Inflation is a reality and gas stations and grocery stores may be feeling the pain. Metro Detroit To survive, they will have to fight harder, and in some cases against multi-billion dollar companies.
It's a sign business, a small sign business fighting to survive.
About 150,000 vehicles pass a sign at I-75 and 13 Mile Road each day that reads, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Local 4 was not aware that the battle over the sign was fierce.
“It's a daily battle, a daily battle like any small business owner would,” Oram said. “It's a battle with guts, it's a battle with families.”
And in one case, Olam’s International Outdoor
It's truly a family run business.
“My wife works there,” Oram said, “and she's the CFO and the majority owner. My son works there as the COO.”
Olam is originally from Iraq, and when he sees a sign, it makes him think of the American Dream.
“You have to wake up in the morning and hope and pray that things will go your way and work out,” Oram said.
The National Federation of Independent Business confirmed that small businesses are struggling.
Oram went up against a billion-dollar billboard company and won. He was thrilled, but the deal was torn up.
This incident truly proved David versus Goliath.
“You believe in the American dream,” Oram said, “of fairness and a competitive process on a level playing field.”
Amanda Fisher of the National Federation of Independent Business said big companies can't survive without small businesses.
She says the big guys need to help the little guys.
“What's happening right now is on the one hand you want to support businesses – give them money and supplies – and on the other hand you want to hurt businesses. Either way, small businesses are being hit right in the middle of it and it's devastating,” Fisher said.
The billboards hide the small businesses fighting behind them, but Oram said he and his company fight every day.
Oram says challenging court decisions on the sign deals would take time, money and energy, taking time away from focusing on the family-run business.
The biggest problem facing small and medium-sized businesses is a lack of talent. There are plenty of job openings, but no one is applying.
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