General Discussion

applegrove

(118,734 posts) Wed Apr 4, 2012, 12:02 AM Apr 2012

Back in the day, small business owners used to work 10 to 12 hour days, sometimes 6 or 7 days a

week. Which would look like increased productivity. Is this what the GOP want for americans? Cause that is where the jobs are going to be in the future we keep being told.

14 replies

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Back in the day, small business owners used to work 10 to 12 hour days, sometimes 6 or 7 days a (Original Post) applegrove Apr 2012 OP

Most of us still do. obey Apr 2012 #1

It is a really hard life. Those were good jobs we lost with downsizing when all the medium sized applegrove Apr 2012 #2

Everyone I know who has a business works more than that Tumbulu Apr 2012 #3

LOL! What they said. 6 10 hour days would nearly be a break. K&R n/t Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #4

Back in the day, so did their employees. But they didn't own the business & couldn't take breaks HiPointDem Apr 2012 #5

My sister does. cliffordu Apr 2012 #6

Republican expectations of American workers. sudopod Apr 2012 #7

I remember starting a retail business in the 1970s that was open Mon-Sat. Elwood P Dowd Apr 2012 #8

Owners still work those hours today. No impact on misleading "measure" reported as productivity unc70 Apr 2012 #9

" used to work 10 to 12 hour days, sometimes 6 or 7 days" guardian Apr 2012 #10

Small business owners are still doing that. They always have. MineralMan Apr 2012 #11

"productivity" I don't think that word means what you think it means. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2012 #12

If someone works 80 hours a week and doesn't pull in that much in total may be working for less applegrove Apr 2012 #14

Most of them still do. Yo_Mama Apr 2012 #13

obey

(66 posts)

1. Most of us still do.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 12:10 AM

Apr 2012

A small business owner is on the clock 24 hours a day 7 days a week and even when we're on "vacation" we're still on the clock.

applegrove

(118,734 posts)

2. It is a really hard life. Those were good jobs we lost with downsizing when all the medium sized

Reply to obey (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 12:13 AM

Apr 2012

companies disappeared.

Tumbulu

(6,292 posts)

3. Everyone I know who has a business works more than that

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 12:32 AM

Apr 2012

it is the way of life for business owners- especially those of us with no employees, or only part time occasional help.

Egalitarian Thug

(12,448 posts)

4. LOL! What they said. 6 10 hour days would nearly be a break. K&R n/t

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 01:34 AM

Apr 2012

HiPointDem

(20,729 posts)

5. Back in the day, so did their employees. But they didn't own the business & couldn't take breaks

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 01:47 AM

Apr 2012

at their own discretion.

Why limit this to small business owners?

cliffordu

(30,994 posts)

6. My sister does.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 01:55 AM

Apr 2012

She has no other life.

Her bakery rules, however.

sudopod

(5,019 posts)

7. Republican expectations of American workers.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 02:10 AM

Apr 2012

Elwood P Dowd

(11,443 posts)

8. I remember starting a retail business in the 1970s that was open Mon-Sat.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 02:36 AM

Apr 2012

The first few months it was 12 hour days 6 days a week plus a few hours on Sunday afternoon trying to catch up on what I couldn't do during the week. After it got rolling it was only 10-11 hours a day 6 days a week. A 60-hour work week was easy. It finally wore me out after almost 15 years, and I went to mail order and internet for a few items and a little custom work. Now I'm retired and living off Social Security and a small check from some rental property. Not much of a retirement income because the most I ever made in all those years was equal to about $35,000 in today's dollars.

During those years, we had 4 republican recessions starting with Reagan. A ton of small businesses went under during the Reagan/Bush era. It drove me out of it except for areas where I didn't need a retail front, employees, etc.. Finally gave it up under Bush Jr, the biggest economic disaster this country has seen since Herbert Hoover and the clowns that preceded him.

unc70

(6,116 posts)

9. Owners still work those hours today. No impact on misleading "measure" reported as productivity

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Wed Apr 4, 2012, 09:43 AM

Apr 2012

Most similar small business owners today are working those same hours today -- routinely 70-80 a week, often 100+ during some peak season. Owner operated local restaurants, stores, and services - plumbers, florists, lawn care, service and repair of autos, hvac, computers, appliances and so. True also for many in startup mode, a lot of farmers, licensed professionals (e.g. Realtors).

Stats confounded by active versus passive/silent partners, part time business. Absent owners include have multiple locations, franchises or small chains with counted separately, and by some very large companies being classified as "small".

Small businesses are also where a high percentage of jobs are lost.