Loud And Clear

Washington is full of high-powered lobbyists and well-connected interest groups. Washington Representatives (Columbia Books Inc.), the lobbyist's bible, lists almost 50 small-business lobby groups. They range from high-profile, big-budget powerbrokers to obscure nickel-and-dime operations. If you're ready go it alone and champion your issue to the nation's lawmakers, take heart: It can be done. Thanks to the growing recognition that small-business owners are big business, entrepreneurs can be heard--and, increasingly, they're being listened to.

Ellen Paris is Entrepreneur's "Management Smarts" columnist.

This article was originally published in the February 2000 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Loud And Clear.