Creating Our Own Jobs; I’ll Drink To That

This is a photo of me this past summer.  Yes, I am bartending.  I took the job for a number of reasons.

1. I needed to do something until my other free-lance work kicked in by September.
2. I had taken two bartending courses over the past three decades and never had a chance to use them.  I make killer Margaritas, Long Island Iced Teas, Mudslides, and Bloody Marys.  One of the courses — the Harvard Bartending Course – also stressed the new drinking laws and how to shut people off – which was like a course in insurance law for bar owners.  (Yes, you can tell people I graduated from Harvard … Bartending School.)
3. I wanted to see what it was like to really do some physical work again.  Trust me, it wasn’t easy in 90-plus temps and humidity on a hard floor for sometimes 12 hours a day.
4. But more importantly, the job helped me confirm what I have been talking about here about the changing economy and the job market.

Here’s the Informed Not Inflamed reality about job creation:

We Americans need to start creating jobs for ourselves.  Here’s how.

Government can help by preparing us for the jobs of the 21^st Century.

• There must be investment in education for these new jobs in science, math, and engineering – with companies working closely with high schools, community colleges, and universities.
• Take care of those who want to work.  I worked with other folks who begged for more hours of work, who wanted to be their own boss, and who were skilled at so many aspects of their jobs.  Yet, they were part-time workers; some of them with kids.  Others actually would forego unemployment payments just to work.  Is this the norm?  Probably not.  I will find out more when I read this book soon: A Nation of Takers.  Let me know if you have read it. 

Revamp Obama Care further.  Let’s put in a government or single-payer option to create more competition.  This would do three things:

1. Job creators won’t have to provide health insurance to workers.  They can concentrate on their own business, not having to maneuver premiums and deductibles.
2. Start-ups can hire anyone based on their experience and knowledge, not on whether they’re too old or they have too many kids that would put a strain on the start-ups bottom line.
3. Companies won’t have to manipulate the hours an employee works to avoid giving them health benefits.  The employer can determine work hours on need – not health care costs.

Giving tax breaks to the wealthy will not necessarily create jobs.

• Job growth didn’t happen from 2003 until 2006 when the Bush tax cuts hit before the Great Recession.
• From my time in wealth management and in my conversations with apparently wealthy friends, there has never been the discussion that the money they save in taxes will help them hire someone.  They want security for the future.  Are there exceptions?  Sure.  But the prevalent attitude is – and I am fine with this – keep the money for yourself.
• Companies – large and small – are more concerned about profits – not hiring people.  (Hey, that’s capitalism.)  Interestingly, the video work I am doing for BidXcel involves interviews with members.  Many of them are business people who are creating their own jobs as distributors with BidXcel because they want to rid themselves of having to hire and manage people.
• Technology is eliminating many jobs.
• Developing countries can create jobs – using technology – that are far cheaper, creating savings for companies.

I know a lot of you are saying, “But not everyone can create their own jobs.”  True, many of us will only be employees.  However, there are now opportunities to make money off your hobby or vocation.  Here is one of the best and inspiring books I read this year.  It’s The $100 Startup.  I reviewed it here.

Now, if anyone wants to discuss this, let me know your poison – and I will have it ready for you.

Cheers.

Tagged as: $100 Startup, A Measure of Media Bias, corporate control of elections, Harvard Bartending, Informed Not Inflamed, John Daly NECN, Long Island Iced Tea, Nation of Takers, serving alcohol