There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“It's a great networking tool, and it's a great networking organization and it's a great political advocacy organization.”

Bob Spence is the executive vice president of Spence Brothers Construction.

“Talk to a number of different entrepreneurs and small businesses from across the state and just talk to them about how they do business and their challenges, how they're dealing with things, it's been very valuable for me, in particular

getting the entrepreneurial type perspective from some really small businesses, is kind of energizing for me. Because you know, we're a little bit larger and deal with different things than let's say a start up would. So it's to get that sort of diversity of thought and approaches -- I don't see anywhere else where I could get that other than SBAM.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“Who else can I talk to who understands my daily struggles.”

Kim Bode is the owner of 8THIRTYFOUR, an award winning communications strategy, event planning, social media, media relations and design firm based in Grand Rapids.

“I joke and say it's almost a support group, but it's almost like going home. You see a lot of the same business owners, you're all there to support each other, you're there, we all give advice to each other freely. But then, SBAM staff being able to know what's going on, on the legislative side of things, and how that's going to affect my business, is incredibly important.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The Small Business Association is just really an asset to help small businesses become better businesses and learn from one another and in really embellish, you know, what you've learned and how I can take some of those best practices within my own organization.”

Ginny Seyferth is the founder and president of nationally-known public relations and communications firm SeyferthPR in Grand Rapids.

“I think it's the opportunity to have somebody looking out for small business from whether it's taxes or you know, workers comp issues. It's a resource. I think when we get too limited into what we do every day and we don't look at the bigger picture I think it's problematic.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“SBAM within the state of Michigan, hands down, has developed the best level of content and leadership material and networking for me and without SBAM, I don't know that I would know where else to go get it.”

Dave Moore is president of VP Demand Creation Services, founded 50 years ago in Traverse City.

“The best thing SBAM has done for me in terms of delivering content, delivering knowledge, because at the top of every organization, there's a president/CEO, and it's very lonely. And you no longer have a mentor. Unless you formed a board of directors, you no longer have a boss. And so where do you go for those resources? SBAM has developed that for me.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“It's an amazing opportunity to just speak to someone that's been there, and done that, to see that, you know, you're on the right path, and you're doing the right stuff.”

Justin Caine is the co-owner of Good Fruit Video in mid-Michigan and he appreciates the opportunity the organization gives him for owner-to-owner interaction.

“Being able to talk to someone and when you think you’re drowning, and you think you're doing a horrible job, and then you talk to someone and they say, oh no, you know, yeah, I feel the same way or blah, blah, blah, you know, I did this and this is how I do this.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“For one thing, I really value the expertise of the people who are leading the organization.”

Cynthia Kay is a past board chair of SBAM and owner/president of Cynthia Kay and Company, a full service media production and communications consulting company in Grand Rapids.

“What I love about SBAM is that they understand the issues sometimes before we even know it's an issue as a business owner, they take a really even handed nonpartisan approach to what they look at what is good for small business, and they come back and they give you the pros and the cons of things.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“There's so many wonderful things about it. But I think one of the highest value pieces for me is the involvement in the legislation and the communication that comes out of that.”

Sarah Hall is the owner and president of the Griswold Group, a health insurance agency and employee benefits consulting firm based in Grand Rapids and a member of SBAM’s Leadership Council.

“For any person, you know, living a busy life running a business, some of us are not as able to stay as closely on top of the changes and the needs. So just being able to be made aware of what's going on and then in addition to that, obviously, being advocated for as a whole it's it's really a wonderful thing.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The staff at of SBAM is phenomenal, world-class. Would put them up against any association or leadership team in the country.”

Bonnie Alfonso is the President/CEO of Alfie Logo Gear for Work & Play in Traverse City and a past chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The connections that they have helped me build through a peer network within the organization, the opportunities I've had to serve, and the people that I've met along the way have now become lifelong friends. And I so value the connections and the opportunities that I have to learn and grow from other business leaders across the state. And it is just been phenomenal.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The fellowship of something like SBAM is remarkable.”

Bob Fish is co-founder of BIGGBY COFFEE and a past chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“As a board member, I was just exposed to other board members, and then broadly, members of SBAM. And, you know, when anybody can create, you know, the word I like to use is scaffolding. That is that there are people around you where you can share your ideas, and you can listen to their ideas, and you can simply listen to them, because you might hear something differently that can really influence your thinking and allow you to grow.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.

There are many great reasons for entrepreneurs like you to belong to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“Oh, I think as SBAM is a remarkable organization.”

Gary Kushner is CEO of Kushner & Company in Portage and a past chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The biggest value I saw was that SBAM was nonpartisan, or I shouldn't say partisan, but only to small business. It was not a Democratic or Republican organization like others in Lansing. But what I found that that allowed them to do and allowed all of its members and myself included to do was provide input on both sides of the aisle. Didn't matter who was in the, you know, which party was represented in the governor's office or the House or Senate. Up in Lansing, we were able to represent small business, probably at the greatest level of any organization in the state. And so I saw SBAM as this remarkable entity now in its 50th year. I've been involved with them for probably 30, 40, for almost 35 years or longer, and just saw them as remarkably effective, open to ideas and helping improve the small business climate in the state of Michigan.”

Leverage the value of your involvement with the Small Business Association of Michigan. Learn more by calling today at 800-362-5461.