From my kiln to Capitol Hill: Small businesses need clear policy, not performative praise

Yahoo

a day ago

Photo courtesy Milkweed Arts
Earlier this month, I joined a group of Arizona small business owners on a trip to Washington, D.C., to speak directly with our U.S. senators about what small business support actually looks like in 2025. I didn't go as part of a lobbying firm or large trade association — I went as a working artist and entrepreneur from Phoenix who knows firsthand what happens when policy and practice don't align.
I own Milkweed Arts, a fused glass education center and gallery in central Phoenix, and Unique Glass Colors, a small U.S.-based manufacturer of enamels for glass artists. We're part of a creative economy that blends education, local manufacturing, and arts-based entrepreneurship — and, like many Arizona businesses, we're deeply affected by federal decisions around wages, tariffs, and technology access.
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In D.C., I met with staffers for Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego to talk about three major issues facing businesses like mine: access to AI tools, the importance of raising the federal minimum wage and the increasingly harmful impact of international tariffs on small domestic producers.
Let's start with AI. While big tech often dominates that conversation, artificial intelligence tools are now essential for smaller operations like mine. We use AI to transcribe and caption educational videos for accessibility, to generate art marketing materials and to help with customer support when I'm teaching, traveling or fulfilling orders myself. It's not replacing jobs; it allows us to function without burning out.
Without equitable access to AI, businesses like mine lose one of the few tools we must have in order to compete with bigger, better-funded entities. Federal policy must support responsible and affordable AI access for small businesses, not just billion-dollar platforms.
Then there's wages. I support raising the federal minimum wage — not because it's trendy, but because it works. My employees are better workers when they can afford to live. Customers spend more when they aren't living paycheck to paycheck. Local economies grow when small businesses and workers thrive together. A business model that only survives by suppressing wages is not sustainable, or ethical.
We need a federal wage floor that reflects the realities of today's cost of living, not outdated assumptions from decades ago.
And, finally, tariffs. While proponents portray them as tools to level the playing field, they're currently punishing the wrong players. As a small manufacturer who occasionally sources materials overseas — materials that simply aren't produced in the United States — I've seen my costs spike. Unlike large corporations, I don't have the power to absorb the cost or renegotiate with suppliers. Every price hike chips away at already thin margins.
These policies, when poorly targeted, don't protect American small businesses. They strain them. We need smarter trade strategies that acknowledge scale and intent.
Both senators' offices were highly engaged in the discussion, asking questions, listening carefully and taking notes throughout. I'm hopeful that even brief meetings plant seeds for further conversation.
In each meeting, I emphasized that creative small businesses aren't just hobbies or side hustles. We're employers, community anchors and vital parts of Arizona's economy. We host classes that enrich lives. We keep our supply chains local when we can. We offer dignified jobs. And we represent the very kind of innovation and resilience that Arizona should be proud to support.
I also extended invitations for each office to visit Milkweed Arts. Our kiln rooms, classrooms and local partnerships offer a clear picture of how cultural and economic development go hand in hand.
Small businesses don't need performative praise. We need clear, thoughtful policy. That means AI legislation that doesn't disproportionately impact small operators. It means fair wages. And it means tariff strategies that consider business size and capacity, not just product category.
It's easy to hold press conferences about supporting small businesses. It's harder, but more important, to listen to us, ask the hard questions and shape policy that meets us where we are.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to represent Arizona's creative economy on Capitol Hill. But one trip isn't enough. Real support starts when policymakers treat small business not as a photo op, but as an equal partner in shaping Arizona's future.
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