Linda Alvarado knows a thing or two about overcoming gender stereotypes. The president and CEO of Alvarado Construction Inc. in Denver, Colorado, rose to the top of a male-dominated industry despite her encounters with sexism and made history as the first Hispanic (male or female) owner or co-owner of a Major League Baseball franchise, the Colorado Rockies.
It’s mid-March, and Marvin and Laura Hornes’ 20-acre vineyard in Central California is in full bloom. But instead of tending to his next raisin crop, Marvin Horne is about to jump aboard a flight to Washington, D.C., to defend himself against a government assault that has been going on for more than 10 years.
“It’s been a long and arduous journey trying to fight these guys just to sell our own product,” says Marvin during an exclusive interview with Free Enterprise. “We’d like to be left alone to market our raisins and do it in conformity with the law and abide by it.”
This is the final installment in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for the 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. Scroll down to read profiles of the other finalists. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Midwest: Superior Service Center
This is the sixth part in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for the 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Northwest Regional Finalist: Rich Duncan Construction, Inc.
This is the fifth part in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Southeast Region: Rapoport’s Restaurant Group
This is the fourth in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Western Regional Finalist: Praetorian Group
This is the third in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Eastern Region: Pet$aver Healthy Pet Superstore
This is the second in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Southwest & South Central: Larsen Dye Associates Architects
This is the first in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Great Lakes Region: Berks Fire Water Restorations, Inc.
"It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Jorge Moran still remembers the night he came to the United States, not as a tourist but as a Cuban refugee, carrying only a grocery bag with two shirts and a pair of pants.
Jim Koch may be the happiest entrepreneur in the United States. As co-founder and chairman of America’s largest craft brewery, his grinning face shines out over TV screens across the country.
Marvin and Laura Hornes’ 20-acre vineyard is in full bloom right now, with green buds on the vines and almond trees in full flower. But instead of tending to his next raisin crop, Marvin Horne is flying to Washington D.C. next week to defend himself against a government assault that has been going on for more than 10 years.
As the president and one of the founders of Staub Manufacturing Solutions, along with his sister Sandy Keplinger, Steve Staub knows how to cut, form, weld and finish a number of products for his 350 customers. The team of 23 employees make everything from retail displays to aerospace components. But until 2011, Staub did not know what a blog was, much less how to create one.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
If you are a coffee drinker living in Kansas City, chances are the man known as the Bean Baron has satisfied your caffeine fix.
This isn’t the first time that Hondo Railway has experienced an energy boom. But it might be the one with the biggest impact on the 32-year-old company.
“This is Texas. Oil booms come and go, so there’s a cautious approach to how long it will last, or if it’s here to stay,” says Miles Lee, vice president of operations at Hondo Railway.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
A ceramic pot is a lot like a small business. They both start with raw materials and have to be molded into a creation. They come in all shapes and sizes. And if it’s a very nice pot—or small business—it can be passed down from family member to family member.
Fayetteville (AR) Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Clark is just as tenacious as the beloved bulldog mascot of the newly renovated high school that’s rising up outside his office window.
“If you work at the chamber, you have to wear purple on Fridays to support our Bulldogs,” Clark says.
Here’s a glimpse at a few key players in the 113th Congress who will have a role in determining the fate of such issues as energy development, comprehensive tax reform, and financial regulation.
This article first appeared in Business Horizon Quarterly, a publication of the Forum for Innovation.
NCF: What were some of the lessons you took from your first job?
I recently spoke with Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, onetime presidential candidate, and author of Freedom Manifesto: Why Free Markets Are Moral and Big Government Isn’t. Below is an edited portion of our conversation.
FreeEnterprise.com: You wrote on Forbes.com the day after the election that President Obama benefited from the illusion that the economy is turning around. You also predicted that the United States is headed for another recession. Can you elaborate on that?
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
What do amusement parks, movie theaters, convention centers, casinos, rock bands, and clubs have in common? They’re all part of the entertainment industry and rely on large and expensive speaker equipment. When those speakers need repairs, the Sunda family’s Orange County Speaker in Garden Grove, California, is ready to fix them.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack wants the businesses community to know: there are a lot of exciting advances and opportunities in modern agriculture. “We’re on the cutting edge of a new economy,” says the former Democratic governor of Iowa. Vilsack spoke with FreeEnterprise.com to discuss innovation, regulatory certainty, and agricultural exports ahead of a December 19 visit to the U.S.
Hastings, Nebraska, rarely brings to mind words like “worldly,” but Bruckman Rubber Co. has brought some international flair to this small Midwest town where “snow shoveling is the winter sport.”
The man behind the iconic “You’ve Got Mail” reminder says he knows the “secret sauce” that built the American economy. “Entrepreneurship is the reason that America has leading companies that employ tens of thousands of people, and we need to support and encourage these companies,” says Steve Case, co-founder and former chief executive officer of AOL, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Revolution, and chairman of the Startup America Partnership.
Jason Duff (pictured above in the middle) is an enthusiastic champion for his generation of young entrepreneurs, particularly when it comes to making sure that they are part of the discussion about policies that impact business. “I feel called and motivated to carry the torch for my generation,” says the 31-year-old serial entrepreneur from Columbus, Ohio. “There’s a lot of criticism about Generation Y, but this is our chance to step up and make our voice heard.”
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Raising babies can be a dirty business. A typical baby needs 6,000 to 9,000 diaper changes from birth to potty training. It’s also expensive. Disposable diapers, wipes, and trash bags during this period can cost up to $3,000.
But for small business owner Kim Ormsby, diapering babies is also very big business.
U.S. competitiveness is on the decline. So say 7,861 business leaders, including alumni from one of the country’s most vaunted business schools.
The Harvard Business School recently surveyed 6,836 HBS alumni and 1,025 members of the general public and found that 58% said they are worried about both the ability of firms to compete and their ability to pay high wages and benefits over the next three years.
"It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
The origins of Steve Greenstein’s company read like a classic Hollywood story where the struggling hero has a chance encounter with a Hollywood bigwig that leads to a starring role in a blockbuster movie. In Greenstein’s case, a fortuitous Hollywood encounter led to a new partnership and a $75,000 check to start his business.
Like everyone else in the country, Tom Torgerson is keeping a sharp eye on the upcoming elections, and the results will have ramifications for him as well as his company far beyond Election Day.
“The outcome of these elections will have a dramatic impact on the rate of our future development,” says the 54-year-old CEO and chairman of Torgerson Properties Inc.
As someone who trained as a professional boxer, Overstock.com Chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne can certainly take some punches. He started his speech at the U.S. Chamber by noting that he is public enemy number one, according to the National Education Association. It’s a distinction that the outspoken supporter of school vouchers and education reform is quite proud of.
Free Enterprise: What inspired you to write a book about government employee unions?
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Moving is one of those stressful life events, right up there with divorce and changing jobs. It’s not much fun and nobody likes it. Unless you happen to be John M. Kane.
It doesn’t matter whether candidates are Republican or Democrat; if they are pro-business, McLean, Virginia-business owner Jim Wordsworth will support them.
“If you support business, I’m for you even if you’re a Democrat,” says the owner of J.R.’s Goodtimes Inc., a collection of hospitality businesses that include an inn, a restaurant, and a concessions business. Wordsworth ticks off a list of Democrats he’s supported in the past, including Virginia state Sens. Janet Howell, Dick Saslaw, and Charlie Waddell.
By nature, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is intense and focused, and right now, he’s got a million other places to be. It’s the last day of Senate business before the August recess, and in just a few minutes, the junior senator will dash from his office (formerly occupied by the late Democrat Ted Kennedy) to the Senate floor for votes on a number of bills, including a contentious cybersecurity bill.
For a business going on 30 years, FACES DaySpa looks pretty fresh, which is what you’d expect of an award-winning beauty and wellness spa.
Patricia Owen opened FACES DaySpa in the tourist-heavy beach town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1983. “My husband, Jay, and I were driving through on vacation and noticed that there were no Estee Lauder stores, no cosmetic stores. If people wanted cosmetics that weren’t from the drug store, they had to drive an hour to Savannah.”
After a year spent fighting for his political life, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is ready to get back to normal. For the 44-year-old trailblazing governor from Wisconsin, that means finding time to go for a ride on his Harley—something he hadn’t been able to do in the months leading up to his June 6 recall election.
Steve Van Andel and Doug DeVos head Amway, a $10.9 billion direct selling company started by their fathers in 1959. Van Andel, U.S. Chamber vice chairman, sat down with Free Enterprise during a visit to the Chamber to discuss growth and innovation, overseas markets, and regulatory hurdles. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. That’s why BBQ restaurant owner and caterer Tom Seaton of Johnson City, Tennessee, came to Washington, D.C.—to help put out some legislative and regulatory fires.
Because America’s Small Business Summit occurs during one of his busiest times of year, he has always passed up the opportunity to come. But this year Seaton says that he just had to attend.
Things are definitely buzzing in the Beehive state, thanks in part to Gov. Gary Herbert's (R-UT) zeal for reform.
Thanks to increased global demand for agriculture and a domestic energy boom, the Cornhusker state is popping.
But while those external factors are helping Nebraska grow, it’s also pro-business policies that are helping Nebraska become a state of opportunity.
Delaware Governor Jack Markell (D) has a pretty simple prescription for attracting businesses to his state: give them a skilled and educated workforce.
“In the end, education is the most important thing. We’ve been one of the states that spend relatively more per student, but results are in the middle. We want results among the best,” Markell told FreeEnterprise.com in a phone interview.
State Farm® Mutual ranks 43rd on the Fortune 500 list and has some 66,000 employees and 18,000 agents throughout the United States and Canada. But to Ed Rust, company chairman and CEO, State Farm is simply carrying on a tradition, with its corporate headquarters just three blocks from where he spent his early childhood in Bloomington, Illinois.
Nick Akins is CEO of American Electric Power (AEP), one of the nation’s largest electricity generators with more than 38,000 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, serving more than 5 million retail consumers in 11 states in the Midwest and South Central areas of the country.
Akins sat down with FreeEnterprise.com during a visit to the U.S. Chamber to discuss energy policy and innovation. (Scroll down or click here for video of the interview)
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
It takes a lot more than two men to run the Two Men and a Truck franchises in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. It takes a savvy woman owner.
Like all effective chamber and association leaders, Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), goes to great lengths to represent his members’ interests. And in 2012, that means positioning his organization as an active participant in federal and state elections.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Many high school students have a hard time find use for what they learn in the classroom. But junior Ryan Schnaufer took what he learned in his AP computer science class and turned it into a business. While studying for a test, Ryan looked for an iPad app to help him study. But every app he could find had only pre-made flash cards in single formats.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.
With more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment field, David Stern knows the ins and outs of the event industry. The technician and engineer toured with top national and international acts such as Meatloaf, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, and the Scorpions, developing an expertise in the design and maintenance of electronic systems.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenager with braces is tougher. Braces can create social awkwardness and wreak havoc on eating habits, as Justin Avery Anderson found out. An avid granola fan, Anderson could not enjoy his favorite snack after he got braces because the granola tended to snap them.
Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, owns or holds interests in businesses operating in hotel real estate investment, private equity, financial services, asset management, insurance services, automobile dealerships, sports and entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming.
The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce in Maryland may appear to resemble any one of thousands of county chambers around the country, but a proud history linked to an early 20th century president and a recent emphasis on advocacy make it anything but ordinary.
When President William Howard Taft urged the formation of a national chamber, “I think the Frederick Chamber took the challenge,” says current Frederick Chamber President and CEO Ric Adams. “I get the sense that it was eager to support the president’s initiative while bringing national recognition to Frederick.”
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Anyone who’s reached into the cupboard for a bottle of cinnamon or made a pot of chili is familiar with the iconic blue and red “Mc” label on a McCormick & Company product.
Among entrepreneurs, Mark Cuban’s success story is legend. Cuban started out as a tech entrepreneur by founding MicroSolutions (which he sold in 1990 for a reported $6 million) and Broadcast.com (which he sold to Yahoo! in 1999 for a reported $5.7 billion). Currently, he is owner of NBA team the Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures.
John Meyer isn’t involved in the oil or gas industry. He doesn’t own a pipeline or construction business. But as the owner of Office Products Center in Winner, South Dakota, Meyer knows that his state needs jobs, and that the influx of workers and dollars generated by the Keystone XL pipeline expansion from Canada to the Gulf Coast would energize his state and region.
If there is an oracle on energy, Daniel Yergin is it. Yergin is the co-founder and chairman of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), a leading energy research and information firm. He serves on the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board and chaired the U.S. Department of Energy’s Task Force on Strategic Energy Research and Development.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Inspiration hits entrepreneurs at different times—in the park during lunch, in the shower, or, in the case of Carolyn Rafaelian, in the car driving to Rhode Island after meeting with buyers in New York.
Stewart Brothers Drilling Company drills for everything from minerals to water wells across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Utah. But it was uranium that brought another generation of Stewart Brothers—Hardy and Bob Stewart—to Milan, New Mexico (population 3,245).
“My dad (Hardy) was a member of the greatest generation, and he had an entrepreneurial spirit,” says company president Steve Stewart. “After the war, he and other family members started the business in East Texas where there was a lot of oil and gas exploration.”
America’s next great global challenge is a fight for job creation. In his book The Coming Jobs War, Gallup CEO Jim Clifton says that jobs are a new international currency and that America’s future depends on creating many of the 1.8 billion good jobs needed worldwide. Clifton spoke with Free Enterprise.com about the themes in his book and what it will take for America to win the coming jobs war.
Small business owner Jim Wilcox is the mayor of a small town that’s had a big influence in Washington, D.C.
The community of The Dalles, Oregon, is 2,700 miles and a world away from D.C. Set along the eastern part of the Columbia Gorge, 80 miles east of Portland, the scenic community of 14,400 is known for its primary crop—sweet cherries—and as a recreational haven with easy access to rafting, hiking, windsurfing, fishing, and rock climbing.
John Snow, former U.S. Treasury Secretary under President George W. Bush, remains an influential figure in the world of global finance as chairman of private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management LP.
In a wide-ranging interview with FreeEnterprise.com, Snow candidly discussed the eurozone crisis, U.S debt and deficit, tax policy, and U.S. competitiveness.
U.S. Chamber Senior Political Strategist Scott Reed, a veteran of Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign, recently teamed up with the Rob Engstrom, Chamber Senior Vice President of Political Affairs & Federation Relations, to lead the U.S. Chamber’s voter education program. FreeEnterprise.com sat down with Reed to talk about the 2012 elections.
FreeEnterprise.com: What brought you to the U.S. Chamber for the 2012 elections?
Ted Leonsis still has the snow cone machine that launched his first business venture. He was a college student at Georgetown University during the bicentennial summer of 1976. “Lots of tourists were coming into the city, and I said: ‘Boy, I need to find something that I can sell them.’ And so I came up with the idea of a snow cone business—red, white, and blue snow cones. ‘Be a patriot, eat a snow cone,’” Leonsis tells staff writer Sheryll Poe during an exclusive interview with Free Enterprise magazine.
Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels isn’t running for the nation’s highest office, but that doesn’t mean he’s going away quietly.
When Roberto Guerrero and his family emigrated from Nicaragua to San Francisco and opened several coffee shops in the 1980s, they were pursuing the American Dream.
That dream did not include being hit with a lawsuit from a customer. Unfortunately, California’s version of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has created opportunities for plaintiffs’ lawyers to target small businesses like Guerrero’s.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Brett and Carey Baker are the full-time faces behind Part-Time Pros, a staffing company that unites talented professionals with companies that have full- and part-time needs. The business is growing—up 450% since inception—but just a few years ago, the husband-and-wife team considered shutting the company’s doors.
Recently confirmed U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson gave his first major policy speech at the U.S. Chamber on December 15. Rolling out his agency’s motto, “Build It Here, Sell It Everywhere,” Bryson, the former CEO of California utility Edison International for 18 years, said that his agency’s top priorities are to support advanced manufacturing, increase U.S. exports, and attract foreign direct investment to the United States.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.” —Theodore Roosevelt
Construction and commercial janitorial services may be a male-dominated industry, but Shandra Spicer is setting out to change that.
Nobody would characterize small business owner John Reidy as shy. Especially when it comes to educating lawmakers about the hurdles he faces as co-owner of a full-service alarm and electrical contracting company near Chicago.
“I need to let these guys know how I feel. I feel like I’m under siege as a small business person,” Reidy says. “I take some satisfaction in knowing I’ve expressed my opinion and hope it can affect some change.”
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Home to dyeing and spinning mills some 35 years ago, today the Village of Saxapahaw, North Carolina, is a dramatically different, though vibrant, community where visitors and residents take delight in, among other things, a general store famous for its goat burger, a pub specializing in “intensely seasonal” gourmet fare, a Pilates studio, and a main street ablaze with pink and white flowers every April.
In Washington, any single member of Congress can avoid attention by blending in with his or her 534 colleagues. But for the 12 members of the bipartisan congressional supercommittee tasked with trimming $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion from the nation’s debt, the national spotlight and the pressure that comes with it are unavoidable.
It was just a normal day. That’s what small business owners Michael Davis and Seth Pehr remember about the morning of September 11, 2001.
Davis had just opened a second flower shop on Hudson Street, about a mile and a half away from his original shop, Elan Flowers, on Duane Street. “The opening night party for the Hudson shop was that night, and I was out shopping for the party,” he says.
As the first U.S. secretary of homeland security, Tom Ridge helped guide the country through a period of crisis and change. Now, the former governor of Pennsylvania leads Ridge Global, his own international security and risk management firm, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Ridge, who is chairman of the U.S.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
As unions push the federal government to grant them more power and influence over the economy, the opposite is happening in the states. Many states have worked on legislation to promote job growth, new business formation, and fiscal solvency by reining in both public sector and private sector unions. The U.S. Chamber’s Workforce Freedom Initiative (WFI) has partnered with several state chambers on this effort.
As part of the U.S. Chamber’s Project on Regulatory Reform, former Indiana Governor and Senator Evan Bayh and former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card held a press conference last week to preview the launch of their bipartisan, nationwide tour to educate Americans on the need to restore balance, restraint, and common sense to the regulatory process.
After the event, Card and Bayh gave an exclusive interview to Free Enterprise magazine.
As chief counsel of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Office of Advocacy, Winslow Sargeant’s job is to represent the interests of small businesses before Congress and the executive branch, a position for which he is well qualified given his experience in the worlds of entrepreneurship and risk.
John Ruan III’s career in the transportation industry started when he was a child, washing trucks at a terminal at his family’s trucking company. Today, Ruan carries on the family legacy as chairman of Des Moines, Iowa-based Ruan Transportation Management Systems. Because of his success in managing one of the largest privately owned transportation management companies in the nation and his commitment to advancing corporate citizenship ideals and free market principles, the U.S.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
Pizza is not usually considered a healthy eating choice, but Naked Pizza is proving otherwise.
“Our mission is about education and how to change the national food policy,” says one of the original founders, Randy Crochet. “Let’s be real and understand that we ate ourselves into this problem of obesity and chronic disease, and we need to eat ourselves out of it.”
For small business advocate Francis Delaney, the pen is regarded as mightier than the sword when it comes to defending business.
A long-time member of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, Delaney has chaired and served on the chamber’s Government Relations Committee for 25 years and has frequently testified at the state capital in Hartford. “The reason I joined the chamber was to get involved with this committee,” Delaney says.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”—Theodore Roosevelt
If timing is everything, Janine Popick will admit that her timing was bad—even horrible. Just as other Internet companies were closing their doors when the tech bubble burst in 2001, Popick was opening her email marketing firm, VerticalResponse in San Francisco.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”- Theodore Roosevelt
All the world’s a stage for Stagecraft Industries. And if you’re watching a performance at a high school or local theater, there’s a good chance you’re seeing Stagecraft’s craft at work.
Note: Free Enterprise staff writer Sheryll Poe spent a day in April 2011 with Rep. Paul Ryan in his Wisconsin district talking about his plan to address the nation's fiscal challenges. Below is her story.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) runs a tight schedule and does not like to keep his constituents waiting. The 41-year-old chairman of the House Budget Committee is a rising star of the Republican Party and frequent target of President Obama. And he does not sit still.
As the regulatory “czar” under former President George W. Bush, John Graham worked to ensure that the rules put forth by federal regulators would have benefits to justify their costs and would be consistent with the president’s policies. Graham, now Dean of the School of Public & Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, spoke with Free Enterprise magazine to share his experiences as former administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, U.S.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”- Theodore Roosevelt
Former government employee and U.S. Army veteran Tony Jimenez had to overcome self-doubts and fears to start his own IT firm. “Everyone who starts a company tells you how hard it is, and everyone else talks about the failures. Those stories are everywhere. Success stories are more rare,” Jimenez says.
And although MicroTech is now one of those success stories, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
He’s been called, among other things, the administration’s “chief congressional tormentor.”
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is using his position as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to shine a spotlight on the job-killing flaws of the federal regulatory scheme. In between his congressional hearings investigating regulatory excess, Rep. Issa took time to answer our questions.
Testifying before Congress is surreal and exhausting, yet exhilarating, according to small business owner Bill Feinberg.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Feinberg, president of Allied Kitchen and Bath Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In February, Feinberg testified before the House Small Business Committee, explaining to the committee that the employer mandate in the health care law could keep his family company from growing and hiring more employees.
Small businesses may be struggling these days, but that hasn’t stopped them from supporting their local communities and those in need.
Fine Earth, LLC—A Dream Come True Park
“We strongly believe that being involved in our community is essential to the success of our business and the success of those around us,” says Chad Layman, owner of Fine Earth, LLC, a landscaping company in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
A love of the mountains and the outdoors—along with a couple of donated commercial sewing machines—led Gary Schaezlein and his college friend and business partner Jeff Jones to start Western Mountaineering 40 years ago.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
For millions of Americans, early childhood memories include being pulled in a red Radio Flyer wagon. Asked how Radio Flyer has remained an American icon in the face of technology and more sophisticated children’s toys, CEO Robert Pasin, grandson of company founder Antonio Pasin, responds, “The consumers of our products still need a tricycle, and their parents still need a wagon to pull them in.”
Just 24 hours after being sworn in as Speaker of the House, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) sat down with Free Enterprise staff writer Sheryll Poe to discuss repealing the health care law, cutting federal spending and taxes, and curtailing federal regulation.
Free Enterprise: Before you were elected to Congress, you owned a small business. How did that experience shape the way you govern?
When it comes to participating in the electoral process, many state and local chambers remain on the sidelines for fear of upsetting members or creating political adversaries. But for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and its vice president of government and public affairs, Gene Barr, the 2010 elections were too important to keep quiet.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
As a partner in a large law firm, Cindee Murphy had achieved professional success. But she traded it in for the opportunity to be her own boss and to do something she really loved.
Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Brian Gill started his food service and kitchen management business before his senior year of college.
Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Lawrence Gaffaney, left, and Tyler Hickman rely on Alaska Natives to staff their tourist destination.
Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
"It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
As the grandson of an Italian immigrant and the first to attend college in his family, Michael MacNair, president and CEO of MacNair Travel in Alexandria, Virginia, says that he always knew he would end up in the travel industry. A lifelong love of travel led him to study Spanish and business in college and attend business school in Madrid.
"It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Beth Gloss considered careers in teaching and forestry before choosing roofing and buying United Materials LLC 21 years ago. Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Ron Moler broke into the film business by making surfing documentaries as a teenager. Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Sandy Sprouse runs the daily operation of the custom upholstery shop that she and her husband, Doug, own while he tacles budget and other municipal issues as the mayor of Springdale, Arkansas. Photo: Ian Wagreich
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
In a production facility spanning an entire block in an industrial part of Hayward, California, the five Ly brothers mix sugar and flour into the tantalizing desserts that have built their multimillion-dollar-a-year business. But things weren’t always so sweet for the Ly brothers.
“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Rodney Buswell Sr. carries on a craftsman's tradition at his family-owned small tool manufacturing company in Eddington, Maine, population 2,052.
Don Moore of Harmonics Limited has rebranded his company and relaunched its Web site to focus on the energy-saving aspects of his product.
Despite its name, Harmonics Limited is not in the music business. But CEO Don Moore believes that he has struck the right note with his high-tech manufacturing company.
Amy Wyss and Lee Belfield reopened Zins restaurant one year after the Iowa floods, owing to community support.
Approximately 50% of new businesses don't make it to two years. Business owners Lee Belfield and Amy Wyss didn't even make it eight months before their business was swept out from under them by the Iowa floods in the summer of 2008.
As a Wall Street veteran and venture capitalist, Karen Mills may be the right person at the right time to lead the Small Business Administration. Sheryll Poe, uschamber.com staff writer, sat down with Mills to discuss the small business economic recovery effort.
uschamber.com: How does your background as a venture capitalist translate into your duties at the SBA?
JIm Tanner of Bonnie Blue Farm finds himself busier than ever in his second career as a Tennessee goat farmer.
Jim Tanner wears many hats on his 317-acre goat farm, including midwife. "We have a new doe going into labor. I'm the OBGYN, so I may be called away," he said at the start of the interview.
Charlie Mitchell, right, and David Wiegand set up an ESOP for their engineering firm, allowing employees to share in the firm's success.
David Wiegand and Charlie Mitchell have at least 20 years until retirement, but they've already planned the succession strategy for their engineering consulting firm—turn the keys over to their employees.
When the shoe repair market soured, Ray Margiano started a specialty retail franchise offering custom shoes and orthotics.
Ray Margiano brushed the dust of the corporate world off his shoes in the 1980s and never looked back. His ability to see the next trend in footwear led him to create a shoe repair franchise and later a specialty retail franchise selling custom orthotics, shoes, and supports.
Harry Howe (left) and Phillip Latini, owners of Morris Mechanical, have seen an increase in orders for reconditioned equipment.
Retailers began carrying the Urlichs' product after the couple built strong relationships with contractors.
Rick and Janice Ulrich do not have backgrounds in chemistry, but that hasn't stopped them from creating a formula for success with their elastomeric manufacturing company.
As the senior senator from Louisiana, Mary Landrieu (D-LA) has worked to ensure the recovery of Gulf Coast small businesses following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Now as the new chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Landrieu has another platform from which to serve as a small business advocate.
Approximately 500 residents of Powell, Wyoming, invested in Powell Mercantile, a large retailer.
When the last department store in Powell, Wyoming, closed its doors, townspeople were faced with a couple of choices—drive more than an hour-and-a-half north to Billings for clothes and shoes or go to the nearest Wal-Mart 20 miles away in Cody. Instead, they took matters into their own hands and opened Powell Mercantile in 2002.
Sandy "Spin" Slade expects to surpass $1 million from sales of her interactive physical education game this year.
Left to right: Andy Andolsek, Lawrence C. Levert III, and Charlie Levert got into real estate ventures to keep the family sugar cane business alive.
Some successes are sweeter than others, and for the Levert family, keeping its sugar cane farm in business is the sweetest success of all—even if it has meant diversifying.
Joseph Matteo (left) and Hughie McCaughey discovered a market for old tire remains.
On Saturdays, dozens of cutomers come to Al and Erin Rosas' family farm to stock up on organic eggs, cheese, and barbecue sauce.
Patrick Neely, his wife, and three brothers launched their barbecue empire with a $20,000 family loan.
The Berkmans use organic ingredients in the coffees, teas, pastries, and sandwiches they serve at their small chain of cafes.
After years of hard work and ingenuity, everything is coming up roses at Roberto Espat's Roses Southwest Papers Inc. But at one point, Espat's future appeared uncertain.
Espat, who came to the United States in 1981 and later earned citizenship, had a successful paper business in Belize, converting jumbo rolls into finished products such as toilet paper, napkins, and paper bags.
Craig Williams of CommunityLink Publications has found success in small-town America.
In 1995, Craig Williams had a successful business focused on placing print media ads and publishing annual reports for hospitals and health care providers. But then a partnership with his local chamber of commerce turned into a niche publishing opportunity that redefined the company and led to significant growth.
Since childhood, Brenda Miller expected to take over her family's furniture business. So it's fitting that she sells her all-American, all-wood furniture in her original childhood home.
Bringing the Right People to the Job
Talk with almost any small business owner these days and before long they are lamenting the shortage of qualified workers–but not franchise owner Carol Trahan. She's surrounded by qualified workers.
Trahan's human resources company, a Spherion franchise, manages 1,500 contingency employees throughout northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. She has 15 employees in three offices in Johnson City and Bristol, Tennessee.
Amy Scherber of Amy's Bread financed her first store with help from family and friends. She now has three stores in New York City.
Amy Scherber of Amy's Bread did not let initial financing rejections or a neighborhood with the ominous nickname "Hell's Kitchen" prevent her from realizing her vision of bringing bread-and pastries and sandwiches-to the community.
Bob Milligan attributes his company's success to a thriving export business, creative marketing, and a university partnership.
Make no bones about it. M.I. Industries-a producer of all-natural and organic nutritional pet products under the Nature's Variety label-is benefiting from a booming export market, giving the Nebraska company plenty to bark about.
Joe Martinac of J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding says he is rebounding from overregulation of the tuna industry in the 1980's.
The first rule of business is "be flexible," according to Joe Martinac of JM Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. "You can get tossed around whether you like it or not," says Martinac. "You have to stay on your toes and be adaptable."
Carlette Anderson, who taught CPR certification classes for the American Heart Association (AHA) and served as a volunteer for the American Red Cross, realized that there was a better way to teach CPR.
Echo Concepts' Alan Luzietti frequently brings his document imaging services to his client.
Having faced both a state audit and a major flood, Echo Concepts' Alan Luzietti admits he's had some bad luck and has made a few business mistakes. "People always say tough times build character, but I believe that adversity reveals what kind of character you already have."
Christine Hutman (l.) provides online reviews of pet businesses, including It's A Dog's Life Bakery.
Small businesses are struggling to find qualified workers, in part, because public school systems are not adequately preparing youth for college or the workplace.
Susan Hager of Hagar Sharp Inc. helps nonprofits and government agencies shape their marketing strategies.
Susan Hager has made a name for herself not only as head of her successful public relations firm, Hager Sharp Inc., but also as a pioneer in social marketing and an advocate for women business owners.
David Powers Jr. (l.) and David Powers Sr. lead a successful multigenerational family-owned awning business.
Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson Architects is dedicated to quality work-even if it means turning down a multimillion-dollar project.
When a major corporation announced plans to construct its headquarters in Chattanooga, Alan Derthick and his team submitted a proposal for the project. However, the firm pulled out of the competition when it became clear that it would not be able to perform the quality of work to which it was accustomed for the fee that was being offered.
Pamela Green-Jackson responded to a family tragedy by creating an after-school program to keep youngsters healthy and fit.
Pamela Green-Jackson knows firsthand the potentially life-threatening effects of obesity. In February 2004, her only brother, Bernard, 43, died from complications of obesity-related illnesses.
As global competition intensifies, many small and medium-size business owners are losing customers to countries like China and India, with their cheap labor and reduced costs. One such business owner, Darlene Miller, refused to allow her company-a manufacturer of everything from hydraulics to medical equipment to food service items-to become a casualty of global competition.
Founded in 1929, Toledo Metal Spinning has had its fair share of ups and downs as a business. But nothing could have prepared owners Ken, Craig, and Eric Fankhauser for the call they got from their plant's security company the night of February 4, 1998.
Julie Geiger knows that she doesn't fit the stereotype of a typical quilt maker. But that hasn't prevented her from parlaying a love of fabrics dating back to her childhood into one of North America's top quilt shops, Prairie Point Junction.
"The average quilt enthusiast is a 50-something woman who has discretionary income to spend on her hobby," says Geiger. "So establishing credibility when I entered the industry at 26 was definitely a challenge."
Solving business problems has always been easy for Suzie DeBusk. Finding the problems was the hard part. However, 18 years after founding DragonPoint Inc., DeBusk, the company's president and CEO, has made the success of other businesses her business.
How does John Register distinguish his screen printing company in the marketplace? Through continuous innovation and problem solving.
Walk into any California Tortilla restaurant in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, and you're likely to encounter more than just a menu of tasty Tex-Mex treats. That's because Pam Felix, co-founder and partner in the franchise company that oversees 16 eateries, likes to add a healthy dose of fun and humor to every taco or burrito served.
Norma Byron knows how to defend against the most difficult circumstances: She rises to the occasion and never looks back. As the only woman small business owner with a munitions contract with the U.S. Army, Byron has learned some tough lessons firsthand.
"I have a strength I never knew I had," she says.
Like many veterinarians, Jon Geller was often woken up in the middle of the night by pet owners with serious concerns about their furry friends. "After all, pet emergencies don't just happen during normal business hours," says Geller.
Lynn Gordon keeps her ear to the ground. As the president and founder of French Meadow Bakery, Gordon stays ahead of the health food curve by listening to people in line at the grocery store and reading letters from her customers. "If someone makes a comment at the checkout counter, I consider that a focus group," she says.
Many business owners are finding that the cost of providing health care coverage is no longer affordable. "There are very few choices of health insurers for small businesses like mine, and the cost of employee premiums seems to double every year," says Anthony Montville, president & CEO of HealthTek Solutions in Norfolk, Virginia.
International trade can seem overwhelming for many small business owners, but often all it takes is one sale on foreign soil to get started. That's what happened to Leon Trammell, CEO of Wichita, Kansas-based Tramco, Inc., when he visited the European facility of one of his U.S. customers in 1972.
Small businesses in the advanced technology sector face a special challenge: communicating the value-added benefits of their technology to potential customers with little or no technical background. As the executive director of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), Peter Lauer is responsible for communicating the enormous value of instruments that measure only a few millimeters in diameter.
Quality customer service sometimes seems like it's going out of style, but not for Ray Ventura, founder and president of Ventura Uniform Service. "I try to answer the phone personally because it gives me an opportunity to talk to my customers and ask about their satisfaction with our service," says Ventura.
As the chief executive officer of America's Blood Centers (ABC), Jim MacPherson's secret to success is keeping ABC's word. "We deliver on what we promise." Established in 1962, ABC is a network of 76 nonprofit, community blood centers that operate more than 600 collection sites in 45 states and provide nearly half of the United States' volunteer donor blood supply. ABC members subscribe to a community-based blood banking philosophy, ensuring that donor blood reaches community members first and that any excess goes to other communities in need.
Mary Kisseberth is a majority of one. As the owner and operator of Major Carriers, Inc., a trucking company focused on the shipment of high-tech equipment, she would have it no other way. "The business I'm in is a bit like a yo-yo. It's too much up and down to be able to carry employees on the books. So I contract out the work to reliable truck drivers who are willing to work hard and safely," says Kisseberth.
Starting a new business entails all kinds of challenges, from overcoming distribution hurdles to meeting demand to managing inventory. That's why Chris Pratt, founder and owner of the CandyWarehouse, says that the wisest thing he ever did "was to realize that I did not have all the answers."
So he brought in two partners-one a specialist in brand management and another with extensive sales experience. Both also brought with them a cash infusion at a time when Pratt wanted to expand operations.
No one knows better than small business owners that even a minor increase in profit margins can mean the difference between staying in business and closing your doors for good. This is especially true in the highly competitive and complex distribution industry.
Enter Advanous®, a five-year- old company based in Richmond, Virginia, that helps distributors generate higher profits through more effective margin and pricing management practices.
