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Group born out of pandemic to advocate for small business
Cris Collingwood//February 23, 2023
Small businesses have a new advocacy voice in Harrisburg that was born in the wake of the pandemic.
Go Big Small Biz Network, created by Tracey and Jeff Wakeen, who previously owned a female fitness center in Cumberland County with 800 members, will advocate for the rights of small business.
The couple was forced to shutter their business in October 2021 after losing more than half of its members in the first year of the pandemic lockdown, they said.
The new organization will focus strongly on member education and advocacy efforts on proposed legislative and regulatory policies that directly impact job creators.
“Like so many others, our Pennsylvania small businesses suffered greatly during the pandemic,” Tracey Wakeen said. “It was a painful lesson that small businesses have to be more involved in shaping policies. We decided to do something about it and started the Go Big Small Biz Network. We intend to provide a big voice for small business in the halls of government.”
There are more than one million small businesses in Pennsylvania, comprising over 90% of all businesses, the couple said. In the early days of the pandemic, from March to December 2020, small businesses lost $3.4 trillion worldwide.
To become a member, visit the website at gobigsmallbiz.com or email [email protected]. The group can also be found on Twitter (@gobigsmallbiz), Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram (@gobigsmallbiz).
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