It is an honor to be a part of the celebration of the 2o12 National Small Business Week. Throughout the last twenty-nine years the Small Business Week Committee has convened to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Northwest Florida Region. This time honored tradition provides us an occasion to salute entrepreneurs for their courage, commitment and creativity.

Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It’s a practice. This practice is fueled by passion, supported through sacrifices, replete with obstacles and carried out with the highest stakes in the balance. It’s only befitting that we set aside a special week to recognize small business owners for all of the positive contributions they make to our communities. Surviving in the marketplace as a small business has never been easy, but the last two years have presented unimaginable challenges.

The challenges of this unpredictable economy have tested the mettle of entrepreneurs in each segment of the marketplace. Small business owners have contended with decreasing sales, increasing inflation and virtually no access to capital. However, entrepreneurs have turned this apparent crisis into an opportunity. Entrepreneurs and small business owners have demonstrated their resilience by exploring new markets, identifying more efficient operating models and the implementation of innovation. Their perseverance has served as a catalyst to the nation’s overall recovery.

Words cannot accurately convey the amount of gratitude owed to entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community. From the Staff of SBDC at FAMU and the Small Business Week Committee, we would like to say THANK YOU.

Please take a moment and click on the link below to view pictures from the GALA

https://photobucket.com/FAMU2012smallbusinessgala