NFIB

Sayler Charts His Own Course With Help From NFIB
05/24/2002

Alan Sayler may have gotten more than he bargained for when he purchased a small water filter business 25 years ago.

Frustrated with working in engineering for a large corporation, Sayler decided to go into business for himself. Today, he does everything from hiring employees and managing projects to sometimes running the vacuum and cleaning office bathrooms. However, Sayler - who owns and operates Sayler Suncoast Water - says he wouldn't have it any other way.

"At the end of the day, I know that I alone am responsible for steering this company in the right direction. I was frustrated with the constraints of working for a large company," he says. "This company is small enough for me to steer around any roadblocks I run into."

Soon after starting his business, Sayler decided that joining NFIB would help him navigate the roadblocks, many of which he found came in the form of government regulations.

"I was very impressed with NFIB from the beginning," he recalls. "Mostly because, unlike so many other organizations I have been involved with, they develop their agenda based on what their members think is important - not what some board of directors wants. I really feel they make a big difference for small business in Florida."

Quick Facts:
Business Names: Sayler Suncoast Water
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Founded: 1949 (Sayler bought in the business in 1977)
Number of employees: Six full-time and two part-time employees.

Is this a family business?
No.

What services do your businesses provide?
We sell and service point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment equipment. Our customers range from residential customers, such as families who want a higher quality of water for drinking and household uses, to industrial and commercial clients who use our products to purify water used to wash dishes in restaurants or to conduct medical procedures such as kidney dialysis. Aside from paying their bills on time, our ideal customer is anyone who uses water!

Interesting changes in the life of your business:
I've lived through several different business cycles since I started the business. The water purification industry has undergone dramatic changes - mostly due to the introduction of new technology and products - during the last 25 years. The small business I purchased in 1977 looks nothing like the business I run today. New technology has introduced different types of products for us to offer our customers. However, within the last eight years we've seen a lot of consolidation. First at the retail dealer level and more recently at the manufacturer supplier level.

From a legislative side, I believe state government has a much better understanding of small business than in previous years. It's very refreshing to see them making an effort to simplify and ease the tax burden on small businesses in Florida. We still have a way to go, however. Within our county there are 24 separate municipalities, and we have to abide by a different set of rules in each one. For most, we are required to have a permit to do business there. This creates a huge paperwork burden and extra expenditures for businesses like mine. Unfortunately, there's not a lot our state government can do to remedy situations like that.

How have you been involved in grassroots activism?
Through my involvement with Florida's NFIB Leadership Council, I have taken a stand on many issues that affect not only my business, but also other small businesses. I speak with my legislators, I write letters to the editor and encourage other businesses to speak up. For example, I've lobbied against the intangibles tax, which mandates that businesses pay taxes on the money they save as well as monies they have yet to receive.

I also took a stand on the proposed services tax, which would have decreased the state sales tax rate from 6 percent to 4.5 percent, but broadened the state tax base by repealing a range of current sales tax exemptions. As a result, service-oriented businesses like mine would have to start collecting and charging sales tax. In addition to creating more headaches for us, we'd be forced to begin paying sales tax on services that aren't currently taxed, thus driving up costs. We also felt like it would force clients to buy the same services outside of Florida to avoid the tax. Thanks to NFIB and the communication of its members, this bill was defeated.

What are your top legislative concerns?
In addition to the tax issues, I am very concerned about the rising cost of healthcare insurance for small business. Over the past two years, we've had a 56 percent increase in our premiums. Now there is talk of mandating mental health coverage, which would boost our costs even higher. What many people don't understand is that small business owners carry the same coverage for themselves as they do for their employees. We want to provide good benefits, but many businesses will be forced to drop coverage altogether if mandates are passed and costs continue to rise. People need to understand that some coverage is better than no coverage at all.

Why do you like being a small business owner?
I appreciate the fact that I am in charge of my own future. Sure government can be an obstacle, but at the end of the day I know that I am responsible for this company. Ultimately I have no one to blame but myself if things go wrong. That's a unique opportunity, and one I don't take lightly.