Small Business

Small businesses are the backbone of Wyoming’s economy and serve as an engine of economic growth in our country. The services they provide and jobs they create are crucial to our state and its residents. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 60,000 small businesses in Wyoming and almost 97 percent of all Wyoming employers are small businesses. As a former small business owner and senior member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, I will continue my efforts to promote small businesses and look after their interests.

Running a small business isn’t easy, and Washington should be looking to make small business ownership easier, not more difficult. Many in Congress have never owned or operated a business of their own, so they don’t always get the message that regulations on small businesses are too burdensome and taxes are too high. Now is the time to empower our nation’s entrepreneurs because they have the expertise, energy, and initiative to lead our economic growth and lead us on a path of recovery.

The federal government is one of the largest customers for small businesses, providing a multi-billion dollar market for federal contracts and services. Each year, I host a procurement conference in Wyoming to help bring the federal government to folks so they can learn first-hand what government contracting opportunities are available. During the conference, business owners have a tremendous opportunity to meet with officials to talk about the products they buy and any special requirements. The conference does an excellent job of connecting the seller with the buyer. I encourage interested individuals to look for announcements each spring regarding the conference.

For more than 10 years, I have also sponsored an annual Inventors Conference in Wyoming to help residents turn their ideas into a business. Wyoming is full of people who bring unique ideas and ingenuity to the table. This conference provides entrepreneurs with the resources they need to turn those ideas into tangible, usable products and inventions. Whether they are a full-time inventor or somebody with a weekend project in a garage, this conference is tailored to help provide resources to any type of inventor so that they can succeed. I host this conference and post regular updates on my website.