The Department of Commerce is one of America’s executive branch departments, and it’s led by the Secretary of Commerce, a member of the president’s cabinet. The department’s mission statement isn’t hard to find. It’s spelled out on the first page of their website. “The Department of Commerce’s mission is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. Through its 13 bureaus, the department works to drive U.S. economic competitiveness, strengthen domestic industry and spur the growth of quality jobs in all communities across the country. The department serves as the voice of business in the federal government, and at the same time the department touches and serves every American every day.” There is also a U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It’s a little different than the Department of Commerce, because it’s not part of the federal government. It’s the largest lobbying group in the United States. From their website, “The Chamber of Commerce of the United States is the world’s largest business organization. Our members range from the small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country that support their communities to the leading industry associations and global corporations that innovate and solve for the world’s challenges to the emerging and fast-growing industries that are shaping the future. For all of the people across the businesses we represent, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a trusted advocate, partner and network, helping them improve society and people’s lives.” Every year the U.S. Chamber of Commerce names one business “America’s Top Small Business”. To win, you have to apply, and in 2023 the chamber received 15,000 applications. This year’s top small business will be named in October. In September, though, they publish a list of the finalists for the award. This year there are 70 finalists, which they informally call “America’s Top 70 Small Businesses”. You can find the full list at uschamber.com divided into the eastern, Great Lakes, midwest, northwest, southeastern, western and southwest/south central regions. The northwest region consists of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and this year an Idaho business made the list. It’s SnapTight Products of Pocatello. According to the chamber, “SnapTight Products is a construction and manufacturing firm specializing in the production of insulated building components, including decorative elements and prefabricated construction materials.” Essentially, according to the SnapTight website, snaptightproducts.com, they “tackle the worldwide problem of building high-efficiency buildings with a low carbon footprint”. And based upon their pictures and videos, they do it with style. Among the other northwest region endeavors honored this year are a Portland business that teaches social skills, a Bellevue, Washington firm that makes dog nutrition products, a Seattle restaurant that makes authentic Indian street food, and a Seattle e-commerce website made for exclusively female entrepreneurs. In the western region, there’s even a company in Draper, Utah that makes high-end pickleball equipment. As an anonymous billionaire once said, “The secret to success is to find something that nobody else is doing and do that, unless, of course, they’re not doing it because it’s really, really stupid.”
