Since 1994, the mission of The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) has been to protect small business and promote entrepreneurship by educating. elected officials, policymakers, business leaders and the public about key policies that enable business start-up and growth. When the…
Karen Kerrigan & Gregg Stebben
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Weak GDP and why "Build Back Better" is not the answer; IRS surveillance update; "Big Tech" Senate antitrust bill's harm to small biz; supply chain solutions; getting ready for the holiday and more.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Census Bureau Small Business Pulse Survey presents troubling picture; "Big Tech" Senate bill sabotages small businesses; update on IRS scheme to track banking accounts; Luetkemeyer's "Guidance Clarity Act" passes House.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Privacy dangers and complexity of proposed IRS tracking of all transactions over $600; how changes to 20% deduction under House Dems' tax plan will impact SMBs; high marks to SEC for new Capital Raising Navigator Tool.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Census Bureau weekly data shows difficult environment for small biz, government shouldn't make it worse; Facebook outage lessons; QuickBooks/Small Business Roundtable virtual Entrepreneurship Exchange on Weds Oct 13.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: New SBE Council study by EY Quest ranks economic harm of proposed Biden Admin. tax hikes; why $80 billion + supercharged IRS reporting is bad for small biz; update on $1.2 trillion and $3.5 trillion spending packages.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Update on the $3.5 trillion spending package and SBE Council's aggressive opposition to harmful measures; SBA's new $2M cap on EIDL loans; time-sensitive tax/marketing resources at SBECouncil.org.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Asheesh Agarwal on America's technological edge, policies government action that threaten the edge and national security, and his recent op-ed at The Hill: "Will the US emulate China's tech takedown?"
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Dr. Kekai Namauu; Air Force Vet; founder, Dynamic Advancement & NTI; on his cybersecurity training biz for vets and how DOE proposals to limit use of online education hurts vets, innovation & our economy.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council on National Small Business Week, a summary of the wins and losses in the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package - including big tax hikes - and results of a new American Edge survey and where voters stand on "Big Tech."
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: The Biden vaccine/testing mandate and its impact, small business retirement plan requirements advance in U.S. House, and latest Census Bureau's Small Business Pulse Survey shows why both these proposals are harmful.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: What's behind August jobs data, what's next for $3.5 trillion spending bill, Senator Manchin's WSJ op-ed opposing the bill, more on step-up basis repeal, SBECouncil blog series debunking premise of Biden Competition EO.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on tragic events in Afghanistan; tax impact of $3.5 trillion budget on small biz; why retroactive capital gains tax at death will crush small biz + be cash cow for big banks; 5G LinkedIn Live on 9/1 with AT&T Business.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on House's return to vote on $3.5 trillion spending package, and impact on small biz; new data from SBA's Office of Advocacy on self-employed & wealth creation; why the Biden plan for prescription drugs is a problem.
Raymond J. Keating, chief economist, SBE Council, discusses small business and A) new SBE Council tax survey; B) current economic situation, workforce shortage, inflation; C) economic and tax implications of the $3.5 trillion spending package.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on the latest SBE Council survey showing great concern about possible tax increases, and the impact of higher capital gains taxes and elimination of step-up in basis, on small and family businesses and family farms.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on a tale of two infrastructure packages - the "bipartisan" and "human infrastructure" packages - the implications for small business, and the "pay fors" for each. Hint: watch your pocket on the latter package.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: Impending Biden vaccine/testing requirements for federal employees/contractors; Karen's Washington Times op-ed on government & healthcare; infrastructure packages & PRO Act threat, new SBA PPP Direct Forgiveness Portal.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media: Mastering Facebook, Amazon & other marketing platforms; online advertising & social commerce strategies; important data from Rieva's TrendCasts at SBECouncil.org.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on Senate HELP Committee's hearing on the PRO Act; will Democrats break their pledge to not raise taxes on small biz?; a recap of SBE Council's "State of Small Business and Startups in the Digital Economy" briefing.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on Gallup "Confidence Survey" ranking small business at #1; status of infrastructure deal & budget package, update on opposition to DOL/David Weil nomination; SBE Council's Capitol Hill Briefing, July 22, 1 pm ET.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: We discuss President Biden's EO on “Promoting Competition in the American Economy” and how it will harm competition, innovation and investment in the tech sector, along with small businesses and consumers.
Karen Kerrigan: Momentum behind a bipartisan infrastructure agreement and what SBE Council will monitor; the big problem DOL Wage and Hour nominee David Weil; and the challenge of worker/supply shortages on small businesses.
Karen Kerrigan on a new SBE Council survey by Morning Consult on what small employers want in health care: choice and control over health plans, affordability, transparency and financial support/tax credits.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: "Antitrust This Week: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly." Courts rein in weak FTC/AG case against Facebook, but new FTC Chair to go big & broad on enforcement. What's ugly? New wide-ranging EO from White House.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on the latest news about the infrastructure package + the House Antitrust Subcommittee's marathon markup session Weds. night, and the negative impact on small business and consumers from their big-tech antitrust bills.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: On Prime Day we highlight hundreds of thousands of small businesses benefiting from tech platforms like Amazon, and how US House antitrust bills will hurt small biz growth, consumer choice and convenience.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on tax proposals such as the STEP Act (a new "death tax") & changes to 20% deduction for small biz; the latest Supreme Court Obamacare decision; this week's House Small Business Committee hearing on access to broadband.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: The House Antitrust Subcommittee introduced five “Big Tech” Antitrust Bills on June 11, and SBE Council's Karen Kerrigan provided a preview on how the bills could harm both consumers and small businesses.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on Alignable survey showing 35% of SMBs at risk of not surviving summer; super slow rollout of SVOG; IRS tax-return breach and small business; Axios reports $400B of pandemic unemployment funds may have been stolen.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council: The $6 trillion Biden budget & small business; White House memo to business on ransomware threats; Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer pushes small business regulatory accountability & relief in letter to key White House office.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on the status of U.S. Innovation Act and INFORM Act; increased workplace regulation via the PRO Act and the impact on automation; DC AG's misguided and curious lawsuit against Amazon.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council, on Treas. Secretary Yellen's refusal to testify before House Small Business Committee, and SBA Admin. Isabella Guzman's testimony; how Biden tax increases will hurt small business; update on Innovation Act & INFORM Act.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Karen Kerrigan op-ed today at Morning Consult on INFORM Act; update on House anti-trust efforts focused on big-tech; new SBE Council resources for keeping up with social media trends and digital platforms.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org): New report shows business now most trusted institution in world; why you should support Save Local Business Act; why Congress must get informed on harsh small biz impact of "INFORM Act" & "STEP Act."
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: How digital platforms and "big tech" have become an essential "digital safety net" for small business, and why we can't let Congress destroy that "safety net" with needless government regulation.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on new CDC guidelines; inflation fears and need for pro-growth policies; countering PRO Act with Save Local Business Act; new cybersecurity resources at SBECouncil.org; updates on PPP, EIDL, SVOG & RRF.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on most effective way to deploy broadband via infrastructure package; new digital economy tips for small biz at SBECouncil.org; BizTech's top tech influencers for 2021, and what you can learn from them.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), explains SBE Council's opposition to: WTO "Covid Vaccine IP Rights Giveaway" petition, PRO Act for undermining new business creation and job growth, and DOL withdrawal of “Independent Contractor Rule."
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on World IP Day last Monday and National Small Business Week this week; we discuss Karen's op-ed on tech's role in a vibrant small business ecosystem and how the PRO Act undermines the digital economy.
SBE Council's Karen Kerrigan: President Biden's policy address to Congress and implications for small biz; how positive GDP & recovery are threatened by tax & regulatory proposals; new survey shows "PRO Act's" devastating impact on small business.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on moves in Congress to regulate big tech and M&A, and discusses why it's important to restrain from imposing new tax and regulatory burdens on the business sector, especially during economic recovery.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), urges the Biden Administration and Congress to restrain from imposing new regulatory burdens or taxes on small business; World IP Day is Apr 26; update on PPP, EIDL, SVOG & RFF capital access programs.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: The most Googled small biz questions by state and the digital economy; Senator Josh Hawley's far-reaching "Trust-Busting" bill; what's next following House antitrust committee's final "Competition" report.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), with the latest on SVOG, PPP, EIDL & Restaurant Revitalization Fund; "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" and efforts to repeal the Death Tax; spotlight on House Small Biz Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on NIST proposed comments reaffirming intent of 1980 Bayh-Dole Act; the latest on big infrastructure package & impact of corporate tax increase; antitrust & small business; updates on PPP & SVOG program.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on the $2T infrastructure package, scope, and impact of the proposed tax hikes on small business, global competitiveness and pandemic recovery. Also: Updates on PPP, EIDL and Shuttered Venue Grants.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on Biden press conference focus on infrastructure, R&D & China; updates on PPP & EIDL; pros & cons of American Rescue Plan; upcoming webinar on taxes for small biz with Small Biz Roundtable & H&R Block.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Hearings in U.S. House on breaking up U.S. "big tech" and impact on small businesses & entrepreneurship, and how proposed actions will help U.S. global competitors. Also: Update on latest digital trends.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), on this week's new SEC regulated crowdfunding changes & boost to capital access; update on new SBA head Isabel Guzman, PPP extension, and PPP funds remaining; status of PRO Act & proposed tax increases.
Growth Without Barriers - DIGITAL EDITION: Latest online & e-commerce trends; dangers of tech anti-trust efforts for startup ecosystem & all business sectors; launch of Open Competition Center to address potential anti-trust & regulatory overreach.
Karen Kerrigan, SBE Council (SBECouncil.org), with updates on PPP extension/fixes; need to prioritize Senate confirmation of Isabel Guzman to head SBA; House passage of PRO Act; $1.9 stimulus package and small business; what's next for Congress?