It’s a hard fact of life: The little guy always has to fight a little harder to get the respect that he deserves. But it’s extremely easy to make the case for small business’s impact on the U.S. economy if you look at the numbers.

The vast majority of U.S. companies are small businesses. In 2010, there were 27.9 million companies with fewer than 500 employees, but only 18,500 above that threshold.

Just over half of U.S. businesses are home-based – 52 percent.

They’re also responsible for a big share of private-sector output – 46 percent.

About 98 percent of U.S. companies that export goods are small businesses.

Small companies are job creators. Between 1993 and 2011, small businesses created 64 percent of net new jobs. They represent more than 99 percent of all U.S. employers.

Sources // SBA, Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics