President-Elect Obama:
As you take power for what is the most remarkable statement our country has made in ages and having run the best campaign ever, we know you are taking over what will be the worst job in the world.

• We want your optimism to be contagious and your can-do-attitude to inspire us
• We are terrified you will tax us and hold us up as scapegoats, while we are survivors
• We are hopeful you will see us as family leaders not large corporate thieves
• We are one-third democrats, one-third republicans and one-third independents*
• We love your dreaming but worry we are not included in those dreams
• We care little about NAFTA but worry more about being virtual
• We want to give people jobs but aren’t sure we can carry them
• We believe we give service to society by virtue of the value we provide to customers, the people we hire and the young that we train
• Lastly, it’s always been lonesome as a small business owner and we have no expectations that government will help us. We love our country and want to see it, and you, succeed.

While the entire world is holding their breath as to what an Obama victory really means to them, fear, uncertainty and doubt have already gripped most small business owners. From losing or maxing out their credit lines, to fearing that consumer demand will simply dry up, entrepreneurship is in upheaval. On one hand, it is still the American dream for so many; on the other, it is a grim reality for so many who depend on it.

Regardless of their industry, tenure, or age, never before have most business owners been so apprehensive about their futures. Why? Because, all the institutions and resources they count on—particularly banks, big customers, skilled and available workers, and economic stability—are all in disarray. Whether they voted for Obama, believing that a recovering middle class will lift all small business ships, or against him, fearful that the new burden of regulation, health care costs and increased taxes will torpedo their plans, business owners are downright scared. And when entrepreneurs are scared they become inactive or at the very least stop expanding. Why? Because owning a small business is all about:

• Being confident that you know your threats
• Knowing how to avoid and exploit your threats
• Confidently spending the resources to do so

Why are business owners so nervous? Because for the first time in decades, they don’t know what to do. Nothing has prepared them to cope and face what is upon them. Wondering if they will have a working business at all has replace traditional “E Myth” goals of “working on one’s business” as opposed to working “in one’s business.” The new threats are not the same as the old threats and knowing how to even respond, let alone find the courage to invest the needed time, money and energy in the correct responses, is beyond the “pay grade” of most owners.

But before we can address these concerns, how did entrepreneurship get to this point? Since 1980, business ownership has grown from a wry dream for most to a total investment for so many. From under ten million in the 1980s to some 25 million† today, nearly ten percent of Americans depend directly on their own businesses for financial security and another ten to thirty percent are customers, vendors, employees or investors of small business. From being seen as outsiders or rebels, the small business owner has become in many ways the focal point of the American Dream. Large corporations spend billions marketing to them. This last election created “Joe the Plumber” and the small business owner’s laments of paying too much in taxes, having bad health care options and struggling for visibility and respect are daily themes our news media covers ad nauseam.

As importantly, the entrepreneurial movement has produced a new lifestyle and set of values. Magazines, such as Fast Company and INC. along with owners-only support groups such as EO and VISTAGE have sprung up to enhance the entrepreneurial way of business and personal life. Entrepreneurship is so ingrained in our society that it has outgrown the stereotypes of being part of one political party. A 2007 Fortune Zogby Poll of business owners reported that 37% are registered Republicans, 35% are registered Democrats and the remaining are Independents.

While the novelty of entrepreneurship has worn off, today’s business owner remains as much a lone wolf as ever. All of the 20% who survive their first five years† do so by quickly learning to sell, manage cash, find and keep good people and create satisfied customers. But over the last few years, multiple forces in the economy and society in general are converging into a perfect storm and threatening both established business owners as well as the dreams of emerging ones.

So in closing, President-Elect Obama, we as business owners are fearful of what you may do to us and the harm you can bring to our small businesses yet we wait with bated breath to see if you can deliver your promises and help us continue our American dream of successful entrepreneurship because “Yes, we can.”

About Andy Birol: Based on interviewing over 5,000 businesses Andy Birol authored The Five Catalysts of Seven Figure Growth (CareerPress, 2006), has advised over 400 business owners.  By focusing on the role of the owner as the “fuel” that drives a firm, Andy speaks to hundreds of groups of entrepreneurs on six continents, helping thousands to clarify or discover their Best and Highest Use^® (BHU) and achieve sustained and profitable growth.  Andy holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School and a BSBA summa cum laude from Boston University’s School of Management.  His website is www.andybirol.com and his blog is www.birolsblog.com.

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Businesses looking to make inroads online could learn a great deal from the social networking employed by the Barack Obama campaign for President of the United States. Ever since he took on Hilary Clinton and won in a stunning upset once thought impossible by political pundits, Obama and his team (including 24-year-old Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes) have used social networking and online marketing techniques to mobilize their forces, get donations and spread the word about the candidate and his message.

In January, Obama set a record for donations in one month by raising a total of $32 million dollars, $28 million of which was raised online. From these $28 million in online contributions, 90% were under $100, with over 250,000 contributors (source). In February, Obama didn’t attend one single fundraiser and still managed to raise $55 million online.

How did the Obama team do it? Here are several key elements to the social networking aspect of the campaign.

The website. Obama’s official website (www.barackobama.com) has a strong social networking element. The site is filled with ways for supporters to share information and learn about speeches and gatherings in their area. After spending just a few minutes on the website, it is easy to see that it was created by professionals who understand the importance of interactivity and a strong user interface. With every piece of content comes the opportunity to make a donation.

The tools. The Obama website gives users a lot of options for customization. The site provides tools for supporters to hold their own meetings and fundraisers – setting the guidelines to help run the events, but allowing each individual to determine how much money they wish to ask for and the style of the event.

The email campaigns. At organized Obama events, supporters are only asked for an email address, not a donation. Those who sign up to be on the official Obama for President mailing list receive smart, highly coordinated emails several times a week. These emails are geo-targeted on many occasions to alert the individual about upcoming events in their area. The emails also have a personal feel, sporting a relaxed style of writing and are often penned by the candidate, his chiefs of staff or even his wife Michele.

Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. No politician has run for office during the heyday of the major social networking sites, but Obama really has no fear when it comes to using these entities to further his cause. Check into Facebook and you will find the official Obama group and thousands of like-minded groups. Get over to Twitter and you can follow every move the candidate makes as he crisscrosses the country. Even MySpace is filled with efforts to spread the word among voters who are likely taking part in their first election. The campaign understands the limited resources of young Americans, and asks for only small donations on these sites.

The access. Unlike his competitor John McCain, Barack Obama has been an active part of his online campaigns. He writes his own emails and creates exclusive videos just for his online supporters. The result is an immediacy and personal nature to his campaign that few candidates will ever match.

Whether or not Obama wins the presidency in November, he and his outstanding online marketing team have changed the way politicians reach out to the American public and generate funds for their campaign. By knowing the ins and outs of the most current, most popular forms of online marketing, he has set an example not only for future candidates, but businesses that want to target customers with pinpoint accuracy and build their brand online via email, website and social marketing techniques.