People form alliances to further the interests of its individual members, as is the case with the newly chartered Small Business Strategic Alliance (SBSA).

But the benefit does not stop with the organization.

"We have tried to be unique in the concept of a relational-based organization by being a trusted agent for a range of business needs," said James M. Pfeiffer, one of the three founding partners and board chairman of the non-profit SBSA.

Pfeiffer likens SBSA to a concierge service for a business, family, or individual.

The small business Pfeiffer founded, Pfeiffer & Associates, LLC in Clifton Park, is a payroll service company serving the Capital Region for eight years.

"A company owner may say, 'Now that I have payroll, I need something else for my business center," he said.

Just as a concierge will work to secure the specific need of the hotel guest, the SBSA member will locate another Alliance member to perform the required service, to the standards set by the Alliance.

"What makes a concierge great is the people they know and the connections they have in the community," said Pfeiffer. "Through SBSA, we surround ourselves with individuals who share the same business philosophy that we do."

That philosophy entails providing premium goods and quality services that, as individual entities, clients have already come to expect.

"But collectively we provide the Capital Region with a five-star concierge program to help businesses grow." said Pfeiffer. "Our motto is, 'business first class.'"

As businesses put their energies into selling and managing, SBSA can focus on the day-to-day details backed by years of experience and technical capability in payroll, human resources, consulting, strategic marketing, financial services, communication, Web development, accounting, legal, and a growing list of areas of expertise.

It's a concept that can save businesses time and money while getting important jobs done, according to Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer's alliance with Rosanne J. Greenwood, founding partner and chairwoman elect of SBSA, goes back to 2004. Greenwood operated RJG Consulting LLC, a Ballston Lake firm that designs and implements programs to improve the effectiveness and utilization of human resources departments.

"Because of the payroll/HR relationship, we immediately formed an informal business alliance to better serve our clients," said Pfeiffer.

Realizing the impact that this alliance had not only on clients but also on the respective growth of the companies, Pfeiffer and Greenwood set out to identify other exceptional business consultants that shared their sphere of influence, he said.

The third founding partner, Karen M. LaVine, is the membership chairwoman of SBSA. To date, 22 small businesses have joined the Alliance.

LaVine co-owns three companies in Clifton Park, including ICOM, a computer networking and database development firm that also offers graphic and Web site design.

"The membership continues to be open to businesses that want to join," Pfeiffer said.

"Members are expected to adhere to SBSA's high standards of service excellence and provide premium products and services to all clients," Said Pfeiffer, who is on the six person advisory board that sets and enforces standards.

To apply, the business leader should submit a biography and application to the SBSA advisory board for review. There is a small one-time application fee and a modest annual membership fee.

Once involved, the SBSA member is expected to forward business referrals to other members on a timely basis, generally within 24 hours. SBSA established a central call-in center as well as a Web site to facilitate the referral process.

Pfeiffer said SBSA has several plans to promote itself to the business community and build its clientele.

In October, SBSA hosted a dinner announcing its charter. In November, it took part in the business-to-business show at the Thompson Delmar Learning center in Clifton Park.

On May 10th, SBSA will host its own business development fair in which representatives from the State Department of Labor, the IRS and other government agencies will participate.

For more information or to arrange interviews, contact Pfeiffer at 383-1411 or email contact us.