Today, I Want To Celebrate You, The Small Business Owner

Business, Small Business.

Small business owner ceos: heroes - today, i want to celebrate you, the small business owner. But there is another category of heroes in our society that is often overlooked - YOU - the small business owner CEO. So please take a step back and allow me to appreciate you... Our society, celebrates as heroes, especially since 911 fire and police men and women and our armed forces men and women - and very rightly so.

Did you know that small businesses employ over 40 million Americans, with 98% of those companies employing less than 100 people, generating in excess of$ 5 trillion in sales each year? - at the same time, look at the risks small business owner ceos take every day: more than 400, 000 new small businesses start up every year, yet 80% of those will fail within 5 years. In fact, despite all the attention given to" big" business, the backbone of our economy is small business. It' s your capital, sweat and tears on the line everyday - and that of your family. A company changes control every 15 minutes. 96 percent of all companies fail within 10 years. 26, 000 new products, services and brands are introduced every year. 16 - 30 percent of all consumers change brands in one evening of watching TV commercials. Consider these facts about the business environment you operate in everyday. Business to business selling is at an all time high of competitiveness.

It' s real tough out there! - and a corporation fails every 3 minutes. Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala with a friend who was a local finalist. All 30 were celebrated and each had an awards show type professional video done about them and their company. What a wonderful program! 30 local businesses were celebrated in 8 categories. It was like an Academy Awards show for small business owner CEOs. You deserve an award - but the best I can do here is say: THANKS for what you do, and all success in your business and your life.

I wish you could have been there to see these great Americans be cheered by their employees, customers and friends, vendors with laughter and tears as they got the awards. - without you, our thriving us economy would not be the world leader it is today! Pat yourself on the back. At the same time, I want to use this occasion to ask you to do something for yourself as well: Give yourself a break! Take the day off and go do a round of golf with a friend. You may not make it to the Ernst and Young awards, but you are great nevertheless! Go grab your significant other and have some fun together.

Our society has not offered the recognition small business entrepreneurs deserve, so I felt compelled to send this out. - maybe it will cheer him or her up a bit. If you connected to it, I urge you to forward it to a business owner friend. You all deserve that award, so here' s to you!