What are the real problems facing small-business owners?
Every time gas prices go up, that’s like a tax on us and our customers. The gas issue is a real challenge. Another issue that’s potentially a challenge is the credit crisis. The way it’s found itself from Wall Street to Main Street is that the banks want to make loans, but the bankers I’ve talked to tell me they have tightened their standards. They’ve anticipated that regulators will tighten their restrictions. There still is credit available for small businesses—they might just have to work harder. You’re going to need more documentation. I think the credit card issues are going to start impacting small businesses. I think credit card companies are tightening up on their standards, too. Especially a lot of start-ups—their cash flow is augmented by credit cards. How much are small businesses really being squeezed by those problems? Right now, I don’t see anything that’s all that ugly. Over the next three to six months, we’ll find out how bad this is going to get. If you’re in the real
