National

Small business ownership has long been recognized as a path to financial freedom and independence, but many entrepreneurs are held back by big businesses that game the system in their favor – in both digital spaces and in the real world. This uneven playing field dominated by large businesses leaves small business owners struggling to keep up. That’s why for the past 20 years, Small Business Majority has worked to level the terrain by exposing the tools big businesses use to gain a leg up on their smaller competitors including working to ban non-compete agreements, enforce price discrimination laws and advancing policies that promote fair competition.

The pandemic pushed small businesses into the digital age faster than anyone expected. Some were able to pivot quickly—launching online stores, expanding their social media presence, or streamlining operations with new tools—but others struggled to keep up. To help better understand the evolving playing field, in 2023 Small Business Majority launched a comprehensive digital transformation research project to uncover what small businesses need to thrive in this new era and ensure they aren’t excluded from the opportunities found in a changing economy. Read more to see how small businesses are adapting, where gaps remain, and what steps can help every business succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Tax policy can be confusing, and too often reforms benefit large corporations rather than small business owners. Since 2017, Small Business Majority has fought to ensure meaningful relief reaches Main Street entrepreneurs, sharing stories from real business owners who have been impacted by the tax code. Read more about these stories and our ongoing fight for fair tax reform for small businesses.

In recent months, Congress passed legislation that will make healthcare coverage more expensive for small businesses and failed to take other important steps to reduce healthcare costs. This follows an extension of tax laws that do not provide Main Street businesses with meaningful tax relief. To help ensure that entrepreneurs have a seat at the table and that their concerns are heard by policymakers, Small Business Majority helped small business owners from across the nation take advantage of August recess to meet with their representatives and to advocate on important topics including relief from the high costs of healthcare.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, driving nearly half of GDP and employing 59 million Americans. Yet rising costs—from healthcare to rent to tariffs—are putting enormous pressure on entrepreneurs and their employees. Entrepreneurs like Margo Clayson in Idaho and Megan Wyatt in California are feeling the pinch as tariffs drive up costs, forcing them to make tough choices about prices, jobs, and survival. Our latest blog explores how these policies ripple through Main Street and why Small Business Majority is fighting to ensure small businesses remain the true engine of our economy.