Advise the Advisor: Austan Goolsbee and Small Business

In the second edition of the Advise the Advisor series, Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, is asking for your feedback on small businesses and entrepreneurship. 

Next week, Austan will travel with President Obama to Cleveland, Ohio for the Winning the Future Forum on Small Business.  At the Forum Austan and the President will have a chance to talk with small business owners and entrepreneurs about their ideas for how America can continue to grow the economy. 

We want to be sure you’re a part of the conversation as well.  So head over to WhiteHouse.gov/Advise to answer any (or all) of the questions below:

• Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship is important in driving innovation and growth. When you first had a new idea for a business how did you convert that idea into a growing business?
• Access to Capital: The President has focused on increasing access to capital and tax breaks for small businesses. What role does access to capital play in your small business, and how can the government help small businesses ensure they can access the financing they need to grow.
• Workforce Development: As different industries in our economy grow, the workforce must adjust. How can government and business work together to better prepare the next generation workforce for the jobs of the future?
• Exports: Promoting U.S. exports is an effective way to grow businesses and create jobs. What obstacles does your business face in exporting goods and services to foreign markets?
• Clean Energy: In the President’s State of the Union he emphasized that an investment in clean energy technology will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create new jobs. How can your business benefit from opportunities in this growing industry?

And be sure to tune in on Tuesday, February 22 for a special live discussion with Austan Goolsbee from the Forum on Small Business at WhiteHouse.gov/live. Austan will be responding to some of your ideas, suggestions and questions. More details on the live discussion from Cleveland will be posted in the coming days.

And in case you missed it, earlier today, Senior Advisor David Plouffe posted initial responses and feedback to some of the comments submitted as part of the last edition of Advise the Advisor on innovation.