What Would You Do......

[brewerbruce]

What would you do if you knew in advance that there was only a slight chance of failure....less than 5%.

No money making adventures allowed for answers

What would you do?

[TW]

5% chance of failure? That's a pretty darned good risk level. Consider that about half of all new businesses fail in less than a year, then about half of those that are left, fail during the following year.

In the end, what is it... Something like 6% of all new start ups make it past the five year mark?

Since that's the case, even though the risk factors you're indicating look good, your perspective should be long term as well.

Now, let's face this fact. If you need "any money" from the start up, for a very long period of time, it's probably not a very good idea. You need an independent source of income while it's in its fledgling stages.

Anyhow... that's my take on it.

[brewerbruce]

Here's what I would do....

I would quit my job and go to broadcasting school. I have been told my entire life by everyone I know that I have missed my calling as a sports broadcaster. The risk factor obviously is then getting a job

[Deleted]

I would take my inlaws swimming with ankle weigths on each of them!

[TW]

Bruce, if you have the income to make it through, go for it. Just remember that there are only a few jobs out there that make big bucks, while there are thousands of sports announcers working for next to peanuts, and many on a part time basis, holding down full time jobs.

Many decades ago, I had my own sports radio talk show 5 days a week, and had to handle it all alone, including production, etc..., and it was a part time job.

Then I had an online gig with AOL, handling big name interviews, including Favre, etc..., and got paid peanuts for that, and it was part time.

There's a lot of people out there willing to work just to get their names in front of an audience. That's the level of competition that exists.

[brewerbruce]

Thats why I'm not doing it........go big or go home at this stage in my life

[TW]

Exactly! If you can do it as a side hobby, and not have it interfere with work, quality of family life, and cost a lot of money, it's fine. If it misses on any one of those criteria, kick it to the curb.

I have been offered the opportunity to have by-lines on some pretty well known, and syndicated online sources, and the moment I talk money with them, they start to shuffle their feet, and talk about how I should do it for "fun."

I guess they don't understand that having had the opportunity of interviewing and dealing with so many of the cry-baby stars of sports over the years has really soured me against the whole idea.

In fact, when we went up to Green Bay for the inauguration of the new stadium facilities back in 2002 (I think that's right), and I had a chance to co-host a TV show the following day from the Packer Hall of Fame, I passed, and did just an interview, because I honestly didn't want to get involved. The idea that I'd have to sit in front of a camera with someone on the team, who played like he was in Junior High School football, and talk about how close they came to winning, when they were actually blown out - turned my stomach.

Pay for doing it? A couple of season passes to the HOF. Guess what? We don't need them. I'm a charter member of the HOF, and as such, I have a lifetime pass, and so does my wife.

Anyhow, I had more fun talking to a few of the guys from the teams of the 60s over club sandwiches and an iced tea, at an area restaurant. They agreed! The Packers stunk the field up, and the head coach was a moron. Of course, that was all "off the record."

[sharpefan]

May 8, 2012 14:26:34 GMT -5 @brewerbruce said:

Thats why I'm not doing it........go big or go home at this stage in my life

It's pretty hard to teach a OLD DOG new tricks. ;D

[happypacker]

Play the odds!!

[packerconvert]

I'd become President and get this country going down the right path.

[happypacker]

you have my vote,, that is if our paths are going in the same basic direction. helping the work force of this country and offering affordable higher education, and health care.

[TW]

I'd fight to put taxes on imports, strip imports from American based companies overseas from favorite sons status, and count it as imports from a foreign market. At this time, we don't count it against the quotas, thereby screwing American workers.

Then I'd re-instate the tax rates for the wealthy that existed prior to Bush giving it to the wealthy. It's enough to offset most of our deficit, and Bush "promised," along with his Republican cohorts, that it would create jobs in the US, which was all bull crap. Since it didn't create jobs, and won't create jobs, screw 'em! They don't deserve the cuts.

Next, I'd push for more taxes "across the board," for all workers, and use that money to invest in America's infrastructure, helping American based companies, making American products in the US, selling to Americans first, assistance in rebuilding their physical bases with buildings, equipment, and tax incentives to spur "Made in America" a reality, not a dream that Congress couldn't care less about.

In the end, the number of jobs in the US would expand rapidly, unemployment and welfare would be reduced significantly, Medicare would become solvent (after Congress paid back the billions stolen to cover Bush's war in Iraq). We'd also see our service industry growing.

I would also add a "service tax" to every damned customer service call that was fielded overseas, instead of the US, in regards to Americans and American interests. Maybe a $2 per call tax, and a phone line surcharge, to make it more profitable for American businesses to do their business here, instead of in cheap labor markets.

I would also cap wages and retirements for Congress, and began reductions of said retirements for incoming people, to put them closer in line with what the average American gets.

Of course I'd never get elected, because big business would either have me eradicated, or spend millions to insure I couldn't be elected. They want their puppets.

[happypacker]

TW, you are so right, and that last sentence is the truth!
I would also stop the fraud from the welfare cards, They can get them to easy, then buy one little food item recieve cash back and go out and play the lottery, buy booze, smokes etc. that is for people who are willing to work and can afford to buy the lux. habits. plus housing is a joke, i knew a familly( two women, living together, both recieved checks for not working they got brand new leased cars big cars, and a whole hose leased and were healthy, but they did not want to work and they really make the people look bad that cannot work or pay bills to live and need short time help. these people make a career out of it Just like the elected Congress. we have change the Congress first or it makes no matter who gets elected, they just have different faces but owe everything to the big money. same ol same ol until we can stop the way they run Congress now. a big task that i know I willnot live to see change.

[TW]

The funny part of it all is that welfare fraud encompasses less than 1/10 of 1% of the problem. But it is a good one that both sides of the aisle like to pull out of the box and talk about, because they know it doesn't offend their financial supporters. They do real well convincing people differently, because the media loves to climb on board any witch hunt.

[happypacker]

It is easier to see by the every day person. we all got one in our area of view.