and paid federal taxes of 29.2 percent on that sum. In 2008, the aggregate income of the highest 400 had soared to $90.9 billion — a staggering $227.4 million on average — but the rate paid had fallen to 21.5 percent.

The taxes I refer to here include only federal income tax, but you can be sure that any payroll tax for the 400 was inconsequential compared to income. In fact, 88 of the 400 in 2008 reported no wages at all, though every one of them reported capital gains. Some of my brethren may shun work but they all like to invest. (I can relate to that.)

I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people. They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering.

Twelve members of Congress will soon take on the crucial job of rearranging our country’s finances. They’ve been instructed to devise a plan that reduces the 10-year deficit by at least $1.5 trillion. It’s vital, however, that they achieve far more than that. Americans are rapidly losing faith in the ability of Congress to deal with our country’s fiscal problems. Only action that is immediate, real and very substantial will prevent that doubt from morphing into hopelessness. That feeling can create its own reality.

Job one for the 12 is to pare down some future promises that even a rich America can’t fulfill. Big money must be saved here. The 12 should then turn to the issue of revenues. I would leave rates for 99.7 percent of taxpayers unchanged and continue the current 2-percentage-point reduction in the employee contribution to the payroll tax. This cut helps the poor and the middle class, who need every break they can get.

But for those making more than $1 million — there were 236,883 such households in 2009 — I would raise rates immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million, including, of course, dividends and capital gains. And for those who make $10 million or more — there were 8,274 in 2009 — I would suggest an additional increase in rate.

My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.

Warren E. Buffett is the chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway.

Nice article

I enjoy reading your blog, and it is relevant to the daily life of the people now. I am looking forward to read more thoughts and ideas here in your site.

LOVE THIS STANCE ERICA!

One of my favorite entrepreneurial authors is Dan Kennedy and I remember him talk about this concept of creating jobs before in his Time Management book.

He talks about how dumb he thinks it is for you to do a job at home (landscaping, house cleaner, handy man repair, etc.) that you could pay someone $10. bucks an hour to do. Especially if you calculate that your time is worth far more.

You say that people will be grateful to have the jobs you open up. I agree. The thing I laughed at that Dan said is that if you’re mowing your own lawn or shoveling your own drive way, you’re stealing money from some local kid on your block who you could be paying to do this for you. Hahaha

Love your thinking Erica! Looking forward to coming back for more.

Dear Life Compass,

I think it would be wonderful if you actually worked to understand the very basics of what’s going on in the financial power world and that the best way to perdict the future is not through platitudes.

(sorry if that sounds harsh — I’m sure you are a very nice person)

collection of desktop devices, including meals blenders, wellness

“BYW…why do you insist that the opportunity is not available for all? I have clearly stated why I believe it is. Have Yet to see you say why specifically it isn’t…”

Barry, to put it as simply as I can, your “belief” isn’t supported by statistics. Compare the numbers of those who are truly affluent against those who live at or beneath the poverty level. Now, perhaps it makes you feel better to claim that all those who aren’t affluent are either too stupid or too lazy to do what it takes to break through the poverty barrier, but such an assertion is disingenuous at best, and not supported by even the most rudimentary analysis of available data. Furthermore, to claim that the financial system is not clearly structured to favor those with greater wealth and power is indicative of either a profound ignorance or a vested interest in sustaining the abuses built into that system via the legislative “regulations” of the past 3 decades.

I realize that you would prefer that the protesters put forth a less convoluted assortment of issues, but the issues the country faces are inherently complex, and the scope of abuses is just too broad to fit on a single bumper sticker, as some might prefer. That is certainly not justification for ignoring or – worse – denying the well-documented existence of the abuses. Let them eat cake, indeed.

Well, Barry, old boy, far be it for me to interrupt your most important activities with something as boring as a what amounts to class warfare against the middle class and the poor. You obviously place more credence in your “belief” than in empiric evidence (still waiting for you to “qualify” your statements – and repeatedly restating your “belief” doesn’t suffice). I’ve known and known of too many people who did everything right, put forth way more than a “modicum of effort,” and still found themselves victimized by financial institutions that played fast and loose with what little regulation they allowed to be imposed upon them. Perhaps you just never condescended sufficiently to acquaint yourself with such people. Perhaps you just looked the other way. Or perhaps you’re one of those who yearns to be perceived as a 1%-er, and dons the appropriate facade. I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter. The denial of truth is the same.

You frequently and casually toss out the “people with medical issues” as a disqualifier. Perhaps they should eat aspirin, as opposed to the unwashed masses’ cake, eh?

For myself, I intend to “keep up with the shenanigans” – particularly those which created the incestuous financial system that has necessitated the protests. You go ahead and enjoy your day. Just be glad that there were people who had a different attitude some 50-odd years ago. Without them, you’d still be sitting at the back of the bus.

As usual blah..blah..blah..you refuse to answer a simple and direct question. are you sure you are not a politician?

Distressed properties will always be around. I have been in the biz for over 20 years. It’s never going away. It’s more abundant now, but they were always there and will always be there.

It’s nice to live in NeverNeverland where the utopian view is that the big bad banks will have to eat the losses and let the borrowers slide, and in fact..many, many have for years…but it still doesn’t get you out of the question which you purposely avoid.

So I’ll pose it again. Once the unfortunate borrower has had the property repo’d…and once the bank seeks to remove the blight from the neighborhood…is everyone supposed to pass on the deal?

What EXACTLY do you think should be done with the non-performing asset?

Maybe this time you will SPECIFICALLY answer the question posed before you.

I know you wish that the big bad banks would be made (by someone) to just leave Mr. and Mrs. Non-Payer in the property…but that’s not my concern. As I said, they are long gone by the time i get the call…so I’ll ask again…

What EXACTLY do you think should be done with the non-performing asset?

Barry, I’m still awaiting anxiously your critique of Warren Buffett’s take on all this.

“But with the millions of vacant reposessed properties sitting out there. How would you liquidate them?”

I’ll try and make it simple enough that even you can understand, Barry. Perhaps even clear enough that you’ll have a tough time ignoring it – again. There are millions of foreclosed homes out there. And for virtually every one, there is a family that has lost their home. Perhaps it would be worth considering establishing a program to at least attempt to match the two up, rather than allowing economic vultures to snatch the homes up for a song and sell them at a nice profit. Perhaps even assist the displaced families to pick the homes up for a song. Banks get their money back, families get another chance at the American dream, and nobody gets hurt… well, except for the vultures. THAT would be an exercise in both fiscal responsibility AND good faith on the part of the banks. The vultures can go find something else to try and scam.

My reply is in moderation..guess they have a filter on length of comment..You’ll see it when Erica or her staff gets to it. Have a good evening.

His choice to give more money if he wants to. Like I said..if I had his bank account I wouldn’t care either. Berkshire H has already made him so much money he’ll never spend it. But let’s get real..how many people are in WB’s zip code?

I don’t think the system is rigged at all. FYI, if you read the article and his published report, his “effective” tax rate was 17% because he had so many adjustments.

Even before I was making good money I NEVER paid more than 17% on a 1040 form. I spoke to a financial analyst (president of my fraternity years ago) and he told me how to set things up. Back in the early 80′s I was only making mid $50′s…and ended up not paying any taxes whatsoever.

The unknowing person has no idea how to adjust their basis to enjoy lower rates. It’s not a “rich” boys club only. You just have to have the playbook.

Thurgoood Marshall once said..to evade taxes is illegal, to avoid them is encouraged.

There’s a reason why he said that. So the whole argument, which WB later recanted and qualified more, is pretty much moot.

Remember the movie Shawshank Redemption when Andy was on the roof telling the Guard how to shield his income from taxes? Those prison guards weren’t rich and a locked up con with knowledge of the code showed them guards there how to protect their money.

It’s easy..and you don’t need a billion bucks to take advantage of the tax code.

I was talking about Seth Macfarlane who was called in on the Simpsons.

I can see that you guys want this to be personal. Unlike others who may get offended, I don’t.

Fight the good fight. Press on and all of that other BS. I hope it works out for ya.

I loved our time here together but it’s time to move on. See ya round the campus boys!

Barry, this is so far beyond personal. Please don’t trivialize it as such. It is about a fundamental choice, which does, in fact, offer a reflection of one’s values: Do we as a country strive to help economically challenged citizens keep their homes, or do we foster a system that clearly facilitates the removal of individuals from their homes, at great financial loss, and delivers those homes to financial scavengers?

As is so typical in nature, we have here a clear case of predation by a powerful group (the lending industry) upon a weaker group (millions of middle and poverty class citizens). Once the predator has made its kill and fed, the scavengers swoop in and pick at whatever is left. It is a truly symbiotic relationship, though the symbiosis doesn’t quite extend to the prey. Our choice as sentient, evolved (?) creatures is whether to follow our most basic and narcissistic instincts, with our personal gain being the sole objective, or to rise above those instincts sufficiently to improve the well-being of our society, including those who lack power or influence.

The choice we make speaks clearly to our values, as individuals and as a nation. As it stands now, we serve as a role model for the Russian Mafia, rather than the emerging democracies of the Arab Spring. I don’t accept that striving to better the lives of our citizens and setting a positive example for fledgling democracies is Utopian, and it certainly isn’t socialist. It is fair. It’s what the OWS protests are all about, and represents a threat only to the predators and scavengers who have so badly damaged the American dream. The closest this discussion has gotten to being “personal” is that you have aligned with and identified yourself as part of that group. And I, along with several others, have called you on it. It’s the same message being played out on Wall Street and in cities throughout the world. And intelligent people – including those who have perpetuated the milieu of predation – are beginning to realize that they ignore the message at their peril.

This has been fun.

Water off a duck’s back, eh? Hope you and “your team” enjoy your lunch, Barry. It would appear that you now owe them two lunches.

Connie I only came back here because you referenced a client. The attorney I spoke of is Eri Wesoloski from the firm Wesoloski Carlson. I normall don’t post links in blogs but his website most assuredly works. It is located at http://www.wesoloskicarlson.com/ and Erik is a great guy.

FYI..I too am a Fan of the Droid! I think raking in money with scammy products is a shame as well.

As regards for being a “social media expert”..I would NEVER make that claim. I also, as you can see on my site, don’t even offer for sale guidance on Real Estate investing any longer. It is not viable for most right now unless you have great experience and a supply of cash behind you. Right now real estate is one of my ancilarry businesses.

As you can also see from my site, I offer no products for sale whatsoever. I offer commentary, education and info for free. I don’t offer any kind of “frauduluct” or BS get rich easy BS. Why? Because there’s no such thing.

Right now all of my social media work is with big brands, local businesses and other corporations looking to engage with customers. I work purely on a retainer basis and I get compensated on performance.

As you have obviously been to one of my sites you can see that we are prominent, have great traffic and use our time to help foster communities based upon their stated criteria. I don’t work at all with individuals.

And don’t worry…you didn’t cost me another lunch. Just wanted to make sure that I made sure that my client you mentioned was represented correctly.

As for Sm being on shaky ground…no worries there. My main business has and always will be marketing. Real estate is a passion and an easy cash cow, so that’s why I have stayed involved in it.

FYI..when I said anyone can make it in one of my earlier posts I was in NO WAY talking about real estate. You can lose your friggin shirt if you don’t know what you’re doing.

As for promissory notes (which I have signed many) they don’t say “I’ll pay you unless I get sick, lose my job, or decide to join the Foreign Legion”. It’s a promise to pay.

I own a bunch of rental properties. My leases don’t say you have to pay rent only if you can afford it. They say pay me on the 1st, you get a late fee on the 5th and you get booted on the 15th.

However, in 20 years of renting out properties, I have only had to pursue about 15 evictions. So most people understand their obligations and even now, I only have a few late pays each month.

So I feel people sometimes may have extenuating cirumstances but good people, despite problems, usually find away to take care of their obligations. I do maintain that faith in humanity.

And BTW…I kind of like Mother Jones!

More chatter …

I am a business owner and I am an OCCUPY supporter. For a few reasons – but primarily because I believe our government, which we support, no longer represents us, the people.

Our own government favors the corporate donors. Government allows food to be genetically modified without labeling it as such, they allow drilling that pollutes our oceans and our bodies … they keep the truth from us, when radiation is falling in our rain, they control the media – for example Twitter has suppressed OCCUPY trending topic – it has NEVER trended … even while hundreds of thousands of people were marching …

I agree with Erica however … this stuff can suck the time out of you. I agree we need to pull together to make this a better place to live and work.

I am all for getting rich – but I do not believe the current or any recent administration has the nation’s best interest in mind. Look at how much money is spent trying to buy our votes.

If you stop for a moment, and listen to those protesting (people like me, a mom of three grown sons, all happily working and paying back their college loans) and if you leverage this new America … you too will find there is much work to do.

I say, let’s band together and start right here.

J

All the craziness in the world doesn’t matter because they only act as distractions to creating your own world and your own economy. This is why I don’t recommend watching the news because it’s there to reprogram you to start thinking and yearning for all that negative stuff that’s put out on an hourly basis. Stop getting caught up in all the craziness.

I like your suggestion of offering people a hand up instead of a hand out. We can’t do everything but we can all do something. It all takes the 8-letter word. Can you guess what it is? DECISION. Make a decision today that you will make a difference in someone else’s life. You hold the key to someone’s deliverance. Are you just going to sit there and do nothing or are you going to get up and make the difference you created to make?

Thanks for sharing this, Erica! It has inspired me to work harder at being the best me that I can be so I can help others be the best that they can be.

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