Have You Got What It Takes to Be a Small-Business Owner? This checklist will help you determine your potential for owning a small

This checklist will help you determine your potential for owning a small

business.

A. Are you a self-starter?

1. I do things on my own. Nobody has to tell me to get going.

2. If someone gets me started, I keep going all right.

3. Easy does it1. I don’t put myself out2 until I have to.

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B. How do you feel about other people?

1. I like people. I can get along with just about anybody.

2. I have plenty of friends, I don’t need anyone else.

3. Most people irritate me.

C. Can you lead others?

1. I can get most people to go along when I start something.

2. I can give the orders, if someone tells me what we should do.

3. I let someone else get things moving.

D. Can you take responsibility?

1. I like to take charge of things and see them through.

2. I’ll take over if I have to, but I’d rather let someone else be re-

sponsible.

3. There’s always some eager person who wants to look smart. I’m

glad to let that person do the work.

E. How good an organizer are you?

1. I like to have a plan before I start. I’m usually the one to get

things lined up when the group wants to do something.

2. I do all right unless things get too confused. Then I quit.

3. When I get all set something comes along and presents too many

problems. So I just take things as they come.

F. How good a worker are you?

1. I can keep going as long as I need to. I don’t mind working hard

for something I want.

2. I’ll work hard for a while. But when I’ve had enough, that’s it.

3. I can’t see that hard work gets you anywhere.

G. Can you make decisions?

1. I can make up my mind in a hurry if I have to. It usually turns

out okay, too.

2. I can if I have plenty of time. If I have to make up my mind fast,

later I think that I should have decided the other way.

3. I don’t like to be the one who has to decide things.

H. Can people trust what you say?

1. You bet they can3. I don’t say things I don’t mean.

2. I try to be on the level most of the time, but sometimes I just say

what is easiest.

3. Why bother if the other person doesn’t know the difference?

I. Can you stick with it?

1. If I make up my mind to do something, I don’t let anything

stop me.

2. I usually finish what I start – if it goes well.

3. If it doesn’t go well right away, I quit. Why beat your brains out4?

J. How good is your health?

1. I never run down.

2. I have energy for most things I want to do.

3. I run out of energy sooner than most of my friends seem to.

Directions: If most of your checks were beside the first answer you

probably have what it takes to operate a business successfully. If not,

you are likely to have difficulty and should consider getting a partner to

compensate for your weaknesses. If most of your checks were beside the

third answer, not even a good partner will enable you to overcome the

deficiencies indicated.

Notes

1. Easy does it – Тише едешь, дальше будешь

2. put oneself out – стараться изо всех сил, выложиться

3. You bet (they can) – Можете не сомневаться.

4. beat one’s brains out – ломать голову, прикладывать максимум усилий

Text 4

1. Read the text and choose the most suitable title out of those given below.

– Small Business in the USA

– The Small Business Administration

– The Small Business Act

– Criticism of the SBA

The Small Business Administration, or SBA, is a United States Gov-

ernment agency that provides support to small businesses.

The SBA was established in 1953 by the United States Congress with

the passage of the Small Business Act. Its functions are to make loans to

small businesses unable to obtain financing from private sources on rea-

sonable terms; to help small firms sell their products and services to the

federal government; to make loans to small business concerns affected

by natural disasters; to license and regulate privately owned investment

companies that make loans to small businesses; to develop and improve

the managerial skills of prospective and current small-business owners;

and to provide aid and support to women and minority groups in order

to increase their participation in small-business ownership. The head of

the agency is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of

the Senate.

The SBA has directly or indirectly helped nearly 20 million busi-

nesses and currently holds a portfolio of roughly 219,000 loans worth

more than $45 billion making it the largest single financial backer of

businesses in the United States.

The SBA has survived a number of threats to its existence. In 1996

the then Republican-controlled House of Representatives planned to

eliminate the agency. It survived and went on to receive a record high

budget in 2000. Renewed efforts by the Bush Administration to end

the SBA loan program have met congressional resistance, although the

SBA’s budget has been repeatedly cut.

The SBA has been subject to criticism on several occasions. Busi-

nesses applying for SBA loans are supposed to have previously been

turned down by at least two banks. Designed to avoid direct competi-

tion with banks, this provision allows the most promising projects to be

funded by the private sector leaving higher risk projects to be picked up

by the government resulting in the government holding a higher share of

non-performing loans.

The SBA has most recently been criticized for the manner in which it

disbursed loans earmarked for businesses directly affected by September

11th. Lax oversight resulted in widespread abuse of the program as the

low-interest loans were awarded to unaffected businesses.

2. Draw up a plan of the text and use it to summarize the contents.

3. Find out if there is a specialized government agency in your country,

performing the functions similar to those of the SBA. Present its profile to

the group.

Text 5