Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 with the idea to encourage people to go out and support their local, small businesses. There are several factors that define a small business like the size of the company or its revenue; but to many individuals, a small business is an opportunity for budding entrepreneurs to bring their new innovations or new solutions to life and share them with the world.
In 2023, 5.5 million new businesses were formed and this trend is only projected to grow each year as more people are eager to take action on their passions and want to gain independence over their work-life balance1.
For the Founder and President of ERC Environmental and Construction Services, Kommy M. Azarpour, his eagerness to launch a small business was driven by wanting to open opportunities for himself as a small business owner.
“We started a small business because it increased opportunities for ERC as we were provided with government assistance that connected us to companies and projects that we could not have gotten the chance to work on without that help,” said Azarpour.
With this assistance, ERC had the privilege to work on projects for big names like the City of Houston, Houston Community College, and various school districts throughout Texas. These opportunities allowed ERC to flourish and build a stable revenue that kept the company active and busy.
Supporting small businesses can look like many things whether it be talking about the business to family and friends, leaving positive reviews on their website, and the most effective way, purchasing the business’ products or services.
One way ERC supports small businesses is by partnering with them. Since ERC’s establishment, we have had the privilege of partnering with over 200 small businesses from all industries by enlisting their services on various environmental and construction projects throughout Texas and Louisiana.
“We wanted to help other small businesses grow because they face similar challenges as we once did when we started out,” said Azarpour.
When ERC partners with a certified small business on a project, we are either purchasing their goods or enlisting their services. Services that we reach out to receive assistance on are concrete needs, painting, plumbing, and electrical.
“ERC means my life,” said Azarpour, “I always wanted to have a small business and establishing ERC allowed me to fulfill that dream.”
Small businesses are the gateway for people to accomplish their dreams. Support your local small businesses not only on Small Business Saturday, but every day!
Find small businesses to shop this Saturday, November 30th in your area here!