DALLAS, TX – On Friday, February 11, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, visited the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX metro area. Administrator Guzman joined U.S. Representatives Colin Allred and Beth Van Duyne to highlight the economic impact of SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program (SVOG), the American Rescue Plan, and other relief funding programs. They met with small business owners who utilized various SBA programs to help with their economic recovery and discussed their continuing needs as our communities recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
"Small business owners and entrepreneurs across Texas have helped drive our nation’s extraordinary recovery, harnessing the vital resources and leadership President Biden has provided to deliver the strongest economic growth America has seen in 40 years and create more jobs than any other single year in history," said Administrator Guzman. "I had the great privilege of visiting and meeting with many of these small business owners as well as local leaders, SBA resource partners, and others who have been on the front lines of this growing recovery to understand how they’ve adapted during COVID and understand how the SBA can continue to support them through these challenging times. My team and I will continue to do all we can to help them navigate COVID as well as seize the opportunities ahead, including those we hope to realize through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."
Administrator Guzman and SBA’s South Central Regional Administrator, Ted James, kicked off their day at the Eisemann Center, where they met with Rep. Allred and participated in a tour of the Eisemann Center to discuss the impact of the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which has helped entertainment hubs like the Eisemann Center to survive the pandemic.
Following the tour of the Eisemann Center, Administrator Guzman and Rep. Allred visited La La Land Kind Café, a small business in Dallas, TX, and met with owner Francois Reihani. Reihani’s business survived the pandemic with support through the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program and COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
“Our small businesses, and the restaurants and venues we visited, are so important to the fabric of our community because they bring people together, and they create jobs,” said Rep. Colin Allred. “I was so honored to show Administrator Guzman around Dallas and Richardson as we visited small businesses and heard how SBA programs have helped them through this pandemic and the important work we need to do to continue this recovery.”
Administrator Guzman and Rep. Allred also met with the Director of Customer Experience of Boulangerie – Village Baking Company, Kevin Adendorff. Village Baking also benefited from SBA’s programs like the Paycheck Protection Program to keep afloat during the pandemic. Administrator Guzman and Rep. Allred’s visit ended in the Alamo Club, a local restaurant in Dallas, where they met with owner Austin Rodgers. Rodgers took advantage of the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Administrator Guzman also had lunch at Blue Goose Cantina, owned by Nick Peterson. Nick’s restaurant was able to survive the pandemic after receiving assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program and Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
In the afternoon, Administrator Guzman traveled to Coppell, TX, where she had a one-on-one meeting with Rep. Van Duyne and participated in a small business roundtable, listening to the experience of small business owners who used COVID EIDL during the pandemic.
"I want to thank SBA Administrator Guzman for accepting my invitation to hear firsthand the concerns and frustrations from businesses in TX-24. She heard about their plight with rapidly growing inflation, crippling labor shortages, and the worsening supply chain crisis," said Rep. Van Duyne. "Thank you to those who joined and voiced their concerns. We look forward to creating pragmatic solutions and continuing to support small businesses across TX-24."
Administrator Guzman concluded her Dallas/Fort Worth area visit by touring Paragon Furniture, Inc. and meeting with owner Ricky Kassaniff. Paragon is a small business manufacturer that makes school furniture here in America and exports to Canada and Costa Rica. Ricky has used SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program, COVID EIDL Program, and the SBA’s Export program.
This visit marks the Administrator’s first official visit to the Dallas area. In her first year in office, Administrator Guzman has visited 23 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, and over 40 cities.
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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.