re: wages, etc.

["Lois Melina" <lmelina@moscow.com>]

The private postings I have received since my post yesterday suggesting
that local business owners might benefit from "expert advice" indicates
that I have offended small business owners in Moscow.

That certainly was not my intention.

It was my intention to suggest (as a small business owner myself) that
there's a lot to know about running a business, that no single person can
be expected to know it all, and that small business owners might benefit
from the expertise at the universities and in the business community
instead of each one of us having to re-invent the wheel. In so doing, small
businesses might be more competitive with chains, and better serve their
employees and customers, and thus survive.

I realize there are challenges that face small, locally owned businesses. I
thought we were supposed to be looking for ways to meet those challenges.
My suggestion may not be the solution, but it was not intended as a slam
against small business owners.

Lois Melina