Small businesses are the backbone of America, accounting for 99.9% of all businesses in the country and employing 61.7 million people. In Utah, Beehive ranked eighth in the nation for new business filings in 2022, up 30% from 2019. Despite economic challenges, small business owners are content with the health of their businesses, with entrepreneurship leading the country and driving the economy.
As a small business owner, I see the enhanced entrepreneurial spirit and willingness for small businesses to access American technology. Digital tools and online platforms have allowed my business, and countless others in Utah and around the United States, to grow beyond imagination. Technological innovation drives business and enables owners to reach customers in their local communities, states, and even across the country. Continued innovation in America’s technology sector enables small businesses to access services, use tools, and platforms for free or at low cost.
However, I am concerned that Washington’s erroneous laws targeting U.S. technology will hinder small businesses and harm the tools and innovations we rely on to run and grow our businesses. Small business owners need to be agile and innovative, and often rely on technology to navigate uncertain times. But erroneous laws limit the ability of operators to adapt, grow their businesses, and serve their customers, undermining their freedom and flexibility.
By leveraging innovation within the industry, U.S. technology strengthens the U.S. economy and supports small businesses, all of which have driven America’s global competitiveness. To sustain and protect this entrepreneurial spirit, policymakers must look to strengthen America’s technology and foster innovation. Failure to do so could jeopardize Utah’s and America’s future economic growth, small business success, and global competitiveness.
Abdiel Vazquez, the President of Explore Strategies and an intern for Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Rob Bishop, is a graduate of Weber State University and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University.