Small Business, Huge Contribution

Small businesses are a major part of our National Economy. Nearly all U.S. firms are small businesses; comprising 99.7% of businesses with paid employees. They employ 47.8% of all private sector employees. That is around 58 million people.

Even so, they are often “flying under the radar” in business and economic discussions. That is not the case for Amazon, IBM, Apple and other publicly traded companies. Understandably people pay attention to where their money is invested. Enormous private sector consulting resources fight for their business.  Fair enough, but resources need to be available to smaller businesses.

We believe in small businesses. We believe in the unique, individualized approach they employ in their work. They are not dinosaurs in an era of technology and innovation. In fact, nearly all employee firms in high tech sectors are small businesses made up of architects, computer systems design specialists and engineering. Their entrepreneurial energy is fascinating.  

There is a serious and an unnecessary problem in small businesses.  While 79% survive the first year, only half make it to five years and only a third to 10 years. 

At Zelle we are committed to helping small businesses thrive by providing key business and human resource support. From the first day a business starts they should be looking ahead to the critical interplay of business and people resources. They typically do not. Existing time and resources are at a premium.   

People involved in evolving organizations are often unable to identify “what is changing, what is different, what do we need to do?” Our research and experience have helped us identify key dynamics of companies at different phases of the business life cycle. 

For example, very new companies are fueled by a love of the work. They may ultimately be blindsided by the need to build a supporting organization and to take on business responsibilities.    

More established small businesses face their own unexpected pitfalls. Evolving from sales driven, top line culture may be required to handle the complexities of a growing enterprise. 

Long term businesses realize that the employees who made them successful do not have all the talent and expertise to meet the need for innovation. What now?

What we bring to the table is an individualized focus on your unique business and human resource needs. Thinking back to larger firms, they are bombarded with consultancies that want to sell them the single solution they believe makes all businesses better. That approach simply does not work in smaller organizations. It can’t.

Business and human resource support should be offered in the framework of Listening, Clarifying, Consulting and Coaching. Focused services are an outcome of that process. Small businesses evolve quickly. You may not be able to detect the changes, but we can. And then, and only then will we recommend and offer the right solutions. If the solutions do not support your success now, and in the future, then they are not really solutions. 

Choose wisely and find a consulting partner for the long term. We understand how long-term trust relationships take business to the next level of success. 

Let’s keep the discussion going.  Remember to pick up the phone to discuss ideas, set a time for us to visit your business, or email us.