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Loans, Taxes, Regulations on Small Business Election Agenda

Published

11 years ago

May 20, 2015

This photo combination shows, from left, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, Republican presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul, of Kentucky. Small businesses arent in the dire straits they were four years ago, but presidential candidates arent letting go of an issue they think will get them votes. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall/Nati Harnik/Carloyn Kaster)

The Associated Press

There are no “one size fits all” issues for small business in the 2016 presidential campaign. While candidates try to appeal to all small businesses, many owners want very specific things. A sample of what’s on the agenda of some individual owners, and two small business advocacy groups:

HELP SMALL BANKS COMPETE

Community banks whose customers include small businesses are at a disadvantage because of regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act implemented following the 2008 banking crisis, says Jim Angleton, owner of Aegis FinServ, a Miami-based financial services company. While the law is needed to prevent a recurrence of the practices that led to bank failures of all sizes, it places a disproportionate financial burden on smaller banks, Angleton says.

“They can’t effectively service the business community,” he says.

The number of small banks in the U.S. dropped 14 percent after Dodd-Frank was enacted in 2010, according to researchers at George Mason University.

REACH THOSE CONTRACTING GOALS

The government needs to work harder to reach its goals for giving agency contracts to small businesses, including those owned by women and that are located in economically disadvantaged areas, says Crystal Kendrick, whose Cincinnati-based marketing company is a federal contractor.

“What I want to hear is (candidates) are going to hold those agencies accountable for those goals,” says Kendrick, owner of The Voice of Your Customer.

The government fell short of its 5 percent goal for contracts for women-owned companies in the 2013 fiscal year. It also fell short of the 3 percent goal for companies in disadvantaged areas. It is expected to release its report for the 2014 fiscal year soon.

EASE UP ON REGULATIONS

The advocacy group National Small Business Association wants regulations issued by federal agencies easier to be easier for small companies to comply with. Many are unclear, or are inconsistent with each other, NSBA Chairman Tim Reynolds says.

“Presidential candidates can have an enormous impact on how regulatory agencies would move forward,” says Reynolds, owner of Tribute Inc., a Hudson, Ohio, software company.

The NSBA is also looking for a president who can help a fragmented Congress end its gridlock.

“Effective leadership from the White House is all about organizing individuals on both sides of the legislature,” Reynolds says

FIGHT CREDIT CARD FRAUD

Carl Mazzanti wants candidates to advocate for small businesses receiving the same protection from credit card hacking and fraud consumers have. When consumer accounts are hacked, federal law requires the consumer be notified. Businesses don’t automatically get that help. Mazzanti, owner of eMazzanti Technologies, a Hoboken, New Jersey, consultancy, says small businesses need protection from fraud that could wipe them out.

“Your entire life is in that shop,” he says.

REGULATE ONLINE LENDERS

An online lending industry for small business has grown rapidly in recent years because many small companies couldn’t get bank loans. That industry isn’t regulated, and that has enabled some lenders charging high interest to enter the market, says John Arensmeyer, CEO of the advocacy group Small Business Majority.

“The issue of predatory lending is something that I’d like to see candidates focus on,” Arensmeyer says.

Small Business Majority wants tax breaks like $500,000 deductions for equipment purchases made permanent, instead of being approved annually by Congress. The group also wants self-employed people to get full deduction of their health insurance premiums; currently, if their business incurs a loss, they cannot deduct the premiums.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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March 7, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

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Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.