Small Business Rundown

NFIB member Claudia Smith shares her small business story and the power of her voice. Claudia owns Aggieland Carpet One in College Station, Texas. She’s met with U.S. Senators and explains how the power of her message created an impact lasting well beyond those meetings. Claudia’s story shows that one person’s voice matters and helps lawmakers understand small business issues. Links from the episode: Resources on NFIB’s website: https://www.nfib.com/  Take action and share your story with lawmakers: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  

As tax season approaches, small business owner Warren Hudak and NFIB Executive Director of the Small Business Legal Center Beth Milito provide tips and resources to help small business owners navigate tax season. Warren shares the invaluable insights and knowledge CPAs provide, and Beth discusses avoiding audits, looming tax-related threats, and upcoming compliance issues that could create problems. Tax-Saving Strategies for 2024: https://www.nfib.com/webinars/tax-saving-strategies-for-2024-choosing-the-right-entity-and-hiring-your-kids/?utm_source=RedirectSideElement&utm_medium=Amped&utm_campaign=Webinar04032024  NFIB Guide to Taxes: https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/NFIB-Guide-to-Taxes.pdf  20% Small Business Deduction Information: Smallbusinessdeduction.com Ask the CPA webinar: https://www.nfib.com/webinars/ask-the-cpa-you-have-tax-questions-we-have-answers/  Death tax action alert: https://www.votervoice.net/NFIB/campaigns/110950/respond  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.   

NFIB President Brad Close responds to the State of the Union and provides insights on small business issues addressed. Brad touches on job growth, inflation, minimum wage, and more topics from the speech. He also provides an update on NFIB’s top policy issue, the 20% Small Business Deduction. Join the nationwide Small Business Deduction petition drive: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fPetitions%2f4124%2fRespond Urge Congress to repeal the Death Tax: https://www.votervoice.net/NFIB/campaigns/110950/respond Urge legislators to oppose the Pro Act: https://www.votervoice.net/NFIB/campaigns/68590/respond Learn more about the Small Business Deduction and how it benefits small businesses: Smallbusinessdeduction.com  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  

The NFIB Legal Center released an updated Guide to the Employee handbook, one of the most popular in its series of legal guides. Elizabeth Milito, NFIB Small Business Legal Center Executive Director, joins the episode to provide tips for creating the best Employee Handbook for your small business. Learn about the importance of having an employee handbook, vital policies to include, and strategies to consider when creating or updating your small business handbook. Check out NFIB’s Legal Guide to the Employee Handbook: https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/Model-Employee-Handbook-for-Small-Business.pdf  Watch NFIB’s webinar on-demand “Must Have Employee Policies for Small Businesses – Hiring, Firing, and Staying Compliant https://www.nfib.com/webinars/must-have-employee-policies-for-small-businesses-hiring-firing-and-staying-compliant/ Reach out to the Small Business Legal Center at info@nfib.org or at (800) 552-NFIB To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org. 

This episode answers some of small business owner’s most frequently asked questions. NFIB experts explain NFIB’s advocacy process as well as top priority issues such as making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent, the new Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) law, workforce shortages, and debt collection issues. Hear the answers to questions related to these topics and more. TAKE ACTION: Petition to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fPetitions%2f4124%2fRespond  Action alert for CCCA: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f97182%2frespond  Urge Congress to repeal the new Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) law: https://www.votervoice.net/NFIB/Campaigns/107617/Respond Get BOI compliance information from an expert guest in a free webinar: https://pages.nfib.com/WBN-2024-01-17-NAT-Beneficial-Ownership-Reporting-Is-Here-PDEW_LP-Register.html  BOI Fact sheet: https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/FinCen-One-pager-12-18-23-update.pdf  Legal Guide Series for Debt Collection Guide and more: https://www.nfib.com/foundations/legal-center/legal-guide-series/  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  

NFIB experts explain a new law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2024 and impacts over 32 million small businesses. NFIB Small Business Legal Center Executive Director Elizabeth Milito and Vice President of Federal Government Relations Jeff Brabant provide their expertise on the new Beneficial Ownership Information reporting law and what it means for small business owners. Find out how to know if your small business needs to report beneficial owners, who falls under the beneficial owner category, and more. TAKE ACTION: NFIB is leading the fight against this legislation. Urge Congress to repeal the beneficial ownership reporting requirement: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f107617%2frespondLearn more about the requirements of the new law on NFIB’s fact sheet: https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/FinCen-One-pager-12-18-23-update.pdfWatch a free NFIB webinar with guest attorney discussing the law in more detail: https://pages.nfib.com/WBN-2024-01-17-NAT-Beneficial-Ownership-Reporting-Is-Here-PDEW_LP-Register.htmlIf you have any questions about the beneficial ownership reporting requirement, reach out to the NFIB Legal Center at info@nfib.org. To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org. 

NFIB’s State Government Relations team represents small business in both Washington D.C., and all 50 states. Each state has a State Director who provides advocacy on behalf of small business owners. Small Business Days are a key part of this program and allow NFIB members to meet with their lawmakers face-to-face and tell their stories. Barbara Quandt, a former small business owner who is now an NFIB Region Director shared her experience attending Small Business Days as an owner and her path to becoming an NFIB employee. Tim Goodrich, NFIB Vice President of State Government Relations, and Elizabeth Parks, Senior Region Grassroots Manager, explain why Small Business Days are important and what members planning to attend can expect.  To learn more about Small Business Day in your state, email Grassroots@NFIB.org or go to NFIB.com/advocacy/choose-your-state.  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.

NFIB President Brad Close and Vice President of Federal Government Relations Jeff Brabant discuss the top federal advocacy issues facing small business in 2024. They provide an outlook for the year ahead with numerous pieces of legislative and regulatory concerns being considered. Among those issues is the fight to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent.Take Action: Join other small businesses across the country by signing NFIB’s petition to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fPetitions%2f4124%2fRespondTell members of Congress how the 20% Small Business Deduction has helped your business on NFIB’s action alert: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f106664%2frespondUrge your elected official to repeal the new beneficial ownership reporting law that took effect Jan. 1, 2024: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f107617%2frespond To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org. 

NFIB has been the voice of small business since it was founded in 1943. Small business owner and NFIB member Robert Lycke Jr., the owner of Kuker-Ranken, Inc. shares why he has continued his business’s NFIB membership for nearly eight decades. NFIB President Brad Close describes some of the key moments and victories in NFIB’s history. NFIB Trainer Randy Karschner has worked for NFIB for 37 years and joins to tell the history of NFIB’s founding, how the core principles were developed, and member-driven strategies that are still used today. Learn more at NFIB.com/80Years. NFIB’s top small business advocacy priority is preventing a massive tax increase that’s scheduled to affect small business owners at the end of 2025. Members of Congress need to hear how crucial the 20% Small Business Deduction is for Main Street. Visit smallbusinessdeduction.com to learn more and sign our petition.  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  

NFIB’s Federal Government Relations Team discusses top federal advocacy priorities for small businesses in 2023. Jeff Brabant explains NFIB’s top small business priority and important credit card swipe fee legislation. Josselin Castillo covers healthcare concerns of small business owners and breaks down legislation that will offer affordable coverage options, provide transparency of benefits, and reduce paperwork burdens. Josh McLeod gives a rundown of massive regulatory expansions that came up this past year including rulings on the Waters of the United States and the Department of Labor joint employer rule. They also look ahead at proposed rules and implications for small business owners in 2024. Take action:  Congress is considering the Main Street Tax Certainty Act to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent. Urge lawmakers to act and tell them how the Small Business Deduction has impacted your small business. A new reporting requirement for small businesses is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2024 that will impact 32.6 million small businesses. Tell your elected representatives to delay this burdensome reporting requirement. To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  

Small business owner Bonnie Roerig, NFIB State Director in Colorado Tony Gagliardi, and Vice President for State Government Relations Tim Goodrich discuss a key issue in Colorado that was on the ballot this past election day. Prop HH impacts small businesses in the future by jeopardizing the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.  Bonnie shares the long-term impacts Prop HH would have had on her small business and others if it had passed. Tony and Tim explain NFIB’s advocacy campaign work to defeat the ballot measure, and the importance of this win for small businesses across the country.  To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  While Proposition HH was effectively defeated, your lawmakers need to hear your voice on other state and federal issues. You can take action on important small business issues today at NFIB.com/advocacy. 

Jim Ellis of The Ellis Insight and Sharon Sussin, NFIB’s Senior National Director, give insights on the recent elections and emerging trends going into the 2024 election year. Jim discusses how the results of the Nov. 7 elections could impact small business, and Sharon explains some of the ways that NFIB’s political team helped educate and engage voters leading up to the election. They also analyzed what was learned from these elections that may apply to the 2024 election cycle. Get more information on small business issues and NFIB PAC-endorsed candidates this election season at NFIB.com/elections. To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org. Looking to make your voice heard? If you’re an NFIB member, your latest NFIB Member Ballot on federal issues is now available! Vote now at NFIB.com/VoteMyBallot.  

NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg and NFIB Research Center Executive Director Holly Wade talk about the small business economy as NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends (SBET) report reaches its 50th anniversary. The economic report results from a monthly survey of a random sample of NFIB members and is used by news media, lawmakers, financial analysts, and academic scholars to understand the small business economic climate and shape federal and state policies. Learn more about the biggest changes and trends the report has shown over the last 50 years. The October report is now available at NFIB.com/SBET and the 50th anniversary report will be released November 14, at 6 a.m. Eastern. To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org.  Looking to make your voice heard? If you’re an NFIB member, your latest NFIB Member Ballot on federal issues is now available! Vote now at NFIB.com/VoteMyBallot.  

U.S. Senator Mike Braun and NFIB experts join this episode to explain new U.S. Department of Labor regulatory proposals. NFIB Small Business Legal Center Executive Director Elizabeth Milito and Federal Government Relations Director Jeff Brabant break down regulations being considered, including the independent contractor and overtime rules, which would impact small businesses. Senator Braun shares his experience dealing with burdensome regulations as a small business owner and gives his perspective on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. with problematic small business regulations.  TAKE ACTION: Share how burdensome regulations have impacted your small business and submit your comments on the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule before November 7, 2023. To submit your questions or requests for future podcast topics or guests, please email podcast@nfib.org. 

NFIB is the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, but what does that really mean? NFIB’s National Grassroots Strategies Director Jessica Cooper and Senior National Political Director Sharon Sussin break down how NFIB advocates for small businesses and make it easy for small business owners to get involved and take meaningful action in the fight for pro-small business laws and regulations. Jessica dives into the first steps for getting involved with issues that matter to your small business. Sharon explains the importance of having pro-small business candidates run for office, the process of endorsing candidates, and the programs NFIB offers to ensure small business owners vote in every election. Take action on alerts and surveys that apply to your small business here: NFIB.com/advocacy/now. Visit NFIB’s Election Center for resources to run for office, NFIB’s political action guide, learn about early voting, and register to vote: NFIB.com/elections. 

Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center Elizabeth Milito discusses recent U.S. Supreme Court cases that affected small business and looked ahead to the new term that starts in October. She shares how the Legal Center chooses which cases to pursue, breaks down the Supreme Court’s decisions in last term’s cases, and explains upcoming cases that are a concern for small businesses. Find resources and more information about the work of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center and cases that affect the rights of small business owners at NFIB.com/Legal and submit your small business questions at info@NFIB.org. 

NFIB Research Center Executive Director Holly Wade discusses results from a recent survey on small business banking. The survey asked small business owners about their banking activities and experience accessing credit. Wade compares the findings to a previous survey, explains the impact of the March banking crisis, and discusses the economic outlook of small business owners.  Take Action: Participate in NFIB’s latest surveys and calls to action on issues that affect small businesses: https://www.nfib.com/advocacy/now/

In this episode, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar and NFIB President Brad Close discuss the importance of making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent. A new campaign launched by NFIB advocates for its permanency by sharing how small business owners use the deduction to reinvest in their businesses and plan for the future. Rep. Cuellar, one of the leaders in the U.S. House who introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act in July, explains the benefits of the legislation and its impact on small business owners in his district.   Take Action: If you want to make your voice heard, let your Senators and Representatives know you support making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent by signing NFIB’s petition.  

In this episode, NFIB’s Federal Government Relations team gives an update on key legislative issues affecting small business. Their discussion focused on legislative developments coming out of the U.S. House and Senate, top legislative priorities, and advocacy efforts this summer. Topics covered include taxes, financial services policies, labor law, and healthcare. They also provide expectations on the future of current legislation that will affect small businesses such as the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, Credit Card Competition Act, submitting small business owners’ information to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement (FinCEN) bureau, and the CHOICE Arrangement Act. You can also watch a webinar on-demand to gain a more in-depth understanding of these issues. Take Action: Share how you have used the money from the 20% Small Business Deduction to invest in your small business or reach out to members of Congress about how swipe fees affect your small business.

Small business owner Laura Lucia and the Executive Director of NFIB’s Research Center Holly Wade discuss a toolkit of essential tips for owners looking to expand their small businesses. Holly shares key takeaways from the recent NFIB Small Business Legal Center webinar titled Toolkit Essentials to Grow Your Small Business. Laura, the owner of Lucia Specialized Hauling, plans to expand her small business from locations in New York and Virginia into North Carolina and explains how she’s putting several crucial tips into action. She also discusses some of her expectations for the expansion process and offers advice for other small business owners thinking of expanding.   Visit NFIB.com/webinars to watch a webinar on this topic on-demand. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.gov) also has templates available to update your business plan and grow your business. Have a question for NFIB’s Legal or Research Center? Send it it to info@nfib.org.