Everyone has the same trouble and is chasing the same solution. Local economies are sagging, and everyone wants jobs and especially entrepreneurs who take new ideas and create new companies.

For several weeks The Journal Times, in partnership with local economic development entities, looked at entrepreneurship and the tools available here to help people start their own businesses. Now it is time for those of us in businesses to take our own small step, and before we say what that step is, answer a question: How much time would you trade in exchange for the potential of growing?

All the Racine County Business Summit needs is 4-1/2 hours on a Tuesday morning, Nov. 17. It is a lot of time for busy people, but what if you could walk away with a share of a federal government supply contract and knowledge of a local subcontractor who can help you meet that contract? Pioneer Products has both.

And here's the key: Do you even know what's here? That's the real benefit of this gathering. This area is richer in resources than you thought - technology ready for development at the Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation, people who can connect you with export markets, people who can connect you with government markets and people who can connect you with the money to make it all run. As a bonus, you can also talk directly to state, local and federal government representatives.

There's a story about this on today's Money page.

We all realize that we will not find prosperity in the service economy touted by the roving consultants of a few years ago. Time has shown that many of those jobs require few skills, generate low pay that pulls down local economies and are easily moved - to India, for example. In the meantime, manufacturing jobs that do pay well and are more stable have decreased. From 2001 to 2008, the gross domestic product of the Racine metropolitan area grew about three-tenths of 1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. And that's measured in dollars unadjusted for the effects of inflation.

Half a workday is a lot of time when many companies are running thin on people and long on work. But half a day is nothing in comparison to the years ahead. Again, how much time would you trade for opportunity?

You have just over two weeks. Plan for that half day. Take yourself and some senior people and look into some opportunities. Your company can run by itself for a few hours, nor are you truly disconnected what with cell phones, e-mail and laptops.

We would like to see everyone there. We cannot take attendance or hold you accountable in any formal way. Let's just say that the people who work for you and depend on you may be watching to see whether you are taking the opportunity to make a better future happen for everyone.