Starting a new business can be hard even in the best of times and even tougher in a distraught economy. But entrepreneurs could soon have some good news if legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga) is adopted into law.
The legislation, called the Startup Act, would amend the current Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to include entrepreneurs and startups. The WIOA, passed in 2014, requires states to align their core workforce development programs to coordinate the needs of both job seekers and employers through combined four-year state plans.
The Startup Act adds language to the WIOA that incorporates entrepreneurial skills development training.
Allen is no stranger to the needs of startups since he created R.W. Allen Construction in Augusta.
“Long before I was a Congressman, I was an entrepreneur,” Allen said in a statement. “I spent almost four decades building and operating a small business, and I know how federal policies impact entrepreneurs and job creators. I am proud to lead this effort to help current and future entrepreneurs access the resources they need to create jobs, grow our economy, and realize the American Dream.”
Eric Parker, President, and co-founder of Make Startups, as well as the founder of The Clubhou.se in Augusta, believes the Startup Act will make a big difference for entrepreneurs who often struggle even in the best of times.
“Many entrepreneurs in our communities are facing poverty, but our workforce system has historically been unavailable to them,” Parker said in a LinkedIn post. “The Startup Act, introduced today by Congressman Allen, will go a long way in removing these barriers and creating an entirely new ecosystem of resources to support them.”
Success in a small business requires a lot of effort. The SBA estimates that a third of startups don’t make it to the two-year mark, and less than half reach five years. Only 25 percent last at least 15 years.
Make Startups, headquartered in Augusta, works with financial service providers to develop and maintain training standards and certifications, and to help entrepreneurs gain access to capital.
Allen’s Startup Act also has the support of nine other similar organizations around the country. You can read the text of the bill here.
