National Federation of Independent Business, Essay Example

Founded in 1934, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is the leading small business association representing small and independent businesses. The organization represents the interests of its members in Washington and all 50 U.S. state capitals (National Federation of Independent Business). Even though the current membership stat is unknown, the organization had about 350,000 members as of early September 2012 (Mandelbaum, 2009).

NFIB doesn’t have any strict membership requirements and any business able to afford the membership fees can become a member. The membership fee is not fixed but depends upon the number of employees in a company. One can only view the annual membership fees after filling the membership form which is $365 for 1-5 employees, $600 for 6-14 employees, and so on. The maximum a business is expected to pay is $10,000 per year (National Federation of Independent Business).

NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of its members to own, operate, and grow their businesses. The organization also provides several benefits to its members in the marketplace for business products and services by pooling the purchasing power of its members (National Federation of Independent Business). In addition, the organization also participates in the public policy through its Political Action Committee by supporting pro-small business candidates at the state and federal level and educates voters about issues that affect small businesses (National Federation of Independent Business).

I am really interested in joining NFIB as a business administration student who hopes to be an entrepreneur after graduation. I plan to open my own tattoo shop and will be personally involved in all operating aspects of the business. By joining NFIB, I will be supporting an organization that fights for the interests of current and future small business owners like me. In addition, the organization offers several economic benefits as well as learning opportunities that will be quite valuable to a new business owner like me as I try to establish my business.

First of all, the government policies deeply affect small businesses and NFIB educates its members on different political issues such as healthcare, taxes, labor, and regulatory reforms and also encourage them to reach out to local elected officials and lawmakers. Similarly, the organization provides several educational resources that not only provide guidance to established businesses but also to those who are just starting. The members can access member-exclusive hotline for any question they may have and can also contact industry professionals for guidance. The organization’s member directory is also quite valuable in encouraging networking among members and learning from each other. One of the greatest challenges of any new business is maintaining a healthy financial condition and NFIB offers several benefits in this regard by giving access to discounted business products and services from companies such as FedEx, Bank of America, Dell, and Liberty Mutual (National Federation of Independent Business).

NFIB supports small businesses in several ways such as by supporting their interests in the political arena, providing educational resources, and giving access to discounted products and services. The membership dues are usually based on the size of the organization in terms of number of employees and membership is valid for one year. The educational resources by NFIB do not support only established businesses but are also quite invaluable to new businesses and guide them at each stage of business development.

References

Mandelbaum, R. (2009, September 3). How the N.F.I.B. Represents Its Members, Part II. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/how-the-nfib-represents-its-members-part-ii/

National Federation of Independent Business. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.nfib.com/about-nfib

National Federation of Independent Business. (n.d.). Membervantage. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.nfib.com/contribute/safe-trust

National Federation of Independent Business. (n.d.). NFIB SAFE Trust. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.nfib.com/contribute/safe-trust

National Federation of Independent Business. (n.d.). Payment Details. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from https://secure.nfib.com/membership/NewMemberPayment.aspx