In an effort to bring together over half a dozen city agencies and small business owners from around the borough, Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer recently hosted a Small Business Town Hall at LaGuardia Community College.
The gathering was an open forum for discussion where small business owners networked with local agencies to learn about business growth and opportunity in a time of economic distress.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities – they help provide jobs, spur economic development and enrich the fabric of our neighborhoods,” said Van Bramer.
The councilmember was joined by the Commissioner of Small Business Services Robert Walsh, Councilmember and Committee Chair of Small Business Services Diana Reyna and Councilmember and Committee Chair of Economic Development Karen Koslowitz.
“As chair of the Economic Development Committee, I know how important small businesses are in keeping strong the economic viability of our city during the recovery,” said Koslowitz. “More than 200,000 businesses in New York City qualify as small businesses and we need to do everything we can in government to help foster their success.”
Over 100 small business owners like Dazies Restaurant in Sunnyside, Shi Restaurant in Long Island City and other assorted companies attended the forum with questions for the panel regarding how to expand a small business, as well as the benefits of going green. According to Van Bramer’s office, this was the first of many forums to come.
“Helping link our small businesses with each other and the agencies that support them is essential and we hope to make this an annual event and hope to expand it next year,” said Van Bramer.
