On May 31, Small Business Majority network members, alongside other small business owners and advocates, attended the White House’s inaugural Midwest Regional Small Business Summit. The entrepreneurs met with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and other Biden-Harris administration officials to discuss how to help Main Street thrive.
On June 11, Small Business Majority, Main Street Alliance and 20 small business advocacy and service-oriented organizations sent a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees explaining why we oppose proposed budget cuts in the House’s FY2025 Financial Services and General Government funding bill. The legislation would significantly reduce funding for the Small Business Administration, Department of the Treasury and Federal Trade Commission, all of which play a critical role in ensuring small businesses have access to the resources and capital needed to grow and thrive.
Read the letterOn June 5, Small Business Majority released a new poll of brick-and-mortar small businesses that provides insights into their views on public safety in their communities. The survey reveals that these small business owners are more concerned about economic issues that impact their businesses than crime in their communities.
Read the reportOn May 22, Small Business Majority network member Alap Vora testified at a U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs subcommittee hearing on inflation and shrinkflation, and their impacts on small businesses. He explained how unexpected price hikes, deceptive and unclear fees from large distributing companies, and shrinkflation continue to place disproportionate impacts on small shop owners like himself.
On May 21, Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer spoke at the American Economic Liberties Project's 2024 Anti-Monopoly Summit about the importance of forging ties between labor and small business as a way to reduce corporate power. He noted that small businesses are looking for a level playing field with free and fair competition so they have the opportunity to thrive.
Watch the recordingOn May 6, the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a field hearing in Maryland entitled "Promoting Opportunity: The Need for Targeted Federal Business Programs to Address Ongoing Racial Discrimination." Small Business Majority network members Hyacinth Tucker and Brenda Doles submitted written testimony on barriers they've encountered as minority small business owners and how policymakers can help address discrimination and promote diversity through federal procurement programs.
On April 9, Small Business Majority released a new poll that reveals that small businesses believe the federal government should take steps to address the cost of care and they strongly support several legislative solutions. Additionally, the poll found that a lack of affordable and accessible childcare is a barrier to small business formation (58%) and growth (59%) for many entrepreneurs.
Read the reportOn April 4, Small Business Majority network members Brendan Mccluskey, Shelley Mills and Teaera Strum joined U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Kweisi Mfume and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to discuss the impact of the Key Bridge collapse on small businesses and learn about the SBA's economic recovery efforts.
On April 3, Small Business Majority released new polls in Illinois, North Carolina and Texas that reveal small business owners support reforms that remove barriers to occupational licensing for justice-impacted individuals, as well as measures to end debt-based drivers license suspensions. Additionally, the polls find that entrepreneurs are struggling to recruit and retain qualified workers amidst a workforce shortage, and that these reforms would allow them to access an underutilized workforce.
Read the reportsOn March 25, National Small Business Council member Janna Rodriguez and Small Business Majority Government Affairs Director Alexis D’Amato attended the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA's) first Child Care Conference. Janna also participated in a roundtable at the White House with SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman where small business owners, SBA resource partners and childcare providers discussed the administrator’s vision for improving the childcare ecosystem.