The 2012 Presidential campaign has been all about jobs and the economic effect of small business.  More than half the jobs in the country come from small businesses. The high unemployment the county has suffered for four years stems from uncertainty owners have with the future.  Taxes, regulations, health care, capital availability and consumer reluctance to spend has stalled the national economy.

A deeper dive into what all those words actually mean to us should be educational.  A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers.  Only 44% of businesses survive past the fourth year in business.  The people that own businesses are often referred to as entrepreneurs.  An entrepreneur is a person who accepts risk and starts a business where none existed.

After 40 years of working for companies in the retail sector, I was let go in a change of culture for a large company.  Unlike owners of a business, large corporations are often operated by management teams. I was desired by the previous management teams, but not the last one. Despite the ADEA laws protecting employees over 40 from age discrimination, in reality employees work at the pleasure of management.

In 1964 Peter Drucker defined entrepreneurs as one who searches for change and then responds to it and exploits the opportunities. I may not have searched for change, but after six months of rejection by the finest companies in the country in a job search, I considered business ownership.  Franchising is the practice of using another firm’s successful business model and I needed to be in the 44% that succeed.

If the economic and political climate was bad for small businesses was it wise to start one?  Which of the thousands of franchises made sense? How would the costs be financed?  Should it be a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability corporation? Where should it be started, as we had last lived in Pensacola and were now staying with our daughter’s family (who has our three grandchildren)?

The wisdom of business ownership stems from understanding who owns everything.  The wisdom of business ownership comes from knowing who has all the answers to every question.  The wisdom of business ownership is being surrendered to the will of God, but that follows figuring out what it is.  I had transferable skills and education for many things and could live anywhere but there was only one answer.

I love market research so I can find facts about business opportunities, but this process required asking and listening.  Despite owning (or having mortgages on) three houses in Florida we resided in a room next to our grandchildren in Leesburg Florida.  Searching for a temporary church home we discovered The Father’s House on a week the Senior Pastor was traveling but God chose to deliver his answer that day.

All questions were answered when answers were needed, all funds were provided when funds were needed, the choice of a franchise was authentically clear, and the decision to form a corporation named DOW Senior Care Inc. occurred.  We agreed to keep living in the room next to our grandchildren and provide our services as a ministry to those without funds, being profitable from those that could pay.

Reluctant entrepreneur perhaps, but my wife and I are employed by that corporation (2 jobs produced) and make up the management team.  We are a personalized eldercare referral service for seniors and their families in an area of the country that has four times the average number of seniors.  We are working to get Mitt Romney elected because as a business owner he gets it.  God owns our business and we are stewards. 10% of GROSS sales go to charity.  We are now in training with the franchise folks. The future is bright.