Tag: hilliard

Entrepreneurs Are Ohio’s Most Selfless Group of Professionals

What would you say if I told you that there were people in Ohio that were spending hours upon hours studying you?  They want to know what you eat, what you drive, where you work, what your hobbies are, how large your family is, and even what kind of underwear you have.  Sound creepy yet?  I’m not talking about some crazy stalker who waits in the bushes or somebody wishing your harm.  On the contrary, these people are spending hours upon hours each week and risking their finances to contribute to your happiness.  They are the brave and few souls known as entrepreneurs. 

Entrepreneurs make it their business, literally, to determine how best to serve you, your family, your friends, and your employer.  An entrepreneur is a creature that can only survive by caring about what you want.  Think about it. Pretend that I am an entrepreneur who owns a pizza shop.  I personally hate pepperoni so I decide not to serve it to my customers.  How long will I be in business if I continue this way?  Not very long because all my potential clients will go to other pizza places that will serve pepperoni.  As an entrepreneur, I must identify what you want and I must provide it.  Entrepreneurs spend enormous amounts of money to find out more about what the preferences of their consumers are so that they can provide them with those preferences.  

You may be thinking to yourself that an entrepreneur is only in business to make money though.  Therefore, they are not selfless in their supposed quest for my happiness or comfort.  First, I would say that we are all in need of money to some extent in order to survive.  I don’t think that it is too unreasonable for a person providing a good or service to ask for money in exchange and I think you would agree with that and expect the same for yourself.  Second, I would point out the fact that money is simply the byproduct of an entrepreneur’s selflessness.  They make money only because they sell products or services.  They only sell products and services because people are willing to buy them.  People are only willing to buy something that meets their needs, specifications, or requirements.  Thus, the money an entrepreneur makes is only due to their willingness and efforts to identify and provide what consumers want.

So why am I talking about these entrepreneurs?  Why do you care?  Good for them that they are selfless but so what, right?  You may care because small businesses are responsible for 99.6% of all businesses in Ohio for 2017.  This number is actually up slightly from 97.9% in 2016.  Small business is defined by the Small Business Association as a private business employing no more than 500 employees.  The latest statistics show that Ohio small businesses account for 46% of its private work force which is over 2 million people.  Over half of those employed by small businesses are employed by small businesses that are composed of fewer than 100 employees which accounts for approximately 1.5 million employees.  

The definition of an entrepreneur is a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.  In the latest statistics of 2014 small businesses took out loans from banking institutions in Ohio for the combined amount of $2.3 billion.  This means that not only are entrepreneurs creating jobs but they are investing in Ohio.  This is money for expansions which create secondary effects by calling for contractors to build and service the expansion.  This money is used for buying out other competitors which often times allows the employees of the acquired business to remain employed.  This money may go for buying equipment, company vehicles, real estate, and the list goes on with the purchase of goods or services that in turn allow other people to have jobs. 

This breed of businessmen in Ohio is not just some small town, low key, meek and mild creature, I might add.  They operate internationally as well as globally. 

Entrepreneurs owning small businesses were responsible for 23.7% of Ohio’s $46.7 billion in total known exports according to the International Trade Association.  They think large and they are able to execute their ideas.  Keep in mind that an entrepreneur may often times learn as they go because they don’t know of anybody to ask their questions or concerns to once they get to a certain level.  Meaning, somebody might be able to give them sound advice when they are working out of their basement at home.  Fewer people, however, would be capable of advising them on how to ship their product globally, market to those countries, and account for the embargo or import/export taxes as well as the currency rate exchange.  These are brave souls who risk a lot to provide other people with what they want most.                                

Lastly, you may think to yourself that you know or work for an entrepreneur who is most certainly not selfless.  He or she treats their employees badly and seems to think it is always the customer’s fault.  There will always be these people in any community of people.  In the community of Ohio entrepreneurs I would call these selfish folks the outliers.  The beauty of capitalism and free market for entrepreneurs in America is that it cares about the market even if you don’t.  The one thing it cares about is money and if you don’t have enough of it then you will go out of business.  In the second quarter of 2015 there were 5,299 small businesses started which created 23,315 new jobs in Ohio. These startups are counted when at least one employee is hired for the first time. In that same period of time 5,223 exited the market resulting in 18,195 jobs lost in Ohio and an exit occurs when businesses go from having at least one employee to having none and remain closed for at least one year.  That is not to say that all of these who went out of business were selfish people or failures.  These numbers could compose of successful mergers or buyouts, retirements, shifts in the market, shifts in the economy, and other factors.  Undoubtedly though there were some bad apples in this bunch.  The kind that couldn’t keep employees because they paid too little or offered fewer benefits and had to do so due to lack of concern for their customer’s needs. 

In the end it is important that we support our small businesses.  If you are a small business owner yourself try to do business with other small businesses.  They say that the average sphere of influence that an individual person has is approximately 350 people.  That means that if you interact with one person your actions could potentially be echoing to 350 more.  So it may cost you $20 more to do business with a small business rather than a larger business but how much will it cost you in possible referral business?  I doubt that Staples or Wal-Mart will introduce you to potential clients like Gary, John, or whoever else may own a similar business in your area would.  If you are a consumer try to buy local.  I know that Amazon is great because they bring it to your door.  I get the fact that larger companies order in larger quantities and therefore can give you a product at a lower cost.  That cost, however, is often negligent and puts money into pockets of people you will likely never meet.  Instead, put your money in to the pockets of people from your community so they will reinvest it right back in to your community.  Who are these entrepreneurs?  They are the person you go to church with.  They are the person you see at the gym.  They are the person setting next to you at the bar.  They are the selfless few who rely on the deserving many for their success and existence.

What to know about insurance when owning an APV in the Buckeye state

If you’ve never experienced it, the thrill of exploring trails and hills in a four-wheeler or similar vehicle is unlike any other. With a rich diversity in seasons and topography, Ohio is arguably one of the best states in the nation to own an all-purpose vehicle.

And with high reward comes high risk. Accidents and liability are not topics pleasant to consider but when presented with the dangers of being underinsured, we find it necessary to examine at least once.

As legally defined by Ohio, an all-purpose vehicle (APV) is “any self-propelled vehicle designed primarily for cross-country travel on land and water, or on more than one type of terrain, and steered by wheels or caterpillar treads, or any combination thereof, including vehicles that operate on a cushion of air, vehicles commonly known as all-terrain vehicles, all-season vehicles, minibikes and trail bikes.”

Let’s take a look at what owning one means in terms of insurance.

IN OHIO THE VEHICLE MUST BE REGISTERED

First, make sure your vehicle’s registration is valid. Ohio law is outlined on the Bureau of Motor Vehicles website. The lone exception is when “the APV is used primarily for agricultural purposes and the owner qualifies for the agricultural use valuation tax credit.”

The Ohio BMV can aid you in  making sure your registration is valid.

IF ACCIDENTS HAPPEN WHAT COSTS WILL YOU INCUR?

This is the day you never hope comes. But the one you ought to be prepared for. 

There are several questions to ask: Did the accident involve you or your vehicle? Did the accident take place on your property? Are you liable? We have a plan that covers each of these scenarios.

Your APV and Your Land: Pertaining to what you own, we can sit down and make sure both your vehicle and property are not underinsured for disaster. 

If your vehicle is rendered inoperable by an accident, we can make sure you have a plan in place that recoups your costs.

If you own property that is a favorite spot for family and friends, you could be liable for accidents and the resulting costs of injury. Costs from APV accidents can carry catastrophic physical and emotional costs alone; compounding that with surprise costs from being underinsured simply adds a frustrating level of insult to injury. To prevent that, our team will review your coverage to make sure it is suitable for liability situations.

If you have any questions or concerns, our team will be happy to clear up that uncertainty. And with the high risks involved, we strongly recommend you don’t delay. You can contact us here.

APV and Health Insurance: In terms of health insurance, our agents will review your policy to see that your coverage takes care of injury and manages any high costs catastrophe. Each plan is different and comes with coverage limitations. That’s why working with an independent agent in RFME benefits you. We explain each policy and help you narrow down health insurance you want in a way you understand.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BUCKEYE STATE

Once you’ve taken care of potential risks, owning an APV in Ohio can be thrilling. That is in large part why we see so many Ohioans who invest in them.

You’ll see farmers driving them in Northwest “breadbasket” fields. Adventurers can be seen exploring hills from the valleys along the Ohio River to the thick forests of Mohican to the rolling Appalachian foothills. And as summer draws to a close and fall begins, county fairs across the state come alive with exciting off-road competitions.

An option APV owners might want to explore is a day trip to one of the many Seasonal Open APV Areas maintained by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. One destination of note is the Pike State Forest APV Area. The area boasts 3.5 miles of new trails, a developed obstacle course and a rider skills development area as well as an improved parking.

Roby Foster Miller Earick Insurance

Mansfield
(419) 524-8411
44 Sturges Avenue
Mansfield, OH 44902

Columbus
(By Appt Only)
(740) 362-2334
30 Northwoods Blvd.
Suite 300

Columbus, OH 43235

Benchmark Insurance Solutions

Sunbury
(614) 662-1010
80 South Columbus Street
Sunbury, Ohio 43074

Langhurst Insurance Solutions

Willard
121 S Myrtle Ave
Willard, OH 44890

Integrity Benefit Solutions

Mansfield
44 Sturges Ave
Mansfield, Ohio 44902

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