My great-grandmother was a fiercely proud lady. Shortly after marrying at 19, she managed to convince my great-grandfather to put all his hard-earned savings into opening a small business. They converted their home into a shop. It took a while for them to make money, but my great-grandfather's love for numbers helped to run the business while my great-grandmother's kind nature and sense of humor kept customers coming back.
Now, two generations later, that tiny shop is now a comfortable two-story building. And the small family business of just husband and wife employs over 36 people. Going to the store every day is an emotional experience for my dad, as he sits where my grandfather once sat. I once asked my father why he wouldn't expand his store outside of their small town. "The magic would be gone," he replied.
That magic is what we want to celebrate this Small Business Saturday. We serve customers of all sizes - from freelancers and the small shop around the corner to large corporations. But in our initial days, it was only the small businesses who would take a chance on us, and for that, we're forever grateful.
Do you know a business run by passionate individuals, who exude a quiet confidence and a classic sense of independence? It could be the coffee shop that you frequent, the dance school your daughter goes to, the accounting firm that oversees your finances, or the growing design firm your friend joined a year ago.
Nominate them for the Small Businesses Sell Big with Zoho contest, and give them an opportunity to be recognized and to win $50,000 in prizes. The rules are simple: the business with the most votes wins. Spread the word, and help us keep the magic alive.
Great initiative, thank you Zoho