The Speed of Small?
Jack Safrit, Axxys Technologies

We have heard a great deal about small businesses of late. It's been said they are the engine that will power our economy out of the recession. They will be the catalyst for employment growth, and future lending to small business will be the basis of any economic recovery. And while I agree that small businesses will be the impetus for change within our economy, it often seems that our leaders do not fully understand the pace at which small businesses move and how quickly they make decisions. Small businesses are not led by burdensome management or boards of directors who have fiduciary responsibilities to their companies' stock holders and as a result must weigh many factors in order to make a decision. Small businesses are agile, make both quick but thoughtful, rational business decisions, but also tend to react to the immediate needs and requests of their clients, customers, employees, and suppliers.

For small businesses to truly be the agent of a stronger economy, our leaders, our bankers, and our suppliers must recognize that small businesses make much faster decisions and can change direction quickly. Small businesses cannot afford to wait for months of legislative debate to take place before laws are created or fiscal policy is changed. They need ready access to capital, and once obtained will make business decisions that benefit their customers, their employees, and the economy.

The Speed of Small is FAST. Decisions and actions take place every day within small businesses that affect all their constituencies. It is only when those decisions and actions are delayed by outside forces that small businesses are hampered from moving forward. Delayed laws, withheld capital, slow access to products and services keep small businesses from starting the economic engine that they should be.

Having worked with small businesses for almost 25 years, it's exciting to see how they react, how they make decisions, and how they strive to move forward. Small business will lead our recovery and set the direction for our economy and country. Again, the Speed of Small is FAST.