‘Legislators are excited to hear the perspectives of small business owners, so I would advise other owners to get to get out and be active where you can.’
NFIB Indiana Member Profile: Mark Hagar of Specialized Printed Products
Name: Mark Hagar
Business: Specialized Printed Products
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Employees: 40
Working in a corporate office didn’t sit well
with Mark Hagar. So after years of working for someone else, Hagar decided to
break out on his own, and in 1997, he started Specialized Printed Products.
Hagar’s company has absorbed 13 other printing
companies throughout the state, and he operates out of two store locations.
Because of his acquisitions over the years, Hagar’s company offers an extensive
list of printing services from t-shirts and hats to banners and brochures.
Although Hagar has successfully navigated his business for almost 20 years, he
still faces many obstacles on his path to grow his business.
Rising healthcare costs and the mandates from
the Affordable Care Act are the toughest of these obstacles to overcome, Hagar
said. But it’s been easier to access state legislators and amplify the voice of
small businesses like his since joining forces with NFIB in 2003. Since then,
Hagar has discovered the power of advocating for legislation that will
positively affect his business, he said.
“My perspective has been that legislators are
excited to hear the perspectives of small business owners, so I would advise
other owners to get to get out and be active where you can,” Hagar said.
