Start A Small Business Vs. Climb Mt. Everest

Despite the widely-spouted axiom that small businesses will lead us out of the recession, few Americans actually want to start a small business.According to the results of a recent survey, two thirds of Americans believe it's easier to scale the world's tallest peak than to launch a small business. That's right, faced with the prospect of making payroll or ascending into the death zone, more Americans see climbing Mt. Everest as the easier option. That finding hints an unexpectedly broad understanding of the sometimes grim realities of being a small businesses owner (in this or any economy).

The online survey conducted by Wakefield Research and sponsored by e-commerce platform provider Alibaba.com, polled more than 1,000 Americans in early April. Among the findings, was the widely held belief (70%) that that small business will turn around the economy. Of the respondents only 10% had actually started a small business since the economic downturn began, which accounts for the two thirds that would rather pursue mountaineering.

The survey also tabulated widespread dissatisfaction with government efforts to create jobs and showed a distinct preference for distasteful jobs in larger organizations than in the perceived instability of small businesses.

Commenting on the survey findings, Alibaba.com CEO David Wei said, Historically, recessions have proven very fruitful times to start small businesses. As the data shows, Americans strongly believe that small businesses will be what turns around the economy.

Wei's company is using the pretext of the survey findings to announce the Alibaba.com Entrepreneur Abroad Program which will sponsor 50 students to participate in a study abroad program in China.

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