Small Business School, the series on PBS-member stations.

Redefining the television and business models

last update: January 2007

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Lifelong learning is public television

Stories reflecting the great diversity that is small business

Stories about retail, the Main Street of the country

They're on huge missions and their businesses are, too.

Past Statistics

1. In the USA, about one-out-of-eleven people own a small business¹ and about 50% of all working people are employed in a small business (technically defined -- under 500 employees).

2. In the USA as many as 70% fail in their first year of business.

3. In the USA, over 70% of all small businesses successful for ten or more years, eventually "go down" with their founder. There is no succession to the next generation.

If we reduce either the 2nd or 3rd statistic, we change the economic and psychological climate within the nation.

A Nation's foundation for hope

The IRS reports that there were 25 million small business tax returns filed last year. Obviously there are many people who own more than one business. However, there are an estimated 40 million people who have a "second" income that would like to make that avocation their business.

»	Our $400M Goal for local stations

»	$9B Goal for Equity Investments into small business by big business pension and mutual fund accounts

»	Mission. Vision. Name. Liquidity/equity models

An Open Letter About the future

To all our friends within the public television community:

»	All people who want to understand the soul of the American economy

»	All our small business owners and their advocates who help make business work within their State

»	Local stations who want to be involved with the entrepreneurial spirit of the country

»	Local producers who like to be involved in making these episodes

»	Our friends at NETA, PBS and CPB

»	Sponsors and business partners, both local and national, who want to carry this torch

THREE KEY QUESTIONS FOR 2007
A FIVE-PAGE INTRODUCTION

»	Could 1300-to-4000 great stories about the job-creators and miracle-makers be created every year for public television?

»	Could 100 producers do 13/year?

»	Can 200 producers do up to 20/year?

Page 1:

Open Letter - A Succession Plan for Small Business School

Page 2:

State by state - A strategy for small business advocacy

Page 3:

Small Business Owners - Members of your station's Producers' Club

Page 4:

Local sponsors - Business groups and businesses become local sponsors of your PBS-member station

Page 5:

One-hour Small Business block in prime time each week. Why not? By working together we can get better ratings than any of the exploitive materials on TV tonight.

Goals:

The 2007 $400M Vision

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