--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Small businesses are really the engine in…" description: "\"Small businesses are really the engine in the economy.\" — Karen Mills" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/karen-mills-17439_business_small-businesses-are-really-the-engine-i_2421327.png" --- # Small businesses are really the engine in the economy. ![“Small businesses are really the engine in the economy.” quote by Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/karen-mills-17439_business_small-businesses-are-really-the-engine-i_2421327.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/karen-mills-17439_business_small-businesses-are-really-the-engine-i_2421327.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/karen-mills-17439_business_small-businesses-are-really-the-engine-i_2421327.png) > “Small businesses are really the engine in the economy.” [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small enterprises drive economic growth and innovation. **In simple terms:** Small businesses power the economy. Key Takeaway Support and invest in small firms. Themes economy entrepreneurship innovation Mood optimistic practical Type economic motivational When to use this quote - local markets - startup ecosystems - job creation - community development Key Concepts business development economic policy Questions to Reflect On - How can policies favor small firms? - What challenges do they face? A Different Perspective Large corporations also dominate markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Businesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businesses/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Small business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-business/) [Small businesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-businesses/) ## Related quotes > [In October 2008, when the credit crunch hit, small businesses were really crushed by the lack of capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/in-october-2008-when-the-credit-crunch-hit-small-businesses-were/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [Washington is not the engine of the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-lutnick/washington-is-not-the-engine-of-the-economy/) [Howard Lutnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-lutnick/) > [As you probably know, half of the people who work in this country work for small businesses. And it's more than that, because two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/as-you-probably-know-half-of-the-people-who-work-in-this-country-work/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [I have a wealth of experience, not only as a senior executive in different departments in the city, but I've also, in my private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-have-a-wealth-of-experience-not-only-as-a-senior-executive-in/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [The reality is, for small businesses, there really aren't HR systems. Small businesses are rolling their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-conrad/the-reality-is-for-small-businesses-there-really-aren-t-hr-systems/) [Parker Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-conrad/) > [Small business is America's engine of job creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/small-business-is-america-s-engine-of-job-creation/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [Small business is crucial. I think we talk so much about large businesses, they're well represented; they talk well for themselves. But most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gabrieli/small-business-is-crucial-i-think-we-talk-so-much-about-large/) [Chris Gabrieli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gabrieli/) > [American Made is not just an event. It's a movement to spotlight and support the next generation of creative entrepreneurs who are turning their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/american-made-is-not-just-an-event-it-s-a-movement-to-spotlight-and/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [At first, the only thing that I learned was to save. Then I learned about mutual fund, then later on direct stock investments. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/at-first-the-only-thing-that-i-learned-was-to-save-then-i-learned/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/small-businesses-are-the-lifeblood-of-our-economy/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [It seems not to matter that we are at the brink of a war that may spread beyond Afghanistan and Iraq to Iran and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schiff/it-seems-not-to-matter-that-we-are-at-the-brink-of-a-war-that-may/) [Richard Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schiff/) > [The Obama administration is not helping small businesses create jobs. In fact, it is responsible for the regulatory uncertainty nearly 50 percent of small-business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sher-valenzuela/the-obama-administration-is-not-helping-small-businesses-create-jobs/) [Sher Valenzuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sher-valenzuela/) > [For small businesses to thrive, they require an environment that is conducive for growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nydia-velazquez/for-small-businesses-to-thrive-they-require-an-environment-that-is/) [Nydia Velazquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nydia-velazquez/) > [There are myriad government programs out there to help small businesses. Few people use them effectively. The maze of information makes it difficult for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sher-valenzuela/there-are-myriad-government-programs-out-there-to-help-small/) [Sher Valenzuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sher-valenzuela/) > [We have to keep the momentum going in the economy. And we have to make sure that we give small businesses as much cash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/we-have-to-keep-the-momentum-going-in-the-economy-and-we-have-to-make/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) ## More by Karen Mills > [It's not government that creates jobs; it's small business. Our job is to make sure they have the access to capital, the access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/it-s-not-government-that-creates-jobs-it-s-small-business-our-job-is/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [We have to keep the momentum going in the economy. And we have to make sure that we give small businesses as much cash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/we-have-to-keep-the-momentum-going-in-the-economy-and-we-have-to-make/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [I haven't checked this out yet, but one of our guys told me we have a counselor within 45 minutes to an hour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/i-haven-t-checked-this-out-yet-but-one-of-our-guys-told-me-we-have-a/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [Small businesses want things streamlined, and one of the great successes we're having is less paperwork, faster turnaround times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/small-businesses-want-things-streamlined-and-one-of-the-great/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [I recently had the opportunity to participate in 'Inc.''s first-ever 'Hire Power Awards' event in Washington, D.C. The event was a testament to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/i-recently-had-the-opportunity-to-participate-in-inc-s-first-ever/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [We've gotten tremendous support. Everybody now understands how critical it is to help small businesses get out of this recession and into recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/we-ve-gotten-tremendous-support-everybody-now-understands-how/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [Health care is the No. 1 concern of small businesses and the status quo is untenable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/health-care-is-the-no-1-concern-of-small-businesses-and-the-status/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [We were able in the Recovery Act to get a program where we increased our loan guarantees to 90 percent. Because we had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/we-were-able-in-the-recovery-act-to-get-a-program-where-we-increased/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [The S.B.A. does not lend directly to businesses, but instead backs loans to encourage banks to invest in small businesses as part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/the-s-b-a-does-not-lend-directly-to-businesses-but-instead-backs/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [One of the most important things we hear is the S.B.A. needs to be ubiquitous. We do all these things, but people still don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/one-of-the-most-important-things-we-hear-is-the-s-b-a-needs-to-be/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [In October 2008, when the credit crunch hit, small businesses were really crushed by the lack of capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/in-october-2008-when-the-credit-crunch-hit-small-businesses-were/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [We see entrepreneurship and small businesses and supply chains as a critical part of the economic growth and competitiveness agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/we-see-entrepreneurship-and-small-businesses-and-supply-chains-as-a/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [Small businesses have told us that having cash in their pocket is one of the primary things that they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/small-businesses-have-told-us-that-having-cash-in-their-pocket-is-one/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [Among our responsibilities is to make sure that 23 percent of all government contracts go to small businesses. That's about $150 billion annually, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/among-our-responsibilities-is-to-make-sure-that-23-percent-of-all/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) > [I saw the S.B.A. with just enormous potential, and that's what I told the president - this is really a jewel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-mills/i-saw-the-s-b-a-with-just-enormous-potential-and-that-s-what-i-told/) [Karen Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) [Explore all 37 Karen Mills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-mills/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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