DEAR EDITOR:

I serve as director of the Northern Ohio District of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), leading a team of professionals who work on behalf of small businesses across Ohio’s 28 northern counties. The district office also works with an extensive network of business advisers and lenders to help small businesses at every stage of development. We are here to support the prosperity and longevity of our region’s small businesses with timely and innovative resources to help them thrive in today’s challenging economy.

Entrepreneurs are innovators, risk-takers and the catalyst for employment opportunities within our communities, and they are what makes our area’s economy strong and dynamic.

Small businesses account for 44 percent of U.S. GDP, create two-thirds of net new jobs and employ nearly half of America’s workers.

Now, millions of main street small businesses are struggling to make ends meet in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis. The Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Congress have made delivering equitable relief to hard-hit small businesses a top priority. The SBA Northern Ohio District Office is part of that national effort and is implementing the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law by President Biden on March 11. We are committed to making an increased impact in all communities in the district, with focused efforts for entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities, female-owned small business and those owned by military veterans.

As the northern Ohio small business community recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, small business owners have a remarkable opportunity to pivot, strengthen and grow their enterprises. With SBA’s help, the small business community can build upon the substantial flexibility it has shown over the past year.

Whether it’s with access to capital, export assistance, government contracting opportunities, business mentoring or assistance with pandemic recovery, the SBA Northern Ohio District Office stands ready and determined to help our customers succeed. To learn more about the SBA Northern Ohio District Office, go to: www.sba.gov/oh/cleveland.

To learn about all SBA programs and services, go to www.sba.gov. Follow us on Twitter at @SBA-Cleveland for the latest local and national SBA updates and information.

We are committed to the SBA mission of aiding, counseling, assisting, and protecting the interests of small businesses. In partnership with you, we look forward to maintaining and strengthening the overall economy of our region.

GIL GOLDBERG

Director

SBA, Northern Ohio District