Imagine yourself so tiny you're sliding down a nanotube.
These things are the latest tech invention that are so
small that only single molecules can pass through them.
Now imagine that you are the size of a mouse, that's the
thing under your right hand there, hovering just above
the "Delete" button - ready to click.
The comparison in size between a single molecule sliding
down a nanotube and the size of the computer mouse is
actually vast beyond comprehension. But there are bigger
things like the Apple sitting near my mouse. It's an IMac
and still small by computer standards. Apple Employed over
175,000 people worldwide in 1999 and they are considered
a "small" company because they have "only" five percent
of the personal computer market. Just a tiny fraction
you might say. Nearly nothing. Almost invisible.
But Apple is not quite too tiny to see. They are the size
of a tasty bit of fruit worthy of a snack by investors
and, with over a BILLION Dollars in the bank - in CASH -
Appple might be said to be doing well by most standards.
Certainly by my standards. I am one of those itsy-bitsy
single molecules sliding down the nanotube of business.
I am too tiny to see and so are you. In fact nearly fifty
percent of the US economy fits in that category of too
tiny to see. Under 10 employees earning less than ten
million per year. We are invisible.
But how can half of anything be invisible you say? Half
of the economy is too tiny to see? Well, apparently so.
Must be the dark side of the moon. The back half that is
not visible to anyone.
My tiny mind took this invisible path this evening after
reading a paragraph at the end of a CBS Marketwatch news
story. A paranthetical afterthought to REAL news reads:
Loudcloud said it's selling its managed-services
business to EDS for $63.5 million in cash. They
raised $350 million in debt and equity over the
years and it now has roughly $100 million left.
What's more, the global recession has made it
difficult for small companies to land big
accounts. "Demand shrank," said Andreessen.
"People are looking for big companies (to work
with)." Loudcloud raised $172.5 million and
had a market valuation of $439.5 million,
according to Dealogic. Shares of Loudcloud
jumped 22 percent to $1.99.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?B2C715411
Fellow internet junkies will recognize the name of the
LoudCloud CEO, Marc Andreesen as an early architect of
the internet and the developer of the first "browser"
to allow surfing the web, called Mosaic. He's quoted
in that story above, lamenting the fact that his latest
project is seen as too "small" with a valuation of only
$439.5 million.
Marc, take a vacation! You've earned it!
Now my real motive in penning this essay is to ask why?
Why does this economy see NONE of us that make up the
remaining 50% of the economy and lament that companies
worth nearly a half-billion dollars are "too small"?
You have literally millions of small business people
doing virtually millions of jobs out here. The Butcher,
the Baker, the Candlestick maker are all out here daily
doing what needs to be done to make the US economy run
smoothly and continue to hum while the big bad boys of
ENRON and KMART and PG&E are going bust even with their
billions?
Even the slightly dishonest used car dealer who wheedles
a few hundred more than necessary from the hairdresser
that "just loves that little sports car over there" is
better than greedy corporate CEO's filling their bank
accounts before trashing the companies they run.
Ultimately, Joes Used Cars CEO contributes more to the
economy than does the CEO who sees to it that his own
account is flush before putting his invisible employees
on the street to look for new work.
I'm stunned that when analysts talk about small, that
they are talking about those businesses earning nine-
figure incomes! You've heard of what amounts to that
fantasyland dream of earning six figures, right?
Why is that not enough? And why are those of us out in
the real world making less than that fantasy figure
like single molecules sliding through a nanotube?
We are the invisible entrepreneurs.
Francois de Visscher, a Greenwich, Conn. based
financial consultant and investment banker said,
"If you are a $100 million company, a $500 million,
or a $1 billion company, you're not a small business
anymore."
Thank you for that Francois, at least I know I'm
still a small business. Thank goodness for that.
About the Author
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