"I Built My Business" Bus Tour Embarks on Seven State Journey
www.NFIB.com
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cynthia Magnuson, 202-314-2036 or cynthia.magnuson@nfib.org
Small-Business Owners Speak up About Challenges to Running a Business, Why Their Vote Counts
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 19, 2012 — Capitalizing on the national political attention being paid to the small-business community during this election cycle, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is launching its “I Built My Business” bus tour next Monday, October 22nd. The bus tour will visit seven states in promotion of a campaign designed to provide a megaphone for the voices of the men and women of Main Street, and further amplify the critical role of the small-business community in our nation’s economy.
Over the course of the two weeks prior to Election Day, the “I Built my Business” bus will stop at member businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida, where NFIB will hold events, including roundtable discussions with local business owners and elected officials, to discuss the challenges of owning one’s own business and to remind elected officials, candidates and the public, why the small-business vote matters.
“Small businesses get mentioned a lot in political speeches, but often as a throw-away line from candidates and politicians who don’t understand the real-life challenges of owning and operating a business in a struggling economy and a tenuous political environment,” said NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner. “Reducing the cost of providing health-care, keeping tax rates low for those who file business income at the individual rate, and preventing onerous and costly regulations from closing Main Street doors—these are the issues that matter to the small-business community. At NFIB, we are doing all that we can to make sure that the voice of small business is heard loud and clear this November.”
“The men and women of Main Street—people like me—we are responsible for creating two-thirds of new jobs and half of our nation’s GDP,” said Kevin Durkin, NFIB member and owner of Remote Operations Co., in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “We don’t want pandering or platitudes. We want effective policies that allow us to do what we do best. We are a critical piece of the nation’s economy, and our vote matters.”
The NFIB “I Built My Business Bus Tour” kicks off on Monday, October 22nd at 10:00 AM at Remote Operations Co., in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a rally featuring NFIB members, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate and members of the state assembly, who will address the top issues affecting the small-business community. Candidates for the U.S. Senate have also been invited to attend. The bus tour continues with stops in Wisconsin and six other states:
Monday, October 22nd – 3:00 PM CT, Oshkosh, WI
Tuesday, October 23rd – 9:00 AM CT, Rockford, IL
Wednesday, October 24th – 10:00 AM, Indianapolis, IN; 3:00 PM – Ft. Wayne, IN
Thursday, October 25th – 10:00 AM, Lima, OH; 3:00 PM – Bowling Green, OH
Friday, October 26th – 11:00 AM, Sidney, OH; 3:00 PM – Vandalia, OH
Monday, October 29th – 10:00 AM, Butler, PA; 1:00 PM – Pittsburgh, PA
Tuesday, October 30th – 9:00 AM, Lynchburg, VA; 2:00 PM – Harrisonburg, VA
Wednesday, October 31st – 9:00 AM, Richmond, VA
Thursday, November 1st – 1:00 PM, Tallahassee, FL
Friday, November 2nd – 10:00 AM, Ocala, FL; 2:00 PM, Orlando, FL
Saturday, November 3rd – 12:00 PM, Tampa Bay, FL
Sunday, November 4th – 1:00 PM, New Smyrna Beach, FL
*All times Eastern unless otherwise noted. Locations will be announced by media advisory in the days prior to event
In addition to shining a spotlight on the personal stories of small-business owners, NFIB is encouraging its members and their employees to get out and vote on November 6th, to do big things for small business in this election.
More information about the “I Built My Business Bus Tour” is available at www.nfib.com/ibuiltit.
Follow NFIB on Twitter, giving small business a big voice in November. #Big4SmallBiz
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NFIB is the nation’s leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB’s powerful network of grassroots activists send their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free enterprise system. NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.