Jun. 14--The ongoing recession has led to layoffs, shuttered storefronts and bankruptcies throughout the nation and the region, but some small business owners seem to be weathering the storm much better than large corporations. In fact, some have capitalized on the closings of competitors and taken their customers.

At a meeting of the Family Business Forum held at King's College last week, more than 45 owners and managers of local companies listened to ways to boost their business offered up by Bo Burlingham. The editor a large of Inc. magazine, who documented the successes of small businesses in his book "Small Giants: Helping Your Company Grow Better Rather Than Bigger," told them that in some ways the recession can be viewed as a positive event for their companies.

"There are companies that are going to fail. That's an opportunity for you," Burlingham said. Recessions can be a good time to start a business because costs are low and there's an eager workforce available, he said. But that could be a concern for existing businesses whose talent might be cherry-picked by startups or competitors.

"Try to keep your people," Burlingham advised, noting that layoffs might help a company's bottom line now but when the recession is over, the loss of experience and known-commodities will be felt and hard to replace.

Chuck Cohen, a third-generation owner of Benco Dental in Wilkes-Barre Township, said his company's philosophy is simple.

"We don't believe in layoffs," he said. With 1,200 employees, the company has done OK financially. He said Benco's challenge is to keep growing but remain a small business when it comes to the way attention is paid to employees and customers.

"You've got to keep in touch with the customers. As your business grows it gets harder and harder," Cohen said.

The forum was not only a chance for business owners to learn from Burlingham but from each other, too.

Participants discussed issues they're facing, ways they've been able to stay afloat and difficulties they've overcome.

Wayne Oplinger, owner of CPS Creative, a printing company in Nanticoke, said five of his top 100 customers went out of business the past 18 months, including two local car dealers. His employee ranks have dropped but he's been able to pick up new customers that were being served by now defunct printers. They're mostly small businesses and while the work is steady, it's not bringing in the money those other five were providing.

Oplinger said he was familiar with Burlingham's work and was excited to see him speak and pose questions to him. The two were able to discuss the tough times and how small businesses get through them.

Burlingham praised small businesses as being "building blocks, not just of our economy but of a whole way of life. ... It shapes the communities we live in." He also said that often small businesses are able to adapt to changing economics and read the writing on the wall much earlier than Wall Street and Fortune 500 companies.

Bill Corcoran, owner of Corcoran Printing in Wilkes-Barre, agreed with that premise.

"We're more agile. We can react quicker," Corcoran said. He said low overhead allows his company to be more competitive in some instances too. And he's benefited from Wilkes-Barre's proximity to New York City. "It's very advantageous."

Forum participants came from Wayne, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Pike counties. The talk focused on making sure businesses grew in smart ways and not losing sight of what enabled them to succeed to begin with.

"You can't measure your greatness by the size of your profitability," Burlingham said.

Cohen, of Benco Dental, agreed.

"The people stuff is what it's all about," he said.

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