Newark Communication Mogul, Cheryl McCants, Advocates for Small Businesses
Impact Consulting Enterprises CEO Meets with Senator Menendez and Legislative Aides for Payne and Booker and to Ask for Small Business Support
Cheryl McCants, founder and CEO of Impact Consulting Enterprises with offices in Newark and East Orange NJ, captained a group of small business leaders from her Congressional District in one of 400 meetings with lawmakers during the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) Advocacy Day event at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on Wednesday, July 20. The summit, which brought together more than 2,500 alumni of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses education program from around the country, is noted as the largest gathering of its kind in United States history. 10KSB alumni networked with fellow entrepreneurs, business leaders, and members of Congress to define the future of America’s small business agenda and impress upon legislators the need to support small businesses now more than ever. McCants and her colleagues survived multiple pandemics, inflation, supply chain issues, and workforce shortages and are depending on their political leaders for continued support.
During Advocacy Day, McCants and her team met with Kent Ring, Representative Donald Payne Jr.’s legislative correspondent — Congressman Payne could not make it to the event as he was needed on the floor for voting. The group asked Ring about legislative solutions on issues such as 1) reauthorizing the Small Business Administration, which has not been authorized in 20 years, 2) increasing access to flexible, affordable capital, 3) addressing workforce and competitive challenges — especially related to hiring and retention, 4) increasing access to affordable, quality childcare, and 5) enhancing government contracting opportunities and processes.
“Ring was very helpful. He took copious notes and listened,” said Cheryl McCants, Impact Consulting Enterprises founder and CEO. 10KSB businesses represent $17.3 billion in revenue and employ nearly 250,000 people. “If we were regarded as a national entity, I am certain that we would get greater attention.” She added, “I’m also looking forward to Congressman Payne and his team providing business owners of color with support in procuring contracts with the Port Authority and its terminal operators in relation to the work taking place at Newark Airport.”
Ring assured McCants and her team that he would document everyone’s concerns and discuss them with Congressman Payne and colleagues on Capitol Hill. Ring agreed that re-authorization of the Small Business Association (SBA) is critical to supporting small business owners. Ring also acknowledged that there is a need for additional Equal Justice Opportunities in securing non-construction related contracting opportunities on capital projects in his district — Congressional District 10.
The members of McCants’s Advocacy Day team included: Elvin Ames, Founder of Smart Realty; Neil Chambers, Founder and CEO of Chambers Design; Nikkia McClain, CEO and Founder of Tene Nicole Marketing & Public Relations; Christine Noh, Owner of Nohble; Chitra Radin, President of Radin Consulting; Michael Schloff, CEO of Maplewoodshop; Felicia Stokes, CEO of SJT Creative; Tara Williams-Harrington, Owner of Bricks 4 Kidz Essex County; and Adam Winokur, CEO of ABW Compliance Services.
McCants also participated in two other groups who met with Senator Robert Menendez and Melissa Sanchez, legislative aide to Senator Cory Booker (who also could not make the event) to inquire about funding of federally approved EIDL loans and to advocate for 1) ways the U.S. government can help American small business owners avoid commercial lease delinquencies and possible closures, 2) various tax credits for small businesses to combat current economic pitfalls, 3) how small businesses can compete effectively and level the playing field with larger corporations in terms of hiring talent, providing benefits, and securing government contracts, and 4) how federal spending qualifications can be increased for disadvantaged businesses.
The Summit, held over two days at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, consisted of conversations with industry leaders and experts such as Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies; Chris Paul, basketball player for the NBA Phoenix Suns, entrepreneur, and investor; Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, CEO and Founder of goop; Emma Grede, CEO of Good American; Aman Bhutani, CEO of GoDaddy, and former U.S. President George W. Bush. They all shared personal reflections and insight into what investors, executives, and government officials should already understand: Boosting small businesses is essential to strengthening the American economy. #MakeSmallBig #MakeAnImpact
###
About Impact Consulting Enterprises
Impact Consulting Enterprises, found on the web at https://www.eimpactconsulting.com, is an award-winning, Black woman-owned strategic communication, marketing, public relations, advertising, and website design and development firm founded in 1989 by business strategist and communication professional, Cheryl McCants. Foundations, corporations, nonprofits, small businesses, and government agencies who seek to engage with multicultural audiences, launch brands, and disrupt industries partner with Impact to tell their untold stories to diverse audiences including women, millennials, genZers, baby boomers, and Latino, Asian, and African Americans. Impact, A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau, is HUBZone, WBE, DBE, WOSB, SBE, and MBE certified.
About 10,000 Small Businesses and 10,000 Small Businesses Voices
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses launched over a decade ago to provide best–in–class business education along with access to capital and support services. It has reached more than 12,800 small business owners across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. to date. Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices, which in April marked its two–year anniversary, organizes program participants to advocate for policies that matter to them. Learn more at www.gs.com/10ksb–voices
Media Contacts:
Jamira Watkins, jwatkins@eimpactconsulting.com
Roger Baron, rbaron@eimpactconsulting.com
