Michigan

$15 is inevitable.

My wife runs a small business (gardening), she's able to pay her workers $25 an hour. She's able to do so because she's smart and knows how to make customers happy, and because she's not greedy and respects her workers, who she considers partners more than workers. She doesn't view owning a small business as her path to being rich, she enjoys what she does and hires people who enjoy what they do. She pays as much as possible while still remaining viable and able to continue doing business.

If you can't pay $15 an hour, you suck at running your business and/or are greedy.

Small business owners are great and all, but too many of them are greedy. In the end, you're making money off your employee's sweat and talent, the more you know that, the more successful you'll be.