Local small-business owners recognized at Jackson Chamber

JACKSON, Tenn. — Three small businesses doing big things in Jackson received awards Thursday. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center recognized owners at the Jackson Chamber.

“It’s very motivational,” Diana Hart, owner of Jackson Pride Residential Cleaning, said.

Hart started the business in September. She received the Outstanding Emerging Business award. “It seems like I run until 10 o’clock at night, but that’s just part of it,” Hart said.

Marcus Chandler said he and his wife opened Sunrise Recycling Services six years ago with just 18 customers. They won the Outstanding Existing Business award. “There are five of us, and now we’re on the residential side serving over almost 300 accounts,” Chandler said.

Performance Running received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Tennessee Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year award. “It’s been fun,” Performance Running co-owner Danny Crossett said. “It’s a change, and you find a lot of new things that you don’t expect.”

Businesses thanked the customers and their employees. “My employees are my business,” Hart said.

Joel Newman, senior small business specialist with the TSBDC, said in the first quarter of 2016 they are on track to help small businesses create close to 40 jobs this year. “Small businesses are really what drives our economy,” he said.

The TSBDC serves nine counties in West Tennessee. They provide business services including business plan development and growth planning.