Oregon small business advocates release yearly report
The Oregon Secretary of State Small Business Advocacy Team released their fifth Annual Report Thursday. The report provides high-level data regarding concerns and questions raised by businesses and nonprofits about state and local government throughout the 2018 calendar year.
The Small Business Advocates are housed in the Office of Small Business Assistance, part of the Corporations Division of the Office of Secretary of State. Created by the Legislature in 2013 and opened in 2014, the office and its Advocacy Team work toward solutions and finding answers for businesses and nonprofits with zero to 100 employees.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of Oregon’s economy, and we here at the Secretary of State’s office want to do all we can to ensure their success,” said Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. “The Small Business Advocacy Team is one of the most valuable assets the state provides to help small businesses navigate the red tape of starting and maintaining a thriving business.”
Oregon is one of just a handful of states that provides this free, confidential service to the business community. In addition to dealing with concerns of business owners, the Advocates also assist aspiring entrepreneurs as they start their first business, working in concert with existing technical assistance and capital resources throughout the state.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to work across industry sectors and regulatory silos to solve problems and find answers for business,” said Small Business Advocate and Agency Tribal Liaison Ruth Miles. “We’re excited to share with everyone the results of a year’s worth of hard work and the trends and data gathered over the first five years of the team’s existence.”
The 2018 report can be found online at https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/osba-annual-report.aspx along with copies of previous years’ annual reports.
To request assistance from the Small Business Advocacy Team, go to: http://sos.oregon.gov/BusinessSOS, call toll-free 1-844-469-5512, or email Business.SOS@oregon.gov .
