Phoenix, Arizona - During the week of May 5-11, 2019, Arizona joins the country and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in celebrating National Small Business Week.
Arizona’s economy is powered by small business owners, entrepreneurs and employees. Arizona has slashed red tape and cut regulations to ensure our state is an environment where small businesses can start up, expand and thrive.
Here’s more on the importance of small businesses in Arizona:
- Arizona has a total 571,495 small businesses operating in the state, making up over 99 percent of Arizona businesses.
- From 2016 to 2017, the number of small businesses increased by 2 percent in Arizona.
- Arizona’s small businesses employ 1 million employees, or 43.7 percent of Arizona’s private workforce.
- Over 146,600 employees work for minority-owned small businesses in Arizona.
- Of Arizona’s small businesses, over 6,400 small businesses export goods outside of Arizona, generating nearly 25 percent of Arizona’s total exports.
- Small businesses accounted for over 43,000 new Arizona jobs (2016). Firms with less than 20 employees accounted for over 25,000 of those new jobs.
The SBA recently awarded two Arizona business owners as 2019 Small Business Persons of the Year, an award recognizing those who represent our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit. Another Arizona small business earned the SBA’s National Small Business Subcontractor of the Year award.
To further empower small businesses in Arizona, the Arizona Commerce Authority now has a Small Business Ombudsman. The position will serve as a liaison between small businesses and the government agencies that regulate them, ensuring small businesses have the resources they need to succeed.