Showing posts with label small businesses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label small businesses. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The truth about running a small business

Authors at the Edmond Authors Book Fair 2012



     I'm part of a large group. Yes, the photo above is of a large group of authors, with me sort of in the second row, but I'm talking about a different large group: a member in the small business nation.

     As I watched a commercial on television the other day, I thought, "Oh, my, that's me, only my name isn't Dave." No, I don't do all the jobs in 4RV Publishing, but I do many I never realized a president would do. I've been forced into the technical age, kicking and screaming. However, I had to do the jobs no one else could do because he/she didn't exist. The 4RV Bookstore site, for example, is one of my accomplishments. I finished revamping it today, well, finished until more books are out, but I think I have the setup where adding authors and books won't be very hard -- I hope.

     I do the bookkeeping, the advertising, promotions, recruiting, and anything else that no one else does. I'm not exactly a one woman operation, though. I have Aidana WillowRaven and Harry Gilleland, excellent editors and proof readers. We have lost some illustrators but are gaining others.

     Small businesses don't get bailouts. We often get bailed on. I still am determined to put out the best books possible for as long as possible.

 

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

CPSIA update, sort of

I started a group on CPSIA - Central about the effect of the CPSIA on books, producers, sellers, users, schools, and libraries. Interest was greater than I expected, and today on Overlawyered, Walter Olson embedded a link to the OPSIA - Central group. "There’s also a page at cpsia-central (the Ning group) on books and libraries."

I'm not engaged in the trenches of this war any more because I've had to cut back on at least some of the stress in my life (my doctors -- primary and cardiologist -- insist I need to), but I still read and keep track of the battles being waged. The problem still exists and isn't improving. In fact, the scheduled hearing with small business owners to address the impact on them was canceled and is not going to be rescheduled.

The war against the CPSIA needs some media coverage from major newspapers, magazines, radio, and/or television stations. However, what little has been printed in most small papers downplays the seriousness of the problem. Why is the media essentially helping Waxman and company to cover up the damage this law has caused already and will continue to cause?

Books are being destroyed. Small toy businesses are closing their doors. Suppliers of home schooling material can't stay in business.

From Overlaywered: "Community Homestead is a center for developmentally disabled adults in rural Wisconsin that has sold residents’ handcraft toys." The community supports itself through the winter months by creating toys, and now the law will put countless independent businesses, particularly of hand crafted toys, out of business, including Community Homestead.

And the voice of reason continues to be gagged by the media and supporters of this poorly written and researched law.

Please keep fighting.

.