By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
A nationwide event is celebrating the impact that small businesses have on the economy.
Director of the Northwest Missouri State University Small Business Development Center Rebecca Lobina says Small Business Week is an event that's been held by the Small Business Administration for over 50 years.
"During national small business they salute them and offer some virtual events for them, and then of course all across the country different entities are offering workshops and training and stuff in order to show their appreciation," Lobina tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.
Lobina says some people overlook the impact of small businesses on the economy.
"You know you've got your mom-and-pop shops that some people call them, and you have the main street shops, but those, especially in some small towns or rural towns they really are the economy of those particular towns and counties," Lobina explains. "But even in large cities people are drawn to the small businesses because they tend to have unique things that you can't find elsewhere."
Seminars and other events are being held through this week by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce alongside the Small Business Development Center.
The next event will take place today (Wed.) from 8:30 to noon. Other events will be held tomorrow (Thu.) and Friday.
Small businesses have a big impact on the economy, but one thing affecting those small businesses as well as larger ones, is a lack of childcare.
Lobina says there's a new grant available though that aims to help with that problem.
"The purpose of this particular grant is to incentivize businesses to help with the cost and burden of paying for childcare," Lobina says. "And so that money would be used to save spots for that companies workforce."
The grant would ask childcare facilities to partner with community partnerships or businesses to match funds, which would then be matched by the state.
This grant, among several others, will be explored during the seminar on Friday hosted by Lobina as part of Small Business Week, from 8 to 9am.