CINCINNATI – On Wednesday, August 31, U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman joined Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) to meet with local small business owners and highlight how President Biden’s Investing in America economic agenda has led to a historic small business boom in Ohio. Additionally, Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman visited several Black-owned businesses to celebrate August as National Black Business Month.
To start the day, Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman had breakfast at Sleepy Bee restaurant in Downtown Cincinnati before participating in an Investing in America Small Business Roundtable hosted by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, where Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman were able to hear firsthand from local leaders and entrepreneurs about the issues business owners in southwest Ohio face every day.
Following the roundtable, Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman visited Rover the Rhine, a full-service veterinary hospital in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, to meet with its owner, Dr. Kamaria Catalan (Dr. Cat). With a second location in Anderson Township, Rover the Rhine is a Black and woman-owned small business. Dr. Cat and her employees are there to help the pets of Cincinnati and their owners live life to the fullest. To finish off the morning, Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman stopped by AJL Group, a woman-owned roofing and construction company, to learn more about their operations and current projects.
In the afternoon, Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman had lunch at local favorite Just Q’in BBQ, a Black-owned business, before ending the day at Water Lily Learning Center LLC. A five-star rated childcare facility, Water Lily Learning Center serves hundreds of children in the Cincinnati area, with the vast majority of students receiving state assistance. Center Director Regina Morris provided a tour of the facility as well as an overview of their services and operations, with Administrator Guzman and Congressman Landsman being sure not to disturb nap time.
President Biden’s first 31 months in office have been the greatest period for new small business growth in American history, with 13.1 million new business applications nationwide, including 355,800 in Ohio alone. During that same time, private companies have committed over $31 billion in investments across the state, creating good-paying jobs that will boost U.S. competitiveness, rebuild infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, and help build a clean energy economy. Additionally, thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, about $8.2 billion in federal funding has already been announced for infrastructure projects across Ohio.
For follow-up interview requests for Administrator Guzman, please contact Mila Myles at mila.myles@sba.gov.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. 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, 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.