Supporting local businesses strengthens communities, boosts local economies
Watch Department of Labor's Small Business Saturday video HERE
Empire State Development and the New York State Departments of Labor, Taxation and Finance, and Agriculture and Markets encourage all New Yorkers to support their local small businesses on Small Business Saturday, which falls this year on Nov. 24. By choosing to shop locally Saturday, and every day, New Yorkers are investing in their neighborhoods, strengthening their communities, and keeping tax dollars within the Empire State.
ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, "As the busy holiday season begins, there is no better time to get out and support the thousands of small businesses that make up the fabric of New York state's economy. By patronizing local small businesses in your community this Saturday, and every day, you are supporting your friends and neighbors as well as strengthening the economy of New York state."
State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Small businesses have helped fuel New York state's resurgent economic engine and are a huge part of all our communities. Let's get out and support these local small businesses this Nov. 24 - and every day - to ensure they remain a part of the unique, vibrant and rich tapestry of our neighborhoods."
Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Nonie Manion said, "Small businesses play an integral role in the vitality of our cities and towns. Celebrating Small Business Saturday by shopping local is an excellent way to support growth in our communities. It's also critical that we make it possible for small businesses to flourish, which is why the Tax Department takes proactive measures to increase voluntary compliance among business owners. This effort improves our efficiency and allows small business owners to focus on what they do best."
State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "New York's farms and food and beverage businesses are a major part of the state's small business community. Together, they produce a wide array of top-notch goods grown and made right here at home. We proudly support our small agri-businesses and encourage New Yorkers to buy local on Small Business Saturday."
Small Business Saturday celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners and invites shoppers to visit local stores at the beginning of the busy holiday shopping season. The small business sector is a major contributor to the foundation of New York's economy, accounting for 98 percent of all businesses in the state and employing nearly 40 percent of New York's private sector workforce. Today, New York has more than 530,000 small business proprietors, employing more than 3 million people.
NYS Support for Small Business
Whether a business is starting up or looking to expand, ESD and its Small Business Division can provide assistance through an array of programs and initiatives designed to support small business growth and help entrepreneurs maximize their opportunities for success. ESD offers loans, financing, tax credits and incentives to qualifying businesses at all stages, including those designated as minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). For more information, visit ESD's website at
www.esd.ny.gov or
https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/small-business-hub.
The Department of Labor offers a multitude of free services for businesses of all sizes, including job postings on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "
Jobs Express" website, access to thousands of qualified candidates, career fairs and customized recruitments, and even human resources consultation services. These services are available to help businesses list their jobs, find the right candidates, access hiring and training incentives, obtain business tax credits and incentives, access HR service and technical assistance, and find layoff aversion resources. For more information, visit:
https://www.labor.ny.gov/businessservices/landing.shtm.
Small businesses are able to work directly with the Tax Department at their convenience 24 hours per day, seven days per week. A dedicated section of the Tax Department website,
www.tax.ny.gov, allows business owners to seamlessly navigate their online services. This application provides access to a variety of resources and programs, including information about important tax credits and incentives. Business owners can also make payments online through online services as well as response to notices and much more.
The Department of Agriculture and Markets supports New York's nearly 36,000 farms, 700 farmers markets and thousands of small agribusinesses across the state through its various programs. The NYS Grown & Certified program markets local growers and producers participating in safe food handling and environmental sustainability programs, helping them better compete in the marketplace. The Taste NY program showcases New York food and beverage businesses at large public events and, at Taste NY stores, the state's welcome centers, displays and concessions at more than 70 locations across New York. In addition, the department's divisions assist small agri-businesses and farmers by providing a variety of support services that enhance their business, increasing productivity, profitability and competitiveness.