Why am I interested in working with local entrepreneurs and small businesses?

When I sat down and started thinking about my first blog post, I considered several topics.  I thought through those topics and one common theme was clear, “Small Local Businesses.”  It was then that I realized the first post should answer the question; “Why am I interested in working with local entrepreneurs and small businesses?”

It is common knowledge that small businesses are the engine that powers our economy.  According to the Dallas Regional Chamber,  97% of the business in the DFW area consist of companies with less than 100 employees.  70% of the companies in DFW have less than 10 employees.   (Source: DFW Small Businesses.pdf)  According to the Dallas Office of Economic Development, small businesses employ 40% of the city’s workforce. (Source: www.dallas-ecodev.org/business/small-business)   If small businesses are driving our economy then one could argue that successful local businesses are needed for a strong thriving community.  

Our local communities are full of people who have the energy and desire to improve their neighborhoods and communities.  They are interested in helping the other members of their community succeed. A rising tide raises all boats. I heard a developer from south Dallas speak about how his development company tries to help local entrepreneurs. The developer wants to enable the local entrepreneurs to be able to build equity in their neighborhoods and communities.  This developer is not trying to buy up neighborhoods to have a steady flow of rental income.  The goal is to enable the entrepreneurs to own the buildings from which they operate their businesses. Helping these entrepreneurs own buildings helps them build real equity and equity in their communities.  This better positions them to achieve long-term prosperity.  Equity in the community means ownership and ownership leads to responsibility, then to  pride and personal satisfaction, and ultimately to the possibility of leadership roles in the community.  A local business owner is going to be more invested in his community than a large business from outside the city or even outside the state.  

I believe there is a correlation between having strong local businesses and having a thriving community.  It is a symbiotic relationship, the community and the local businesses need each other. Every $1.00 spent in a local business generates $2.00 to $3.50 being spent in other local businesses. (Source: AMIBA The Benefits of Shopping and Buying Locally)  Local business owners that own property have equity in that community and therefore are tied to and invested in the success of their community.  Local businesses will advertise locally and hire local workers. When work on their property is needed, local tradespeople are contracted.  Those being hired locally will in turn spend locally.  This organic growth will help that community continuously grow and improve over time.

All these things spoke to me on different levels and I started to look at how I could contribute to our local neighborhoods and communities.  I took stock of my knowledge, skills, and experience. Then I realized I had been consulting for my friends who are small business owners.  I decided I could apply those skills and experiences to help local entrepreneurs and small businesses, while also fulfilling my desire to help build stronger communities. My goal is to take my business and engineering education and almost 20 years of experience to help enable and empower these entrepreneurs and business owners who strongly desire to invest in themselves and in our communities.

All these things spoke to me on different levels and I started to look at how I could contribute to our local neighborhoods and communities.  I took stock of my knowledge, skills, and experience. Then I realized I had been consulting for my friends who are small business owners.   I decided I could apply those skills and experiences to help local entrepreneurs and small businesses. While also fulfilling my desire to help build stronger communities. My goal is to take my business and engineering education and almost 20 years of experience to help enable and empower these entrepreneurs and businesses owners invest in themselves and our communities.