Goldman Sachs small-business owners meet with House leaders

Seven Utah small-business owners from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices program met with Utah’s speaker of the House of Representatives Brad Wilson (R-Kaysville) and Utah House Majority Leader Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) as the 2023 state Legislature session began recently at the State Capitol to discuss issues that face Utah small businesses. The meeting marked the first stop in the 10,000 Small Businesses Voices organization’s new policymaker series Small Business, America’s Future. Over the coming year, hundreds of small-business owners across the country will meet with federal, state and local elected officials to discuss actionable policy solutions, Goldman Sachs said.

“We are proud to meet with Speaker Wilson and Majority Leader Schultz as the 2023 legislative session begins this week on behalf of the 800-plus Utah-based small businesses in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Voices community,” said Natalie Kaddas, Kaddas Enterprises CEO and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices National Leadership Council vice chair. “Small businesses are the backbone of the Utah economy, yet we continue to face economic headwinds such as workforce shortages, inflation and limited access to capital. We look forward to finding ways to collaborate with our elected leaders to enact pro-growth policy solutions.”

“Small businesses play a pivotal role in Utah’s economic success,” said Wilson. “As state lawmakers, we take pride in Utah’s skilled and industrial workforce, business-friendly policies and free market principles. We are committed to cultivating an environment in our state where small businesses can continue to flourish.”

Attending the meeting in addition to Kaddas were Tessa Arneson representing the Maven District of Salt Lake City, Jessica Elwell of OxEon Energy, Gretchen Figge of Elf Works Inc., Jason Fowler of Air & Sea International, Tim McConnehey of Izzard Ink Publishing and Schuyler Northstrom of Uinta Mattress.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses launched in 2012 in Utah to provide business education along with access to capital and support services for the state’s small businesses. To date, it has reached more than 12,800 small-business owners across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.