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Certify your business as locally owned & Operated

Stand out and build trust with customers who prioritize supporting local businesses. Our Locally Owned and Operated certification verifies your commitment to the community, helping you attract loyal patrons dedicated to keeping their spending local.

Get certified for free

For

businesses

Certify your business as locally owned & Operated

Get certified for free

Why get your business certified?

Be Recognized

Verify your independent, locally owned status and make it known with an official certification package for your storefront.

Attract New Customers

Reach customers who prioritize locally owned businesses. Get featured on the Locally Owned Map and across our brand audience.

Continue To Serve

Join the movement of LOO certified businesses playing a pivotal role in keeping wealth, jobs, and ownership in your community

Get certified for free

93% of consumers prefer
locally owned & operated businesses

Let them know you're local

93% of consumers prefer locally owned & operated businesses

Let them know you're local

Meet JC Cabrera

The Locally Owned & Operated Certification program was founded by Joseph Cabrera, a West Point graduate, Texas Business Hall of Fame member, and decorated combat veteran. JC served on elite teams across the Alaskan Arctic, the Andes, and Afghanistan. As a Ranger, Airborne, and Chilean Mountain-qualified officer, he earned multiple valor awards before transitioning to the private sector.

Raised as the son of a small business owner, JC saw firsthand the grit, sacrifice, and pride that come with building a local business. That same sense of duty carried him through his military career, and when he transitioned to the private sector, he found it again in the small business owners he worked alongside.

Convinced that local ownership deserves more recognition, JC partnered with American Operator to launch the program to honor businesses built by people invested in their communities, with a focus on veterans who keep serving their community long after their time in the service through local ownership.

Joseph Cabrera

Meet JC Cabrera

Joseph Cabrera

Your Certification
Package includes

Physical Decals

Display your locally owned status for customers to see.

Digital Badges

Showcase your certified standing wherever people can find you online.

Amplified Exposure

Promotion to our audience of thousands across our various social platforms and channels.

All for free.
Because recognition shouldn’t cost you.

All for free. Because recognition shouldn’t cost you.

certify your business today

certify your business

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does American Operator run this program?

American Operator helps keep businesses local by transitioning ownership of great small businesses from retiring owners to local industry operators. We give owners an alternative to selling to private equity firms that may disrupt their legacy, while creating opportunities for the next generation of hard-working Americans to own and lead businesses in their communities.

We run the Locally Owned and Operated certification program completely free of cost to applicants because we believe local ownership is the backbone of American communities and should be visible and valued. As local businesses continue to be bought by private equity firms, customers often cannot tell the difference between independently owned businesses and those backed by large institutions.

Certification makes your commitment to local ownership clear. It helps you attract customers who value local service, demonstrate your investment in the community, and signal your commitment to remaining locally owned and operated for the long haul.

Is certification really free?

How long does it take?

How do you verify we are locally owned?

Who qualifies the business?

Certified and proud

Here’s what Veterans running local businesses are saying

Here’s what local business owners are saying

“Keeping J. Ross locally owned and operated isn’t just business—it’s a commitment. When you hire us, you’re working with people who live, work, and care about this community—not a faceless corporation. Staying local means better service, stronger relationships, and reinvesting in the place we call home.”
Jeremy Y.
Owner of J. Ross Painting & Drywall
Blountville, TN
“As a business owner, I value local ownership because it creates accountability, strengthens community ties, and ensures decisions are made with firsthand knowledge of the people and places we serve. When you're locally owned, your reputation is everything."
Jason T.
Owner of Gold Medal Roofing
Chandler, AZ
“I am proud to be locally owned and operated. As a local business owner, it is important to me to give back to my customers and provide much needed jobs to our community."
Taylor F.
Owner of The Covered Patio, Titan Garage Flooring, and Titan Concrete
5 locations

“Keeping J. Ross locally owned and operated isn’t just business—it’s a commitment. When you hire us, you’re working with people who live, work, and care about this community—not a faceless corporation. Staying local means better service, stronger relationships, and reinvesting in the place we call home.”
Jeremy Y.
Owner of J. Ross Painting & Drywall
Blountville, TN
“As a business owner, I value local ownership because it creates accountability, strengthens community ties, and ensures decisions are made with firsthand knowledge of the people and places we serve. When you're locally owned, your reputation is everything."
Jason T.
Owner of Gold Medal Roofing
Chandler, AZ
“I am proud to be locally owned and operated. As a local business owner, it is important to me to give back to my customers and provide much needed jobs to our community."
Taylor F.
Owner of The Covered Patio, Titan Garage Flooring, and Titan Concrete
5 locations

“Keeping J. Ross locally owned and operated isn’t just business—it’s a commitment. When you hire us, you’re working with people who live, work, and care about this community—not a faceless corporation. Staying local means better service, stronger relationships, and reinvesting in the place we call home.”
Jeremy Y.
Owner of J. Ross Painting & Drywall
Blountville, TN
“As a business owner, I value local ownership because it creates accountability, strengthens community ties, and ensures decisions are made with firsthand knowledge of the people and places we serve. When you're locally owned, your reputation is everything."
Jason T.
Owner of Gold Medal Roofing
Chandler, AZ
“I am proud to be locally owned and operated. As a local business owner, it is important to me to give back to my customers and provide much needed jobs to our community."
Taylor F.
Owner of The Covered Patio, Titan Garage Flooring, and Titan Concrete
5 locations

Join hundreds of certified
local businesses

Join hundreds of certified local businesses

Be part of a growing network of locally owned businesses proudly making a difference in their communities. Certification is free, fast, and easy—and it helps customers find and support businesses like yours.