{"id":45993,"date":"2023-05-22T11:33:18","date_gmt":"2023-05-22T15:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/answernet.com\/?p=45993"},"modified":"2025-08-14T14:53:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T18:53:58","slug":"celebrate-small-business-month-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/answernet.com\/fr\/celebrate-small-business-month-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Join the Fun & Celebrate Small Business Month in May"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Courage, passion, and hard work. What do these words have in common? They are some of the characteristics of small business owners celebrated during\u00a0National Small Business Month<\/a>\u00a0in May.\u00a0<\/p>

Since 1963, the U.S. has recognized small businesses and their impact on the American culture and economy. The designated month honors the country\u2019s 33.2 million small businesses and the people who run them.<\/p>

The Backbone of America\u2019s Economy<\/h2>

Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and their employees are critical to the U.S. economy. Their work and contributions to communities nationwide deserve a month of recognition and celebration.<\/p>

For 60 years, America has taken great pride in celebrating National Small Business Month. The month also includes\u00a0National Small Business Week<\/a>\u00a0(April 30 \u2013 May 6), and National Small Business Day on May 10.\u00a0<\/p>

This annual tradition, led by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA<\/a>), is co-hosted by\u00a0SCORE<\/a>, which mentors America\u2019s small businesses.<\/p>

\u201cNational Small Business Week celebrates the resilience, innovation, and economic power of America\u2019s small businesses and innovative startups,\u201d says\u00a0SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to showcase our highly impactful entrepreneurs who build prosperity in their communities while strengthening our nation\u2019s global competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Since 1963, the U.S. has celebrated National Small Business Week. Stop at your favorite small business and say thanks. Credit: SBA<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Starting a Business at the Right Time<\/span><\/p>

Larry Whitney grew up near San Francisco and was passionate about this work. He was 20, and a growth plan was not even part of the equation.<\/p>

\u201cWe just liked what we did, worked hard, and the timing worked for us,\u201d says Larry. He was excited about the opportunities that first included providing audio work for city councils and churches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

His company, Western Audio-Video, continued to grow and expand. He provided broadband data communications and began working with four major universities in the western U.S., including Stanford. He became a subcontractor with the U.S. Department of Defense.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Small businesses can keep your company or home up-to-date on technology changes. Image by creativeart on Freepik.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Endless Opportunities<\/h3>

\u201cI found a niche to serve,\u201d says Larry. \u201cIt was the perfect location for the company. There were endless opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area.\u201d<\/p>

As the communications world changed, Whitney\u2019s company worked with fiber optics and cable television companies. Throughout the years, Western Audio-Video provided cutting-edge services to Bay Area homeowners and businesses.<\/p>

\u201cWe had a track record rivaled by few in the industry and consistently provided professional home, commercial, office A.V. and integrated installations, both large and small,\u201d says Larry.<\/p>

High-End Projects<\/h3>

Western Audio-Video spent nearly 12 years focusing on high-end audio-video for large corporations and multi-million-dollar companies. Larry said these companies did not want cookie-cutter systems, and the projects required extensive engineering, superior client relationships, and customer response.\u00a0<\/p>

After 45 years of leading his company, Larry knew it was time for a change. He had the right people to transition the company to younger partners in 2021.<\/p>

Reflections and Advice<\/h3>

Would he want to do this all over again? \u201cYes, I would do it again,\u201d Larry says. \u201cIt provided a good life for me and my family. There were challenges, but we rolled with all the new technology and never let it become antiquated.\u201d<\/p>

He encourages new business owners to take the time to build the right team of employees. \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to do, but you must find the right people for your business.\u201d<\/p>

2023 Small Business Facts<\/h2>

SBA Administrator Guzman reports a record high of 10.5 million small business applications filed in the last two years.<\/p>

\u201cThis is the most in any two years in our nation\u2019s history,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is better news for our economy, with steady and stable growth and unprecedented investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, and R&D, bringing abundant opportunities for America\u2019s entrepreneurs.\u201d<\/p>

Le\u00a0Forbes Advisor<\/a>\u00a0outlined small business statistics in 2023 that include data about employment, job creation, industry growth, and challenges.<\/p>

Highlights include:\u00a0<\/p>