National

Entrepreneurs create more jobs than any other sector of the economy, and they are in the vanguard of an evolving 21st century economy that is shaping America’s new employment landscape—one where brick-and-mortar storefronts are being replaced by online retailers, and freelancers and contractors are the new version of the 9-to-5 office worker. 

Scientific opinion poll finds small business owners are hiring, but those doing so are having a hard time finding candidates with the right background; they support programs such as apprentice and internships to identify and increase the number of qualified workers.

Small business owners are still recovering from the Great Recession and doing everything they can to fortify their businesses, and with them, the economy. In communities across the country, it is the jobs small businesses provide and the consumers they serve that keep our recovery moving. In order to grow and thrive, entrepreneurs need smart policies that help bolster their bottom lines and fuel the consumer demand that underpins economic success. They believe increasing the federal minimum wage will help do this.

As the U.S. continues to suffer from bouts of extreme weather, including record storms across much of the country and droughts in the West, small employers are feeling the strain. “The Toll Extreme Weather Takes on Small Business & the Economy,” provides a number of legislative actions policymakers can take to help small businesses better weather these extreme events, and mitigate the effects of climate change that causes them.

Small Business Majority released a scientific opinion poll that found small business owners and their employees are impacted by a lack of access to high-quality, affordable child care. Further, the poll showed that a majority of small businesses support expanding federal programs to increase access to child care through both direct federal assistance and expanded tax credits to help working families struggling with the cost of child care.

Small Business Majority released a scientific opinion poll that found that the majority of women-owned small businesses believe that insurance companies should be required to include contraceptive coverage in their health plans. Further, the poll found women entrepreneurs view access to reproductive healthcare as critical to their ability to start their business.

Small Business Majority scientific opinion polling found small businesses favor the Affordable Care Act over the Republican replacement plan, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) by a 2:1 ratio.

Small Business Majority released a scientific opinion poll on small business owners’ attitudes regarding tax reform. While current proposals are being sold as a boon for small businesses in a struggling economy, small business owners are in fact generally optimistic about the economy and rate healthcare, rather than taxes, as their top concern. Further, small business owners want Congress to prioritize making the tax system fair for small businesses over tax cuts.

Small Business Majority released a national scientific opinion poll—including oversamples in five states—that found small business owners oppose denying services to LGBT customers based on religious beliefs, rights to free speech or freedom of artistic expression. Further, the poll showed that a majority of small businesses support enacting federal and state laws to protect LGBT individuals from discrimination in places of public accommodation. Small business owners feel that nondiscrimination policies are good for their state’s business climate and their own business’s bottom line.

Scientific opinion polling found small business owners think predatory lending practices are a problem, and they overwhelmingly support stronger regulations on alternative lenders to ensure they have safe, responsible access to capital.