Headline: Reality slaps entrepreneur in face

That's what's going on right now. Entrepreneurs everywhere are being slapped in the face by economic realities.   Lower sales, lower margins, lower valuations, fewer investors. That's the plight that I'm hearing as I have coffee after coffee with entrepreneurs. It's harsh but true.
I've had two companies that I'm an adviser to decide to shut down operations. Both companies are run by reputable, experienced entrepreneurs.  The entrepreneurs realized that their dreams of making millions in the sale of their company or in an IPO are not going to happen and they've decided -- with no alternate financing options to shut down oeprations. I think this is just the start of the 2009 cold winter bringing the deep freeze to many entrepreneurs' dreams. It may be reality, but it isn't fun.