Entrepreneurship

Small Business Majority’s Outreach Team advocates for entrepreneurs on two fronts: It supports policies that would benefit small firms, and it offers workshops and events that help small business owners grow their companies. Over the coming months, we’ll be sitting down with members of our Outreach Team to provide an introduction and let small business owners know how our team members can assist them.

To kick off Women’s History Month in March, Small Business Majority recently hosted a Twitter chat, “Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs” to share tips and resources for women entrepreneurs from business organizations and entrepreneurs around the country. Many of our wonderful partner organizations participated, included the California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO), SBDC East Los Angeles, Washington D.C. SBDC, the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago, SBA’s Nebraska District Office and more.

Small business owner Natalie Dubose recounts the night of Nov. 24, 2014, like a scene out of the movie “Independence Day.”

“Every shop in downtown Ferguson leading up to mine and past mine was destroyed. I found furniture from the law firm across the street, that the protestors had used to break the windows,” she said.

In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing tips and tools for black entrepreneurs as well as stories of successful entrepreneurs. We recently spoke with Shawna Collier, Senior Loan Counselor at Justine Petersen, to ask her about the obstacles that black entrepreneurs face and resources they can use to overcome these challenges.

We are proud to partner with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), a national organization that promotes economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs through advocacy work and by providing resources and tools. USBC is the umbrella organization for over 100 Black Chambers and small business associations through the country that deliver local support to small business owners. In honor of Black History Month, we talked with USBC President Ron Busby to share insight into tools and resources that can help Black entrepreneurs succeed.

In 2015, Kristine de la Cruz, owner of Crème Caramel LA and co-owner of Frankie Lucy Bakeshop in Los Angeles, traveled to Washington D.C., to participate in one of Small Business Majority’s policy-focused events. Four years later de la Cruz joined us again–a little closer to home–for the “California Small Business Summit: Building Local Economies” to learn how she can expand her businesses. She wasn’t disappointed.

Small Business Majority’s Outreach Team advocates for entrepreneurs on two fronts: It supports policies that would benefit small firms, and it offers workshops and events that help small business owners grow their companies. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sitting down with members of our Outreach Team to provide an introduction and let small business owners know how our team members can assist them.

For the first post in this series, we’re spotlighting Renée J. Johnson, who holds a dual role as our new Director of Government Affairs and Outreach based in Washington, D.C.

There are many reasons to start a small business, but for longtime entrepreneur Letha Pugh and her wife, Wendy, their gluten-free bakery was born because Wendy’s Celiac disease prevented the family from going out for meals.

We are proud of our work this year serving small businesses and independent entrepreneurs. As we prepare to expand this work in 2019, we’re taking time to reflect on our successes over the last year. 

This was certainly a year of expansion for Small Business Majority. We worked hard to bring new resources to underserved communities and supported new policies that will benefit small business owners. Here are six of our biggest accomplishments in 2018: