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On Monday I met Ryan Poortinga, who owns San Diego Sky Tours in San Diego, California. When Ryan graduated from college, he couldn't find a job, so he created his own job. With counseling from an SBA resource partner, he and a friend started San Diego Sky Tours. They give private, custom tours of San Diego by air. The business has been so successful that they are already hiring their first employee and planning on expanding or even franchising. Ryan is a perfect example of the next generation of entrepreneurs that...
Like many Americans in my generation, my father was a World War II veteran. My life has been shaped and influenced by his service. Now, as Deputy Administrator at the SBA, I am committed to supporting America’s veteran entrepreneurs and business owners as they grow their business and put America back to work. Just yesterday, I hosted a forum for young veterans on the campus of San Diego State University as part of SBA’s Young Entrepreneurs Series and National Entrepreneurship Month. I was happy to meet so many...
I’m pleased to announce the winner of a video competition for small businesses that have used exporting to increase their sales and create jobs. Exporting is a crucial driving force in building on America’s economic growth. This year alone, the U.S. had several record-breaking months of exports, helping contribute to the President’s goal of doubling U.S. exports and supporting 2 million jobs under the National Export Initiative. For this competition, we put out a call for businesses to make an educational video of three...
On Wednesday, I visited an innovative green business in Memphis that retrofits big air-conditioning units in order to reduce wear-and-tear while saving their customers on energy costs. As businesses like this grow and find new customers, we need to do everything we can to make sure they have the working capital they need to scale up and create jobs. That’s why I was proud to announce that SBA recently reengineered our CAPLines program. Banks are already starting to use it to put more capital in the hands of small businesses....
This column originally ran in The Washington Post Capital Business. The federal government spends more than $500 billion a year in contracts, making it the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. Small businesses throughout the country can and should take advantage of contracting opportunities, which can be a crucial source of revenue to help them grow, innovate and create jobs. President Obama has made small business contracting a top priority. He created an inter-agency task force which developed recommendations to...
I am thrilled that President Obama has declared that November is National Entrepreneurship Month. At the U.S. Small Business Administration, we’re using this month to celebrate entrepreneurship in a number of ways. We launched the Student Startup Plan to help more college graduates learn how to lower their loan payments in order to get the “breathing room” they need to start a business. We are hosting a Young Entrepreneurs Series (YES) to help more young people come together, exchange ideas, and get on a path toward...
When a friend or family member asks what you do to help small businesses, what do you say? As a Program Analyst in the Performance Management Office, Office of Chief Financial Officer, I provide assistance to create financial and performance reports to educate small businesses about SBA programs. I make it a point to patronize local small businesses such as neighborhood stores, boutiques, athletic shops, home improvement contractors, and auto repair shops by keeping the dollars close. I feel their services are superior,...
SBA has been holding White House Business Council Roundtables in rural communities throughout the Rocky Mountain region. In these open dialogs, participants often express the resilient, muted optimism of an independent citizenry recovering from an economic downturn. Small businesses in the region face a variety of challenges, but at the same time, they are drivers of economic growth and sustainable job creation. I recently had the chance to visit Laducer & Associates in Mandan, ND. Laducer...
By Sean Greene, Associate Administrator for Investment and Special Advisor for Innovation Yesterday, the President announced how we’re reducing the burden of student loan debt for college graduates and their families. As a former entrepreneur, I know just how important debt relief is in helping finance extra months of operating runway that a new businessneeds to get up and running. It’s particularly important that we give as much “breathing room” as possible to entrepreneurs who have both a degree and a great...
Every year since 1963, SBA has hosted the National Small Business Week Conference to recognize the special impact made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners. We are now seeking nominations from the public for the 2012 National Small Business Week awards. Once you are nominated for an award, the next step is to put together a nomination package. Here are 7 tips to preparing a winning Small Business Week nomination package: 1. Read and Follow Nomination Guidelines Carefully...
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by Marie Johns, SBA Deputy Administrator on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - 10:06