This Thanksgiving I am struck by how much working in a small business can generate thankfulness. Over the past 23 years, I’ve worked for global technology companies. I’ve also worked for a local copier dealer. For the past 12 years, I’ve been the leader of a growing small business.
I’ve noticed that there is something very special about small businesses. Working in a small business means you are very closely connected with your team, clients, and suppliers. While running a small business certainly brings challenges, another thing it can generate is much happiness.
As an employer, I am very thankful for the dedication and passion of our team. They bring their best every day. As a smaller organization, their fingerprints are on every piece of work that we do. Every day, I watch our team combine creativity with passion. This results in amazing deliverables for our clients. I see them dedicated to learning and mastering their craft in an industry that continually changes. I witness them having each other’s backs. This creates thankfulness.
Employees are thankful for a place to work where they are known, challenged, and valued. We get to work together as a team. The work each of us does counts and that brings meaning to our lives. While a small business may lack the long list of HR benefits of a global corporation, every day I see team members that are thankful to work in a company that values family and not just corporate policy. This creates thankfulness.
Small businesses are thankful for their clients. We get to be a virtual extension of their companies, working side-by-side with our client’s teams. In many cases, clients become friends. In serving copier dealers and managed network services providers, we get a front-row seat to witness some of the most innovative local businesses. Our clients are fanatical about delivering customer service—something very rare in our society. I’m grateful that we get to help our clients grow their businesses. As we bring on new clients, this creates new jobs that provide for people’s families. All of this creates thankfulness.
Small businesses are thankful for their suppliers. These days, no business can do everything on its own. You need other companies to come alongside and fill the gaps. That’s what we do as we become a virtual extension of our clients’ marketing departments. We also have numerous companies and cloud services providers that fill the gaps in our business in areas outside our core specialty. Suppliers become virtual partners to a small business. In many cases, vendors become allies, friends, and trusted advisors. Once again, this generates thankfulness.
When I started Dealer Marketing 12 years ago, I had no idea how many new friendships would come into my life. Today, as a part of our HubSpot inbound marketing team, Prospect Builder, and our LinkedIn coaching initiative, the Social Sales Academy, I have business partners and friends on three continents. It’s truly amazing. For all of our employees, clients, and suppliers, I want to say, “thank you.” There are many reasons to give thanks today.
Originally published on LinkedIn Pulse.
