By: Barbara Kniff-McCulla/ NWBC Council member

The U.S. Small Business Administration has hosted National Small Business Week in communities across the country for more than 50 years. With more than half of Americans either owning or working for a small business, National Small Business Week provides a great opportunity to appreciate and celebrate the backbone of America’s economy.

Small business owners have a passion for making it happen, and there isn’t much that can get in their way. Rural women’s entrepreneurship is a job creator, a means for local economic development, and a source of empowerment for women seeking stability and independence.