One of the things that I like about entrepreneurs is their sense of optimism, their can-do spirit. That spirit was on display as Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant addressed award winners, elected officials, and small business owners Monday on California Small Business Day in Sacramento.
The day was a celebration and recognition of the importance of small business to California. Joining the chief counsel were Assembly Speaker John Perez (Los Angeles) and Senate president pro-tem Darryl Steinberg (Sacramento); introducing him was Betty Jo Toccoli, president of the California Small Business Association.
In his remarks Sargeant talked about the importance of small business to the both our nation’s and California’s economy. Nationwide, there are 27.5 million small businesses; 3.4 million of these are in California, and these small businesses account for 99.2% of the state employers and 51.6% of private-sector employment.
In citing the importance of small business to our economy, Sargeant also talked about the importance in Washington to listening to small business to understand their concerns and issues. To illustrate the importance of listening, Sargeant introduced Region 9 Advocate Yvonne Lee to the audience as his “eyes and ears on the ground” in California.
In celebrating the success of so many small businesses, many others were provided the inspiration to dream their own dreams of entrepreneurship.
—Patrick Morris, Public Liaison & Media Manager