Election Day is fast approaching and as you ponder whom you’ll vote for, we want to urge you to vote for small business. There is so much on line for your business, your employees and the overall economy.
I’ll share some thoughts that every small business owner and employee should think about on November 4th.
Before I get into the specifics on small business politics, I demand you to thin out your schedule, give your staff a longer lunch and cancel any morning conference calls to help get people to the polls to vote. Don’t let a day’s morning ritual get in the way of the next four to eight years.
Alright, now that I have your commitment to vote on Tuesday, November 4, I’ll touch on the importance of small business in the election.
Small business is the interstate of commerce in America. We need to acknowledge that small businesses liberate and empower hundreds of thousands of hard-working people across the country. Small businesses drive market growth, stability and innovation. To that end, small businesses also employ millions of passionate Americans who help grow their business and provide long-term value to their community and economy at large.
What metrics or characteristics define “small” business? Many people feel differently on what defines a small business in this respect. Is it only revenue? Is it the number of employees? Is it market share? The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides a legal definition of what a small business is, “one that is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation.” I’ll go out on a limb here and say that definition is very broad which covers a majority of businesses across the country. I digress; the point is, the perception of small business is dynamic and has many factors in its definition.
The increased attention on small business seemed to rise when Joe the Plumber hit the scene during the political circuit. If you’re not aware, Joe shared his concerns regarding mandated health care, taxes and the entrepreneurial spirit. Joe, in many degrees, represents the visions of entrepreneurs nationwide who want to be successful and launch their own business. Whether you agree with the arguments made by the candidates, I’m certain we agree that small business is immensely dear to our hearts as entrepreneurs. I hope that voters will likely consider small business in their decisions, too.
Small businesses have to fight hard to play hard in their niches. As we tiptoe on the edge of recession, we have a significant role in strengthening the US economy. It’s easy to lose focus and fall into the cycle of negativity, but successful entrepreneurs keep their head up and find solutions to ‘git-r-done’ in the toughest of situations. At Infusionsoft, we understand; we’re right here with you. (If you’re in a challenging time, Clate Mask has powerful words for you.)
As the days get closer to Election Day, it’s easy to lose sight of where the candidates stand on small business. Like most advice here, we advise you to do your research. John McCain listed his small business initiatives on his Web site. Barack Obama listed his small business initiatives on his Web site, too. I strongly recommend you spend a few moments to review them so you are confident you are supporting small business.
I suppose all I wanted to communicate in this entry was the magnitude of the election. Never before has our economy been on everyone’s minds, nor has there even been such a spotlight on small business in America. Regardless of whom you vote for, vote for small business. I also strongly recommend everyone to get out and vote. That’s all, really.
Note: Not all views contained in this editorial necessarily represent the views of Infusionsoft; however, we fully support the hard-working small business owners and entrepreneurs who will be dramatically affected during this election.
