For many Americans, the only impact they're feeling from the ongoing writers' strike is re-runs of their favorite late-time talk shows. But according to Mark Deo, executive director of The Small Business Advisory Network, small businesses are feeling the crunch. The entertainment industry relies heavily on small business for services to produce films and TV shows. For example, imagine all the catering and lighting and camera rental companies involved in the filming of just one episode. The bulk of these jobs are performed by independent contractors and employees of small businesses. Even films, which can generate as much as $10.6 million in state taxes, are affected. Deo says the trickle-down effect of this strike will be enormous. Whether your small business is directly dependent on the entertainment industry or not, he recommends looking toward developing alternative markets for continued growth.--Kristin Edelhauser
Posted by Jennifer Grzeskowiak at 11/12/2007 04:26:51 PM