ICYMI: Davids Hosts Discussion with BBQ Restaurant Owners, Releases Updated Small Business Report

Last week, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a conversation with KC-area BBQ restaurant owners on addressing the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in Kansas. Following the event, Davids released an updated report on the current state of small business in Kansas’ Third Congressional District. Davids is a member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee.

Davids’ efforts to support Kansas small businesses made headlines across the state:

KSHB: Rep. Sharice Davids Hosts Discussion with BBQ Restaurants, Releases Small Business Report

“Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids hosted barbecue restaurant owners from across the metro for a group discussion on the successes and challenges of running a small business.

At the roundtable, she released a report on the state of small businesses in her district, the Kansas Third. Her report shows in 2023, 10,600 new business applications were filed. That's up from an average of 7,500 since 2019.

‘One of the key takeaways is that we continue to see that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. It's just really clear that we have to continue to do everything we can to support our small business owners.’

The Congresswoman's report also found 175,911 workers were employed by 16,173 small businesses in 2023. That makes up 92.2% of all third district employers.”

Johnson County Post: Rep. Sharice Davids touts small business report as campaign season heats up

“A new small business report released by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids’ office shows strong numbers for Kansas’s Third Congressional District, which includes Johnson County.

Released on Thursday, the report shows the Third District saw an increase in overall business requests, with Johnson County leading the state in small business applications. It also shows an increase in manufacturing jobs.

‘It’s just really clear that we have to continue to do everything we can to support our small business owners,’ Davids said to the Johnson County Post at a small business roundtable in Lenexa.

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Some of the key findings in the report, which was prepared by Davids’s office, include:

• In 2023, 10,704 new business applications were filed in Kansas’ Third District, up 12.6% since 2022 and 42.7% since 2019.
• Out of the state’s overall 33,269 new small business applications in 2023, Johnson County led the state with 8,272 new applications.
• Of the 10,600 jobs created in the state in 2023, 2,300 come from manufacturing.
• In 2023, the Kansas Small Business Development Center — a state-based arm of the U.S. Small Business Administration — served 1,399 clients, leading to $94 million in annual sales, 4,714 jobs created and 52 new businesses.

Before the release of the report Thursday, Davids met with local barbecue restaurant owners and other small business representatives, as well as officials from the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, for a roundtable discussion at Jack Stack Barbecue in Lenexa.

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‘We brought together a diverse group of people to talk about … how they’ve been handling some things, like the rising costs of inputs and the impact it’s having on customers. But also, what are some of the things that folks have done to navigate that? And what are ways that, from the federal perspective, I can be helpful?’ she said.

Highlighting a bipartisan Farm Bill that her office has been working on, Davids said she’s hoping to help make things easier for small businesses along the supply chain.

‘We want to make sure that, as we’re looking at the federal policies, that they’re not overly burdensome on our farmers and ranchers,’ she said.”

KCLY: Rep. Sharice Davids Releases Updated Report On Small Business Growth In Kansas’ Third District

“Representative Sharice Davids hosted a conversation with several Kansas City-area BBQ restaurant owners at Jack Stack Barbecue in Lenexa. The discussion centered on addressing the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in Kansas, including navigating the current economic landscape and leveraging federal resources. Following the event, Davids released an updated report on the current state of small businesses in Kansas’ Third Congressional District. Davids is a member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee.

‘During today’s conversation with KC-area BBQ restaurant owners, we discussed important issues facing our small businesses, from navigating economic challenges to maximizing federal resources,’ said Davids. ‘As a member of the House Small Business Committee, I’m committed to ensuring these entrepreneurs have the support needed to thrive and keep serving up Kansas City’s world-renowned BBQ in our community.’

In the updated report, which builds on her initial 2022 release, Representative Davids provides insights into the recent growth of local small businesses and outlines her efforts in Congress to support this growth. Her initiatives include voting to strengthen domestic supply chains and introducing legislation to support underrepresented business owners, such as women, veterans, and Native Americans.”