Area business owners on Monday gave U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and an official from the U.S. Small Business Administration an earful when discussing their concerns on the state of their small businesses.
Gardner, R-Colo., participated in a round table Monday at the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, 902 7th Ave., in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration. As an appointed member of Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Gardner conducted the round table to hear from small businesses about the issues most important to them. Business owners discussed the difficulties they faced with health care reform, burdensome regulations and a work force, that despite being college educated, wasn’t cutting it.
“Part of helping small businesses succeed is coming to venues like this one and hearing where we’re maybe doing well and where we can do better,” said Matt Varilek, regional SBA administrator. “We want to take that information back to Washington. Truthfully, SBA will always have the challenge of letting people know what resources we have.”
Business owners came ready with a list of small business burdens.
“Confusion is tough for our clients,” said Masoud Shirazi, owner of Shirazi Benefits, an insurance agency in Greeley. “We spend a lot of time educating them.”
Shirazi stressed that he’d like to see some consistency in health care, insurance and tax policies to help his business, as last-minute alterations in policies and regulations hinder his efficiency.
Ryan Mayeda, owner of Weld Family Clinic of Chiropractic, discussed the difficulties he faced when his bank failed in 2009, and the subsequent loss of his business.
“If it wasn’t for my parents, I would not have my chiropractor business either,” said Mayeda, who lost his first business and credit standing after New Frontier Bank went under. He hoped for the SBA to pay more attention to microbusinesses.
Melissa McDonald, a State Farm agent in Greeley, said she felt the meeting helped business owners communicate their concerns.
“I think hearing directly from small business is the best way to start conversation,” she said. “The issues brought up on education and healthcare — those being heard from the people living it will be helpful.”
Kelly Ragan
kragan@greeleytribune.com
Twitter: @kellyraygun
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