YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – As the nation celebrates National Small Business Week – May 3-9 this year – it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the impact that small business has.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, as of 2025, the overwhelming majority – 99.6% – of businesses are classified as small businesses, which means they have 500 or fewer employees.
In Ohio, 2.2 million people – or 43.8% of employees – work for small businesses. In Pennsylvania, 2.5 million people – or 45.2% of employees – work at small businesses.
In Ohio’s 6th congressional district, which includes Mahoning and Columbiana counties, small business employment represents 55.8% of employees, including 19.1% who work for companies that employ fewer than 20 people. In the state’s 14th congressional district, which includes all of Trumbull, Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties and most of Portage, small business employment represents 57.2% of the workforce, including 20.1% who work for employers of 20 or fewer employees.
In Pennsylvania’s 16th district, which includes Mercer and Lawrence counties, 52.5% of all people employed work for small businesses, including 17.5% in businesses that employ fewer than 20.
It’s the big companies that draw the big headlines and government incentives – and not without good reason – but it’s small businesses that drive the economy. They’re the mom and pop stores that have been on the corner for decades as well as the manufacturer across town that’s breaking into 3D printing.
These are also the business owners that are more likely than their larger counterparts to sponsor youth sports teams, donate to local fundraisers and fund scholarships. Large businesses usually must clear layers of bureaucracy to approve such requests.
That’s worth keeping in mind. In a world in which it’s easy to click a button to purchase from a large online vendor, making the drive instead to a locally owned small business might be more worthwhile.
