"The most important thing NFIB does is represent us politically. Politics is part of the cost of doing business. Even if you don’t work in politics, politics is going to work on you."
When was your small business founded? How did you become a small business owner?
I grew up with Dairy Queens. My father (Tolbert Mayfield) was one of the original franchisers. He bought it 1949; started a Dairy Queen in Cleburne. Then he bought some stores in Austin. I’m an attorney and practiced for a number of years when he kind of wanted to get out. So I took it over for him. I bought it from my father.
I’m about to open the ninth Dairy Queen in January in Austin. (Mayfield also owns Wally’s Burger Express in Austin. “We turned it around from a Dairy Queen.”).
How many employees do you have?
130
Why did you become an NFIB member?
They would call it like it was. They stood up to the Clintons on (universal healthcare) in the early 90s. They stood their ground. That’s when I first got interested in (NFIB). Then I got more active.
In what ways has NFIB helped your small business?
The most important thing NFIB does is represent us politically. Politics is part of the cost of doing business. Even if you don’t work in politics, politics is going to work on you. There are a lot of sorry stuff out there and NFIB does some real good. I give money to them because they’re doing good work.
What’s the biggest challenge that faces Texas small business owners like you?
The biggest problem is the meddling from the federal government in terms of regulation and, sometimes, the law. This Obamacare (law) is an utter fiasco. We offer insurance but my employees don’t want it because they have to pay for it. I feel sorry for how expensive it is.
Besides Obamacare, there’s some stuff regarding banks. If (banks) are restricted the lifeblood of financing (for small businesses) is cut off. Not to mention stuff like minimum wage, which politicians support just to gain political points. So federal regulations and federal are the biggest threat to my business. Also, death taxes. That’s a threat to small businesses, including mine.
How are you tackling that challenge in your own business?
We do everything we can to minimize or get around it. There are idiots out there who don’t understand that you’ve got to make a profit to support your people. This is why I support NFIB so strongly. We’re the lifeblood of the economy. We’re the ones creating the most jobs.
What advice would you give new NFIB members to make the most of their membership?
Politics is part of your costs of doing business. Join at the highest level you can afford. Help us tame the government and make it favorable for all of us. Please read up on the NFIB Legal Center, who are fighting hard every day to fight off a judicial dictatorship.
What could help your industry grow?
Ultimately if the government would get off our backs. The government is the biggest problem we have. If they keep putting regulations on us. It hurts all of us and certainly small businesses. It’s a continuing problem, the stuff they say will help doesn’t help. These regulations are harmful. Minimum wage goes up all my stores are going to have to increase their prices. Some won’t have a job.
If Texas lawmakers could grant you one legislative wish for your business what would it be?
I guess we’re already a business-friendly state. The most important thing they could do is preempt these liberal cities that think trees are more important than people and rein in their regulatory ability. There’s a way to do that. Bring it up to the legislative level. Also, provide good roads and schools.
Do you have a small business hero or mentor who’s helped shape your entrepreneurialism?
My dad. He rose from rags to riches. He grew up in a farm. That would be at least 40 years that he worked as a small business owner. And he was a good business owner.
Now, we’ve got the fourth generation coming along. We took the examples and successes from him and built on them.
