OK, TED - did some fig'rin' on the market size thing.
According to the 1997 US Economic Census, we have the following facts from which to estimate the number of US prospects for FSTW, assuming their addressable market (you like how I toss around those marketing terms so easiliy?;-) is firms with $25 million to $1 billion of sales.
As of 1997:
1) There were 20.8 million "firms" (entities filing any of the following tax forms: 1040 Sched C, 1065, 1120, or 941)in the US.
2) There were 5.3 million firms with paid employees.
3) Firms with paid employees generated gross receipts of approx. $173k per employee.
A quick calculation: $25 million businesses, at $173k per employee, would have to employ 144.5 employees on average.
As of 1997, continued:
4) There were 95,654 firms with 100 or more employees.
So, we can clearly see that the 13-16 million number was complete... um... completely wrong - by a factor at least 135.
Now, giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they meant 'globally' all along, let's see if 13-16 million makes sense.
Does it seem reasonable to expect that the US accounts for only between 0.60% and 0.74% of all businesses with $25 million to $1 billion of sales? Or is it more likely that the whole thing is just some PR persons "if you're gonna tell a lie, tell a big one" wild-a$$ guess?
LOL, etc.
PS: I think the are probably no more than about a million prospects globally. More likely not even a half million. |
