NFIB

Your input needed -- Please vote the 2007 Tennessee Ballot
By now, each NFIB member should have received the 2007 Tennessee State Ballot. Voting the NFIB ballot is your opportunity to help determine what is important to your business and small business. The collective interest of our members drives NFIB's priorities each legislative year.

This year, there are more convenient ways than ever for you to submit your ballot. You can respond via mail, fax or online www.NFIB.com/ballot. If you haven't completed this year's state ballot, please do so as soon as possible. Your input is the key to NFIB being your small-business voice.

Positive year for Tennessee small businesses
As the 2006 calendar winds down, small business in Tennessee is again a winner. Several small-business victories were achieved, including regulatory flexibility, health insurance for small-business workers, new restrictions on the use of eminent domain to seize private property and tax protection for entities with add-on software. Through your efforts, NFIB also defeated several legislative efforts that would have hurt small business and cost Tennessee jobs, such as efforts to raise the minimum wage and to establish a private right-of-action for pay-equity provisions.

None of these victories would have been possible without your activism. Many NFIB members took time to join me at the capitol, to meet legislators, to write letters and meet with the press. Thank you for your support for free enterprise, and I look forward to working with you on new issues in 2007.

Memphis Business Journal surveying business
It's time for the Memphis Business Journal's annual Review and Forecast Survey. Please tell the MBJ about the year gone by and what you anticipate for 2007. There are opportunities for you to speak your mind on business, politics and more. It takes about five minutes to complete the survey. To get started, please visit http://www.mbjsurveys.biz.

Applications for Young Entrepreneur awards available online
Do you know an up-and-coming entrepreneur? Encourage them to apply for the 2007 Young Entrepreneur Awards, a program of the National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation. The fifth annual scholarship program for high-school seniors is designed to set teenage small-business owners on the path to entrepreneurship.

Award recipients attend the university, college, community college or vocational/technical institute of their choice with $1,000 in tuition assistance from the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation. Five students will be named regional winners and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. One of the regional winners will be named the Young Entrepreneur of the Year and will be awarded an additional $5,000 for a total scholarship award of $10,000. For more information and to download an application please visit www.NFIB.com/YEF and click "Young Entrepreneur Awards" under the programs section. If you are interested in underwriting or contributing towards a scholarship in the nominees name or your company name, please visit the Web site above and click "How You Can Help" or e-mail Chantel.Bartlett@NFIB.org.

Don't forget your NFIB member benefits
Did you know about all the great member benefits you have as an NFIB member? Is your business looking to buy new computer equipment, for instance? If so, maybe you would be interested in learning more about Dell discounts available to NFIB members. This information is available at www.dell.com/content/topics/promo.aspx/assoc/nfib.

Being an NFIB member not only helps your voice to be heard in Washington and in Nashville, but also gives you access to benefits that save you money and time. NFIB's member benefits are designed to help with your critical business needs -- insurance, health care, shipping, technology, financial services and more. For more information, please visit www.NFIB.com/page/benefitsHome.

Sincerely,
Gary Selvy
NFIB/Tennessee State Director
Gary.Selvy@NFIB.org