Wolfgang wrote:

Oh, and for those who lament the effect that such large conglomerates have
on all the local Mom and Pop operations, it is worthwhile to remember that
dreams of like success are what put the sparkle in Mom and Pop's eyes when
they got into the business in the first place and just about exactly what we
tend to wish upon them if they happen to be the sort of good old folks we
know and patronize personally.

Being in business for myself, I know alot of self employed people. I
don't think that those "dreams of like success" are even a sparkle in
many of their eyes. For me, that would hold no appeal. For some people
that is a goal but I don't think that it is for most.

I have a couple of acquaintances that went that route. They expanded and
ended up doing a type of work that gave them too many headaches and no
pleasure. They made more money, but felt it wasn't worth it. Both sold
their businesses and went back to running a small operation.

Willi