Monday, 1 May 2017

President Trump Proclaims the Start of National Small Business Week 2017

National Small Business Week 2017 Kick-off

National Small Business Week is here once again!

The week started off as it has since the early 1960s, with a Presidential proclamation.

This year, President Donald Trump heralded the beginning of National Small Business Week with the following statement:

“During Small Business Week, we celebrate our Nation’s small business owners, whose entrepreneurship and hard work bring jobs and prosperity to our communities. Small business owners embody the American pioneering spirit and remind us that determination can turn aspiration into achievement. This week, we affirm our commitment to removing government barriers to the success of American small businesses.”

The President has committed his days in office to improving the business climate in the U.S., including for small businesses. During his time in office so far, he has signed Executive Orders calling for the rollback of regulations he says are stifling economic and business growth. He also unveiled a tax reform plan that would drop the corporate tax rates to an average of 15 percent.

Trump’s proclamation reads:

“Our Nation also deserves a tax system that works for not against small business owners. One of the biggest problems facing our small businesses is an unduly complicated, and often unfair, tax system. Tax reform will unleash a new wave of investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship in our country. Americans will keep more money in their pockets, leaving them with the resources they need to expand their businesses and hire more workers.”

He continues:

“At the beginning of my Administration, I met with small business owners who continue to struggle under too many burdensome regulations. I have already signed legislation disapproving many excessive and unreasonable regulations and issued several Executive Orders to address other overreaching rules. These actions will free our Nation’s entrepreneurs to spend more time creating jobs and less time navigating the Federal bureaucracy.”

National Small Business Week 2017 Kick-off

Following the proclamation, it’s the duty of the U.S. Small Business Administration — now under the leadership of former WWE co-founder Linda McMahon — to carry the event through the week.

At an event tonight, the SBA will honor its Small Businessperson of the Year. And the SBA plans numerous nationwide webinars and other events that both honor small businesses and offer helpful advice.

Locally, regional SBA offices will be holding their own events throughout the week. Check the SBA website, affiliate SBA sites, and our Big List of National Small Business Week events for a program that’s suited to your small business.

Small Business Owner to Small Business Owner

“National Small Business Week honors the innovators who take a risk on an idea, invest in their communities, and create jobs,” new SBA Administrator Linda McMahon said in a video message to open the week. “Their skills and creativity not only support their own families, they make our neighborhoods vibrant places to live and work and fuel our nation’s economic strength.”

SBA Administrator McMahon’s backstory is rather well known. She and her husband founded what has now become one of the largest sports businesses in the country and world, the WWE. But she started as a small business owner.

“Many of you are entrepreneurs and you probably don’t ever take the time to congratulate yourself. You have earned our thanks and our praise. We, as a nation, want you to succeed because when your businesses thrive, our community thrives right along with it.

Despite the success her family business enjoys today, it wasn’t always so. And that’s the story McMahon is sharing with small business owners this week. She also understands the struggles today’s small business owners are experiencing all too well.

“Like all small business owners, I know what it’s like to take a risk on an idea, manage cash flow, navigate regulations and tax laws, and create jobs,” McMahon says. “My husband and I built our business from scratch. We started out sharing a desk. I remember the early days when every month I had to decide whether I should continue to lease a typewriter or if I could finally afford to buy it. Yes, that $12 a month really made a difference in our budget.”

They’re From the Government and They’re Here to Help

That phrase usually sends people running but the SBA is worth a second look. The agency’s website provides a lot of free information for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It’s got business plan guides for startup owners and information on how to obtain loans or qualify for government contracts.

McMahon says she hopes this week will help small businesses nationwide understand that the SBA — and the Trump administration — is trying to help.

“We salute the courage and persistence of those who don’t always get the attention or appreciation they deserve. As I think back on my own journey as a small business owner, I wonder how much easier things might have been if we’d been aware of the many valuable services SBA provides,” she said. “My hope is that as more people learn about the services SBA provides, we can continue to revitalize a spirit of  entrepreneurship in our country and more people will have the confidence, skills and resources they need to succeed as small business owners. As they succeed, our economy and our nation succeed, and that’s something all of us can celebrate.”

Images: U.S. Small Business Administration, @IvankaTrump

This article, "President Trump Proclaims the Start of National Small Business Week 2017" was first published on Small Business Trends



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