On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Michael Flory, Owner, CEO & Visionary for Custom Built Design & Remodeling with locations in Okemos and Boyne City. They were named to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch for 2024. The company has grown from a one-person operation to a team of over 30, with locations in Okemos and Boyne City. Flory highlights the challenges in attracting and retaining skilled workers, particularly carpenters, and the importance of a strong company culture. “We have clear core values, we have team events, those kinds of things to really kind of build camaraderie,” he says. “We have some very diverse people that work in the office, our finance team, things like that. Bringing all that together in a construction company is pretty fun.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Certified Focal Point Business and Executive Coach Dan Fleetwood -- an Elite member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. He discusses his work with small business owners on strategic planning and goal setting. He emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurs working on their business rather than just in it, navigating external distractions and mastering internal operations. “While I primarily draw from my own experience to help out my clients, it's incredibly powerful to have access to over 250 coaches around the globe, and we have quite the collaborative community that allows me to really provide top notch coaching to my clients.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Seth Wixtrom, owner of Excelsior Digital Consulting. His firm specializes in process automation, and website design and maintenance and is an Elite member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. Wickstrom emphasized the importance of technology in today's business landscape and encouraged businesses to explore AI's potential benefits. “My analogy that I like to use is our kids are going to look at artificial intelligence the same way that we look at a calculator. Forty years ago you weren't allowed to use a calculator in math class, and now it's just assumed that you're allowed to use a calculator and it is a quantum leap in human productivity.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Lillian Werbin, CEO of Elderly Instruments in Lansing. They sell and repair stringed and fretted musical instruments. Recently named to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, they have grown to 40 employees and a 36,000 square foot facility. She emphasizes the importance of human interaction in business and the strategic use of AI to support staff. “We use AI a little bit, mostly to de-hassle our staff rather than replace them,” she says. “I think in general, AI is best utilized with a human touch. So that's kind of how we focused on using it.” She remains active in community music programs and encourages customers to shop online at Elderly.com, highlighting the company's 40 dedicated employees. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Dr. Brenda Oldham, an Elite member of the Small Business Association of Michigan and President/CEO of RAM Insurance & Financial Services. Oldham highlights the evolving landscape of employee benefits, noting the need for tailored plans and the benefits of health savings accounts. “One thing with employee benefits, they continuously change,” she says. “And what do I mean by that? The workforce changes the different things offered within that employee benefit. If we're talking about group health insurance, as we all know, we've gone through many different transitions. Most employers are not trained in the employee benefit area. Even if you have a human resource manager, it  is asking a lot to have them really take on all of that.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Cyndee Harrison, Principal at Synaptic. She is a VIP member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. Her company connects business leaders and subject matter experts with their audiences through content marketing, public relations, and storytelling. “We often say that we specialize in the under-told, meaning there are so many great business stories out there, just latent, just untapped,” she says. “The people running these businesses and their teams are focusing exactly where they should be, on serving their customers and stakeholders. So we really like working with them to flesh that out and to help shine a light on the gift of their own relevant authority, and help them build trust to grow their business.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with SBAM VIP Member Doug Watkoski, owner and founder of BTM Industrial, one of the fastest-growing asset disposition companies in the industry. Headquartered in Muskegon, it assists some of the largest companies in the United States with all facets of surplus assets. The company’s asset disposition program enables customers to efficiently liquidate unwanted and excess assets while enhancing their value recovery potential. The comprehensive program covers surplus operational machinery and MRO and tooling cribs items, as well as significantly reducing project costs related to scrap CNC machinery and automated lines. Learn more about BTM Industrial atwww.btmindustrial.com. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with executive leadership coach, trainer and workshop facilitator Angela Morrill. She wrote an article for the September/October issue of SBAM's member-only Focus magazine called Six Ways to Optimize Leadership Performance. “I was inspired by the many leaders that I work with in my coaching and my training, particularly small business owners, a lot of them feel like they have a big weight on their shoulders,” Morrill says. “This drive to be successful, and the expectations that are on them to be successful, whether it be their own or others. The result of this is that it comes at the expense of their own physical and their own mental health.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Monica Gauthier, a member of the SBAM Board of Directors and co-owner of Groovy Donuts in mid-Michigan. Groovy Donuts was recognized as the SBDC Capital Region's Best Small Business and Greater Lansing Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2023. They offer fall flavors, tailgate donuts, catering services, host an annual donut design contest and celebrate customers with an annual Customer Appreciation Day.  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Catherine Behrenbrinker, President & CEO of Symplicity Communications in Grand Rapids. Her firm was recently named by Michigan Celebrates Small Business as an APEX Accelerator Best Small Business for 2024. She discusses the challenges and successes of scaling their government contracting division over the past two years, including hiring experts and optimizing technology procurement; emphasizes the importance of leveraging resources like the APEX Accelerator program for navigating government contracts, and notes the significant impact small businesses have on the economy, particularly in job creation and innovation. Behrenbrinker aims to grow her team from 23 to 35 employees and increase revenue to $50 million, with upcoming bids for contracts annually worth $12.9 billion. “Just getting a little seat on that bus and a piece of that business makes a huge impact,” she says.

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jenny Brown, CEO of Dutton Farm, a nonprofit in Oakland County. Dutton Farm was recently recognized as one of Michigan's 50 companies to watch for its unique hiring practices and inclusive business model. She discusses her organization's mission to provide skill-building, community access, and workforce development for adults with developmental disabilities. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jen Julien, who with her husband Jon owns Braveworks in Houghton Michigan. Their company this year was selected as a member of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch. Braveworks plans for 40 percent growth in 2024, with further expansion in 2025. “We're really excited to expand into the Marquette community, that's just been a really good fit for our growth and for what we're doing here, and we're just really honored to be selected as a Michigan 50 Companies to Watch,” she says.  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Peter Van Dyke, CEO of VVK PR + Creative, a member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. His firm was recently named to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch for 2024. “For any startup company or small company developing a social media strategy, it doesn't take a high level expertise to think about the timeline of your business over a year, over a month, and think about how you can share key elements of your business that can attract customers or clients,” he says. “It is probably the best, most accessible way to start building your business and building a platform for your business. And then when you get successful enough, you hire firms like us to bring other ideas to the table.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Gina Jacquart Thorsen, CEO of Jacquart Fabric Products, home of the iconic Michigan brand Stormy Kromer. Gina was named SBAM's 2024 Advocate of the Year. “Small business owners, you know, we hear politicians all the time say that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. But they don't really understand what that means. Many of them are not, have never been and will never be small business owners. We have to be the ones that tell our stories. We have to be the ones that share both our successes and our triumphs and the great work we're doing, but also the challenges and how different systems and organizations and infrastructure can help support us. There is just no one better than you to tell your story.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Paul Deters, president of Metro Signs & Lighting. They are Premium Members of the Small Business Association of Michigan, and have been selected to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch for 2024. “We hear all the time that the world is going digital, and that has certainly been evident in our industry,” Deters says. “When we first started it's hard to believe that neon was the preferred lighting method. And then we saw a little bit of a migration towards more efficiency and then huge gains of efficiency as we've migrated to LED. And what's going on now is that digital signage is exploding. The reason is digital signage enables companies to keep their messaging current and fresh. So it's our job to find ways to help our customers stand out from all that noise.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Anne Bridgewater, the president of AIM Targeted Intelligence in Midland. She is a newly elected member of the Board of Directors for the Small Business Association of Michigan. “Information is available online, there's a lot of it and I always feel like the bigger the haystack, the harder to find the needle, right?” she says. “But we have experienced researchers who have degrees, like in Masters of Library of Science and Information Science, and these folks are trained and experienced in knowing where to go, what's reliable information sources, and then also how to search them.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Ryan Jankovic, a VIP member of the Small Business Association of Michigan and an EOS Worldwide Professional Implementer. “I ask everyone, when I meet them for the first time and before we take a client engagement, what do you want from your business?” he says. “And it's not a knee jerk reaction –  I want sales, and I want my people to do the things that I need them to do. What do you really want? And I slow it down. What do you really want from your business? And when you think about what you really want, sometimes it can be complex if there's multiple owners because you’ve got to be on the same page.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Shannon Enders, founder of Lakeshore Employee Benefits in Norton Shores. He is a new member of the SBAM board of directors. “Typically, health insurance is the cornerstone [of benefits] and most employers do want to offer that, and need to, because they do need to attract and retain employees,” he says. “Rates are high, and we're going through another period of high increases throughout the state. But what's been interesting is the fear of not being able to attract or the fear of losing employees has been even bigger than the fear of taking a  premium increase. I do feel that that's starting to swing back. The employers are starting to get a little more of the upper hand.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Erick Stewart, owner of LAGNIAPPE Strategic Consulting in Battle Creek. Erick is serving as SBAM's Board Chair for 2024-2025. “We're a great organization, and we're scrappy, and I want to continue that scrappiness because being scrappy, you're ready for whatever comes around the corner,” he says. “We take our members through that as we deal with all types of legislative issues, we deal with having input and all types of things that happen throughout the state.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Camron Gnass, founder of Lansing-based creative studio Traction. Among many other community activities, he is a founding member of the Capital City Film Festival. “Our intention was to prove that there is a desire for people to come together and have a shared experience,” he says. “What we did is we began finding venues or buildings that were either shuttered or getting ready to come online, other pretty non-traditional gathering spaces, and created community gathering spaces over the course of what started as four days to now expanded to 11 days. It really gives people an opportunity to be a part of the community culture that's here to get a lens into other cultures that are existing in different parts of the world.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Kevin Sodermark, Vice President of L&C Enterprises-USA d/b/a Delta Fence & Construction. They were recently recognized by Michigan Celebrates Small Business as one of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch for 2024. “We support many different things around the community, and then doing quality work, I think, is one of the main things,” he says. “They're happy with our product. They tell their neighbors, they tell their family to come to us. We do work all over the UP into northern Wisconsin, and a lot of that is you've done work for my sister, you've done work for my mom. I mean, we get a lot of that. So with quality work comes more work, and our name is respected in the community for that. So it's if you do good work, you have good customer service, the work will find you.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Matt Stephens and Josh Stephens, co-founders of Sticker Blitz, creators of high quality custom stickers. The company was recently honored by being named by Michigan Celebrates Small Business to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch. “We're super proud to be a Macomb County-based company and Michigan-based company,” they say. “There's been a lot of super great resources that we've been able to utilize in Michigan, including SBAM. We really appreciate everything that SBAM has done for us over the years.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jim Stowe, president of FreshHR. He helps small and medium sized companies deal with a wide range of challenges when managing employees. “The battle for talent, acquiring and retaining talent, is something that's still a challenge for most folks, although we've seen a little bit of daylight,” he says. “But it's still finding ways to be a unique and an attractive employer to attract and retain the best people you can, so they take the best care of your clients or help drive profitability.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Nick Jacqmain, CEO and President of Springfield Commercial Roofing and Transport, with locations in Kingsley and Big Rapids. He recently wrote an article for SBAM's Focus magazine on The Value of Apprenticeships for Small Businesses. “You're going to find that you're attracting more employees, you're going to find that you're attracting higher quality candidates, and you're going to find the retention process to be a lot better and a lot easier,” he says “Employees will be more engaged and they'll want to grow.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Elite SBAM member Kimberly Enders of Enders Wealth Management in Sterling Heights. She says she loves being involved in maintaining the legacy of a multi generational business. “Because I don't have to reinvent the wheel, I guess that's a part of it,” she says. “When you have a really good business structure, you have a good foundation, I'm not out here having to do trial and error on how to run a really good business and how to have a really good financial planning practice. So that part of the multigenerational is amazing.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with professional EOS Implementer Mike Maddox. Maddox and Reuben Levinsohn are hosting workshops on June 12 and Oct. 17, focused on helping entrepreneurs grow their business valuation, “something very few entrepreneurs focus on with intention in their annual and quarterly growth strategies,” Maddox says. Attendees will have an opportunity to assess their personal + business “Exit Readiness” and build an action plan from it. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.  Registration is required: https://www.waadvisors.com/events  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Matt Baxter, a VIP member of SBAM and the CEO of video interviewing platform Wedge, a more efficient and effective way of evaluating job candidates. “We are a one way video interviewing tool with a preset of pre-recorded questions that candidates respond to,” Baxter says. “They'll respond to those oftentimes in the earliest stages of the hiring process. A lot of times it’s used as a phone screen replacement, or sort of a preliminary interview replacement. So we sell that software to companies around the world, but really heavy, heavy focus on the U.S. and we love our Michigan clients as well.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Lisa Cooper, Chief People Officer for the Cooper People Group. “As we came out of the pandemic, we saw organizations really understand the value of HR,” she says. “HR sort of led the charge during the pandemic, in terms of culture, communication, health and safety, COBRA and unemployment, and all the things that many of us have dealt with. We really leveraged ourselves as strategic partners within the business units that we have the pleasure of serving, and for organizations that are perhaps too small to have their own dedicated HR resource.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with John Patry, an Elite member of the Small Business Association of Michigan and the CEO and owner of Team UIS in Dexter. “What we do is keep power controls safe, reliable and compliant for places where downtime is not an option,” he says. “Those places are hospitals, data centers, water and wastewater plants, big commercial buildings like the Renaissance building in downtown Detroit, big shopping malls or universities and stuff like that all over Michigan and Ohio.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Elite SBAM Member Sonja Skerbeck, owner of Holland-based Skerbeck Entertainment Group. With over 160 years of experience in America and Europe, this family-owned firm was awarded the prestigious Circle of Excellence by the Outdoor Amusement Business Association and provides a wide range of entertainment services, event planning and marketing. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jim Mitte, president of Turtlehut Internet Marketing in Brighton. “We focus really on that small business, one to $5 million company,” he says. “They got to some spot they're at and don't really understand the best places to spend their dollars effectively to generate the leads they need to grow. We've made major inroads into our franchise system. We built out a web platform that helps franchise owners deliver a consistent message and consistent leads for service-based franchisees.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Elite SBAM member Heather Isch, CEO and President of LKF Marketing in Kalamazoo. One of the things this 35-year-old company does for its customers is help them make sense of a confusing world of social media marketing. “We’ve been working with our clients in the social media realm for quite some time and I think what we do at the beginning is sit down with them and figure out what their goals and objectives are, who they’re trying to reach, and then we make a determination of what platforms we’re going to use and what the messaging should be on those platforms,” she says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with SBAM Elite Member Dave Rosenberg, owner of Asphalt Sealcoating Services LLC, serving the Bay Midland Saginaw County areas. “The way I always put it is if there’s two stores next to each other that sell the same thing, one has a cracked parking lot, they don’t take care of the building, the other one has a beautiful parking lot, the building’s taken care of, you’re probably going to go that business instead, right?” he says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Sara Moylan, founder of a great Michigan small business success story: SHEFIT, based in Hudsonville. “I believe some of the best products are born out of one's desire to solve a problem and that was me,” she says. “I never had any intention of starting a company, I was just a frustrated fed up consumer who decided to take matters into her own hands, because every sports bra I wore was not doing what I needed. And that's really how SHEFIT was born. It was really truly born out of a desire to change what wasn't working.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Blake Ratcliffe, the principal and founder of contract furniture company TMC, also known as The Makers Creative. “Being a small company that we started at at our kitchen table and in Ann Arbor, and then working on the back of our suppliers to get rolling to bootstrap, we really had to be good at spotting trends,” Ratcliffe says.  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Kristine Kletke, president of PMSI Marketing Group, celebrating 25 years of business in 2024. “We wear so many hats as entrepreneurs and the way that we're doing business, depending on your thought process, marketing can take a kind of a backseat to some of the other things that we're doing,” she says. “So I think that one of the things that small businesses don't realize is that there are a lot of opportunities out there and the people who can help them aren't as expensive as you think.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Monica Mitidieri, owner of Monica's Gourmet Cookies. “Our corporate gifting program really took off on its own [just before Covid] and it just grows and grows and grows. And so that has been very instrumental in our success, as well as a lot of the gourmet stores that we are in locally here in Grand Rapids and outside of the state,” she says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Dave Kelly, Co-Founder and CTO  of SensCy, based in Ann Arbor. “We've seen over the last year a 424 percent increase in cyber attacks against small businesses,” Kelly says. “This is a trend that's been increasing over time. The media are not going to do stories on the small mom and pop store down the shop or down the street, or the 30 person manufacturing company. They're looking to do stories on large publicly traded companies because of the impact. So it's sort of lulled us into a false sense of security that I must be too small to be attacked because I'm not hearing about it in the news media.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jessica Starks, President & CEO of Transworld Business Advisors of Grand Rapids and Lansing. If you’re thinking about selling your small business “you need to feel that this is the right time in your life and what your future looks like,” she says. “Some questions to ask yourself: what comes next? Where are you financially? What is the value of my business? And what does the process (of selling) look like?” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jen Julien, who with her husband Jon owns Braveworks, a real estate development/management company based in Houghton. “A  couple of our businesses have developed because we saw a need in the community and it wasn't being filled,” she says. “So we took it upon ourselves to fill that need and create the jobs and to create the services that help our community prosper and thrive,” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Scott Ringlein, founder of the Energy Alliance Group of North America, a family of for-profit and nonprofit companies that share a common goal and expertise to develop innovative solutions to energy waste and environmental challenges. “We help business building owners, including those in Michigan, find ways to become more energy efficient, reduce their utility cost, improve cash flow both short term and long term, and then have an option to give back to others in the same community that they're located in,” he says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with tax planner Stephanie Squires, owner of SCS Capital in Livonia. “One of the things that I think small business owners can do is look at the IRS rules when it comes to taking salaries,” she says. “One or two things can be done. They can take a salary, and take some hours of distributions, because they're bypassing a lot of the Medicare and Social Security taxes. And the other option that I see a lot of times is doing employee benefits. The employer or the small business owner providing these, it actually is an expense for them, and therefore reducing the amount of taxes that they owe on the overall income of their business.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Catherine Behrenbrinker, CEO & President of Symplicity Communications in Grand Rapids. “Cybersecurity is the number one thing, no matter what size business, you need to pay attention and have a strategy,” she says. “You need to spend money in this area, and especially for a smaller business, I think that’s an area that’s often overlooked.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Jill Marlan, CEO and founder of Peak Performance Physical Therapy. “When we go into a community it’s really important for us to be able to be ingrained into the communities and be able to give back within the communities,” she says. “Last year, we were able to give back to the communities that we serve over $50,000 in donations, injury prevention clinics, leadership education training, how to maneuver the health care system, working with athletes and volunteer work across the communities and across the state of Michigan.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Annette Crandalll, president of custom injection molder Quality Assured Plastics. “Customer service is everything,” she says. “If they can't get the parts they need when they need them and they're not good parts, then they don't pretty much need us. It's helpful now that we're doing so much electronically, because there is a lot of distance between us and some of our customer’s physical location.”  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Adam McCauley and Ryan Dost, the founders of Sandlot Sports, a very successful screen printing and embroidery business located in the Saginaw Bay region. They’ve expanded from one location in 2008 to three today. “Growth is hard, because you're experiencing things that you were not used to,” says McCauley. You take one step forward, and two step backs every time you do something. We realized early on that we didn't want to grow just for growth’s sake, we want to make sure that the business is healthy the whole time and really focus on our staff and make sure we're hiring the right people.” The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Mark Haggerty, president of Michigan Solar Solutions, and his residential sales manager Ray Myers. Haggerty cites many factors that make solar energy a good business investment. “There still is a 30% federal tax credit and accelerated bonus depreciation allowances for businesses. Plus, one thing we've seen with a lot of businesses is their motivation is more marketing, where they realize that if it's public knowledge, they've gone solar, just like all these electric cars out there, most of them were purchased not for the return on investment but because it aligns with their motivations,” he says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 31,000+ members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Britta Carlson, founder of Med Pros Share & EPIC of Marquette. Her company provides occupational, physical and speech therapy services. “I'm really trying to work with Michigan Works and Innovate Smart Zone to figure out ways that we can create a talent pipeline from childcare, getting them really competent in those developmental milestones, passionate about what they want to do, and scaling them to a degree that gets them a higher earning wage to be able to support the lifestyle that they'd like here up in the UP,” she says. The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 31,000+ members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)