Beating the odds as a small business

By the numbers, AMY INK should be a fond memory by now. And I should have boomeranged back to a corporate office.  About half of all small businesses only survive for five years and only one-third make it a decade.

It’s a good thing numbers don’t tell the whole story. This April, AMY INK celebrates its 16th year, and the only time I think about returning to the corporate fold is when I’m having a nightmare. It’s not that I don’t love the work; I just don’t want to be confined to one workplace and one subject and the certain uncertainty of budget cuts and downsizings.

There have been a number of changes in AMY INK over the years, as annual reports and employee magazines – my specialties – fell out of favor with corporate budgets. These days I tend to write more marketing-oriented projects than corporate communications. Instead of financial performance and global growth strategies, I write stories about people that humanize the products and services offered by my clients.  

More changes have come with technology, allowing me to be efficient and productive. I remember early days of sitting near the landline phone, or in front of my desktop computer, so I wouldn’t miss a client message. Now all I need is my smartphone within reach to stay in touch wherever I might be.  

Microbusinesses like AMY INK – which have fewer than five employees, including the owner – have been called the mainstay of the U.S. economy, representing greater than 90% of all businesses. We’re an interesting group of mom-and-pop shops, one-person “solopreneurs”, consultants, specialists, artists, musicians, freelancers, tradespeople, and other SOHOs (small office or home office).

The one statistic that does ring true for AMY INK is that one-fourth of small businesses last for 15 years or more. I am thrilled to officially be in the “or more” category.

I extend my sincere thanks to all the clients I’ve had the privilege to write for and to the designers who have made me part of their team. My hope is to provide fresh thinking and effective writing for many more years to come.