From fighting new tax rules to battling burdensome regulations, four small business owners share their stories.
All politics is local, the old saying goes. When it comes to owning your business, this is especially true. That’s why getting involved with NFIB in your state is so critical, as these NFIB Leadership Council members can attest.
NFIB Member: Ken Jarosch
Business: Jarosch Bakery Inc. in Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Employees: 62
Q: Is there a business challenge that NFIB has helped you solve?
A: In 2011, the Illinois General Assembly passed a ban on trans fats in the House. I was president of the Chicago Area Retail Bakers Association. As an organization, we rallied bakers from around the state to protest. NFIB in Illinois helped us to obtain contact information for our legislators, facilitated our giving testimony in front of a Senate committee, and guided us through the Capitol building. We won! The bill was soundly defeated in the Senate.
RELATED: Learn more about NFIB’s efforts in your state.
NFIB Member: Wendy Swager
Business: Soreo In-Home Services in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona
Employees: 25, plus 850 non-medical in-home, direct-care contractors
Q: Why did you become an NFIB member?
A: In late 2013, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System created a regulation that basically outlawed the use of independent contractors in our industry. Our law firm said, “You know, Wendy, if you’re really smart, you’re going to take a three-pronged approach to this: litigation, legislation, and education up to the level of the governor’s office. And the best group to help with the legislation and education is NFIB.”
That’s when I met with Farrell Quinlan, NFIB’s Arizona state director. Because of his expertise, leadership, and ability to negotiate and educate, I became a devout supporter and advocate for NFIB. We sat down with the governor’s office, and we were able to effectively resolve this enormous dilemma through the three-pronged approach. That wouldn’t have happened without NFIB.
NFIB Member: Stacia Robinson
Business: BeneChoice Companies in Montgomery, Alabama
Employees: One in addition to Robinson
Q: Is there a business challenge that NFIB has helped you solve?
A: One aggravating business challenge was the burden of wasted time and resources spent on submitting the business privilege tax here in Alabama. NFIB helped clarify the redundancy [that made the tax so frustrating] to the Department of Revenue and subsequently helped change the process to a much more user-friendly system.
NFIB Member: Ted Hsu
Business: Horizon Services Corp. in East Hartford, Connecticut
Employees: N/A
Q: Why do you serve on the NFIB Leadership Council in your state?
A: I have not found any other true, grassroots business organization that speaks for America’s small businesses. As such, the burden of the future of free enterprise in America depends upon active participation by all current NFIB members to recruit new, active members.
