I am quite tired of “Business” in the US being vilified. From The Lego Movie and Transformers to top ranking Politicians, it is currently in fashion to bash Business people. The problem with this is that it feeds a lie that business is evil.

This issue starts with our view of money. Money is nothing more than a certificate that you did a good job of helping someone. Entrepreneurs fill a need, are given certificates to show they filled that need and the person who had their need met always wins. A simply example of this is the fact that if I sell a ladder to someone for $50, I get to take 4% of that (my net profit) and invest in more ladders to sell again. I don’t retain all the value of that $50, but the customer has a nice ladder that will last a lifetime, so they win!

In my business, we are about relationships, not transactions. This year we Celebrate 75 years of being a small, family owned business. We aren’t just selling “stuff” to people. We know our customers by name, we also know their kids and how their dog did at the Vet’s office. We provide solutions to problems in a meaningful way that adds value to the life of the people we serve.

Selling, being an Entrepreneur offers the most opportunity to do good and serve people in ways that are valuable to them. Having a positive impact on another person is important work that matters. It is not evil and anyone that tries to tell you so will lie to you about other things too.