09/19/2008
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Kyle Jackson and his mother Deb Jackson (at left) with the team at Heart of Ohio Hardware. |
For the Jackson Family, involvement with small business has been a way of life for nearly three decades. Deb Jackson and husband, Gene, purchased a hardware store in 1980, which had been a staple in the community. Throughout the years, the business has been affiliated with the likes of True Value and John Deere. Although she sold the business in 2000, Deb reopened the hardware store in November of 2006. Heart of Ohio Hardware offers services ranging from key duplication and fishing equipment to Rug Doctor rental and pipe cutting. Gene also lends a hand with running the new business in addition to three full-time and three part-time employees.
Daily challenges for Deb include corporate competition and the demise of small business in the area, to say nothing of taxes; yet through it all, Deb remains positive, citing personal relationships with employees, customers and vendors as among the greatest plusses of being a small business owner.
Deb says that her membership with NFIB has been helpful in many ways, ranging from the NFIB/Ohio Workers' Compensation Group Rating Program to legislative updates and ongoing support.
"I encourage other small business owners to join," Deb says. "NFIB is an excellent resource for any company."
Deb became an NFIB member in 2007 although the family's involvement with NFIB started earlier than that when Deb and Gene's son Kyle began an internship with NFIB while attending the Ohio State University in 2002. He worked both in grassroots and in legislation, and upon his graduation was hired into a full-time position as the assistant legislative director, a capacity that he has held for the past five years. Being actively involved in legislative policy every day has given Kyle the opportunity to represent business owners just like his mother.
"Having been raised in a family-business setting, I have a real appreciation for the sacrifices and contributions small business owners make," Kyle says. "To be able to go fight for small business at the Statehouse each day is an honor."
For more information on Heart of Ohio Hardware, please visit www.heartofohio.doitbest.com. Kyle Jackson can be reached at kyle.jackson@nfib.org.
