As America celebrates Small Business Week May 12-16, 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce talks to three small businesses who tell us how exports support jobs and create growth for their companies. A record of more than 302,000 U.S. companies exported goods in 2011, nearly 98 percent of which (295,594) were small or medium-sized companies (SMEs) with fewer than 500 employees. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. SMEs were responsible for 33 percent of goods exports, valued at more than $440 billion in 2011 (latest available data). Policymakers should think globally as they consider how to foster a business environment in which entrepreneurship and small business can flourish. Tearing down the barriers that shut out exports is vital for firms of all sizes. And it starts with Trade Promotion Authority.
Boogie Boards, Wrenches, and Clay: Small Businesses Make the Case for Exports
