Right now, there are approximately 28 million small businessesoperating in the U.S., according to the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration. These are businesses that each have fewer than 100employees, and at some point, nearly all will face the challenge ofbringing affordable benefits to their workforce.

Balancing benefit cost and value is a dilemma that has smallbusiness owners seeking information and guidance. For brokerssearching for growth opportunities, this market can be lucrativeand rewarding. It also presents a great opportunity to build loyaland long-lasting relationships in an underserved market. But inorder to do so, brokers must understand the challenges that drivethe decisions of small business owners.

Employer challenges

When it comes to benefits, small businesses share some commonpain points, such as:

• Employee recruiting and retention challenges

• Offering affordable yet attractive benefits

• Finding the time to shop for benefits

In fact, the 14^th annual MetLife Employee BenefitTrends Study confirmed that employee retention and costcontrol top the list of small business concerns. While these arenot new concerns, when coupled with the regulatory requirements ofthe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, they leave smallbusiness owners looking for expert advice from brokers.