About Dobson, Craig and Associates, LLC

www.Dobsonandcraig.com

by Michael Dobson  

Dobson, Craig and Associates,LLC  was founded by Michael Dobson and Cyndi Craig as a very organic homebased business in 1995. Dobson Craig and Associates became a more formal business a few years later. We later married and started a family. But, before we started our  human family, we got our dog Buddy from the Monticello Watermelon Festival in the summer of 1997.. in preparation so we thought. Now let me say, so that if anyone is wandering, that was clearly not any type of preparation for kids.  During this period, the idea was that we could work out of the home while Cyndi and I started our family and while she began her Phd work at Florida State University. This also allowed me to be fully engaged in politics as opposed to part-time and we could have the flexibilty to be at home with the kids without placing them directly into day care from day one. That way, we could give our kids our full attention and engage in public policy at the same time. We are a political family. For instance, my 7 year old daughter had an opinion about the presidential campaign in 2008 and had a letter to the editor published in the Tallahassee Democrat. Cyndi is a political science professor with a long career in the Florida legislature and I am a political junkie, lobbyist, writer  and policy wonk. 

Along the way Dobson, Craig and Associates evolved into the association management business along with lobbying, and political consulting. We eventually moved outside of the home into downtown Tallahassee within a stones throw of the state capital.  As a firm, we decided to organize our work around issues of personal importance to us such as fighting hunger, infant mortality, healthcare for kids and adults, hospitals, energy, insurance, transportation, procurement and small business. This idea largely stems from the reason I got into the lobbying business in the first place. It began when I sat in a committee meeting and listened while legislators callously discussed serious policy issues that concerned people I know and love, my friends and family members. I then looked around the room and realized that no one was speaking for them. We then began pursing our mission by representing food banks, the March of Dimes and others, as well as  forming the Florida Food Banks and Food Pantries Association, Homebased Businesses of Florida and the Florida Renewable Energy Producers Association. Lobbying on our own terms coupled with association management has been a unique   approach, however, it has allowed us to passionately represent our clients. Our business model is different from most governmental relations firms because of the principles mentioned. And, along the way, we have developed a team of people. We cannot do it all ourselves. As a way of contributing to our community, we want to provide employment for others as well.

We see lobbying and political engagement as a way of making a difference for our kids in some small way. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to make sure that we are advocating for things of personal importance to us, our childrens future and the well being of our extended family.

Most expensive business lesson learned so far is (specialty tag snafu):learned again what was taught in business school such as you cannot be all things to all people and  stay true to what it is you do and do not venture into business areas that are not your core compentency. Should never have gotten into the business of collecting survey signatures for tags. Never should have gotten into that busines, it is not what we do. On such matters, I always think of my favorite company.. Radioshack. When ever in doubt think of Radio Shack... a very smart company who has weathered many changes in their industry and the nature of competition as a result. How they survived is that they have never steered away from their core business which is electronic accessories no matter what else is happening in the industry, they have stayed true throughout the years and have survived many economic ups and downs... my favorite company.

So, we aim to stay focused on our core business, our internal mission and do what is virtuous for the environment and our family. 

Learn more about Dobson, Craig and Associates here:

www.Dobsonandcraig.com

Visit other associations founded and managed by us here:

www.Floridaenergyproducers.com

www.Floridafoodbanks.com

www.Floridahomebusiness.org

www.sunshinestateenergyexpo.com