--- title: Your Word is Everything description: Your Word is Everything image: https://www.trust-bbb.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Steven-Quick-2-768x1024-1.jpg --- [![BBB_logo transparent](https://www.trust-bbb.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/BBB_logo%20transparent.png?width=600&height=95&name=BBB_logo%20transparent.png "BBB_logo transparent")](https://www.trust-bbb.org/) # Your Word is Everything [ by Danielle Kane](https://www.trust-bbb.org/torchtalk/author/danielle-kane) | May 10, 2019 3:39:40 PM Being a small-business owner means being ready to put in long hours and cope with volatile days. The land of consistency is a hard place to get to, but Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific appreciates the small-business owners that put in the work and find the reward in the chaos. For Small Business Week, we’re highlighting Steven Quick, founder and owner of BBB-accredited [SQ Merchant Services](https://www.bbb.org/us/or/tigard/profile/credit-card-merchant-services/sq-merchant-services-llc-1296-90003098) in Portland. SQ Merchant Services is a payment processing company specializing in e-commerce and point-of-sale solutions. Quick has been in the payments industry since 2007 and launched SQ Merchant in 2014.  ![](https://www.trust-bbb.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Steven-Quick-2-768x1024-1.jpg?width=274&height=365&name=Steven-Quick-2-768x1024-1.jpg) One of the struggles he faces as a small-business owner is the weekly grind of how different each day can be. “I’m up at 4:30 in the morning Monday through Friday,” Quick said. “It’s a lot harder to get a business going these days. You can have an awesome day Friday, then a terrible Monday. So, the emotional part of it can be a struggle.” Still, Quick notes that it’s important to stay on task – to not lose sight of why you started your business despite opposition. For Quick, the reason was taking a new approach in a typically “dishonest industry,” he said. That’s why honesty, integrity and building community are the core values at SQ Merchant Services and also why he proudly displays client video testimonials and the 2018 BBB Torch Award winning seal front and center on his website’s homepage. “Your word is everything,” he emphasized. So, it’s no surprise SQ Merchant’s core mission aligns perfectly with BBB’s standards to be transparent, build trust in the marketplace and be responsive with customers. For Quick, another key component to his success is networking.  I should know – I’ve only been in Portland three months and have seen Steven probably more than any other accredited business in my area. His advice to other small business owners: “Network, network, network! But the right kind of networking,” he noted. “Plan it out, write it down and literally sign your goals.” Steven is an active member of the Portland-metro community. He sits on the board of the West Linn Chamber of Commerce. He is part of BBB’s Portland Advisory Committee, and on the day-to-day, he consistently attends four morning professional or rotating Chamber events.  With such a relentless pace, he said it’s all about laying down personal rules to ensure his family remains top priority. “I put my phone down at 7 p.m., and everything goes to voicemail,” he said. “Family is everything to me. I’m the dad that goes to every school function. My entire adult work-life has been based off of my kids.” This probably sounds familiar to many small-business owners who try to balance running their own company with family life. At BBB, we hear all the time how frustrating this can be. It’s why we strive to provide resources, services and hands-on help tailored to business owners. Ultimately though, it’s owners like Quick and countless others who work tirelessly to enhance marketplace trust by collaborating in support of small business. “I love the synergy of working with other business owners,” he said. “I love being able to help them with my services or being able to refer another business owner to get involved.” - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Subscribe Now ### Popular Articles - [ Students of Integrity Recipients Share Why Trust Matters Most](https://www.trust-bbb.org/torchtalk/intro-to-ethics-students-of-integrity-recipients-share-why-trust-matters-most) - [ Students of Integrity Scholarship: A Journey of Trust, Integrity and Ethics](https://www.trust-bbb.org/torchtalk/students-of-integrity-scholarship-a-journey-of-trust-integrity-and-ethics) - [ BBB Presents Boundless Immigration as Western Washington Torch Award Winner](https://www.trust-bbb.org/torchtalk/bbb-presents-boundless-immigration-as-western-washington-torch-award-winner) - [ 4 Things Most People Don’t Know About Social Media Giveaways](https://www.trust-bbb.org/torchtalk/4-things-most-people-dont-know-about-social-media-giveaways) - [ Want a Thriving Business? 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