Susan Au Allen, National President & CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed to a three-year term on the National Women's Business Council.  Allen is nationally recognized for her work on immigration, international trade and investments and previously was a practicing attorney and law partner in Paul Shearman Allen & Associates in Washington, D.C.  Susan’s expertise in reaching out to women and minority business owners is a valuable addition to the Council. 

Return to Top

On May 29, The MicroEnterprise Journal published an article featuring an interview with NWBC Chair Tami Longaberger.  During the interview, Longaberger discussed the contributions of women business owners in their communities and to the national economy. The article also highlights the mission of the Council to conduct research on women-owned businesses to encourage fact-based policymaking as well as to serve as the voice of women business owners with Congress and the Administration.  The article concludes by quoting Longaberger as saying women business owners "can make a tremendous difference in NOT handing off to others the right to decide issues for them.”

Return to Top

Members and staff of the National Women’s Business Council supported other women’s business organizations in recent weeks, participating in both the Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) Spring Leadership Conference in Washington, DC and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Annual Conference in San Francisco.  

On May 11, Council member Susan Solovic served as Mistress of Ceremonies during the WIPP event, which was also attended by Council member Susan Bari and NWBC Executive Director Margaret Barton.  Both Bari and Solovic also participated, along with NWBC Director of Communications and Research Analysis Allison Gilmore, at the NAWBO conference, held May 31 – June 3 in San Francisco.  The National Women’s Business Council will continue its efforts to reach out to women business owners and partner organizations through participation in several other key events in the coming months. 

Return to Top

The National Women's Business Council will host a Web Cast in September to discuss the policy priorities of women business owners.  During the event, Council members and other policy leaders will address public policies affecting women-owned businesses and the outlook in Congress.  Originally scheduled to take place in May, this event will be held in Washington, DC and also will be broadcast live over the Internet.  The NWBC web site will be updated shortly with information on the new date, time and location.  Please contact the National Women's Business Council at 202-205-3850 or info@nwbc.gov with any questions about the upcoming Web cast.

Return to Top

Members of the House Small Business Committee recently addressed two policy priorities for women-business owners: health care and access to capital.  The Self Employed Health Care Affordability Act (H.R. 4961) was featured at an event hosted by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE).  This legislation is designed to help level the health care playing field for the self-employed by allowing them to deduct their health care premiums, thereby lowering the economic burden to obtaining coverage for themselves and their employees.

During the event, Representative Melissa Hart (R-PA), who sponsored the legislation, commented on the health care-related struggles faced by many small business owners. In addition, Small Business Committee Chairman Donald Manzullo (IL) referred to his own family’s struggles with providing health care coverage at their small business.  NASE has developed a new Web site to help small business owners and the self-employed promote improved health for themselves and their employees.

Access to Capital has also been on the House Small Business Committee’s agenda in recent weeks.  On May 10, the Committee held a hearing to debate legislation designed to promote angel investments in small businesses.  The Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs Act (H.R. 5198), sponsored by Chairman Manzullo, would create a 25 % tax credit for individual investors and certain partnerships (including angel investment pools) that invest in a qualified small business.  To qualify, investors would need to hold onto the investment for at least three years.  Similar tax credits currently available in 21 states have helped increase the amount of financing for early and emerging companies. 

A similar bill, H.R. 4565, sponsored by House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia Velazquez (NY), would create a 20% tax credit for angel investments, while also requiring the SBA to develop an Angel Finance Program that would provide financing to approved angel groups and assist small businesses in identifying angel investors.

Return to Top

A study released in May by the SBA Office of Advocacy indicates that homebased sole proprietors in the United States generate $102 billion in annual revenue.  The report, The Impact of Location on Net Income: A Comparison of Homebased and Non-Homebased Sole Proprietors, was developed by examining data from 2002 federal income tax returns.  Homebased businesses were prominent in the administrative, support, and waste management, information, and construction sectors, according to the report.  For a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy web site at www.sba.gov/advo. 

Return to Top

The Inner City 100, a ranking of the 100 fastest-growing companies in America's inner cities, is seeking qualified applicants for the 2007 list. Published in the June issue of Inc. magazine, the Inner City 100 has become recognized as the national benchmark for urban business success. The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), in partnership with Inc. magazine, selects the fastest-growing applicants based on revenue growth over a five-year period.

To qualify for the 2007 Inner City 100, a company must: be an independent, for-profit corporation, partnership or proprietorship, be headquartered in or have 51% or more of its physical operations in economically distressed urban areas, have had 10 or more full-time employees in 2005, and have a five-year operating history (2001-2005) that includes an increase in 2005 over 2004 sales, sales of at least $200,000 in 2001 and at least $1 million in 2005.  To apply or nominate a company, visit www.icic.org.

Return to Top