CEOs' Burning Questions to the President

From Jose Prendes, founder and CEO of PureFormulas.com, an online retailer of more than 14,000 pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements:

Why are companies are sending jobs overseas? Why is it harder for these companies to conduct business in the U.S. instead of easier (impossible regulations, high taxes, fear of lawsuits, unions). In my opinion, these companies go oversears to escape high costs. What is making it more expensive to operate here in the U.S.? I'd like the president to talk about that, once again, but honestly, even if it goes against his personal beliefs.

From Michael Mothner, founder and CEO of Wpromote, which develops and manages search engine marketing campaigns, and provides expertise in search engine optimization, pay-per-click management, and local and viral Internet marketing campaigns:

How do you plan on getting something done in an election year while working with a Congress that does not necessarily agree with you? At this point where the economy is starting to show some positive signs it's important to continue the momentum and not allow politics to get in the way.

From Zalmi Duchman, founder and CEO of The Fresh Diet, which delivers healthy prepared food to clients in the U.S. and Canada:

How will you make it easier for me to get an SBA loan? I want to hear more about your upgrading the SBA director to cabinet member, and I am looking for the president to push for the employer payroll tax cut he introduced in his original jobs bill. He should call out that both sides may have issues against Wall Street or big government but they need to come together on supporting small business the engine of our economy.

Jon Burgstone, managing director at Symbol Capital and adjunct professor of engineering at UC Berkeley:

I've said these things directly to the president and members of the administration so I might as well say them on Inc.com. We need to offer more Americans better educational options to become great entrepreneurs. All net new job growth over the past two decades has come from small businesses. Yet, 95 percent of new businesses fail within the first few years. The country needs to teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to find the right opportunity, hire, serve customers well, develop good relationships with suppliers and grow their businesses. Our education system does not teach people how to build a business-it should.

We also need to encourage the best international students to stay in the U.S. Our universities educate many thousands of very bright international students in engineering, science, math and other strategic disciplines. Upon graduation, we force them to return to their home countries. The best students, in the most promising fields, should be given preference in obtaining green cards and a path toward citizenship. America is about attracting hard-working, motivated people from around the world. Why educate them, if we then force them to leave?

On the other hand, our country needs to develop a better system of educating skilled workers, similar to programs in Germany and elsewhere. A high-tech society needs technologically savvy workers. We need to develop a better system of post-high school education where students who are not bound for university can develop the skills they need to obtain good-paying jobs in high-tech, energy, medical professions, etc.

Lastly, the president should change the name of the Small Business Administration to something like the Entrepreneurial Opportunity Administration. Names mean a lot.

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Nicole Marie Richardson is the executive editor for special projects at Inc.com. She manages the website's largest projects, including the Inc. 5000, an annual list of the fastest-growing, privately-held companies in America. @nicole_marie79

Eric Markowitz reports on start-ups, entrepreneurs, and issues that affect small businesses. Previously, he worked at Vanity Fair. He lives in New York City. @EricMarkowitz

Kimberly Weisul is editor-at-large at Inc and co-founder of One Thing New, the digital media start-up that is rebooting women's content. She was previously a senior editor at BusinessWeek. @weisul

Eric Schurenberg is the editor-in-chief of Inc. Before joining Inc, Eric was the editor of CBS MoneyWatch.com and BNET.com and managing editor of Money Magazine. As a writer, he is a winner of a Loeb and a National Magazine Award. @EricSchurenberg