I am extremely grateful that the Pittman Law Group was the recipient of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award. The Tallahassee Chamber put on a red carpet awards luncheon to honor the nominees and to recognize their commitment to bettering the community through business excellence. No sector of a community is more deserving of recognition, yet more often passed over for it, than a small business. Small businesses play a vital role in the life of a community by creating a foundation of happy and healthy residents; it is here that small retailers, service providers and suppliers get their start and the good fortune to provide employment opportunities often the first jobs for many—for workers with a broad range of skills and experience.
The Federal Government defines a “small business” as one that employs fewer than 100 people. The “Business Matters” section of the Tallahassee Democrat estimated that small businesses are responsible for the creation of two-thirds of all new jobs in their 13 county coverage area. This means that most of us have, do currently, or will work for a small business. The section also found that 98% of all the businesses in our area are considered small businesses. Could you go a day without encountering one of these businesses? Probably not. Every time we stop at the local coffee shop, pick up our dry cleaning, or grab lunch at a café, small businesses impact our lives. Each of these places strives to make some part of my day just a little easier or more enjoyable, and the cumulative effect of that effort is hard to ignore. We all know how little it can take to change the mood of a day. And when that business has made all the right choices and made the day a little more special for enough consumers, we hope they are rewarded with the repeat business they deserve. Even the smallest change to a business model can mean the difference between the sound of cash registers and the sound of crickets.
Small businesses also are often at the leading edge of technological innovation, fostered by a competitive need to experiment with new ideas and product development. The U.S. Small Business Administration has estimated, for example, that small businesses help generate almost half of all the innovations in our economy and provide nearly 30% of our high-technology jobs. The vigor of small business makes our economy more flexible, enhancing our capacity to respond to fast pace changes in an increasingly technology-driven world.
For those of us who are employed by small businesses, the positive effect is doubled. Thanks to the flexible business model of smaller companies, they’re free to mold themselves to accommodate the lives of their employees. They may even institute flextime or childcare programs. The Tallahassee Chamber created a new award category this year called Family Friendly Business of the Year. This is incredibly fitting and these companies deserve to be in the spotlight. It’s hard enough to create a business plan that gives the customer what he wants and is profitable at the same time, without the additional factor of also striving to make the employees’ lives better and easier. The small business that can accomplish keeping its employees happy, as a result, can usually count on loyal customers and loyal employees. Without the added cost of employee turnover, family-friendly businesses can better serve the needs of their customers.
Companies that strive to find excellence deserve the recognition that the Tallahassee Chamber, as well as other organizations, graciously grants year after year. Maintaining a small business is never easy because a small business is built and maintained on values. However, a little recognition can go a long way. I thank all those organizations that take the time to recognize small businesses as the heart of a community. But I also thank all of the likely nominees of such an honor for not just being good businesses, but also for being good employers. I want to thank you for expanding the job base and for being good stewards in our communities. It is obvious that you recognize, what I have always known, that our communities are only as strong as the willingness of people to put time, effort and love into our neighborhoods. Small business people do that every day!