The staff at the SBA released a major news release recently announcing small businesses can now watch videos from the SBA on YouTube. Wow! What a wonderful use of our taxpayer money.
And while the SBA is posting videos Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said just this past Friday, there is still strong need for federal support for small business loans as the U.S. Treasury continues to work on a new program aimed at aiding small business lending.
So why is the SBA wasting time and spending our money posting videos? There are countless sites on the Internet that provide training videos and other "how-to" information, so why doesn't the SBA focus its energy on figuring out a strategy to get financing into the hands of small business owners.
Small business lending is up only slightly after plummeting last year, and entrepreneurs remain unable to get the funds they need to keep their doors open. You'd think this would be the top priority at the SBA -- not posting videos and sending out news releases.
I just don't get why the SBA would invest vital funds and use government employees to create a video channel on YouTube. Apparently I am not the only small business owner, who doesn't understand. As of Friday, SBA's YouTube channel had about 150 subscribers after a full month in operation and a big media push. Business owners aren't buying the SBA's public relations campaign.
The SBTV.com editorial team and I have heard from lots of business owners who've gone through the SBA loan process and describe it as a waste of time. One frustrated veteran entrepreneur says the program is only is for enterprises that don't need the money.
Small business owners who are hanging on for dear life won't find any answers on the SBA's YouTube channel.
I've recommended the Obama Administration and Congress consider utilizing the SBA's Disaster Loan program which allows the agency to provide direct loans to small businesses in designated disaster area. Congress has the power to declare certain areas of the country disaster areas for the purpose of this program. Many veteran SBA staffers agree with this strategy too, but are too afraid to go on the record publicly. While this isn't a panacea for the long-term, it will help place funds in the hands of small businesses so they can truly be the economic engine to lead the nation out of the current downturn. Small businesses need financing - not videos from the SBA.
Follow Susan Wilson Solovic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/susanSBTVcom
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Please excuse my ignorance, but, a small business is one that earns under a million dollars; correct? Or not? I live in a small city in Orange County CA 90631. So, can you please give me an example of a small business, that would not get wiped out by the monster chains? Now if small towns would re-zone portions of their towns specifically for small businesses,( to look like the towns appeared at the turn of the 20th Century, then at least the zones would have some novelty to them, and small businesses might have an opportunity to survive. Well, it was an idea. :-)
Peace!
Thanks for writing about SBA's ridiculous attempt to spin the failure of its programs by reaching out to the younger generations on YouTube. Equally as bizarre, they are partnering with the US Post Office, another lame government-sponsored entity.
Please note that I am an advocate for SBA and its fine people. Unfortunately, its programs are ill-equipped to deal with this financial debacle and the politicians that want them to stimulate small business without giving them the necessary tools.
So, let us make a distinction between SBA and its programs. SBA and its people are good. Its programs need lots of improvement.
Jerry Chautin, Huffington Post Blogger
Business journalist
Volunteer SCORE business counselor, Atlanta, Sarasota & Murphy, NC
Follow me on www.Twitter.com/JerryChautin
As for the article
While being frustrated about the lack of small business loans is a genuine concern, blaming this on their YouTube channel is folly. I assume the SBA has a staff larger than 1. I would believe they would have a communications department. Now this department is full of production people that are about as qualified to write small business and economic policy as the computer animator of a talking lizard can run an insurance company. Uploading 150 videos in 1 month is 5 per business day. Anyone can start an upload of a video in 3 minutes and not think about it until it is completed. As for other waste, it is infinitely cheaper, as in free, to have a video channel on YouTube than host the videos on your own server, and the set up wastes so much more time.
But you already know that, Susan Solovac, founder of SBTV.com, so what's your REAL issue with the channel?
With the health care debate, I thought...okay hoped you were talking about the Spina Bifida Association
In which case I would've said "Oh,good"
Sorrry