The SB Jobs & Credit Act Of 2010 – What's In For You?

9/24/2010

I have listened to, and participated in much of the planning and back office discussions, that created the Small Business Jobs & Credit Act Of 2010. And, – By the time many of you read this message, the Bill will already be a new Law ushering in hope and high expectations within our business communities!

There is one unanswered question, about these New Laws, that I have wrestled with for the past 2 Years. That question is – Are America's Businesses truly ready to take full advantage of the C-Change promised by these New Laws...

My concern results from the experience I secured, working with businesses of all sizes, as I helped the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) community with its pursuit of the 3% goal attainment challenge.

Simply put, as I endeavored to enlighten these Business Owners, Corporate Executives and their Shareholders to the Value-Creation-Power that results from both competing and cooperating in the same markets (i.e. Co-opertition). I came to the realization that there was an underlining unacknowledged epidemic afoot – and if we were going to truly have any chance at attaining the SDVOSB spending goal, we would have to cure this illness.

This 'Thinking Epidemic' grew-out of the seeds that were sown in the 80's, as our culture brought into the Gordon Gekko mind-set. You remember Gordon, actor Michael Douglas's character from the 1987 Oscar winning movie Wall Street. He served notice to our culture that "Greed Is Good."

The strange thing is that we actually adopted that belief system, and many of our decision-makers do not realize that subconsciously it is still one of their guiding principles.

To test this perspective, you only need to examine the type of decision-making that is occurring within your own Organization.

In most cases, not all, what you will find is that your business community is highly conditioned toward a segregated and competitive mind-set that does not accommodate the interdependent needs of the people that make-up the business – much less the Communities that they are a part of...

In years past, I spoke exclusively to the needs of the Disabled Veteran Business Community. I used my voice to urge my community not to wait on new Laws that would allow us to secure the rights that Congress bestowed on us through PL 106-50 & PL 108-183.

And, through alliance building and Joint Venturing, we have had some measurable success...

I, the SBA's Office of Veteran Business Development and a few VSOs, devoted countless hours toward educating Disabled Veterans on the strategy of Co-opertition and the many ways they could employ existing Laws and Policies toward compelling Agencies to comply with the wishes Congress.

During that 4 Year period, we saw contracting with Disabled Veterans grow from $750 Million to over $8.7 Billion.

Many of the True Patriots that worked side-by-side with me during that season sought no recognition, and were comforted by the knowledge that they were doing the right work – for the right reasons.

Yet when I looked up from my focused effort on this task, I found the Country in one the worst economic downturns since the 1920's.

This economic condition has inspired me with the desire to expand the Mission, and to share the market building capabilities of Co-opertition with our entire business community – and the passage of the Jobs & Credit Act of 2010 has empowered me with a unique opportunity to do just that.

Therefore, my new goal is focused on leveraging the C-Change in Federal Contracting that has been created by these New Laws toward creating more than $100 Billion dollars in new Contracts for the entire Small Business Community.

Taking the best-practices and key-lessons from our Disabled Veteran contracting initiative, I have fashioned a strategy that will be highly effective under these New Laws.

Therefore, I feel obligated to use this message to share a number of facts with you about the New Law, its underlying Polices, and my vision for the way forward:

1. This bill will reach the President's desk for signature and approval, as it was passed in the Senate (i.e. a unique outcome in our Political Process).
2. Small Business Parity is addressed in the Law.
3. The New Law creates a 'Game Changing' opportunity for the prepared.
4. Many will try to take maximum advantage of this C-Change, but only the most agile will succeed.
You may note that I did not say 'Prepared Small Business' in fact number 3.

More on that point later...

Simply put, and In my humble opinion, this is one of the best pieces of SB Legislation to hit the streets since the Small Business Act was passed – as the kids say 'back in the day'.

And, I am not saying this because I was an 'Insider' on this one. I hold this opinion because of what I know this Bill will do for this Country, this Economy and those businesses that count themselves among the prepared.

Simply put, with $300 Billion in new lending, Zero Capital Gains on investment in Small Businesses and the Contracting Reform that is ushered-in under this Law – the prepared are set-up for dynamic growth and success.

There's that word again PREPARED! You are surely asking yourself, why does he keep using that word?

The answer is simple. This new set of Laws was not designed to support a Transactional Business Mind-Set. It was set into motion to support those businesses that are interested in taking an Agile and Strategic approach toward their business's growth and development.

Another way of saying this is that the Bill will reward those businesses that take the Longview on a market opportunity. A view that is focused on building solid relationship based transactions that lead to trusted unions and repeatable business opportunities (i.e. both domestic and Abroad).

This Longview approach to business growth requires a level of forward thinking and planning that I am sorry to say is missing in many of our domestic concerns (i.e. Large & Small).

Yet, I digress – as my intention here is to help you become among the Prepared – which means that you need a plan that fits the critical timeline demands of this new opportunity.

So let's take a few of these time sensitive items in order:

• To secure the zero capital gains on an investment in your small business, the Investor must invest on or before January 1, 2011.

• To take full advantage of the Joint Venturing & Teaming components. You will need solid partner capture and management systems in place, well in advance of the Contract Requirement becoming a Sources Sought – Solicitation or Award.

• On the Parity front, the above rule holds true as well. If you seek to employ maximum agility against the contract capture capability of your preference (i.e. HubZone, 8a, SDVOSB & soon WOSB), you can't wait until the opportunity hits the street – and then build your Strategic Alliances.

• In the area of International Trade – a major growth market for the Prepared – you will need effective cross-broader Alliance Building Strategy that minimizes your cost of entering new markets and maximizes your profit potential.

Allow me to get directly to the point of this message.

Over the past 5 years, I have been directly and indirectly responsible for helping the Disabled Veteran Community secure more than $8 Billion dollars in new contracts awards.

I am now turning my attention to the broader Small Business Community, which may include your business.

Over the next few months I am going to be implementing a targeted effort to ensure that a group of small businesses are Prepared to take full advantage of these new Laws. Access and participation in this Community-of-Practice will be granted by invitation only – and, existing members of the MPU Network will have the first right of refusal.

Starting on October 1, 2010, a select few will have the opportunity to participate in Strategic Steering sessions and receive the information and materials needed to place them on the fast track.

How do you become counted among the number? Request access to the Jobs & Credit Group, and you will receive your instructions.

Continued Success...

WCIII