No matter what the endeavor, small businesses compete for top talent not only against other small enterprises, but against large companies, too. Big businesses enjoy an advantage over their smaller brethren in that they can afford to pay more. Benefits of employment, such as retirement plans and health insurance, are also more common with larger employers than small ones.

So can small businesses really compete for top talent? Certainly, says Kinney. She urges small business owners to remember their endeavors can offer prospective and current employees some perks larger competitors can’t, or often don’t.  “Small companies offer the opportunity for growth and advancement and give employees more responsibilities,” than big businesses, says Kinney, whose ECDI is both a leading SBA lender in Ohio while offering a practical curriculum of business-centric courses to its clients. She thinks it is also easier for a small business owner to persuade staff and potential employees to buy into the venture’s vision.

While a small company may not be able to pay the big bucks a big business can, they can offer perks larger competitors may not. Examples include commissions based on performance or even partial ownership. “Small businesses are a lot more flexible to offer” unique perks to attract top talent, says Kinney. Suggestions include extra vacation time, more comp time and sick days and even gift cards. Such bonuses may keep current staff happy and incentivize them to suggest talented, personable and dependable potential co-workers, she says.

Another strength of smaller employers is that millennials are attracted to workplaces where they can make an impact while dealing with a minimum of bureaucracy. “They also like the family atmosphere” enjoyed by small entities, says Kinney.

Even with the impact the Internet and technology have made on all aspects of life, one constant remains the same, says Kinney. Networking is key to finding top talent, she says.

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Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and writer who tweets as @girlwithapen.