If you think making 250,000 to 10 million is a small bisness then you are out of your mind. Maybe that is small potatoes to a huge company like yours but small business around the country would diffently disagree with that mode of thinking. Both my son and myself have small businesses and I can tell you that neither company comes anywhere near the 250,000 mark you have set. allthattravel@aol.com

I agree, if your business is making that kind of money, I wouldn't think the $25,000 would make much difference to you. If you really want to reward a small business look at the one's who are actually still in business after a few years and paying their bills. Profits aren't made over night. My daugter and I started a small business and are satisfied after only 7 months we are paying our bills with no further help from the bank! www.theguardiandragon.com

I have been in business 20 years and have sales nearing $400,000, however, not profits. You are really cutting the small business out of the contest.

I agree with the other posts here. I have had my business for over 14 years, and have had both up and down sales and profits. This is NOT a contest for a small business at all. Heck, I just wish a business that is larger than mine would just PAY THERE INVOICES ON TIME!!!! Then, just maybe, this small business could become one of your allowed businesses making your "little" amount of 250k. It is very obvious that UPS has no clue what a small business really is. They should just come out and say a business that uses UPS at least at the 100k/year clip, has a chasnce to win a poultry prize of 25k,,,,,,To a true small business UNDER 250k/year the 25k might actually help them. As in normal life,,,the rich keep getting richer and the poor, well you know the rest.....typical American thought process.

These financial parameters don't do justice to the truly small business owner. I owned several store fronts and never saw $250,000. THe small guy under 250 is the one that could use the $25,000. www.nuglobalmonopoly.com/barbaramarchant

With those guidelines defining a small business, I guess I actually own a Macro Small Business. If I make $50,000 I feel blessed. $250,000 would make me feel like retiring and let someone else run the shop. (HAHA)

At least UPS is doing something to make some of its clients feel appreciated for the services they offer.

I have the Best UPS guy that delivers/picks up from my studio. He has a great personality and goes above and beyond his job description to make sure all my packages are correctly labeled and shipped.

That service helps me sleep at night not worrying about my shipments.

I spent more than 25K in the last 12 months shipping with UPS... And My business did not make the cut by thier guidelines. UPS has no intention on help a "real" small business.

OK, hate to insult all you "business owners" but $250k-10mil in REVENUE is not profit- it's gross sales- total volume before any bills are paid. It's not your net income.
If you have a business that not does not generate over 250K in gross sales after years of operations, what you really have is a job not a company.
The term "small business" directly implies not a big business. Perhaps there should be another classification- micro business defined as; someone who does not have an employer but does not provide employment to anyone but the owners. There are countless companies that fit into this catagory and they are, no doubt, the hardest working people with the most to risk of all business owners.

This is a cheap publicity campaign for UPS...pure and simple. The qualified entrants on the lower end of the scale would probably hand over that 25K as a bonus to one of their managers.

Our UPS man delivers to several small business's including our own in the five mile road beyond us. Not one of them qualify for the contest. Any one of them would truly deserve the 25K. Yes, it is a job as one blogger said, but it's jobs like these that big company America and their CEO's don't have the population base to reap huge profits from. In places like Montana and Wyoming, we depend heavily on "small" buisness.Also, it is over and over you hear of the "big guys" that don't pay, never the little clients. Go figure. Thanks to all SMALL business, sorry UPS can't see it.

I've had a cleanming business for 15 years, and I have been having ups and downs, and right now my business is in the downs. Can someone please tell me how I can get my business back up again. My email address is Barmstead49@aol.com

Barbara

I support most of the comments, both pro & con, for different reasons:

By and large, individual UPS people are great and committed to a high level of service.

The company itself is so big and successful that it's forgotten what small business is. Hence, external programs like the awards program. Internal programs introducing corporate types to entrepreneurs with the expectation that such experience can "rub off" in a cocktail party setting.

Perhaps a better way to judge UPS' commitment/understanding of small business is to see how they've managed their own small business. Ask the former Mailboxes etc. now UPS Store people how they feel but be prepared for a vent.

UPS having a contest for only 25K? What a joke! A real small business, are the ones that make less than 250K per year, and would love to have 25K. Who is really going to put the time, energy and effort in a 500 word essay against over 10's of thousands of possible entrants for only 25K? I think I'll just ship with DHL.

ups is so far out of touch with reality when it comes to what they refer to as small business. They have lost sight of the fact that it is all of the small companies that have made them successful and they are so busy trying to woo the big players, that every once and awhile they feel that they need to remember us with a $ 25,000.00 contest? No thanks, they can use it internally next time they want to pay for one of their executives golf trips.

All you whiners stop and consider where you are spending your time. A small business owner "LIVES, EATS AND BREATHES" their work until they have a little breathing room, (that amount is up to the individual owner). If your'e reading this silliness and spending time to whine about a lottery chance to win regardless of the entry requirements, you are'nt much of a business owner anyway. WAKE UP AND GO TO WORK!

They are looking for businesses that have revenues (gross sales) of $20000 per month. Where I am coming from -- an independent pet shop -- if you can't do $20K a month you can't keep the doors open.

UPS is clearly not looking for a kitchen-table-based business or even a garage-based business. The floor of $250K annually is boutique level retail.

I have to be honest, I have to agree with #8. Since UPS is running the contest, putting up the cash, they can make the rules. I don't see anyone bashing any other company for not making any effort what so ever.

It is interesting how truly Big business classifies small business. A large part of my business is growing small business and believe me the ones that have made it to net $250,000 would be Much less appreciative of the $25 K that the truly small businesses really need. And "yes" micro business is an insult to those business owners that dedicate and sacrifice their lives to creating viable "small" business to the world. UPS I believe you should make a grand gesture to "small business" by creating a real small business contest....you never know they could end up being your future $25,000 a year clients from just such a cash infusion. and Barbara, with the cleaning business I am feeling generous if you still need help I will assist you at no cost. orionpr-consulting.com I just re energized another lady in the same business. Maybe, UPS will seriously consider creating a "Micro" business contest for those that truly need it.

to the business consultant (#18) that does not realize the difference between revenue and net- I hope the cleaning company doesn't contact you. This is business ownership 101.
I couldn't care less about this contest, but what is awe inducing is the on going misunderstanding that the contest is looking for a business that has net profits in excess of 250k. That is not the case! it is sales (revenue) in excess of 250 and the self proclaimed well experienced consultant should know the difference.

Revenues BOZOS!! If you arent making $250K you might as well go apply at McDonalds. Thats $5000 a week or $1000 a day at 15% to 25% is $150 to $250 a day.
That supports 1 tight family budget so quit whinning and enter the contest or shut the f up. I have 4 small companys and all but the new one exceeds $400k. I folded 2 that didn't cut it. Maybe you ought to think about getting out. The object is to make money not inflate your ego by hanging on to a poor idea that hasn't panned out.