National Small Business Week is a time to honor the cultural mosaic of small business in America.
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the outstanding contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. In fact, small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy.
This year’s National Small Business Week is slated for May 5-11, and will be a celebration of small business owners who create two out of every three new jobs for Americans. National Small Business Week is also a time to honor the cultural mosaic of small business in America.
For example, there are approximately 9.9 million women-owned businesses in the United States, employing 8.4 million people. There are approximately 2.6 million black- or African American-owned businesses in the U.S., employing 975,000 people. There are approximately 3.3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in America, employing 2.3 million people, and there are approximately 1.9 million Asian-owned businesses in America, employing 3.6 million people.
Small business entrepreneurs and NALA clients that have changed the small business landscape and offered invaluable advice include Bao Tran, founder of PowerPatent Inc. Last year, PowerPatent launched cloud-based patent application software to help inventors prepare provisional, design, and utility patent applications in a cost-effective manner with full patent-attorney backup. Another small business standout in 2018 was the Law Office of Sandra Valenzuela. The firm’s founder, immigration attorney Sandra Valenzuela, provided insightful tips to foreign professionals about applying for highly sought after H-1B Visas before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services deadline.
National Small Business Week is the ideal opportunity to recognize these small businesses that have contributed significantly to their local communities, developed creative products or made advances with innovative technologies. During National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration gives out National Small Business Week Awards, including the Small Business Person of the Year Award, Small Business Exporter of the Year, Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award, Women’s Business Center of the Year Excellence Award, Small Business Investment Company of the Year and more. Winners will be announced in the spring.