COVID-19

Small Business Majority Recommends Changes to the Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act

Today, Small Business Majority shared a letter with Senators Rubio, Cardin, Shaheen and Collins on recommendations for changes for S, 4321, the Continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act. S, 4321 is a starting point in addressing the lack of flexibility that small business owners who participated in PPP are facing. However, the legislation requires critical changes to provide enough comprehensive changes that entrepreneurs need to sustain their businesses. 

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Submitted by Awesta Sarkash on Fri, 07/31/2020 - 07:51

Immigrant entrepreneur weathers many storms to continue her design dreams

Posted: July 29, 2020

Daisy Bedoya was already struggling to make ends meet when the coronavirus pandemic forced her to close her business for a few months, leaving her with mounting debt. Graphx Designs and Concepts is a graphic design company that creates posters, LED light displays, window lettering and more in Largo, Florida. 

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Small Business Majority Asks for Inclusion of S. 4117, Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act in Next Relief Package

Today, Small Business Majority submitted a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to include S. 4117, the Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, in the next relief package. This bill would provide automatic forgiveness for all Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under $150,000, while also ensuring fraud protections are in place. Loans under $150,000 represent only 26% of the PPP funds disbursed, and the overwhelming majority of these loans likely went to the most vulnerable, COVID-19 impacted businesses. 

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Submitted by Awesta Sarkash on Thu, 07/23/2020 - 06:57

Blooming small business pivots to stay open during shutdown

Posted: July 22, 2020

Kansas City-based wedding florists Lily Williams and Betsy Ford are on a mission to express love through flowers. But over the past few months, the coronavirus pandemic has forced them to adapt their business and serve their community by filling orders for funerals instead of wedding celebrations.

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California business owner credits her community’s support for her reopening success

Posted: July 14, 2020

Two heads are better than one, and Mar Y Sol Alvarado and her husband Alfred are a clear example of this adage. As the owners of Alro Window Coverings—an installation service company in Mountain View, Calif.—Alfred brings his entrepreneurial knowledge to the table, matched with Mar’s business development experience from working in nonprofit organizations for more than 10 years.

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Small Business Majority Provides Written Testimony for Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion

Small Business Majority submitted written testimony for the record for the House Committee on Financial Service's Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion's, "Access Denied: Challenges for Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses Accessing Capital and Financial Services" hearing. The contributions of entrepreneurs of color and women to our local and national economies cannot be overlooked.

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Submitted by Awesta Sarkash on Tue, 07/14/2020 - 05:54

PPP fails Florida solo-entrepreneur, but she continues to learn and grow

Posted: July 7, 2020

Lisa Romer King’s business plan was born while studying for her M.A. in Business Management when a professor tasked her with writing a business proposal. The assignment sparked something in Lisa and she decided she had to follow through on her idea and bring King's Professional Networking and Placement to life. 

For the past three years, Lisa has been running the business she dreamed of out of Lauderhill, Florida where she serves as a mediator, public notary, credit educator and business advisor to members of her community.  

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Small Business Majority supports Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act

Small Business Majority submitted a letter to Senators Cramer, Menendez, Tillis and Sinema in support of the S. 4117, which would forgive all Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under $150,000, ensuring small business businesses don't incur more debt during this economic crisis.

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Submitted by Small Business Majority on Thu, 07/02/2020 - 07:32

Small Business Majority Survey: Small business owners continue to struggle despite PPP funds

Publisher: 
Small Business Majority
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Date: 
Wednesday, July 1, 2020

As the Paycheck Protection Program neared its expiration, Small Business Majority surveyed its national network of small business owners to better understand how businesses have benefited from PPP. The survey reveals a majority of small businesses have received a PPP loan, but many are still struggling with their overhead costs and will likely be forced to lay off their employees again once their funding runs dry. This is particularly true for small businesses owned by people of color. 

Georgia business owner struggles to host her community’s celebrations amid global pandemic

Posted: June 30, 2020

In the midst of a global pandemic and a severe economic recession, entrepreneur Adriane Anderson was forced to rethink her retirement plan.

A Georgia native and a lover of hosting gatherings, Adriane Anderson opened her event venue Bless the Occasion just last year. She knew she wouldn’t be able to retire comfortably if she continued to rely on her income working at Publix, a grocery store chain, so she embarked on her journey as a small business owner in 2015. She purchased an old home in Stone Mountain, GA, and remodeled the facility—a process that took about four years to complete, as she had to navigate zoning changes and permit requirements. Her business hosts little girls' tea parties, etiquette classes, baby showers, birthdays and small events of up to 50 guests. 

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