I must be getting older when I hear comments such as, "Remember back in 1980 when car loans were 18 percent and home mortgages were over 16 percent?" That was then, but now the same loans are 4.9 percent and 5 percent, respectively, and we say that our country seems to be in a meltdown.
We thought developers and builders were supposed to build, bankers were supposed to bank and politicians were supposed to step back and let the market roar to new heights with small business (you know, the almost 74 percent of us in Wisconsin who employ the most, pay the most taxes and shoulder the most risk) leading the way in production, new ideas and new processes brought to market.
Yet somehow this all has been turned upside down and it is literally penalizing many businesses around us.
Today, have our government and its legislators taken all the banking risk out of the market and squelched entire industries for a reason? Not sure. Yet, look around. There are many people in pain with no end in sight unless our business leaders - from businesses big and small - actually do some "leading," not bark on the sidelines waiting for government approval.
So what does that mean for me and you? Make every day count for you and your employees. Engage all of them in the process of your business and how to succeed as a team, not fail individually. We must all take full responsibility for our actions and oh, by the way, thank each and every customer for their business.
It does matter today and for the future. We are all in the people business, and relationships matter.
Jim Lagina is the owner and president of Lagina Plumbing in Milwaukee.
1 Comment
Well said. As you started off your article you are older but much wiser. Today the successful are the villains despite the hard work, countless hours, and fortitude required today to be a true leader. In the eyes of the government you are nothing more than a meal ticket through their excessive taxes to foster dependency and fiscal irresponsibility. Unless you are on your knees asking for government assistance you are not seen nor acknowledged as being the pillars of our economy. Our new generation needs to get a grip and really take a hard look at how you and many successful true leaders worked their way to a successful business. They don't teach this in our universities, hard work and sacrifice is never spoken but the message of entitlements, change and hope will bring you success. Gag me! You have the respect of every successful and hard working leader, employee and customer. You have the satisfaction of earning that respect which the government can't tax or take away