For a special episode on NFIB's 80 years of advocacy, Robert Lycke, Jr., president of Seattle-based Kuker-Ranken, explains why his business has been an NFIB member for almost as long
Launched in 2023, NFIB closes out the year of its new podcast series with a special episode on 80th anniversary of NFIB, founded in 1943.
Leading off the 25th episode is Bob Lycke, Jr., whose Seattle-based Kuker-Ranken small business has been an NFIB member for almost as long as NFIB has been around.
“I remember when I walked in the first time in 1977 that the NFIB sign was on the door,” said Lycke. “I had no idea that at that time we were members for 49 years. Today it’s now 79 years that we’ve been a member of the NFIB. It has been a wonderful relationship.”
Value in the Voice
For Lycke, the value NFIB gives its members is the voice it gives small business in Congress and in the Washington State Legislature—and the results it achieves.
“I truly do get a voice on what happens in the Legislature. We get to choose and pick what fights we want to have. So, as for instance, the B&O tax came out that was going to hurt small businesses.
“We were able to make sure that it was capable of accommodating small businesses with the business and occupation tax. We were able to get tax relief for 276,000 companies … In fact, they got credits up to $125,000 in exemption from the tax. This was a substantial win for NFIB and small businesses that normally the bill would have just been pushed through, and we had to accept what the Legislature gives us.
“We no longer have to accept what the Legislature gives us. We can actually negotiate a better deal.”
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