Pet Product News Editorial Blog:
Friday, May 21, 2010
Small Business Week…Month, Year, Decade
By Sherri Collins
Editor, Pet Product News International
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On Thursday, May 20, 2010, President Obama decreed May 23-29 as National Small Business Week. Every year since 1963, the U.S. President has proclaimed this special designation to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being of the country. The presidential proclamation states that small business owners are “the backbone of our nation’s economy, they employ tens of millions of workers, and, in the past 15 years, they have created the majority of private sector jobs.”
I couldn’t agree more that private enterprise is a vital component of our economy--most of my extended family works (or worked at some time) for small businesses, with a few actual ownerships thrown in here and there. Moreover, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA), my family’s employment pattern is typical as more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business.
In answering President Obama’s call to “celebrate the role of entrepreneurs and small businesses in our national life,” the SBA is holding a series of events and educational forums in Washington, D.C., from May 23-25. I’m guessing that most of you out there who are small business owners (except those 100 who are receiving awards) will be too busy running your businesses to attend the gathering in our nation’s capitol. Not to worry, if you’re interested in learning first hand whom the National Small Business Person of the Year is or hearing what Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar, has to say about entrepreneurship, the SBA is webcasting the events live.
The aforementioned website also has an excellent resource page, linking visitors to SBA’s Small Business Training Network, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers and SCORE (a nationwide network of small business counselors), among other small-business-support-oriented groups.
Small businesses create 60 to 80 percent of new jobs in the U.S., according to the SBA, which notes that they also drive innovation, create 21st century jobs and increase U.S competitiveness. So why do they only get a week of national recognition? Why not a month or year? Better yet, why not make 2010 as the small business decade?
Until that official decade-long designation occurs, here’s to all small business owners and workers everywhere. May the next 10 years be your best yet! <HOME>
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