I founded my company in January 2009, leaving a well-paying position at a large firm.

Although I loved my previous position, I wanted to build relationships with my clients, instead of just “transactions” so I could create a client base with recurring revenue — and to have the personal freedom to work whenever and however I wanted.

I am approaching my 4th year of business. It hasn't been easy, especially overcoming most business owners fears of when the next banking, housing, tsunami will occur.

I self funded the start-up (with my AFTER TAX dollars) and by the grace of God and unfathomable number of hours, I am still in business. I can relate with the business owners I serve, as I know what it is like to work long hours — while worrying about how to pay my employees and vendors, keep ahead of the competition and satisfy the tax man.

My company pays its fair share of taxes, such as federal and state income, Social Security, Medicare and unemployment to all states in which I have employees, as well as business property, license and state income taxes.

I am also in compliance in each state I conduct business in (I found California, Washington and Massachusetts to be the most expensive.)

I also fly my employees across the country, and pay dearly on all the government imposed taxes on airlines!

So, if the government built my company, then please, by all means, start paying my employees, start paying my fixed expenses, start paying me. If not, then please, get out of our way, stop over-regulating the banks making it near impossible for SME to get working capital loans; stop forcing additional requirements on us!

How can we operate on a budget when we don’t know what our health care costs will be, when we don’t know what our tax obligations will be?

Oh I know why ... because our government cannot balance its own budget.

To start our business my son & I went to several government agencies for advice and help; nothing useful was gained.
We reset, relying only on ourselves. Turning $3,000 into a sprinkler/irrigation company was no easy task. Hard work, innovation, dedication, integrity, and a deep appreciation of the free enterprise system in America made it happen. We built this business out of pride in our efforts. There were many challenges along the way but one cost we never expected was listening to the President redistributing our credits.

I took a risk and opened a small manufacturing company. I relied on my own good name and work ethic to obtain 30 days of credit from other vendors in my industry. I pay my employees before I pay myself. I treat my staff with professionalism and respect. the government has never made it easy to maintain and grow my company. I am currently down to only one employee because workers would rather collect unemployment and food stamps and welfare and avoid paying child support by not having a steady income.

The recession in 1990-91 significantly affected the building industry. Architecture firms were especially impacted by a large shedding of jobs. When the dust settled, the firm I worked for had slashed employees from over 250 down to 24. Many in the industry never came back to architecture again.

During the same time period, the utilization of cad programs was becoming more wide spread throughout the industry. Many fought their introduction into the industry, but those of us who understood their benefit early on knew this was the future.

In 1992, I decided to take the path of most resistance and built my own company that provided cad services at a fixed cost. The niche market provided a win-win for architecture firms struggling to complete projects with reduced fees and minimal staff.

Twenty years later, and tens-of-thousands of man hours invested, the decision to forge a new path in the architecture industry proved to be the right one. Our company has worked on thousands of projects over the past two decades with the foundational principles established back in 1992. Provide a win-win for our clients and the doors, we did build, will remain open

I just began my company this year after being unable to find a job for two years. I purchased new lawn equipment in the Spring and recently purchased a vehicle and insurance and made a down payment on a riding mower to accommodate my growing list of customers. I still need to add a trailer hitch to my company vehicle and trailer and will do that sometime before next Spring.

I am not receiving any help from the government or anyone else. My company is being built by my own funds. The roads I utilize were built by taxpayer dollars of which I contribute. So yes, I did build this.

My father purchased the business in 1963. It had been started in 1919, then splintered, and he brought its pieces back together. It was started by a father, and his sons took it over. You can see the history on our website www.ajaxboiler.com>company.
Dad passed in 2010, and due the to estate holiday tax that year, we were able to keep the business, and we are in the process of growing it. The government really bleeds our industry on the asbestos cases. Years ago. the government was the one to mandate the use of asbestos in Navy ships. Now, all the retired Navy men, who later worked in our industry, are suing us for something we never did. We never used asbestos. But the government did. Problem is - they can't sue the government! So they target anyone who needs to insulate, and sue them hoping to gain incremental settlements. We need help on tort reform, but the lawyers are too firmly entrenched on "the hill" as lobbyists. There are several other areas - particularly in regulation - where the government hurts us. But we keep going, and just have to pass these costs on to the consumers It is unfortunate, and reform is needed on several levels.

We offer personal, professional service and appreciate our customers! Our retail store sells high quality traditional family games, including darts, chess, backgammon, billiards, disc golf, kites, and many other fun family favorites from wooden tops & yoyos to real metal slinkies. We built this business with 38+ years of long hours, hard work, and lots of loyal customers.

I started this company as a research firm in 2003 while working my full-time job. For two years I continued to live with my parents while I poured every penny of discretionary income into building the business until I able to make it my full-time vocation.

Later it became an internet marketing consulting firm, taking its current name in August 2010.

Through blood, toil, tears, and sweat, I have built a prosperous business that creates revenue opportunities for others. Through our work we have helped several other American entrepreneurs generate over $4 million in additional revenue and have created opportunities along the way for at least eight other entrepreneurs who have helped us and our clients build their businesses.

As a coach and mentor, I have helped two other companies - a web development firm and a social media marketing firm - become sustainable and profitable, enabling their owners, who built their businesses, to enjoy lifestyles they otherwise would not have attained.

I have never had an SBA loan. The only financial assistance I ever received was a debt consolidation loan to wipe out some credit card debt I ran up at the beginning. I have a modest line of credit and a couple remaining credit card balances I am paying down.

When I took the debt consolidation loan, I asked for an additional $5,000 to use to create a new venture. I had my business plan, my program, and the people already in place. The loan officer told me I was "not entitled" to extra money as it would be "unfair" to other people, all the while he continued to try to hit me up for referrals.

I have gratitude and love for my customers who have been with me for many years, and my mentors who have guided me along the way. In the end, it has been my own relentless effort and perseverance when others told me I'd be better off giving up, that has kept me going.

I am inspired every day knowing my work helps other American entrepreneurs build their businesses.

After ten years of teaching English in a public school, I thought there must be a better way to teach kids to write.

WriteAtHome is that better way. We give students a curriculum involving interesting lessons and weekly writing projects, but what's most important is we give them a personal writing tutor who responds substantively to every paper they submit.

We work mostly with homeschoolers and charter schools, but our SAT Essay Prep course is increasingly popular with more traditionally educated students.

I started WriteAtHome on a computer given to me by my dad. I had five students that first year and worked with them all personally. We now serve more than 2000 kids a year and put more than 50 writing coaches to work.

Melvin saw the need in the Permian Basin in the 1980's for a specialty hydraulic shop. He had worked at many machining businesses in the basin since he got out of the service so he set up his one man shop and hired a helper. Today he is semi-retired and his son has mostly taken over managing the business which has grown to three helpers and a secretary.
The family built this business, managed the money, met the payroll, researched and offered the competitive benefits to attract competent workers. The family has invested all the blood, sweat and tears to grow this business to the tax paying entity it is today. Employers pay taxes, not employees as so many of you think. Sure all pay in to medicare and social security which has been bankrupt since the 1950's but I am talking about the general fund that pays our leaders' salaries and funds their earmark welfare and food stamp programs. WE need to take our Country Back, America's Small Businesses!