The owner of a Triad-based technological small business will represent and advocate for small businesses throughout the state to lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
Ada Miller-Blair, who founded J&J Emerging Technologies with her husband in 2018, has been named to the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council.
She will be on the council for a two-year term and can serve again after her initial tenure expires. The council is made of a 32-person volunteer board of small business owners.
“As a small-business owner, I see daily the importance of being involved and active when it comes to both laws and regulations,” Miller-Blair said. “Joining NSBA’s leadership council will enable me to take our collective small business message to the people who need to hear it most – Congress.”
As a part of lobbying on behalf of small businesses, Miller-Blair said she will discuss the numerous challenges which small companies have to face daily, including funding, health care costs, tax reform and technology issues.
J&J Emerging Tech, which has five employees, specializes in project management and engineering consulting services for small-to-medium-sized companies.
In starting the company, Miller-Blair said she and her husband put in a lot of sweat equity into the business. They didn’t have any funding or grants, which is the case with many budding business owners.
“So, one of the exciting initiatives in my life is being a part of the National Small Business Association board because I am able to communicate that to different people and try to create road maps for small businesses for funding,” Miller-Blair said.
Those road maps will help educate business owners on how to properly acquire loans and pay them back, how credit operates or how to create a long-term contingency plan as most trying to start their own company aren’t sure of where to begin.
She said those were the things she educated herself in to increase her chances of success. Education and networking is the biggest piece of advice she has for business owners starting.
“Go to different events … when they’re offering webinars about accounting or any type of federal government contracting. Any of those types of events that are taking place, small businesses really need to take a grab at,” Miller-Blair said.
“It takes more than a cell phone, it takes more than a computer, you have to constantly be out there educating yourself.”
The NSBA leadership council is focused on providing networking between small business advocates from across the country while ensuring small businesses a seat at the table as both Congress and regulators take up key small business proposals.
“I am proud to have Ada Miller-Blair as part of our leadership council,” said Todd McCracken, NSBA president and CEO. “She came to us highly recommended, and I look forward to our coordinated efforts for years to come.”
