The roundtable, which lasted just short of 90 minutes, included roughly four dozen business owners and managers from companies as diverse as a cabinet maker, a handmade custom bicycle builder, software developers and extruded plastic manufacturers.
The session highlighted themes we’ve been hearing for the last few years, most brought on by the recession. Many of those who spoke were anxious to build their businesses because of lingering uncertainty around a number of issues. For example, Richard Williams of AlphaTec Systems talked of waiting on hiring for 18 open positions due to the uncertainty around the Affordable Care Act and what that might mean to his business. Other issues of uncertainty brought up during the session had to do with access to capital and the excessive regulation from government agencies.
The frustration voiced by business owners in attendance around government regulations had to do not only with written regulations, but also with agency expectations even though there are no written standards. Ron Frederiksen of RSV Building Solutions offered one of the most specific suggestions to the two representatives, and that was to “start pushing back on regulators.” Frederiksen went on to say that regulators are causing much of the angst in the marketplace because of unwritten expectations and the influence they carry on whether a business can continue to conduct its business.
At the end of the session, Herrera-Beutler told the group, “Message received.” She reiterated that she and the members of the House Small Business Committee are committed to “foster an environment where small business can grow.”