“There’s always been a huge push on Black Friday, and then kind of came along Cyber Monday. Along the way, small business kind of was left out of that mix a little bit. Going back to the recession in the mid-to-late 2000s, we needed to find a way to promote and intentionally make a day for small businesses to be recognized.”

Sharing how locally spent dollars benefit Arkansas communities, Burns said:

“Local businesses are a much greater supporter of local communities. An average of 67 cents of every dollar collected in a local business stays in that community, which is very important. On average, small businesses support non-profits 250 percent more than bigger corporations because they’re invested. If those local stores are willing to be committed to your community, then the communities need to be committed back to them.”

When asked about the challenges local business owners face, Burns highlighted how NFIB works on behalf of small business owners across the state in Little Rock and D.C.

“We were supportive of the Governor and her efforts to lower the income tax. Anything to relieve the financial pressure. Tax cuts help employees, a small business’s bottom line, and consumer spending. That has been a huge win for small businesses in Arkansas and something we were very proud to be a part of.”

“I think that Arkansas is doing a very good job of really looking at careers and trades and skills as well. NFIB Members range from everything from a local boutique in a downtown in Arkansas to a plumbing company or electrical company. We have all these different kinds of businesses that we must focus on and make sure that they have that staff. I do think that the Department of Education is doing a good job of getting back into high schools and not shifting away from a four-year school mentality, but recognizing that we have to have those other qualified applicants in place to do all the work in Arkansas.”

CLICK HERE to watch the full interview.