Ten Questions for the Next SBA Administrator

You’re coming into this role amidst continuing small business struggles. In mid-January, according to data from the Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey, 75% of small businesses had experienced “large” or “moderate” negative effects from the pandemic. Compared to November, a larger share of small businesses was reporting a weekly drop in revenue. Nearly half said they expected “normal” operations to take at least six months to resume. How will the SBA, under your leadership, help address these ongoing difficulties?

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program were recently reopened. Views of PPP’s efficacy have been mixed. Some analyses have found positive impact in terms of jobs retained and business survival. There have also been reports of fraud and complaints about complexity and changing compliance requirements. How will you ensure effective administration of PPP and EIDL, and successful conclusion to these programs?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately negative impact on business owners of color. Even prior to the crisis, demographic disparities in access to capital and resources characterized the small business landscape. How will you leverage SBA tools—and work with other agencies—to address these disparities?

The landscape of business ownership and creation has narrowed geographically, with only a handful of regions accounting for the majority of net business creation over the past decade. This geographic unevenness has persisted in spite of numerous public and private efforts to help small and young businesses everywhere. How will you ensure the SBA helps every part of the country rebuild and grow vibrant small business and entrepreneurial ecosystems?

A perennial challenge for small business and entrepreneurship policy is data—namely, the lack of timely and detailed information on business owners and their companies. This has been acute during the crisis when some of the data relied upon by policymakers is nearly a decade old. How will the SBA, and in partnership with other agencies, address data gaps?

The federal government funds a wide array of support programs and services for small businesses. Through business development centers, mentoring efforts, and more, the government makes many attempts to give business owners tools and resources to help them start and grow. There are persistent worries that small businesses are not fully aware of these programs, as well as concerns that they are not as effective as they might be. These concerns are shared on both sides of the aisle. What are some actions you would like the SBA to take to address these issues?

The Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program has for decades been a source of crucial financing support for high-potential businesses. Despite positive economic impact, in recent years it has been criticized for delays, inefficiencies, and mismanagement. What changes will you prioritize to address these issues and maximize SBICs’ impact, especially for underserved businesses in parts of the country?

The federal government affects small businesses and entrepreneurs through a variety of channels, many of which are not within the direct purview of the SBA. There are support programs, research grants, procurement rules, and so on. How do you intend to leverage the SBA’s knowledge and expertise to influence small business and entrepreneurship action at other agencies?

For nearly a year, the SBA has been focused, rightly, on emergency support for small businesses. How will you balance the continuing need for such emergency support with a shift in orientation to recovery and growth for business owners and entrepreneurs?

At some point, the country will be able to move beyond COVID-19 and return to some level of normalcy. It would, however, be irresponsible to believe this will never happen again. What steps will you take, if confirmed, to help small businesses prepare for the next national emergency (whatever form that may take)?