Washington, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 2, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, will launch the “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship” bus tour to coincide with National Small Business Week 2022. Administrator Guzman will visit nine cities across the country and, in collaboration with the SBA’s local offices, join local elected officials to celebrate America’s 32.5 million small businesses who have played an integral role in powering our nation’s historically strong economic comeback.
“SBA’s Building a Better America bus tour during National Small Business Week will be a journey to meet new and established business owners from across the country and share federal resources that can help them do what they do best: build and grow their businesses, create jobs, and power our continued economic recovery under the Biden-Harris administration,” Administrator Guzman said. “Entrepreneurs are innovators and creators at their core, delivering the products and services we depend on and making our neighborhoods, towns, and cities more vibrant places to live and work. They give their all every day to achieve the American dream of business ownership and, by doing so, advance America’s economy and global competitiveness. This is a time to celebrate them and help ensure they continue to get the support they need to survive and thrive in communities across America.”
The “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship” tour will take place May 2-5 and feature stops in San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; Columbia and Richburg, South Carolina; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Norfolk, Virginia.
Alongside National Small Business Week winners, experts, and SBA officials will highlight various SBA programs and priorities geared toward increasing equity and lowering barriers to opportunity so that all entrepreneurs can access the American dream. Chief among the programs being elevated on the road is the American Rescue Plan’s $100 million Community Navigators Program, a critical program aimed at helping small businesses and startups in historically underserved, disadvantaged communities access much-needed government resources and navigate the new opportunities being presented by President Biden’s Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).
Administrator Guzman and other attendees on the bus tour will also raise awareness of new SBA initiatives and reforms like the Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA), which aims to support entrepreneurs as they pivot from the pandemic and grow their businesses through access to new digital tools, and the Community Advantage Pilot Program, geared toward closing the access to capital gap for diverse small business owners, especially women entrepreneurs and those from AAPI, Hispanic, Black, veteran and rural communities.
In conjunction with the bus tour, the SBA will also host The National Small Business Week 2022 Virtual Summit to celebrate our small businesses, provide critical resources and recognize SBA partners for their support in providing startups and small business owners with counseling and advice, skills development, disaster preparedness, and recovery, as well as access to capital, government contracting, and market opportunities to start, grow and build resilient businesses.
For more information about bus tour stops, National Small Business Week, and other event information, visit www.sba.gov/NSBW. Media interested in scheduling interviews with Administrator Guzman should contact press_office@sba.gov.
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Co-sponsorship Authorization# 22-1-C. The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
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About National Small Business Week
For nearly 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov
