FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Conan Knoll
conan@emccommunications.com
(831) 524-6764

Small Business for America’s Future Co-Chairs Discuss Small Business Meeting with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen

Anne Zimmerman and Shaundell Newsome met with Treasury Secretary Yellen today to discuss the state of small business and the need for government to make a long-term commitment to the survival and recovery of Main Street

Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2021–Representatives from Small Business for America’s Future (SBAF) met with newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen today to discuss the need for the federal government to commit to a long-term investment in the strength and health of the country’s small business sector.

During the virtual event, SBAF Co-chairs Anne Zimmerman and Shaundell Newsome shared their experiences as small business owners during the pandemic with Secretary Yellen and said that given the proper tools, long-term government investment and better access to capital, particularly for minority owners, small businesses can lead the country back to prosperity.

“The economic pain small businesses are feeling will continue well into the year. To bolster our economic recovery, the federal government must make small business a central focus. We need the government to strengthen their small business tools and commit to short-term and long-term investments in the health and strength of our Main Street entrepreneurs,” said Zimmerman, a small business CPA based in Cincinnati. “The consequences of failing to help small business failure are huge. Our 30 million small businesses employ half of all Americans and drive economic activity and provide needed services in every community in our country. The bottom line is that to have a strong recovery we need a strong small business sector and right now it’s in trouble.”

Newsome, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the inequities between large and small businesses that need to be addressed. 

“The pandemic as a whole has exposed, yet again, the disparity in access to capital that has been an issue since I started my firm 14 years ago. We need government initiatives that promote the economic security of small businesses by addressing universal small business problems that make them less competitive with big business—chief among those, improved access to capital with a focus on very small and minority owned firms,” Newsome said. “We have seen what happens when vulnerable small businesses don’t have access to capital and long-term banking relationships. Hundreds of thousands close taking vital jobs with them. The damage is catastrophic, and rebuilding will take time. But if we invest in making our small business sector more resilient, it can recover, grow, hire and lead us back to prosperity.”

To request an interview with Anne Zimmerman or Shaundell Newsome, contact Conan Knoll at conan@emccommunications.com or (831) 524-6764.

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About Small Business for America’s Future

Small Business for America’s Future is a national coalition of small business owners and leaders working to provide small businesses a voice at every level of government. We’re committed to ensuring policymakers prioritize the nation’s 30 million small businesses to create an economy that works for them, their workers and their communities. Visit www.smallbusinessforamericasfuture.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. #SmallBizAF.