Page 15 - Marketing Times v1

Fortune 1000 companies. They need a voice in the legislature and in the governor’s of ce.
TCMT: How have the governor’s philosophies bene tted small business?
Rob: We’re very fortunate to have an advocate in the governor’s of ce right now. Governor Snyder is a rare nd, nationally, because he understands business. Unlike many governors, he has signed the front of paychecks as a business owner. I think it all starts with his no-nonsense approach. Number 1: He talks about taking consistent, positive action to solve problems. Number 2: He refuses to blame our situation on anyone who preceded him, and won’t allow it among his team,
either. And Number 3: He works
in “dog years.” When he was
elected, he insisted that his
team accomplish four years’
worth of work in six months. He
doesn’t talk about dealing with
a critical issue this year; he talks
about doing it this month. And,
in terms of our state’s nancial
matters, he has erased our
chronic budget de cits by simply
stating, “What would we do if
this were our family budget,
and we all had to sit around the
kitchen table and gure it out?”
Really, that’s his approach.
TCMT: And the legislature? Rob: Well, all legislators characterize themselves as
“pro-small business.” But we track their voting, and we publish the score card that tells the businesses and citizens of Michigan who is, and is not, pro-small business. At SBAM, we continue our campaign to stop all lawmakers from making the pro-small business claim when their actions show otherwise. SBAM validates their voting records, vets these lawmakers, and makes a determination based on facts so that we can tell Michigan who really is pro-small business in their actions and their votes.
TCMT: With all of this momentum, what’s next?
Rob: That’s a great question. There are always opposing forces that promote policies adverse to small business, and we really need to keep a close eye on them. Also, we have constructed a statewide Leadership Council as a network of business advocates across the state. These are all high-energy, well-spoken small business owners who
can help get our message delivered when and where it is appropriate. Frankly, our job is never done. It would be very easy to slip backwards into a tax-and-spend business model that overburdens our businesses.
Legislation hits the Capital every month that
is detrimental to our future; we need to
be there, assess it, get the word out to our members and the legislature, and provide results.
Another initiative is that we have formed
an entrepreneurship task force to develop and recommend policy. While Michigan’s business climate is on the upswing, we still do not produce enough start-up businesses. We need policies, education, and nancing in place
to grow entrepreneurs, right here. We don’t
Now, we’ve eliminated the punitive Personal Property Tax, which required our small businesses to pay a tax on their equipment and assets every
year. So, we measure the success of small business. Michigan’s “Entrepreneurial Climate” has increased from 41st nationally
in 2008 to 6th in 2014.
Fall 2014 • Traverse City Marketing Times 15
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