New York SBDC Research Network

From Bplans : The transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship is jarring for anyone who takes the leap. The work, structure, and indicators of success are different in many ways. Things you became adept at while working at a company—like keeping your boss happy and navigating office politics—lose their utility when you’re on your own. It was an exciting environment with a steep learning curve. However, having grown up in a family of small business owners, the pull of entrepreneurship strengthened as I grew older. After several years in the corporate world, I realized it was never going to get easier to make the switch. Leveraging our financial skill sets, my partner and I started a tech-enabled factoring company that helps innovative B2B businesses and startups fund their working capital. The transition from a white-shoe Wall Street firm to the near absolute freedom of entrepreneurship required enormous adjustments in all aspects of my life.

I came across this site earlier this week, featuring articles written (and podcasts recorded by) the faculty at the Wharton School of Business. I don't pretend to understand the entirety of the ripple effect of recent events, so I went here looking for a primer. Here's some of the articles found there: * Will the Levee Break? An Ocean of Bad Debt Rises despite Government Rescues * After the Bailout: How Can the Fed Clean Up the Fannie and Freddie Mess? * Eyes on the Wrong Prize: Leadership Lapses That Fueled Wall Street's Fall * Note to Investors: Don't Play Games with Asset Allocation I've read a few. I'm still not an expert, but it's helped me understand some of the issues a bit better.

Here's the text to a recent interview (" Main Street Spared ?") by Reuters with William Dunkelberg, the chief economist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses (as well as chairman of a small commercial bank serving southern New Jersey). He doesn't see recent developments on Wall Street, as well those with AIG, as having any immediate effect on small business owners in the U.S. Some of the reader comments at the bottom of the page don't agree with him. What are your clients saying?