/ FIELD GUIDE /
Key Points
Entrepreneurs create jobs, wealth, and stronger communities. But our system makes it hard.
Better policies make a big difference.
American entrepreneurship is in an invisible crisis.
94% of voters say “it’s important to America’s future that citizens have a fair opportunity to start and grow their own businesses,” but 92% say it’s difficult or very difficult to start a business today.
81% of entrepreneurs say that government favors big businesses over them. 69% say government doesn’t care about them. (Kauffman survey)
It’s far more expensive to start a business in the U.S. ($725) than the U.K., China, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Sweden, India, South Korea, and France.
62% of Americans have a dream business in mind. 41% would start it in 6 months if they could. But less than 2% actually do. (SBA survey)
Rural America has seen a 44% decline in entrepreneurship since 1995.
New businesses entering the federal contract marketplace declined by 79% between 2005 and 2019.
People of color have struggled to build intergenerational wealth because of barriers to start and grow businesses.
Over 15 million new businesses weren’t started due in part to government red tape, high fees, or fear of losing healthcare.
Expanding entrepreneurial opportunity leads to more jobs, higher incomes, greater productivity, wealthier communities, lower inequality, and less poverty.
New businesses create virtually all net job growth. Older businesses shed jobs overall. But only 18% of Americans know that.
More businesses correlate to higher incomes. Every new business per 100 people adds $485 to average household income in a community. (GoDaddy Venture Forward, 2023)
Every 1% increase in entrepreneurial activity in a state correlates with a 2% decline in poverty.
New businesses are leading indicators of GDP growth.
People who start businesses earn higher lifetime incomes, including 10% higher salaries than other workers.
More new businesses starting correlates with lower income inequality.
People start businesses at all ages, with an average founding age of 45.
Join the effort!
Use the steps below to email your elected officials.
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1. Learn the Issues
Use the Right to Start Field Guide to learn about the issues that affect entrepreneurs.
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2. Lookup Contacts
Click the links below to find the contact information for your:
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3. Send an Email
Write your officials and let them know you support entrepreneurial opportunity as a priority, and how policies from the Field Guide matter to you.
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4. Let us Know
Complete our Feedback Survey after your outreach to let us know you’ve joined the movement!