U.S. Small Business administrator visits Scottsdale

U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler touted the Trump administration’s efforts to strengthen small business growth during a visit to Barrett-Jackson Auctions on May 28.

“President Trump believes in the American worker and American industry like no other president we’ve had in modern history, so this has given me great encouragement that made in America is coming back for good,” Loeffler said.

A recent report from the University of Michigan, though, shows consumer confidence continues to dive rapidly to historic lows. It pinpoints the price of gasoline and the overall cost of living as the culprits in consumers’ sour mood.

It also describes a grim outlook for business conditions, but Loeffler dismissed the report as “partisan.”

“Last month we created over 500,000 new small business,” she said. “We’ve never hit that level in this country. We’ve done that consistently throughout 2026. In the last few months, America has created 313,000 private sector jobs. That is important to small businesses because they create two out of every three jobs in this country.”

The federal government defines a small business as those companies that have 500 employees or less.

There are over 700,000 small businesses in Arizona employing more than a million people, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Loeffler primarily credited the growth of small businesses in the country to tax cuts created by the Trump administration.

“Nothing says confidence like bringing on that worker and giving them benefits and training,” Loeffler said. “We see tremendous optimism because of President Trumps tax cuts and deregulatory and fair trade agenda.”

However, small businesses are hiring and investing in the future less because of tight conditions created by growing inflation, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The inflation rate currently sits at 3.8%.

Barrett-Jackson Auctions CEO Craig Jackson showed Loeffler around the company and some of its gem cars.

He said the company matches those cars to the buyer’s expectations.

“We don’t sell all the No. 1 cars,” Jackson said. “We sell cars that are accurate. If you want a driver, we sell you a driver. If you want a trailer queen, we sell you a trailer queen. We don’t want to sell you one and it ends up being the other.”

Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky welcomed Loeffler and said she couldn’t have picked a better small business to capture the city’s soul.

“This is a hometown success story that is iconic in Scottsdale and known world-wide,” she said. “What you, Craig, did for the city of Scottsdale in terms of economic development and tourism and the businesses that you’ve built around your company is incredible and we’re blessed to have you.”

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J. Graber
News Editor | Scottsdale

jgraber@iniusa.org

 Meet J.

Graber joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in February 2023, starting his career as a staff writer covering the City of Scottsdale and was named news editor of the Scottsdale Independent in 2024.

Community: He serves on the altar guild as well as being an usher at St. Mathews Episcopal Church in Chandler.  

Education: He earned his BA in creative writing with a minor in journalism from the University of Arizona. He then earned an MS in Mass Communications from the University of Oregon.

Random Fact: He enjoys reading novels by Russian authors.

Hobbies: Playing classical guitar, reading, fishing, going to the gym, watching sports and spending time with his family.