I am going to take a break from the sports-themed posts to talk about the whole Occupy movement. I was in New York last week and visited the Occupy Wall Street site. Being someone who works in the “financial” realm, I am often asked my thoughts on the protests and the financial system in general. I have to say I was impressed by the size of the encampment and the dedication of the protesters:
This guy was pedaling a bike to charge a battery. He also played a flute, which I am sure provided little to no benefit in terms of generating electricity.
There was also a large protest that marched from the encampment and led to 15 arrests:
The front of the march. Some of the signs were very clever, most were not family friendly.
Ultimately, regardless of your politics, you can’t deny that there are some people who have a right to feel that their chance at the American Dream has been taken away. Do they have a right to be upset that a large bank was bailed out while that same bank foreclosed on their home? Probably, depending on circumstances (I’m looking at you, Bank of America) . Do they have a right to believe that special interests including Wall Street have hijacked our government? Hard to argue that they don’t. Ultimately they believe (and believe passionately) that the system has failed them.
So where do I stand? Well, being a CPA usually comes with a bit of a conservative stance on fiscal matters. I tend to believe that hard work and perseverance can overcome most obstacles on the road to a successful life, however you define it. However, I do believe that this movement is not just a passing phase. Technology has made it possible for people to spread ideals faster and more effectively than ever, and it is obvious that a lot of people agree with the ideals of the movement. People are upset, and right or wrong Wall Street and bankers are the target of their anger.
So what does this have to do with accounting and CFO-on-demand services? One thing I took away from the experience was the theme of supporting local small businesses, banks and credit unions. These are ideals that I think everyone can agree on. Think about it, as a business owner, do you want to work with a bank, a vendor, or a CPA firm where you are little more than an account number, a faceless voice on the telephone, or a once-a-year meeting? Wouldn’t you rather know who you are dealing with on a personal level? I know I would. Building strong economic communities is a tough thing to argue against, whether you lean left or right.
So get out and support your community. Consider switching to a local bank. Use a smaller, local service provider when possible. Buy from a local vendor if you can. While you’re at it, source your growth management to a local CPA firm. Here’s a good one!
#OWS
I am going to take a break from the sports-themed posts to talk about the whole Occupy movement. I was in New York last week and visited the Occupy Wall Street site. Being someone who works in the “financial” realm, I am often asked my thoughts on the protests and the financial system in general. I have to say I was impressed by the size of the encampment and the dedication of the protesters:
This guy was pedaling a bike to charge a battery. He also played a flute, which I am sure provided little to no benefit in terms of generating electricity.
There was also a large protest that marched from the encampment and led to 15 arrests:
The front of the march. Some of the signs were very clever, most were not family friendly.
Ultimately, regardless of your politics, you can’t deny that there are some people who have a right to feel that their chance at the American Dream has been taken away. Do they have a right to be upset that a large bank was bailed out while that same bank foreclosed on their home? Probably, depending on circumstances (I’m looking at you, Bank of America) . Do they have a right to believe that special interests including Wall Street have hijacked our government? Hard to argue that they don’t. Ultimately they believe (and believe passionately) that the system has failed them.
So where do I stand? Well, being a CPA usually comes with a bit of a conservative stance on fiscal matters. I tend to believe that hard work and perseverance can overcome most obstacles on the road to a successful life, however you define it. However, I do believe that this movement is not just a passing phase. Technology has made it possible for people to spread ideals faster and more effectively than ever, and it is obvious that a lot of people agree with the ideals of the movement. People are upset, and right or wrong Wall Street and bankers are the target of their anger.
So what does this have to do with accounting and CFO-on-demand services? One thing I took away from the experience was the theme of supporting local small businesses, banks and credit unions. These are ideals that I think everyone can agree on. Think about it, as a business owner, do you want to work with a bank, a vendor, or a CPA firm where you are little more than an account number, a faceless voice on the telephone, or a once-a-year meeting? Wouldn’t you rather know who you are dealing with on a personal level? I know I would. Building strong economic communities is a tough thing to argue against, whether you lean left or right.
So get out and support your community. Consider switching to a local bank. Use a smaller, local service provider when possible. Buy from a local vendor if you can. While you’re at it, source your growth management to a local CPA firm. Here’s a good one!
Tags: #OWS, Banks, Community, Finance