(Radio Iowa) – Today (Monday) marks the start of National Small Business Week as merchants and entrepreneurs all across Iowa are being credited for their resilience and staying power during the pandemic. Jayne Armstrong, director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Iowa District Office, says she and other S-B-A staffers will be visiting a long list of Iowa businesses. “We always like to keep it personal,” Armstrong says. “We like to get out and recognize the businesses and organizations that win awards by celebrating in front of their employees, in front of their stakeholders, and other community leaders that played a role in their success.”

In the interest of health and safety, this week’s in-person gatherings in Washington D-C are being postponed for one more year, but they’re only as far away as your computer. “National Small Business Week is virtual this year, and next year we’ll be back to in-person with a lot of the classes online, too,” Armstrong says. “There’s always a lot of great speakers and different things like that in different workshops.” While some Iowa businesses were forced to close during the pandemic, others found ways to adapt, stay afloat and succeed, which she says is an accomplishment worth celebrating. “They’re survivors, they’re resilient,” Armstrong says. “These businesses, especially now that are being recognized, really deserve some extra praise if you will, because of coming out of one of the hardest economic cycles we’ve ever seen in this country.”

The S-B-A’s virtual summit is free and offers access to critical federal resources, new business strategies, and an opportunity to meet other business owners and chat with industry experts.

https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week