• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

Celebrate Small Business Week – May 1 – 7

By Glenn Muske

Small business. Big impactGet out the noise makers. Put on your party hats. Order a cake. It’s time to celebrate the backbone of our economy, the small business.

Small Business Week 2016, May 1 through May 7, is a celebration of small businesses across the country. Small businesses mean jobs, dollars and economic growth.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, in 2014, the United States had more than 28 million small businesses. These businesses employ over 56 million people. This represents nearly one-half of the private workforce and over 99 percent of all employers.

Across the U.S., more than one-half of Americans own or work for a small business. And the small businesses create two out of every three jobs each year.

These numbers, though, only represent a portion of what the small business means in many of our communities. Small-business owners support local events and causes. The owners and employees are the workers at many of these events.

You also will find small-business owners serving in elected positions and on voluntary boards and committees.

Special event sign

Special Event Ahead. Photo by Becky McCray.

And their contributions go on. They bring us needed goods and services to our communities. Instead of us having to travel long distances, we can instead stop in our local store for what we need. And if they don’t have it, they often can get it quickly.

Starting a business is a dream of many. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Dream Big, Start Small.” Building community must include developing your small-business sector.

So get that cake and invite your small-business owners to a party. Thank them for what they do. Share their story through the news and online. It’s a story that needs to be shared.

And send your stories to me at glenn.muske@ndsu.edu. Let me know who is your favorite small business and why. I will try to share some on my website, https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/smallbusiness, and through my monthly newsletter.

Let me close with my thanks to our small-business owners.

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Glenn Muske

Glenn Muske is an independent expert on rural small business, working as GM Consulting – Your partner in achieving small business success. He provides consulting, and writes articles for county extension agents and newspapers across North Dakota. Previously, he was the Rural and Agribusiness Enterprise Development Specialist at the North Dakota State University Extension Service – Center for Community Vitality.
  • Change - December 26, 2018
  • Regular Customers Form Your Base - December 12, 2018
  • Disasters: Is Your Small Business Ready? - December 5, 2018
  • Business Startup: Steps to Remember - November 28, 2018
  • HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM SMALL BIZ SURVIVAL - November 21, 2018
  • Finding a Business Idea - November 14, 2018
  • Does Your Networking Have Punch? - November 7, 2018
  • Build Tomorrow’s Community Business Sector - October 24, 2018
  • Are You Changing? - October 17, 2018
  • Is it really a deal? - October 10, 2018

April 27, 2016 Filed Under: rural, Small Biz 100 Tagged With: small business, success

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. Teresa Miller says

    April 29, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    Thank you for such an up-beat article about small businesses! Like you, I have a passion for our small businesses and deep appreciation for their commitment to their communities!

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in