For all the focus on government stimulus programs and the bailouts of big banks and corporations – small businesses are once again leading our economic recovery and creating the new jobs that our country so critically needs.

As a small business owner myself, I’m proud to be a part of this innovative and dedicated group of individuals who are driving the engine of economic growth and opportunity. Generally, we all do this independently, working with the staffs of our own businesses to create new products and services, increase productivity, and give our clients the best possible customer service.

Every so often, however, a group of small businesses that are otherwise competitors will come together for a common cause, multiplying the effectiveness of their efforts. We have recently had the privilege of working with such a group as a part of our New Brunswick Rocks campaign. The New Brunswick Rocks group is composed of restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and hotels in New Brunswick, NJ that all came together to help brand New Brunswick as Central Jersey’s hottest dining and entertainment destination.

This past month, the campaign’s success was recognized at the 2011 Governor’s Conference on Tourism where it received a 2011 Diamond Award for the role it played in fostering economic activity in the state. We were proud to accept the award on behalf of all the forward-thinking small businesses that formed this unique group – and proud to have been a part of designing such a successful marketing campaign.

It is a great example of how small businesses, working together, can have a powerful positive impact, even during the most challenging of economic times.