The Office of Advocacy defines a small business as an independent business having fewer than 500 employees. Preferred Business likes to pride itself as a Certified Small Business which is ready to work with companies and businesses of all sizes. Certification of a small business is a review process that gives formal acknowledgment that the business is owned and operated by a qualifying person, which is under represented in an industry. Not all businesses can receive certification. Today small business are driving the economy forward, providing half of the nation’s jobs and more than half of the wealth.