Director's Message: National Small Business Week celebrates Utah's 324,841 small businesses

Marla Trollan

In 1964, the president of the United States issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small-business owners. During this year’s National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration will spotlight the resilience of America’s entrepreneurs who are doing their part to power our nation’s historic economic comeback.

This year we are honoring the nation’s 33 million small businesses. In Utah, we are celebrating the 324,841 small businesses that persevere during unexpected trials, show resourcefulness in difficult times and triumph despite unavoidable setbacks. These past few years have been extremely challenging for businesses throughout our great nation. Large- and small-business owners, employees and their families have faced challenges that have tested their determination to sustain growth in our communities. The strength of Utah’s business owners has made this year another success.

During National Small Business Week, the Utah District Office will recognize a variety of businesses from the Wasatch Front and many rural areas across the state. We have pushed for collaboration with federal, state and other partners to ensure rural areas have access to the small-business resources they need, and it has been remarkable to watch the businesses in these areas grow and thrive. This year, as we recognize the success of these business owners throughout the state, they will have the opportunity to proudly highlight the great communities in which they work.

Utah’s entrepreneurs, our resources and the collaboration among the different economic support partners have been some of the contributing factors keeping Utah among the top ranks of best economies in the nation. In servicing our small businesses last year, the SBA in Utah provided over $1.3 billion in loans through our 7(a), 504, 504 third-party, microloans and international trade loans. We also provided nearly $500 million in contract dollars to Utah small businesses. Additional SBA grant funding was awarded to numerous partners as well.

The SBA will continue to be here to support Utah businesses as they step up to new challenges and rebound from any setbacks, whether they are caused by pandemics, natural disasters or civil unrest. We will continue to work with our SBA partners to push boundaries to find ways to provide options to fund even the smallest businesses.

In 2022, SBA Utah provided a total of $1.6 million in funding to the Utah Small Business Development Center network and the Women’s Business Center of Utah to make sure our entrepreneurs had access to free business counseling and training to start and grow their companies. Through this funding, there were over 5,000 clients served, over 550 new businesses started and over 2,000 new jobs created. We provided over $2 million to the World Trade Center to administer our SBA STEP Grant Program.

It has been such a pleasure to serve our state and watch these small businesses set the standard for innovation, creativity and success. I want to thank them for their dedication, their hard work, and for supplying jobs to our families, friends and neighbors in our communities. They are an inspiration for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs across the nation. I am honored to congratulate the success of this year’s small-business award winners. Join us as we recognize the untiring efforts of Utah’s entrepreneurs and their unwavering dedication to progress during 2023 National Small Business Week.

Marla Trollan serves as the Small Business Administration’s Utah District director based in Salt Lake City and oversees the agency’s programs and services in the state.