Debate: Is Amazon good for small business?

Amazon is a seedbed for new small businesses while providing unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs and vital convenience and pricing for consumers — a necessary hotrod engine for the U.S. economy. Or, Amazon is a monopoly that bullies its workers and illegally undercuts the businesses it hosts on its platform and, as a result, is an innovation killer and should be regulated by the U.S. government.

Which assertion is true? Both? Neither? This is what Intelligence2 set to find out when it organized its most recent online debate: Amazon Is Good For Small Business.

The provocative premise is intentional, according to the nonpartisan nonprofit which organizes what it calls substantive, informed, critical-thinking-yet-civil debates about the day’s leading issues. And few companies spend more time leading the news than the nation’s largest employer, online retailer and e-commerce cloud kingpin.

Defending the the idea that Amazon is good for small business were

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Small Business Grant Opportunities Expanding to Help More Entrepreneurs

Small business owners have so many things to manage — it’s not always possible to apply for grant opportunities as they arise. Luckily, many programs offer multiple rounds or opportunities to reach even more businesses. The following small business grant programs have recently be expanded or added to. Read on to see if any current opportunities are relevant to your small business.



Comcast RISE

Comcast recently announced an expansion of its RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment) grant program. Launched in late 2020, the initiative has already provided more than $60 million to women and minority-owned small businesses throughout the country. That funding includes grants, marketing, and technology services. More than 6,700 small businesses have already received assistance. But now the program is expanding with even more funding slated to become available in January.

Global NY STEP

In New York State, the State Trade Expansion Program provides grants of up

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100 Businesses to Support on Small Business Saturday

Image provided by Comcast RISE

Shop local—including from the 100 recipients of Comcast RISE awards listed below—as part of Small Business Saturday this weekend, on Saturday, November 27, 2021 and beyond.

Since its beginnings in 2010, Small Business Saturday has become a promotion focused on supporting local entrepreneurs and business owners who might get easily overlooked between the big box store pandemonium around Black Friday and the e-commerce shopping of Cyber Monday.

As part the Comcast RISE initiative, Comcast has awarded $10,000 investment grants to 100 small, people of color-owned businesses across Harris and Fort Bend counties.

The Houston area was one of six cities—along with Miami, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C.—selected to award theses grant to 100 local businesses from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, for a total of $6 million across 600 businesses.

And while $10,000 goes a long way for a small business, the

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How Comcast Is Helping Latinx-Owned Small Businesses Continue Steady Growth During The Pandemic

How Comcast Is Helping Latinx-Owned Small Businesses Continue Steady Growth During The Pandemic
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It’s estimated that by 2050, Hispanic businesses will add 1.4 trillion dollars to the US economy,  which means that $18 trillion would be funneled into the U.S. economy.

Latinx-owned businesses are leading growth across all industries.  This is unique since other minority groups, particularly Black business owners, have been adversely impacted by COVID-19 and have yet to fully recover. 

Despite the growth, Latinx business owners still have certain hurdles to overcome. 70% of Latinx-owned businesses are self-funded, and have experienced difficulty securing loans from big banks. 

To help bridge this disparity, Comcast and Telemundo have partnered with HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement) and Prospera to further elevate Hispanic businesses.

According to a news release, the partnership will expand the impact of these organizations, including the development of a 10 session course for female entrepreneurs and grants awarded to small business owners in the surrounding areas

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Fort Bend County small businesses of color share in $1 million in Comcast grants

One hundred small business owners of color from Fort Bend and Harris counties learned Nov. 23 that they would receive $10,000 grants from Comcast to aid in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The one-time grants from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund are the second round of a total of $2 million in funding in the counties this year. RISE stands for representation, investment, strength and empowerment. Comcast originally started the program to support small businesses battling hardships amid the pandemic, but the global media and technology company plans to carry it into the future.

“We are proud of all of our small businesses. The impact they have in Fort Bend County is invaluable. Many of our business owners, particularly our minority-owned businesses, have faced unprecedented challenges over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and require a wide range of support to help their businesses survive,” said Fort Bend

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