People who choose to start small businesses have much more than a chance to be their own boss - they also make decisions that can improve their towns and help with job creation. This week, CNN did a story on Tipke Manufacturing of Spokane, Washington, which had been facing a round of layoffs and was planning to shut down for a couple of weeks after Christmas. However, the company got an unexpected lifeline from a combination of an early winter and innovative employees. According to the report, Tipke employees held a brainstorming session and created a prototype of a snow rake that helps people remove snow from their rooftops. Now, they are working extra hours just to keep up with demand for their new product, and employee morale is said to be just as high as the company's recent sales figures. Not every company can enjoy such unexpected success, especially during the current economic downturn. However, this is an example of what innovative and flexible entrepreneurs can accomplish when they take a good idea and run with it. Some may also be surprised at how resilient a small business can be in the face of tough economic times. A recent Reuters report notes that small businesses employ 50 million people nationwide, more than double the number working at large firms. The news service also notes that while large companies have been laying off people for most of the last 18 months, small businesses layoffs did not pick up substantially until last February.  |