Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is calling for a White House Conference on Small Business in 2017. NAWBO has sent a letter to both major party presidential candidates requesting they host a Conference if elected President of the United States. The letter was signed by 14 former NAWBO National Presidents who served as delegates to previous White House Conference on Small Business.
“In the 1980s and 1990s, NAWBO leaders played an integral role in the White House Conferences on Small Business, leading the way on discussions and decisions involving small business owners nationwide,” said Teresa Meares, NAWBO National Board Chair. “Small business owners are a driving force in this nation’s economy. The beginning of the next presidential administration presents an ideal time to gather these important economic leaders to discuss the opportunities and impediments relating to their ability to grow their businesses and by extension the economy. It is our pleasure to ask both Secretary Clinton and Mr. Trump to host the next White House Conference on Small Business if they are elected President of United States on November 8.”
According to the SBA, small businesses created nearly 2 million of the roughly 3 million private-sector jobs generated in 2014. More than 7 million of the 11 million jobs created during our recovery have been generated by startups and small enterprises.
“NAWBO is proud to represent women business owners in all sizes, sectors and stages of their development. Approximately three-fourths of our members are small business owners as classified by the SBA,” added Meares. “As we celebrate October as National Women’s Small Business Month, we are proud to make this call and encourage the next President of the United States to make small owners a top priority.”