This week, the Trump administration is celebrating National Small Business Week. And for the first time in a long time, that celebration actually means something.
Because in Washington right now, there are people who understand what it takes to build something from nothing – to risk your own money, hire your own people, and figure it out without a safety net.
I know that world firsthand.
I’m not a career government employee. I’m a small business owner. Several times over.
I built the Alien Tequila brand from a sketch on a cocktail napkin.
I co-owned and operated Mundo, a full-service restaurant in downtown Las Vegas.
I founded the Alien Research Center out on Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway – a one-of-a-kind souvenir shop that draws visitors from around the world.
Each one of those ventures taught me something that no government paycheck ever could.
I’ve signed the front of paychecks. I’ve worried about making payroll. I’ve navigated rising costs, shifting regulations, and the constant pressure of keeping the doors open.
Most days, it’s not glamorous.
It’s long hours. Tight margins. Tough decisions. And when something goes wrong, there’s no pension fund cushioning the fall. It’s on you.
That’s why small business owners don’t want handouts. We just want a fair shot.
A Shift You Can Actually Feel
That’s why this year’s National Small Business Week matters more than most.
Something has genuinely changed under Donald Trump. Less red tape. Lower taxes. More confidence.
You can feel it. You see it when a business owner decides to hire one more employee.
You see it when someone finally opens the shop they’ve been dreaming about for years.
You see it when entrepreneurs stop playing defense and start thinking about growth again.
Most people don’t follow policy details. I get that. But small business owners do – because our livelihoods depend on it.
And some of what’s happening right now is a very big deal: making the small business tax deduction permanent, letting businesses fully expense equipment and investments, cutting billions in regulatory costs, and expanding access to capital through SBA loans.
That’s not abstract. That’s the difference between hiring or not hiring. Expanding or staying stuck. Surviving… or shutting down.
Someone who’s spent their career inside government – drawing a government salary, earning a government pension, never once having to make payroll or risk their own savings – doesn’t feel those differences in their gut.
I do.
Nevada Entrepreneurs Know the Truth
Here in Nevada, we don’t have a lot of big corporate headquarters. We have small businesses.
Family-owned restaurants. Local shops. Independent contractors. Tourism-driven entrepreneurs grinding it out in a tough economy.
That’s the backbone of our state.
And for too long, it felt like government made things harder, not easier. Higher costs. More rules. Less common sense. That wears people down.
This year marks 250 years of American freedom. But freedom isn’t just something we celebrate on the Fourth of July.
It’s the ability to take a risk. To build something. To create jobs. To provide for your family without government getting in your way.
That’s what small business is all about.
Why I’m Running
I’m running for Nevada State Senate District 8 because I’ve seen firsthand what works – and what doesn’t.
The legislature needs people who understand what it actually costs when government overreaches. Not in theory. In real dollars. Real jobs. Real consequences.
When small businesses succeed, communities succeed. Jobs grow. Wages rise. Neighborhoods come back to life.
That’s not a talking point. That’s reality – and I’ve lived it.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
