Small Business Rising by Sylvia Gail Kinard, Esq.

The October jobs report indicated a mildly encouraging addition of 171,000 jobs nationwide.  However, the jury is still out on what relief- weary Brooklyn residents might expect as New York continues to track behind the rest of the country in job creation. 

While the U.S. Department of Labor reports that the national unemployment rate is now  7.9%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that New York State's unemployment rate has hovered between 8.2% and 10% since August.  A fact echoed by the New York Times, which recently reported that over the past 12 months, New York has been the only state with a statistically significant increase in the unemployment rate.

Moreover, the Fiscal Policy Institutes' report "State of Work in New York" indicates that since 2008, the city lost 60,000 jobs that paid more than $45,000 while adding 130,000 positions that paid less than $45,000.  While a net gain of 70,000 jobs is a good thing, the continued erosion of middle class opportunities is sobering to say the least.

Over the past 15 years, Brooklyn's economy has evolved from a manufacturing to a service based economy.  Brooklyn's labor force averages over one million people with the majority of Brooklyn residents holding jobs in service related areas: clerical, retail, restaurants and health care.  Retail trade and government are the second and third largest sectors. 

As a small business owner, I'd like to see an increased focus at the federal, state and local level on economic policies that reflect the realities of Brooklyn's economy and the importance of small business development.  In New York City, over 51% of all private sector jobs are in small businesses with employees of 100 or less.

Nationally, the economy has improved in the automotive and agriculture industries,  areas that have not historically been big in New York.   In the northeast region - government is one of the largest industries and securing the government "client" can be an important strategy for growing your small business.  Wouldn't it be great if our state and local government used more of the millions of dollars it spends on good and services annually to grow your business and help put your neighbors back to work?

Local government officials need to know that your business wants a bigger slice of the procurement pie.  Pick up the phone or go on-line and find out about RFP's (Requests for Proposals) or becoming a state and city certified MWBE ( Minority- Women- Business  Enterprise. 

Negotiations between the Mayor and City Council on the 2013 budget begin in January. Will you be on their list to supply bottled water or office supplies to city agencies?  Your business can and should compete for these lucrative contracts.

NYS and NYC government must do more to boost small  business growth by changing the current procurement processes that favor big companies (think sole source contracts) and level the playing field by improving access to government contracts for the little guy (or gal). 

As my Grandmother Laura always said "You don't ask - you don't get!"  For more information check out: NYC Small Business Services (www.nyc.gov/sbs); Empire State Development Corps Small Business Services (www.esd.ny.gov/smallbusiness.html);or the NYS Small Business Development Center (www.nyssbdc.gov) and join our Facebook page "The New Nine."