May 1-7 is National Small Business Week, so there’s no better time to recognize the unique small businesses in our membership. We reached out to a few of our small business members to ask them for their best tips and advice for fellow small business owners.
“Be good to your customers, and they’ll be good to you!”
Amber Greer, Kernels Gourmet Popcorn
“Live your brand! It shows that you and your team are passionate about what you do. People want to be around, support and buy from people that carry that brand passion everywhere. For me, my license plate says ‘MAC MAN’ and I introduce myself as ‘Dan the Mac Man’ regularly.”
Dan “the Mac Man” Stephenson, Dan’s Gourmet Mac & Cheese
“Invest and elevate the people around you to be the best version of themselves. Great businesses are not built around lackluster talent and individualism.”
Ryan Carter, Parachute Media
“As most businesses know, happy employees lead to happy clients. What we sometimes forget, however, is that it takes a special person to want to work at a small business. Large companies can usually offer them more as it relates to benefits and amenities. At B&Y, we’ve learned that while those things are great, small business employees are looking for more. They value making a difference daily, flexibility in duties, knowing how well the business is doing and being managed as a unique individual more than anything.”
Jerry Youngblutt, Boyden and Youngblutt
“Protect yourself! It’s a litigious world out there. Have a qualified insurance professional review your policies and be sure to meet with that person regularly to ensure that your coverage is adequate and competitive.”
Raleigh Harwell, WC Dillon Company, LLC & Insight Risk Management
“It’s so important to get the details right. When we built our business, we restored this beautiful old home in a historic part of town, and ensured all the design details fit into our branding standards – from the reclaimed woods used in our manicure table and makeup bar, to having no toxic smell so clients can feel relaxed from the minute they walk in the door.”
Sherri Coates, Poppy & Monroe
