Julia Jamieson's blog

The debate about raising the minimum wage is a hot topic, and the impact to small businesses is a sticking point in the argument. But what do real small businesses think about raising the wage?

As vice president of policy & strategy of Small Business Majority, I can report that our scientific opinion poll found 57 percent support increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10.

If there’s one place in the country it’s harder to cut through the doublespeak than any other, it’s Washington, D.C. But one small business is up to the task, so to speak. DC Sharp!, owned by Derek Swanson, excels in sharpening knives so keen even the sharpest D.C. operator would be impressed. But it’s their technique of using Japanese waterstones to do so that truly makes them unique.

If there’s one thing you want so fresh it’s practically able to jump off your plate, it’s fish. Luckily, Sea to Table has made a business out of providing just that. Without the jumping fish, of course.

Owned and operated by Michael Dimin and his family, Sea to Table partners with fisherman from sustainable, small-scale fisheries and delivers the freshest of catches straight from the docks overnight.

Debate about raising the minimum wage is a hot topic, and the impact to small businesses is a sticking point in the argument. But what do real small businesses think about raising the wage? Small Business Majority polled a random sample of small businesses from across the country and found 57 percent of entrepreneurs support increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10 and indexing it to the cost of living.

Debate about raising the minimum wage is a hot topic, and the impact to small businesses is a sticking point in the argument. But what do real small businesses think about raising the wage? Small Business Majority asked in a scientific opinion poll and found 57 percent support increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10.

It only took a six-minute drive home from a friend’s house for Andrea Deutsch to arrive at a business concept that would make the one-time lawyer into the proud owner of a pet store that’s equal parts Whole Foods and L.L. Bean.

In other words, Pennsylvania’s pampered pet utopia.

“Spot’s – The Place for Paws” is Deutsch’s six-minute epiphany come to life; still the cat’s meow after 11 years in business in Narberth, PA.

Vitto Campuzano knows selling grains and beans isn’t a particularly sexy business. But who needs sex appeal when you operate a reputable family-owned business approaching its 40^th year as a global wholesale and export leader?

F. Garcia Wholesale & Export, founded in 1974 and based out of Miami, is a bulk bean and grain supplier that sources, trades and supplies agricultural commodities from different regions throughout North America, Europe, Haiti, Mexico and Africa, to name just a few.

Last week, the president directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation to move forward with the next round of fuel efficiency standards for medium and heavy-duty trucks by March 2016. This is great news for small business owners who, according to our polling, overwhelmingly support greater fuel efficiency standards because they will help save on fuel costs and boost entrepreneurs’ bottom lines.

Engaging with small business owners on a topic like healthcare is never an easy thing. The terminology is complicated, the law is complex and it’s an incredibly personal issue for many people. What is easy, however, is listening to small business owners’ concerns, and talking them through. Everyone wants to be heard.