06/03/2002
When Randy Sokol served as president of the Ohio Restaurant Association and chairman of the Ohio Hospitality Coalition, he learned the importance of speaking his mind to his lawmakers. He made it a point to get to know them and took the time to explain the issues that were important to him and to his business. Sokol's involvement and interest eventually lead to his nomination as an Ohio delegate to the 2000 Small Business Summit in Washington D.C."I really didn't know what I was going to," Sokol says. "When I arrived, I soon discovered that I was one of the only people there who wasn't a member of NFIB. I was simply sponsored my congressperson. When I got there, I was extremely impressed with the entire operation -- the speakers who were there and NFIB as a whole," he said.
Sokol joined NFIB soon after, and has been an active member ever since, now serving as the chair of the Columbus Area Action Council. He and other AAC members will organize programs and speakers of interest and importance to Ohio small business owners, mostly dealing with tax-related and legislative-related issues.
At their first program, Senator David Goodman (R-OH) spoke to about 50 small business owners. Sokol hopes to continue raising political awareness for small business owners and helping them communicate with their lawmakers.
"We all must remember that as much as we need the political process, so do the politicians need us to help them with that process," Sokol says. "Lawmakers need us to call and educate them about our issues. I've seen lawmakers change their minds, change decisions based on information they got by talking to people. It's easy to forget that lawmakers are people, too. Small business owners need to foster strong relationships with lawmakers so they can help them understand what's important."
Quick Facts:
Business Name: Tee Jaye's Country Place Restaurants
Founded: 1970
Locations: 10 locations in the Columbus, Ohio area
What services do you provide:
Tee Jaye's is a full-service, 24-hour, family-style restaurant. Our business is very interesting because it is aimed at blue-collar workers -- construction workers, factory workers, service industry people. We've found that over the past 30 years that this group does not follow many popular trends. We've tried adding low-fat and diet items to our menu but we've found that people like to eat heavy foods. So, we've had the same general menu for the last 30 years.
Do you employ family members?
My mom and dad started this business 30 years ago. My dad had been in the restaurant business for at least 20 years already. My sister and I were born into it. Now my dad, my sister and I run the business together. I like being a small business owner because of the control I have -- I can meet with my sister, make a decision, and have it implemented the next day.
Working with family is a challenge though. We met with a family consultant for two years. He helped us manage our business without bringing family issues into it. Hiring a family consultant really helped us -- I can't stress its importance enough. I think it's absolutely necessary for family businesses.
What is your number one legislative concern?
The state budget is the biggest issue now. We need a balanced budget, but state politicians need to be careful about raising taxes. We need to assess how we're using the spending the money.
