NASHVILLE, TN – Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), visited Nashville, Tennessee, this Monday, October 4, as part of a national tour highlighting small business recovery and resources available to assist entrepreneurs.
Administrator Guzman met with small business owners who have benefited from the American Rescue Plan, community organizations, and economic development advocates to directly hear their experiences, and layout the Biden-Harris Administration's path forward for the small business community. She also encouraged vaccinations to help business owners continue to fully re-open their businesses and help Americans safely get back to work.
"I was thrilled to visit Nashville, a city with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and an outsized cultural impact. I heard firsthand from small business owners about how federal relief had been pivotal in their survival, and I learned about the many ways they used their extraordinary perseverance and resilience to stay afloat over the past year and a half. They also shared how SBA can continue to meet them where they are with the capital, market opportunities and networks they need to build back better,” Administrator Guzman said.
Administrator Guzman kicked off her day in Music City at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference. She participated in a conversation highlighting ways economic developers can partner with the SBA to help small businesses recover and rebuild from the ongoing pandemic.
Later, Administrator Guzman visited the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, where she met local Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) recipients who have used the workspace to expand and showcase their small businesses.
Representative Jim Cooper joined Administrator Guzman to tour Rudy's Jazz Room, a small business and local cultural treasure that is now back up and operating after receiving relief through the SBA's Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program.
The trip also included a walking tour of historic Jefferson Street, where Administrator Guzman visited small business owners who directly benefited from SBA's disaster relief efforts. To close out her visit to Nashville, Administrator Guzman stopped by Imagen, a women-owned small business manufacturer that designs and builds visual exhibits.
This marks the Administrator's first visit to Tennessee. Since June, Administrator Guzman has visited 13 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.
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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, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.