LANSING ? Big businesses in Michigan has influence within government circles to shape legislation and the purchasing power to buy products and services at office warehouse prices. The Small Business Association of Michigan tries to give smaller businesses a seat at the same table.
SBAM has some 6,000 members in all 83 Michigan counties and all SIC codes. A year old analysis of its membership base shows SBAM?s demographics reflect the make up of the Michigan small business community. The largest sector served is business services. There?s also a healthy mix of manufacturers. Some 20 percent of SBAM?s members are sole proprietors or independent contractors.
SBAM lobbies for tax issues, labor law, licensing, regulations, at the intersection of business and government.
?Our new brand statement is focusing the power of small business,?? said SBAM President Rob Fowler. ?It says exactly what we do ? advocacy, purchasing power and small business resources.?
Fowler said one of the frustrations he?s often experienced in his 20 years of working with small business is small businesses don?t value advocacy until they need it.
?It?s easy enough to ignore the huge tax debate on the horizon until it hits you,?? he said. ?The question is will small business have a seat at that table. I wake up every morning and go to work to make sure we do.?
There?s a whole lot more to membership than that, Fowler said. Through SBAM?s buying power, it can get members discounts on group life insurance, office products and overnight shipping. The majority of members join SBAM for the health insurance. Available are group life, group vision, all the ala carte items you get in a big company?s health care cafeteria plan.
SBAM yearly dues are $165. Included is a slick full color monthly magazine, a Monday morning eNewsletter alert, a web site and a Friday advocacy email. Fowler said members get as much communications from SBAM has they want.
To learn more, click on SBAM.Org
