“Today’s [American] Entrepreneurs: New Financial, Old Logistical Challenges, Yet Reasons for Optimism” – feature by Cristina Deptula (reprinted from May 2009.)

 

 (reprinted from May 2009 – San Jose State’s internal academic papers. Issues raised are still relevant today, though.)

“Today’s Entrepreneurs: New Financial, Old Logistical Challenges, Yet Reasons for Optimism”

          CRISTINA DEPTULA

Many Americans celebrate entrepreneurship as an alternate pathway to success for the especially innovative and talented. With the current economic downturn, though, more people, immigrants and native-born, are turning to entrepreneurship because they have trouble finding regular employment. For some, working for oneself becomes a survival strategy rather than a long-range dream.

Organizing and managing a business may prove harder for these new business owners, with less managerial experience and know-how, and often less money and lower credit scores, than the entrepreneurs of the past.

However, many experts who work with local organizations assisting small businesses believe entrepreneurship can still represent a viable way to earn a living and help rejuvenate our economy, even for the changing demographic of entrepreneurs.

You may finish the article here: http://community.livejournal.com/chaos_zine/5990.html

Cristina Deptula is a freelance journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She may be reached at cedeptula@sbcglobal.net and encourages everyone to try Paula Tejeda’s Chile Lindo restaurant!