Join Small Business Majority, TMC Community Capital, the Los Angeles Department of Opportunity, and Inclusive Action for an engaging and informative webinar exploring access to capital, the risks of predatory lending, and the importance of paid family leave for workers and sma
California Small Business Owner Highlight
When Shalini Khanna immigrated to Northern California, she found that the majority of jobs available to Indian immigrants were in tech and IT. Uninterested in sitting behind a desk all day, she knew entrepreneurship was for her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t know many entrepreneurs she could turn to for advice and had no hands-on experience running a business despite having an MBA, so she decided to take the route of franchising.
She says, “I didn’t have anything in the bank or any experience, but I knew I wanted to own my own business.”
California Events
California Policy
Browse our latest state-based regulatory comments and legislative testimony in this area below, or click the button to view all records.
Monday, May 11, 2026
On May 11, Small Business Majority sent a letter signed by more than 100 small business owners and organizations in support of AB 1776, the COMPETE Act, which would update California's outdated antitrust laws.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Small Business Majority network member Paloma Corona, owner of Little Sprouts Language Immersion Preschool in Los Angeles testified before California State Assembly Committee on Banking and Finance to share her experience with predatory loans and ask the Committee to support AB 2116, which proposes to expand the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) to pr
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
On March 10, Booksmith and Kepler's Books owner Christin Evans submitted testimony to the California Joint Assembly and Seante Health Committees on how rising healthcare prices impact small businesses and recommendations on how to make health insurance more affordable.
Monday, January 12, 2026
California Research
Published:
Wed, 07/12/2023
As the California Legislature considers updating the state’s small business paid family leave and sick day policies, a new poll shows that small businesses owners strongly support expanding family leave protections and other benefits to their employees, including increasing the amount of paid sick days that employees can take.
Published:
Tue, 08/31/2021
California lawmakers are weighing a proposal to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for customers at consumer-facing businesses and to similarly require employers to mandate vaccinations or negative COVID-19 tests for employees. New opinion polling from Small Business Majority reveals that small businesses in California are supportive of proposals to mandate vaccinations and testing at places of business to help ensure local economies can operate safely, amid setbacks from the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
Published:
Tue, 02/23/2021
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic that has strained California’s economy and public health system, small businesses across the state continue to experience significant financial setbacks. A new survey of California small business owners reveals that their struggles are being exacerbated by challenges accessing capital, and they strongly support policy solutions that would deliver the financial relief they need to survive this year-long crisis.
California’s Paid Family Leave program (PFL) provides wage replacement benefits to workers who need to take time off from work to bond with a new child or to care for a seriously ill family member.
This document is intended to answer any questions small employers might have about California’s PFL program and its effects on small business owners and their workers.
California’s paid sick leave law allows employees to take time off from work to address their health or a family member’s illness without losing a paycheck.
This document is intended to answer any questions small employers might have about California’s paid sick leave law and its effects on small business owners and their workers.
The CalSavers Retirement Savings Program is a portable workplace retirement savings program for private sector workers whose employers do not offer their employees a way to save for retirement. CalSavers is run by the state and funded by modest employee contributions, so it involves minimal requirements for employers. You can learn more by watching this introduction video.
As a small business owner, we know you wear many hats—from running the day-to-day operations of your business, to managing employees, building a brand and much more. One thing many entrepreneurs feel unequipped to deal with while starting or running a business is how to handle business finances and maintain a healthy workforce.
