Uncertainty must end for small firms

During the national election cycle, the discussion around small businesses was more substantial than previous years -- a huge benefit for Arizona because our local economy is fueled by entrepreneurs.

With job creation as one of the central election issues, each candidate fully recognized the power of small businesses and focused a large part of his messaging accordingly.

Although President Barack Obama's campaign promises might have been more generous than other Democratic candidates in the recent past, many of us agree that the Republican Party's proposals of job-creating legislation were much more appealing to the small-business owner.

After months of being energized by the Republican ticket's promises for small-business owners, the election results left many of us scratching our heads and wondering, "What's next for small businesses?"

This question is especially relevant in Arizona, where entrepreneurship is an integral part of our state's business DNA. Arizona has a remarkably low number of Fortune 500 companies. We employ some of the smallest numbers of state and local government employees compared with the other 49 states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. We continue to top national rankings relating to entrepreneurship in media outlets like Forbes magazine and CNN.

Simply put, Arizona's small businesses create a substantial amount of jobs and are the backbone of our local economy. Small businesses will also be the driver of national economic growth.

Because Arizona is so reliant on the success of small businesses -- Forbes recognized us as the No. 1 most entrepreneurial state, with a start-up rate of an impressive 520 per 1,000 residents -- it is important to recognize that the following are just a few of the many issues that will impact entrepreneurs and ultimately our local community:

Health-care reform. Possibly the biggest question mark for business owners is how will health-care reform impact their companies. While the answer to this is still unknown, many are anticipating increases in health-care costs and increases in regulations (which adds costs) and questioning what the impact will be on our ability to remain competitive.

Fiscal uncertainty. Small-business owners are still waiting to see what the fallout may be from the "fiscal cliff" discussions at the end of 2012 and the yet to be decided government spending-cut decisions that were extended to the end of February. Investors still are on standby waiting to see the implications. This continued uncertainty is a major hindrance to making decisions on adding jobs, which hurts the overall economy.

Access to capital. Since 2008, lack of financing and access to capital has been a continual struggle. Our nation's leaders have the opportunity to make financing easier for small businesses by helping banks reach pre-recession lending to jump-start our economy.

It is important that we hold our president to campaign promises made to small-business owners. I hope, post-election, that he moves beyond the nation-dividing rhetoric about some people not paying their fair share and realizes that the very people he is criticizing, small-business entrepreneurs, are the ones working hard everyday to hire people and grow the economy. We are past the time to place blame. We now must come together and face the problems that face us.

I hope the conversation continues, both at the local and national level, about how small businesses can push us into economic prosperity.

Despite what may or may not happen on the national level as a result of the election, Arizonans have the opportunity to protect our reputation as an entrepreneurial leader.

Entrepreneurs can accomplish this by working with one another to share successes and lessons learned, provide different perspectives and work toward solutions.

David Anderson is the communications chairman for the Arizona chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization, a professional group that includes Arizona's most successful entrepreneurs. He also is managing partner and CEO of Off Madison Ave + SpinSix, a marketing and communications firm in Phoenix.

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