{"id":3455,"date":"2022-02-22T23:50:03","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T07:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/?p=3455"},"modified":"2022-02-22T23:52:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T07:52:24","slug":"editorial-apple-bistro-protest-from-a-business-risk-management-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2022\/02\/22\/editorial-apple-bistro-protest-from-a-business-risk-management-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"Editorial – Apple Bistro Protest from a \u201cBusiness Risk Management\u201d Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"
Cris Alarcon, Editor of the Placerville News Wire<\/span><\/pre>\n
Making a \u201cSocial Statement\u201d has a cost. Sometimes worthy, but most certainly with real costs.\u00a0 Mahatma Gandhi<\/em> made a worthy statement of Passive protest, and that got him many years in a miserable jail.\u00a0 Many American Colonialists rejected British Rule went to war for independence and paid with their lives.\u00a0 On nearly every violent war from our own Civil War, to Iraq, to Afghanistan Americans have paid the ultimate sacrifice in blood. In less violent contests companies from Starbucks to Hobby Lobby have paid in Business Money to make Social Statements unrelated to their core businesses.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Some Enterprises\u2019 core business is Politics or Social Issues so making \u201cSocial Statements\u201d that are related to that Enterprise is part of that business.\u00a0 Other Enterprises make Social Statements at risk of losing, or gaining out-of-business-segment Market Share because of their stand on independent social issues.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Recently several El Dorado County businesses have made a high profile social statement resisting California Gov. Gavin Newsome\u2019s pandemic-based restrictive \u2018mandates\u201d on business competition related to Person-to-person commerce.\u00a0 These \u201cmandates\u201d are more than burdensome to many businesses, they are oppressive!\u00a0 Many will say that they are <\/span>unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint, especially on a minority or subordinate business group. <\/span>\u00a0That is another subject for another day as I am focusing on the predictable costs of making a Social Protest with a Business Enterprise.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
A Business has no “Rights” as people do…. But they do have a general Right to a fair and level playing field with regulations applied equally across the board to all competition in that business sector.\u00a0 This means equal regulations and benefits with competition within the market area, and with such things as Tariffs on foreign competition.<\/span><\/p>\n
A Business Enterprise has great potential to Earn big money, or to Lose big money. It is the RISK entrepreneurs take. In quest for financial gain entrepreneurs organize and operate a business or businesses taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.\u00a0 Most often with their own money, family or friend\u2019s money, or with debt acquired against their creditworthiness.<\/span><\/p>\n
A normal part of Business ownership\/management is adjusting to environmental changes, including regulatory changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
For example, years ago I would do Business Plans with baseline non-skilled workers at $5 per hour and \u201cBurden Overhead\u201d at 50% of labor costs [base labor cost of $7.50 with S.S. & Unemployment taxes and such].\u00a0 Those numbers have changed for many external factors to a base-line of unskilled workers of $12 per hour and Overhead burdened at 100% of labor costs [baseline workers cost calculated at $24 per hour in California.] <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>That is just one of the many ways that regulations and market variables change business operations.\u00a0 If you are in a \u201cDirty\u201d business the regulatory costs are so high in California you might need to relocate to Nv or Fl.\u00a0 If Tax cost is a primary concern you might want to relocate to like Tesla has just done or to Wa as Microsoft has done.\u00a0 Adaptation to change is keystone to the bottom-line of every successful business.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>That is what makes Capitalism work – harsh competition forcing efficiency to meet the constantly changing restrictions and consumer demands.\u00a0 Consumers are the primary beneficiaries of this difficult and constant dance that entrepreneurs must do to stay both competitive and profitable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\"\"<\/p>\n
The \u201c<\/span>Apple Bistro\u201d<\/span> is such a BUSINESS Enterprise that chose to make a Highly-Public Political statement risking predictable consequences….\u00a0 They made a public issue resisting the \u201cMask Mandate\u201d being applied to nearly every person-to-person business in California.\u00a0 That is certainly their right, but they have no \u201cright\u201d to be profitable in this Capitalist business country.<\/span><\/p>\n
In this case the owner’s rolled the dice of gaining or losing patronage… Now they are coming up with snake eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
In this case the <\/span>Apple Bistro <\/span>owner’s rolled the dice… Now they are coming up with snake eyes with staggering fines for not only refusing to enforce the \u201cmask mandate\u201d but flaunting their refusal in a way that could be described as \u201csticking their thumb in the Gov\u2019s eye.\u201d\u00a0 Every day of operation accruing another fine in addition to the prior fines. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Oh well.\u00a0 They knew the potential consequences of their act and chose to make a social statement rather than focusing on business.<\/span><\/p>\n
Sounds harsh?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Business IS harsh as it should be! If an entrepreneur does not want to take that kind of chance to get rich, or poor, maybe they are better off getting an hourly job.<\/span><\/p>\n
Result? They lost their bet, owe a TON of Cabbage & and will never get a California business license again until this [to the State via EDC] debt is settled. In the meantime they should endeavor to make as much CASH as possible until the doors are chained shut – and then opening will be a Criminal offense [a game changer].\u00a0 So in the end they will sell to someone with a different name [carefully as title change in name only is an old game and well known to regulators].<\/span><\/p>\n
Ultimately their loss [selling at a depressed value] is someone else’s gain.\u00a0 That is how business works<\/span><\/p>\n
Want to make this kind of social statement with your business? Better have “F-Y” money as it has a real cost…<\/span><\/p>\n
[\u201cF— you money\u201d indicates that you are financially independent, with multiple streams of income supporting your desired lifestyle. A very large amount of money, which would enable an individual to do pretty much whatever the fuck he or she wants.\u201d]<\/span><\/h5>\n
STARBUCKS<\/strong> had F.U. $ and gave some to Liberal Anti-war causes – forfeiting forever many Conservatives while catering to Liberal leaning folks. Today they are a failing business…<\/span><\/p>\n
Hobby Lobby<\/strong> took a similar decision to make a Social Statement with supporting Trump, forever losing patronage of many Liberals.<\/span><\/p>\n
The chances taken in business decisions always has pros and cons, but the Bottom-Line is always the goal in meeting the Market Need.\u00a0 Interposing personal beliefs is fine if you are more concerned about your statement than the money in the Register.\u00a0 Other things are paramount to success in some consumer markets such as a Credit Card Processing ability, or a Liquor License for a bar.\u00a0 Acting in a manner that you lose something this critical to the success of the core business is imprudent, and sometime actionable if you have investors.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Best have F-U money as you will not find much sympathy from those that have struggled through the oppressive regulations and see you as taking unfair advantage of avoiding the obstacles others were forced into compliance for the sake of staying in business.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
As a personal example I was friends with a wealthy man that had F-U money and was living in\/owning the last Private Residence on Ocean Blvd in Santa Monica, Henry Wormsley. He used his “Big House in Beverly Hills for things like letting Studios use it for Filming. He had Plenty of F-U money but he had a hobby business of selling antique dog statues at dog shows.\u00a0 I watched people insult him and his rare goods on a regular basis [business is harsh that way].<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>On one occasion a man was finalizing a purchase when I suddenly heard Henry in a miffed voice say \u201cGive me that back\u201d and took the statue out of a guy\u2019s hands.\u00a0 He said \u201cit is not for sale! You are too stupid to own it!\u201d\u00a0 The guy looked mad and walked off.\u00a0 I asked Henry what happened and he explained to me that the guy had earlier told him that he had bought a new Toyota truck.\u00a0 Then as he wanted to buy he haggled over the price saying he had just been laid-off from a Ford assembly plant.\u00a0 That is when Henry said, \u201cit is not for sale! You are too stupid to own it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
On another occasion I watched a\u00a0 rude customer give him Hell and then buy a costly rare antique dog statue.\u00a0 I knew Henry had a lot more money than most and asked him why he put up with that guy.\u00a0 He laughed and told me, “I know who I am and I don\u2019t care what he thinks of me.\u00a0 I take his check to the bank and laugh all the way.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Henry had plenty of F-U money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Since Business and Politics mix about as well as Oil & Water, it maybe is better to make your F-U money before you start with the F-U\u2019s to those that can tank your business, especially if that is your primary source of needed income.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
Cris Alarcon, a guy with no F-U money, but also a guy with nothing left to lose. [another kind of \u201cWild card\u201d position.<\/em>]<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Since Business and Politics mix about as well as Oil & Water, it maybe is better to make your F-U money before you start with the F-U\u2019s to those that can tank your business, especially if that is your primary source of needed income.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money-150x112.gif",150,112,true],"medium":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"medium_large":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"large":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"darknews-slider-full":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"darknews-featured":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"darknews-medium":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false],"darknews-medium-square":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/fuck-you-and-take-my-money.gif",200,112,false]},"author_info":{"display_name":"News MoLo","author_link":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/author\/admin\/"},"category_info":"News<\/a>","tag_info":"News","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3455"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3455"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3460,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3455\/revisions\/3460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}