Americans have begun exercising their Constitutional right to elect who governs them in the nation’s executive and legislative branches. However, ordinary people still have no say in the governance of the sprawling agencies that make up the Washington bureaucracy, even though this fourth branch of government significantly impacts our lives.
Teaching entrepreneurs how to succeed would be far more impactful than merely offering loans, which can saddle small businesses with debt and even risk their personal assets. Working with the private sector, the SBA can develop popular and effective training programs that teach entrepreneurs the basics of succeeding in today’s economy, including building a convincing business plan, identifying suppliers, and selling online.
The head of the SBA should regularly sit down with House and Senate small business committees to relay concerns from Main Street and push legislation helpful to small businesses. The SBA can be a valuable partner to small businesses by standing up for their interests in policy fights rather than simply assenting to the administration’s agenda no matter the consequences.
This move would enable the SBA to influence national policy and effectively protect small business interests. Even changing the SBA director’s title from the paper-pushing-sounding “administrator” to “secretary” would demonstrate the agency’s increased gravitas.