Small business owners and leaders from across New York met in Albany on March 17 to discuss issues affecting the state's business climate, including tax policy, insurance costs, energy regulations, and regulatory reform. The event was organized by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which represents 11,000 members in New York.
The gathering aimed to highlight concerns about affordability and the challenges faced by small businesses. More than 60 participants attended sessions at Empire State Plaza where they heard from legislative leaders such as Senator George Borrello and Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon. The program concluded with meetings between small business owners and lawmakers in their Capitol offices.
Ashley Ranslow, NFIB’s New York State Director, said, “Small Business Day recognizes the vital importance of small business owners to our state, and it serves as a needed reminder to lawmakers that small businesses’ challenges are directly affected by legislative action or inaction. Our agenda is essential to the sustainability of New York’s small businesses and Main Street jobs, and the affordability of the state’s communities. As the report Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released today – ‘Challenges Facing Small Businesses in New York‘ – declared, small business owners are the backbone of New York’s economy. Our member small businesses and others like them across New York empower Main Streets and job creation, and we are very proud of the work our members did today to advocate and tell their stories. We are grateful to the Senators, Assembly Members, and staff who spoke to and met with our activists today.”
During these meetings, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report showing that small businesses generated nearly $1 trillion in sales with more than 3.7 million employees at over 422,000 establishments in 2023. The report also noted that while small businesses make up a significant portion of employment—close to 45%—New York lags behind other states in key metrics such as business creation and employment.
The Comptroller's report referenced NFIB's new state-specific Small Business Economic Trends (SBET) report for New York. This research compared responses from local business owners with national averages on various issues using data collected from summer 2025.
NFIB has been advocating for independent businesses for over eighty years nationwide. The organization remains focused on supporting its members through research initiatives like SBET surveys.
