I just left a comment on an interesting discussion on LinkedIn. Here’s the big question raised in the discussion: Is the term “small business” degrading? Why small biz owners make a fuss over the term and why I finally leave a comment on the discussion, although I didn’t have the intention in doing so, initially?
I’ve written about this several years ago on my other small business blog, and I just realized how time has changed my mindset and perspective.
I was considering the term small business to be degrading. It’s not the case today. I the past few years, I’ve seen how small business thrives against all odds, defying gravity, flying above the so-called small-business-pro regulations, which I often find don’t actually pro-small-business.
In the US, this has been a big issue: Small businesses are struggling hard in making sense of how the regulations can help the economy in any sense. Not only in the US, in other part of the world this has also been an issue. What issue?
The issue of lack recognition. As the key factor in driving a nation’s economy, small businesses are often forgotten due to their smallish size.
That’s probably why small business owners don’t really like the term ‘small business’; that’s probably why small business owners are becoming defensive.
Well, I think I have to choose side, and I choose to keep the ‘small business’ naming issue aside, because I am a big, big fan of everything small business. To me, the naming issue is a no contest: Small business rocks – all the way.
Of course, my business and personal life reflects my inclination toward small biz: I run small business blogs, not corporate blogs; I shop online from online independent retailer; I go to local eateries; I shop local. Big brands are cool, but local, smallish brands are interesting. It’s unique and I like being unique. Biz Penguin breathes on the uniqueness of the concept – from design to content.
Small business. Big impact
Just in time – I’ve just actually been recommended to publish an infographic on small business. I think it’s a great infographic that can give you some ideas why you should be proud to be a small business owner.
The infographic is published by On Deck Capital, a reputable (Inc. 500) small business lending company. Check this out:
Woo! I am revved up, learning how small business can change the world – literally.
While bad economy is still an unsolved problem today, local businesses are actually thriving and start growing in sales, and continue to make big impact, locally.
With 65 percent of all new jobs are created by small business in the past decade or so, it’s mind-boggling knowing why small biz lacks support. And this fact from the infographic sums up everything: Without small business, the nation’s unemployment rate would be much higher than its current 7.9%
Don’t you think small businesses should get more respect?
Takeaway
Let’s go back to the hot discussion on LinkedIn I mentioned early in this blog post. There are some fine arguments, but I think what Don Purdum said sum it all up:
Too many ego’s and big heads. They (small businesses – ed.) are not a Fortune 1000 and there is nothing wrong or demeaning with the term. Folks need to learn to get over themselves.
I don’t really care what my business is called – as long as I can make a living from it – and even better, impacting the local community with it – I’m good to go!
So, how about you? What do you think about small business?
