Julia Jamieson's blog

Melanie Lichtfeld, owner of Lichtfeld Plumbing in Madison, WI, is the self-proclaimed Latrine Queen. Although it’s a title she bestowed on herself, it’s one she’s fought long and hard for. Since she began running this family-owned business in 1981, she’s been struggling to gain respect in a decidedly male-dominated field.

Lichtfeld noted that despite her vast competency when it came to plumbing, most men would ignore or refuse to acknowledge her.

Small Business Majority held a photo contest to find the most creative small businesses around for National Small Business Week. Each day, we’ll be highlighting one of the winners in a profile on our blog. The winner of Small Business Majority’s 2014 photo contest is AmCheck!

As one of the founding partners of AmCheck, a small business that provides flexible payroll services including human resources and benefits, Mike Francone’s risky decision to leave one of the nation’s largest payroll companies to start his own has paid off in spades.

It doesn’t get much more meta than a small business completely focused on serving small businesses.

Sumnu Marketing, a Las Vegas based marketing firm that solely works with small businesses, is thus positioned as a premier firm with a true understanding of their clientele.

It’s not often when one’s childhood desires, life experiences, passion and education all converge into one end goal.

As the owner of No Senior Left Behind, a nonprofit organization that offers caregiving and resources to senior citizens in Granite City, Illinois, Tawanda Story struck out those four balls with one swing of a bat.

Small Business Majority held a photo contest to find the most creative small businesses around for National Small Business Week. Each day, we’ll be highlighting one of the winners in a profile on our blog. Today’s winner is Desert Star Systems.

It’s no secret that maintaining a small business is tough work. At the heart of many small business success stories is adaptability, a trait that has enabled Goedeker’s to thrive for more than 60 years.

Since 1951, the St. Louis staple has changed with the times, becoming a trusted name in major appliances, furniture and home lighting after starting out as a quaint TV and radio repair shop, noted Steve Goedeker, the store’s current owner and son of the store’s founder, Ben Goedeker.

Tsui Yee pours her family’s hard work and sacrifice into running a successful small business and a passionate stance on immigration.

As a founding partner of an immigration law firm, Guerrero Yee LLP, in New York City, it goes without saying that Yee avidly supports comprehensive immigration reform. But it’s her personal upbringing that really shapes her views.

Ohio lawmakers are pushing legislation that would roll back the state’s energy efficiency standards, and one local solar business is fired up in its opposition.

Third Sun Solar, based in Athens, has seen first-hand how energy efficiency has cut costs, spurred innovation and created business opportunities. Eliminating Ohio’s clean energy standards, as Senate Bill 310 aims to do, would not only lead to increased energy costs, but could significantly hamper their small business.

A group of Ohio lawmakers are pushing legislation that would put the kibosh on the Buckeye State’s energy efficiency standards. They claim these standards hurt businesses. However, Small Business Majority asked Ohio small business owners what they think about strong clean energy and energy efficiency standards and found they strongly support them. Small businesses believe stronger energy standards save them money and open up a new segment of the economy that creates business opportunities.