I was talking to someone recently whom I'd known for some time but who didn't know I was active in the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Oh well, he said, people like you always want the world to give you and your members a 'leg up' - an unfair advantage over everybody else. And that, he said, is not on.

I have to say I would have agreed with him completely – if there had been any truth in his perception.

We're not looking for favouritism or protection.

What the FSB is saying to government and other key influencers is that they fail to grasp the fact that small businesses are a distinct and different group within the enterprise economy.

Let's look at some of the public pronouncements that the FSB has made recently and draw out the underlying messages.

Message number one: 'Tell us what's on offer'. Our members support apprenticeships but have told us they're worried about having to give excessive time off for training.

But the government funds time off for training – the trouble is that our recent member survey showed most were completely unaware of this.

Message number two: 'Don't just talk – do something'. Hurrah for Boris Johnson who has declared that all new retail developments in the capital must provide cut price rental options for independent traders. Now, Boris, turn that into reality through influencing how the planning system works. An idea for us here in Aylesbury Vale, perhaps?

Message number three: Let's value diversity.

We plug away to get more and more people into higher education yet our members struggle to find staff who have the basic practical skills needed to be effective in a small business.

Now the government is promoting diplomas – higher level qualifications that are less academic, more practical.

Good – but these qualifications need to be recognised as of equal value as traditional A levels.

And so does work based training. How can we accredit in some way the hours that entrepreneurs spend delivering this kind of development to their staff?

Message number four: remember we're not all global corporations.

In many ways small businesses aren't so different from individuals like you and me.

We're all experiencing soaring fuel prices. If you're a big company you can hedge your utility charges – agree a fixed price in advance to aid planning and manage costs.

Smaller buyers can't do this: and Energywatch, a champion of the smaller buyer, is being closed.

Recognise, government and utility suppliers, that the small business community is different – and behave appropriately.

Message number five: small businesses can be trusted to behave fairly.

I've written before about how futile it is for government to legislate on matters, like flexible working, where the mutual self-interest of employer and employee in a small enterprise can be relied upon to ensure that the right balance is struck.

Did you see the recent report on how big players in the hospitality trade pays less than the National Mimimum Wage to its staff, relying on customers' tips to make up the difference?

Well small businesses in the trade eschew such practices - for them tips are a recognition of good service and are a way of giving additional reward to their staff and encourage excellent customer service.

Sometimes people think organisations like us are dinosaurs, wanting to turn the clock back to some kind of mystical golden age of business. This is simply not true.

We and our members believe that all our futures will best be secured through a thriving economy rather than through government initiatives that can have their funding turned off at the drop of a hat.

All we ask is that the powers that be remember that we are a unique community, a potential powerhouse of the economy, and that it makes sense to deal with us differently from the 'big boys'.

Maybe it's because we talk so much common sense, and are so realistic, that over two hundred and fifteen thousand businesses are proud to be FSB members.

If you'd like to swell our numbers write to me, Linda Walton, at lwaltonassociates@btinternet.com.

We'd be delighted to welcome you on board.