Why Participate in the Challenge?

Most small business owners build their companies backwards. They run after their success without first building the infrastructure they need to achieve and sustain their success. This results in the typical set of growing pains that prevent their small business from achieving its maximum potential:

• Disorganization
• Stress
• Customer complaints
• Inconsistent quality
• Employee dissatisfaction
• Inefficient operations
• Waste, excessive cost, reduced profits
• Lack of strategic focus 

The solution to these problems is found in a body of knowledge known as "best management practices."  But, until now, best-practices have been out of the reach of smaller businesses. The Challenge has been created to change that. It provides an easy on-ramp to best-practices.  It makes best-practices accessible to all companies regardless of their industry, size or stage of development.  It is as relevant for a retail or service business as it is for a manufacturing or distribution company.

The Great American Small Business Challenge is consistent with best-practice methodologies like the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award, Six-Sigma, ISO, TQM, Lean, Kaizen and the Toyota Quality Method. Yet it is appropriately weighted for smaller companies.