Rural small businesses face unique barriers in their efforts to start and grow - from a lack of access and awareness to capital and resources to struggles maintaining a qualified workforce.
Colorado Small Business Owner Highlight
Why shop small? Because $0.67 of every dollar you spend at a small business gets invested back into the community. For Jeff Rogoff, owner of Sazza in Greenwood Village, Colo., this philosophy holds true. At Sazza, not only are the pizza toppings and cheeses locally sourced but so is the silverware, tables, glassware and branded merchandise.
“Being mindful of our community, working with our community and being a part of our community is all very important to us,” Jeff says.
Colorado Events
Colorado Policy
Small Business Majority has created a comprehensive state policy agenda to ensure entrepreneurship is at the center of a thriving and inclusive economy in Colorado. The state’s more than 715,00 small businesses employ 1.1 million people, accounting for 99.5% of all businesses in Colorado.
On April 1, Small Business Majority's Colorado Director Lindsey Vigoda testified before the Colorado House Finance Committee on HB 24-1312, proposal to create a state income tax credit for careworkers, many of whom are small business owners and key to our economic success.
On March 20, Small Business Majority's Colorado Director Lindsey Vigoda testified before the Colorado House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on SB 24-155.
On March 12, Small Business Majority's Colorado Director, Lindsey Vigoda, testified before the Colorado House Health and Human Services Committee in support of HB 24-1223.
Colorado Research
Small Business Majority’s new poll of Colorado small business owners reveals strong support for legislative solutions that would remove barriers for justice-impacted individuals by making reforms to occupational licensing and debt-based driver’s license suspensions. These politically diverse small business owners believe these measures would enable employers to tap into an underutilized workforce and open up opportunities for entrepreneurship.
As entrepreneurs continue to navigate business and economic challenges stemming from pandemic, Small Business Majority surveyed small business owners and operators in Colorado to assess business conditions and the rising costs of healthcare.
During a series of three focus groups across the state of Colorado, Small Business Majority facilitated discussions with a variety of small business owners and self-employed workers to better understand their personal experiences that could inform policy conversations regarding Medicaid expansion, healthcare costs and coverage. These roundtable discussions occurred while COVID-19 dramatically impacted business and local economies. While the pandemic’s effect was often brought up by participants, this issue brief focuses on the broader impact of Medicaid expansion and of small business owners’ experiences and observations about Medicaid expansion and health insurance.
Colorado voters approved Proposition 118 in November of 2020, paving the way for a state-run Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. FAMLI will allow small employers in Colorado to facilitate access to paid time off to their employees when they need to care for a family member. This is crucial for small businesses and their employees and a welcomed initiative in Colorado.
Colorado SecureSavings is a new state workplace retirement savings program created by the Colorado SecureSavings Board. The program is designed to help Colorado employers and employees set automatic payroll contributions to a Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) account and save for the future. Colorado SecureSavings is an added benefit to offer and comes at no cost to employers.
The Colorado Option was established by the Colorado Legislature to give the Division of Insurance the ability to develop standard benefit plans. This allows small businesses to easily compare and choose the plan that is right for them through the individual and small group marketplace.