For the past 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has celebrated the nation's entrepreneurs and small-business owners during its annual National Small Business Week, which kicks off today.
In addition to events, panels, and talks that happen around the U.S., the SBA names winners for Small Business Person of the Year from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. From this group of 53 outstanding entrepreneurs, one is chosen as the national winner on May 16.
The SBA, which provides American small-business owners with loans, federal contracts, and strategic counseling, selects the winners based on a handful of factors, including the business' staying power, growth in number of employees, sales growth, innovation in the field, and contributions to the community. The SBA defines a small business as one that is independently owned and operated, organized for profit, and, depending on the industry, has a maximum staff of 100 to 1,500 employees and revenue of $500,000 to $20 million.
This year's winners are creating jobs, driving innovation, and carving out niche markets. Take South Dakota's Ryan McFarland, who created a safe bicycle alternative for young children that brought in $10 million in sales last year, or the New Jersey-based family business Kiran Gill, an environmental firm that has grown revenue an average of 50% annually to $13 million.
These entrepreneurs show that a smart strategy, a little luck, and a lot of hard work can still pay off.
ALABAMA: Harvey Nix, Proventix Systems
Nix founded Proventix in 2007 and developed an automated hygiene-compliance system for healthcare facilities that tracks when workers perform a cleansing activity such as washing their hands. Independent studies have shown the system has increased the levels of hygiene in facilities that have adopted it and lowered the risk of spreading infection.
As CEO, Nix has grown the company from two employees and one client to 23 full-time employees and 42 clients in 11 states. He plans on doubling the number of employees in 2015.
ALASKA: Ginna Baldiviez and John Baldiviez, House of Bread Anchorage
The Baldiviezes have been operating businesses in Alaska since 1990. In 2010 they opened the Anchorage branch of the House of Bread bakery-and-cafe franchise based in California. After three years, they achieved gross sales of almost $1 million.
"Our goal was to become part of the community," John said. "And I think that is something that we made happen with the support of our loyal customers."
ARIZONA: Cynthia Miracle Reed, MIRACORP
When Reed, an Army veteran, gave birth to her daughter in 1989, she left Vector Research and created her own company to have better work-life balance. MIRACORP started as a management-and-administrative-services consulting firm based out of her home. In 2008, she received SBA 8(a) certification, which assists financially disadvantaged small businesses.
As president and CEO, she has since guided MIRACORP to an 850% growth in revenues. It now has 122 employees with a presence in 11 states and the District of Columbia, and has worked with federal agencies like Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.
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