Welcome to the New Age of Rage

There's a new emotion in town.

In the lingering aftermath of 9/11 and the dawn of the "Age of Terrorism," the American people seemed to be gripped in an unrelenting state of fear. (Didn't it seem that every day was an Orange Alert day?) This atmosphere of fear was continually inflamed by politicians and the media. But as we enter "the Tens," it seems that people aren't so afraid anymore -- they're angry.

People who have lost their homes are angry, people who have lost their jobs are angry. The Tea Party movement has been formed by Americans angry at the federal government, while more recently, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are furious at corporations they believe have preyed on America's poor and middle class. If there's a common theme here, AllBusiness.com blogger Nick Armstrong says it is economic inequality. It's safe to say that no matter how successful your small business is, if it's still small, you're firmly a part of the "99 percent."

But what does all this mean for small business owners, whose stomping ground is not Wall Street but Main Street? Maybe you're angry, too -- and it's a good bet that so are your customers, employees, suppliers, and fellow business owners. And while preferred solutions differ, we do all seem to agree that things need to change -- and that neither Washington nor Wall Street seem willing or able to make that happen.

Still, anger is better than fear. Anger kicks down doors while fear cowers behind them. Anger is a motivator. Anger and frustration can lead to change, and small businesses are uniquely positioned to make positive change happen on the ground, in their own communities.

So go ahead, get angry . . . and get to work.