CHICAGO – Recognizing National Small Business Week from April 30th to May 6th, State Representative Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont) is recognizing small businesses in Illinois and the 20th District. He also encourages any aspiring entrepreneurs to take advantage of resources available on his website on how to start a small business in Illinois.
“Small businesses are an essential part of our communities in the 20th District and across our state,” said Rep. Stephens. “In addition to creating local jobs and growing our communities, they are also our favorite places to grab a meal, buy holiday presents, or spend a weekend patronizing. Especially after the difficult years navigating the COVID pandemic, please be sure to support local small businesses in the 20th District this week and always!”
National Small Business Week has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for over 50 years. According to the SBA’s 2022 Small Business Profile, 99.6% of Illinois businesses are small businesses and 44.7% of Illinois employees work for small businesses. Of these small business owners, 42.1% are women, 4.6% are veterans, 9.8% are Hispanic business owners, and 20.3% are business owners who are racial minorities.
Rep. Stephens has information to start a small business in Illinois on his website at RepStephens.com under “Resources.” Small businesses can also access resources from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity at dceo.illinois.gov/businesshelp/smallbusinessassistance. For shoppers, individuals can find Illinois Made items at EnjoyIllinois.com/Illinois-Made.