If you are new to Small Actions Greater Good, I'd like to introduce myself and tell you my small business story.
Cheers! I'm Tanya Quinn, a Chief Operations Officer (and co-owner of another small business), Social Responsibility Advocate, and founder of Small Actions Greater Good. I believe the power to make a difference in our world isn't only for large corporations.
As Small Business Owners, we can make simple but effective changes that not only contribute to our businesses and the world around us but, when combined with the efforts of other like-minded Small Business Owners, can genuinely contribute to the greater good.
Small Actions Greater Good is a passion project turned business—something that has been bouncing around inside my head for decades, even before I fully understood what I wanted to do.
A High School Spark for the Greater Good
I've always had an overwhelming need to “do something” to make the world a better place. Growing up in a small Midwestern town, I was raised by hardworking parents who instilled in me a love for learning, a respect for education, and a passion for hobbies. While I loved dance classes and playing volleyball, I wasn't the kid who joined every school activity.
In the mid-90s, if you were in honors classes at my high school, your choices boiled down to science or math. Since math and I didn't get along, I chose science. Did I love it? Not really—but I appreciated its structure and how it tackled real-world problems.
As a classic overachiever, if I were going to do science, I would “DO SCIENCE.” Go big or go home has always been a family motto, so I jumped into science fair projects with both feet. In my junior year, I researched acid mine drainage, a pressing local problem in Northeast Ohio. After better understanding the issue, I attempted to design an in-stream treatment system. Surprisingly, that project took me from the local, regional, and state fairs to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which I had never heard of before. There, I discovered my first tribe—students from around the world who were equally passionate about making a difference and creating solutions to complex challenges.
True to what I now recognize as a strong personality trait—my passion for research and learning—I didn't revisit my previous project the following year. Instead, I selected an entirely new subject, studying the Buckeye tree's historical habitats and the impact of climate change on their migration patterns. Once again, my project took me to ISEF. Those experiences strengthened my love for creative problem-solving and sparked an early interest in social good.
Early Career Lessons in Social Responsibility
After high school, I pursued a degree in Environmental Sciences focusing on Oceanography, where I continued to improve my research skills and deepen my understanding of environmental systems. I became interested in pursuing a master's degree in environmental policy, driven by the goal of contributing directly to meaningful change through influencing and improving regulations. However, life took a different turn. When my master's program lost funding just before I was set to start, I found myself at a crossroads with no clue what to do.
Thankfully, I stumbled upon a unique small business – a consulting company focused on environmental and regulatory solutions often associated with coastal and marine-related projects. I loved the culture and energy of the small business and its passionate and dedicated owners. This became my first exposure to social responsibility—though I didn't know it then. The company's strong community ties, happy and loyal employees, and reputation within the community opened my eyes to the broader impact small businesses could have beyond their immediate goods and services.
A few years later, I transitioned to another, far larger consulting company, where I was assigned a project to review how our offices were volunteering and contributing to their communities. Through this process, I discovered that our efforts were far more widespread and impactful than anyone realized—but no one was sharing this with employees or clients.
I started researching volunteer opportunities within businesses, which led to the discovery of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It was a new concept for me, and it was the perfect framework to channel my passion for making a difference. I developed a nationwide community engagement plan for our company, which was approved… but a corporate acquisition shortly after shelved the project. Despite the setback, my interest in CSR only continued to grow.
The Search for “Enough”
Now that I was aware of social responsibility, I couldn't get the idea out of my head even though I didn't have the opportunity to bring it into my work projects. I collected binders of articles, flash drives of studies, and every resource I could find. During this time, I also discovered the song “I Was Here” by Hillary Scott, which deeply resonated with me. The lyrics perfectly captured my desire to leave a meaningful legacy, something that shouted, “I Was Here,” even though I had no idea what that legacy could be.
Researching CSR became a hobby over the next decade, blending my passion for contributing to the greater good with my strengths in strategy and process improvement. Yet, even as I became known for my ability to make any project or system “better, faster, cheaper,” I was still searching for fulfillment beyond contributions at work.
To fill this void, I volunteered with a few nonprofit organizations. That wasn't enough. I became an active board member for two nonprofits. That wasn't enough. I quit my corporate job and worked for a nonprofit for a few years. It STILL wasn't enough. I finally returned to corporate work in a more strategic role, hoping that might fill the void. And once again, big surprise, it STILL wasn't enough.
My “I Was Here” Moment
After spending three long years pursuing adoption options while balancing my return to corporate work, my husband and I were blessed with the most precious, beautiful baby girl I have ever seen. In that one moment, my entire world shifted. What I thought was a strong desire to make a difference became an obsession. I took one look at my daughter's face and knew that I HAD to do more. I needed to find a way to make the world better just because she was in it!
The song “I Was Here,” which had struck a deep chord in me years earlier, became an anthem at that moment. The lyrics began playing on repeat in my mind, constantly reminding me of the legacy I wanted to leave—a positive impact not just on my family but on the world.
I quit my corporate job just a few short weeks after welcoming our daughter to take time to be a mom—especially after years of uncertainty about whether that would ever happen. While I cherished every moment as a stay-at-home mom, the NEED to do more was a constant companion. After six months, I launched a photography business focusing on family portraits and public and private events. It was something I loved that gave me the flexibility to spend time with my daughter and allowed me to explore social responsibility ideas in my own business.
Inspiring a Movement
One day, while brainstorming ways to make a local impact through my photography business, I searched online for resources related to Small Business Social Responsibility. To my surprise, the results were either overly superficial, offering only generic ideas, or they suggested that small business owners adopt CSR practices designed for large corporations.
I knew from my years of working in corporations and the reams of research I still had that most CSR resources and tools weren't built for small business owners. Most of the content was overly complex, impractical, and disconnected from the realities of running a small business.
On that beautiful rainy morning (I'm truly a pluviophile—a lover of rain, so the day felt quite apropos), the concept for Small Actions Greater Good hit me like lightning. Recognizing this gap, I saw an opportunity to create something different. Instead of figuring out how to make a huge difference as an individual, I realized I could inspire and support thousands of other small business owners to make a difference.
It was the first time the idea of a business felt like it just MIGHT be “enough.”
Within days, I outlined my initial concept. Small Actions Greater Good was born to inspire and empower small business owners to create meaningful change for their communities and businesses—and to inspire their employees, customers, communities, and other business owners to do more good.
Creating the Small Actions Framework
With the vision for Small Actions Greater Good in place, I did what I do best—dove into research. Over the next few years, I spoke with dozens of small business owners, delivered speaking engagements and training sessions, and studied the intersection of small business operations and social responsibility actions.
Through this process, I learned three key things. First, I validated my initial observation: there was an undeniable need for small business-specific training, tools, and resources. Second, I identified several misconceptions holding business owners back—such as the belief that social responsibility requires significant time, money, or expertise. And third, I uncovered common mindsets limiting the potential for businesses to make the greatest impact possible, both for society and their own success.
These insights led to the creation of the Small Actions Framework—a unique 5-step approach designed to help Small Business Owners take efficient, effective, and sustainable actions. Drawing from best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility programs and applying my strategic, process-driven focus on making things “better, faster, and cheaper,” the framework provides straightforward, actionable solutions to overcome these barriers. It empowers small businesses to maximize both the social good they achieve and the tangible benefits they bring to their business.
With the Small Actions Framework, we aim to prove that small actions, when done intentionally and strategically, can create ripples of positive change that extend far beyond any one business. As the Dalai Lama said, “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.”
Your actions, no matter how small, can inspire others and create a wave of meaningful change. Together, we can prove that small actions truly lead to a greater good.
Are You Ready to Join Me?
If you feel the same way about your Small Business, I invite you to check out the free education and resources to get started or follow me on Social Media.
It's not all about me… I would love to hear your “My Small Business Story“! Share a comment below or send me a message on Instragram or LinkedIn!
