07/26/2006
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Steve Becher |
Steve Becher has been a small-business owner since 1982 when he owned and operated several businesses that specialized in food service and vending. It was while running those businesses that Becher first recognized the importance of NFIB to small business. In 1986, he joined the organization. In 2004, Becher opted to exit the food service business and enter the world of publishing, yet he has remained an active member of NFIB.
In 1999, Becher's current company, Home Owner's Resource Guide, Inc., was started and designed by a realtor for his customers. This company publishes an upscale magazine for the new or remodeling homeowner. Within each publication readers will find many useful articles and resources pertaining to buying or selling a home, improving a home, and information about the communities in which the guide is circulated. The publication is designed and distributed with the help of 11 employees, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, banks and Becher's son, Chad.
"We have expanded to eight publications per year in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., area and one publication in Iowa," Becher said. "We have continually improved our content and features. Because of its high quality, our publication is considered a 'coffee table' guide."
Becher highlighted the updated Home Owner's Resource Guide, Inc. Web site, which contains the full library of articles found in the printed publications themselves. Becher's company has also added an exclusive rewards card program for its readers, which offers significant discounts at many of its advertisers' businesses.
Early on in his business career in the 1980s, Becher felt the negative affects of Minnesota's unfriendly business climate on his companies.
"The only success small-business owners had during this time was to slow down the passage of anti-small business legislation," Becher said. "No pro-business bills passed during this time. NFIB was one of the only organizations working to reverse this situation."
As soon as Becher realized NFIB's dedication to its members, he decided to become a member of the Minnesota Leadership Council and actively lobby his state legislators for change.
"Our first and most significant reform was turning around our workers' compensation situation in the state," Becher said. "Minnesota was ranked last in the entire nation and had many businesses leaving the state because they could not afford to do business here. It took many years of intense lobbying to turn this around. Because of the efforts of NFIB and its members, today we have a much more reasonable system in place."
"Since the early 1990s we've made many significant improvements in areas such as workers' comp insurance, tort reform and eminent domain," said Becher.
The most troublesome area facing his business today is the rising cost of health insurance for his employees.
When asked to cite his favorite thing about being a small-business owner, Becher said, "I enjoy being able to quickly make decisions and respond to events without the delays of a large corporate bureaucracy, and seeing the business grow due to my/our efforts."
