Congress studies policies that threaten innovation

Small businesses are the backbone of our Chicago area economy, representing over 99% of all Illinois businesses and supporting almost half of our state's workforce. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is evident the crisis spurred even more growth, with a staggering 69% increase in small business startups in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Fueling this growth is the unprecedented affordability and accessibility of resources to start, run and grow a business in today's digital age.

Small business owners have a wide range of technology platforms, services and innovations at their fingertips, allowing them to quickly introduce products, engage with customers and boost revenue. There are so many resources, in fact, that I built an entire business on helping founders and entrepreneurs navigate the ever-expanding realm of digital services. Inspector Social helps business owners understand their digital real estate needs, leveraging the latest innovations in social media, e-commerce, platform marketing and more to achieve their business goals.

The technology powering today's small business community deserves unwavering protection from Congress. Instead, lawmakers in Washington are pursuing legislation that discourages innovation, ultimately dissuading American technology companies from expanding and impacting the cost and accessibility of services that small businesses count on.

Lawmakers must carefully evaluate policies affecting the technology industry within the context of our small business community, which is already burdened by mounting inflation and economic uncertainty. When American innovation flourishes, small businesses thrive.

Rada Cheremoshnyuk

Northbrook