This blog post is being brought to you by Visa Small Business.

May 12-16 is National Small Business Week, and I think we ought to spend more time celebrating that we own small businesses. It’s all the big fish that the world follows and glamorizes, but being small is pretty awesome and certainly has its perks. (Click to tweet!)

Of all the things I love about being a small business owner, two really stand out. The first is being able to run lean and mean, having the ability to implement things without having to go up a chain of command and ensuring every resource is used efficiently. Creativity is more valuable than cash in business, and small business owners know that throwing money at a problem is not always the best solution.

The second thing I love about running a small business is really getting to know people – both the people I work with and the clients we serve. I am grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my team, and it’s a great feeling to have personal connections with so many of our clients. My small business feels like a family.

I wanted to share what our community loves most about being small business owners too, so I asked our readers to write one advantage they love having as a small business owner that big competitors don’t have.

 

 

“As a small business, I am often able to deal with the twists and turns of my patients’ lives by altering my office hours to accommodate them.” – Katie Sellars, Sellars Chiropractic & Wellness Centre

 

“When a customer opens their product, it is wrapped in tissue with a unique label thanking them. Personal touches set us apart from our bigger competitors.”– Karen Dean Holman, Countryfied Clothing

 

 

“As a handmade children’s clothing collection, one ability I have that the big brands don’t is the ability to adapt styles and patterns or fabrics within seasons to stay current and on trend.”– Stephanie Magley Williams, Blue Eyes and Bare Feet

 

 

“My small business helps other business owners love what they do again! I work closely with them and remind them why they started and help them get their spark back!”– Deb Linsky Laflamme, For the Love of Your Business

 

 

“We QA every.single.item personally. All of our skin care products have been personally mixed and poured by us, unlike the big companies.”– Shantelle Fawcett, Mother Nature Makes You Greater

 

 

“We are a small team with big hearts and we love what we do. As a small business, we have a strong team without a high turnover of staff.”– Rosie Bason, Byron Bay Mobile Massage

 

 

“I teach an online web design class and I provide three weeks of unlimited one-on-one email support and help. Can’t get that from a big business.”– Katie Harp, Rebelsaurus

 

 

“I can custom make any sewn textile item, from bags and purses to dresses, to suit specific needs, unlike a big business. I love the attention to detail.”– Estelle Gerard, Estellegerrard

 

 

“My business makes customized explainer videos and I work closely with my clients to create whiteboard animations unlike big businesses that mostly use templates.”– Brenda L. Murray, Indelible Creative

 

 

“Unlike a big branding firm, one thing I do differently in my small business is look for spotlight opportunities for my clients and find partnerships for them.”– Sherry Mirshahi Totten, Make Your Brand in Demand

 

 

“I can localize my content easily. At shows, I listen in to how people describe my cows and use those exact words in my marketing!”-Sam Morris, Sam Morris Cow Art

 

 

“Our personal travel experiences and personalized advice are what sets us apart from larger companies that focus on main stream brands.”– Rachel and Phil, Ever the Wanderer

 

 

“The mobile network at Catalyst Yoga makes wellness more accessible by bringing yoga to you, at home, work or a party! Our reach is endless.”– Julie Norcott, Catalyst Yoga

 

 

“I create one-of-a-kind handbags, casual briefcases, and totes from start to finish in my home studio, that are as unique as your fingerprint.”– Terri Heisler, Casa de Chick Designs

 

 

“Being a small business, allows me to put time aside to volunteer in professional peer groups, and educate the community about the impact of salts on our environment.”– Nichole Ashton, Urban Meadows

 

 

“Being a small business means I get to personally meet my customers at events, like the Farmers’ market. There’s nothing like shaking hands with them!”– Jennifer Fish, Uprising Botanicals

 

 

“As a small business, we make everyone feel special by always greeting them by name, even on the phone. It makes a big difference for repeat business.”– Carey Wood, Woods Plumbing

 

 

“I go above and beyond with my writing work and keeping client needs in mind at all times. I have a really high client retention rate because of this.”– Jessica Mehring, Horizon Peak Consulting

 

 

“Unlike big box shops, I have been able to develop relationships, creating amazing friends within a business relationship.”– Stephanie Weeks, Our Wellness Revolution

 

 

“Believe it or not, I let my customers name their price! Only a small business owner can get away with this while still creating a business that they love!”– Liz Azyan, Digital Matchbox

 

 

“As a small batch artisanal products company, I remember each and every one of my customers by name — you can’t get that from a large corporation.”– Clarissa J Winn, Haiku Organics

 

 

“My favorite part of being a small business is breaking the rules, and oozing personality and real human honesty.”– Courtney Johnston, The Rule Breaker’s Club

 

 

“At Social Media Direct, I love creating ‘gourmet’ content and customized community management packages to best serve my clients while also getting to really know them!”– Prerna Malik, Social Media Direct

 

Now we would love to hear from you, too: What do you love most about being a small business owner, and what do you do that a big company wouldn’t be able to?

 

Disclaimer: I am blogging on behalf of Visa Business and received compensation for my time from Visa for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Visa’s. Visit http://facebook.com/visasmallbiz to take a look at the reinvented Facebook Page: Well Sourced by Visa Business. The Page serves as a space where small business owners can access educational resources, read success stories from other business owners, engage with peers, and find tips to help businesses run more efficiently. Every month, the Page will introduce a new theme that will focus on a topic important to a small business owner’s success. For additional tips and advice, and information about Visa’s small business solutions, follow @VisaSmallBiz and visit http://visa.com/business.