And as Jose Gonzalez, co-founder and CEO of Preferred Flooring, wisely points out, “If you’re not involved in the conversation, you’ll be blindsided by the outcome. It’s better to be on the forefront of change than to be left scrambling when new policies are passed.”
To Gonzalez, that means joining forces with other small-business leaders to collectively get their voices heard. “Power is in numbers,” he said. “The more people you can have in the same room voicing their opinion, the louder the room is.”
Gonzalez points out that groups like local chambers of commerce and the West Michigan Policy Forum are invaluable for bringing people together to share ideas and concerns. Gonzalez recently participated in a roundtable discussion during the policy forum’s biennial conference in Grand Rapids.
“It gives everyone a central location to sit down, talk about their issues… but it also brings everyone together to discuss the upcoming policies and potential law changes that could affect your business.”
This sense of community is essential, not only for sharing advice but for amplifying the voices of small-business owners when it comes to policy.
Gonzalez emphasizes the importance of listening and learning from others before stepping forward to speak. “You can only do that by first being an ear before a voice,” he says. “Then open up your mouth and speak your piece.” By listening to other small-business owners and understanding their experiences, you can present a stronger, more unified message when engaging with lawmakers, he said.
Indeed, a united voice is essential to pushing back against policies that harm job creators and ensuring that Lansing understands the real needs of small businesses. Gonzalez also said we should expand our circles, connect with others, and be part of a broader community working toward a stronger, more prosperous Michigan.
“I’m coming from construction America, not corporate America. I don’t have any insight on the corporate aspect, but construction America operates on a much smaller scale, it’s more personalized, it’s more individualized,” Gonzalez said. “And if Lansing doesn’t understand that soon, there’s going to be a lot of people that are going to be in trouble.”
The time to act is now. Connect with the West Michigan Policy Forum and make your voice part of a larger movement for positive change. Get involved, speak up, and advocate for policies that will protect and grow our local businesses. Together, we can make a real difference in Lansing.
