Family-run business fights billion-dollar competitor in Metro Detroit billboard battle

You are likely feeling the pain at the pump and the grocery store as inflation is real, and small businesses in Metro Detroit have to fight harder and, in some cases, fight billion-dollar corporations to survive.

It is the business of billboards and a small billboard business battling to survive.

About 150,000 cars pass the “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” billboard on I-75 and 13 Mile Road daily.

Local 4 didn’t know that the battle over billboard competition was fierce.

“You fight every day, and you fight like a small business owner does,” said Oram. “You fight with grit, and you fight with your family involved.”

And we didn’t know in one case, Oram’s International Outdoor

is genuinely a mom-and-pop operation.

“My wife works there,” Oram said. “She’s a CFO and primary owner. My son works there as our COO.”

Oram is from Iraq. When he sees his signs, he sees his American dream.

“You have to get up in the morning and hope and pray things go your way and things will go right,” Oram said.

The National Federation of Independent Business confirmed small businesses are struggling.

When Oram faced a billion-dollar billboard company, he won. He said he was ecstatic, but the deal was reversed.

The incident proved the true testament of David vs. Goliath.

“You believe in the American dream,” Oram said. “Fairness and the process of competition of a leveled playing field.”

Amanda Fisher of the National Federation of Independent Business says big businesses can’t do without small businesses.

She says the big boys need to help the little guy.

“What is happening is supporting, on the one hand, meaning we want to give money and give things to corporations; on the other hand, we want to hurt them, and either way, small businesses are just getting decimated in the middle of it,” said Fisher.

When we see billboards, we don’t see the small businesses behind them that are fighting. But Oram says he and his company are fighting every day.

Oram says fighting a court decision about a billboard deal takes time, money, energy, and time away from the focus on the family business.

The biggest problem with small businesses is staffing, as there are many jobs available, but people are not applying to work.