WASHINGTON – National Small Business Week celebrations commence today in the nation’s capital at the US Institute of Peace with more than 75 national award winners from across the country and U.S. territories convening to be awarded and recognized for their major accomplishments. The two-day award ceremony will conclude Monday afternoon with the announcement of the 2018 National Small Business Person of the Year and three runners-up.
The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and is designed to recognize the nation’s top small businesses, entrepreneurs, and business advocates. The week-long event will continue through May 5, with SBA Administrator Linda McMahon hosting additional planned national events in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
In his proclamation declaring April 29- May 5 as Small Business Week, President Donald Trump stated, “Small businesses are at the heart of our Nation. Our country's 30 million small businesses employ nearly 58 million Americans -- 48 percent of the labor force. Each year, small businesses create two-out-of-three net new, private-sector jobs in the United States.” He added “This week, we celebrate all the entrepreneurs who have taken a risk to start and grow a small business. They are driven by a belief that they can do something better, smarter, and more efficient than what has been done before. They make our neighborhoods vibrant places to live and work. They invest in their neighbors and employ millions of Americans. When they succeed, we all succeed.”
The President’s proclamation closes with “by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 29 through May 5, 2018, as Small Business Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize the critical contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners as they grow our Nation's economy.
The Washington, D.C. award ceremonies and workshops on digital commerce and social media will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/sbagov. In addition, there will be a free Virtual Conference during National Small Business Week, May 1–3 between 12:30–6:30 p.m. EDT. The Virtual Conference offers all the best parts of an in-person conference, but without traveling. Virtual Conference viewers will be able to watch educational webinars, get free business advice and network with fellow business owners.
For more information on National Small Business Week events, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality.
As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.
To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2018 SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA/SCORE programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.