The Entrepreneurial Mind

Here are my predictions for the world of entrepreneurship (and beyond) for 2004:

1. Production in US factories will increase at .5 percent per month throughout 2004.

2. The federal government will begin to significantly shift policy toward recognition of the importance of entrepreneurship in the US economy; including significant agency restructuring that favors the SBA.

3. The Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl.

4. Unemployment will drop well below 5 percent by the end of the year.

5. Bush's re-election will signal a true shift to conservatism in the US.

6. The University of Kentucky will make the Final Four.

7. Republicans will take true control of the Senate in the fall elections, thus ending the filibustering of judicial nominations.

8. Several more states will pass regulatory fairness legislation in 2004, thus easing the economic burden of unnecessary regulation on smaller businesses.

9. Belmont University will make the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

10. New business start-ups will increase every month throughout 2004.

11. Deflation worries will subside, as moderate inflation returns.

12. Interest rates will increase by 1.0 points by year end.

All bets are off if the War of Terror takes a bad turn, but I also predict significant progress on this front by the end of the year. This will lead to a very optimistic mood by the beginning of 2005.