So much of our economy depends on successful business practices that it’s only right we pause amid disappointments in politics and government to recognize and honor those whose vision and resourcefulness fire our nation’s very economic engine.

We not only join with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce today in honoring five exceptional businesses in our area, we also glean something from each, if only to incorporate into our own business model or, for that matter, our personal philosophy.

Among these tips:

* Recognize there’s a time for growth: That’s the message we take from Wardlaw Claims, which trains and dispatches claims adjusters to widespread scenes of devastation to gauge losses. For 38 years, this family-run business had but one client and limited itself to the states its client covered. Now, confident of itself and valuable lessons learned over time, it covers the entire continental United States.

* Fine-tune operations so you have experts who can handle detail work and others who consider the broader canvas: Capstone Mechanical, an engineering, contracting and service company run by two engineers who once worked for other contractors, now does most of this work in heating, cooling and plumbing itself. Rick Tullis and Stefan LeRow tell us one of their keys to success is having under one roof the engineers who can gauge the big picture in such projects and tradesmen who can ensure those ideas are brought to fruition and perfection.

* Never turn down the chance to be part of the vanguard: Mike and Kristen Pool were game when Austin-based Schlotzsky’s asked the husband-and-wife Waco franchisees to embrace a new look for the chain in their new outpost on Valley Mills Drive. With their experience, they felt sure of the switch and have seen a 20 percent hike in business. Others now follow their lead. Not bad.

* Love what you do: Eddie and Jennifer Vera say this quality has driven them the five years they’ve run Action Rental, which has been around 44 years and offers everything from inflatable slides and garden tillers to all the supplies for a wedding party.

* Don’t forget obligations to the community: So many businesses are good about investing in their communities. This is especially so at Cargill, which employs 700 people, pays them $13 million a year to process 26,000 birds a day and has an economic impact on our community estimated at $30 million. Yet it never forgets its role in other crucial areas — supporting Habitat for Humanity and partnering with Caritas and Mission Waco to help the poor. It recently raised $70,000 for United Way of Waco-McLennan County.

Congrats, honorees.