“We're throwing band aids on something versus looking at the underlying issue. I like to use the analogy that you can throw a sheet on top of a cardboard box and it can look like a table until you put something on it and it falls through.” (25:03)
Michelle Burnett was appointed the Executive Director for the HUBZone Contractors National Council, a member-based non-profit organization established to advocate, educate and promote the HUBZone Program. Her knowledge of the HUBZone Program and expertise on government contracting stems from 10 years supporting the HUBZone small business community both as a contractor for SBA and small business consultant.
We learn that the organization is a group of companies, organizations, and individuals that have a shared viewpoint on the HUBZone program. Michelle breaks down the The HUBZone Council to us and says it perfectly when she states “ it is different organizations ... The council isn't a person.”
The HUBZone program came about, it was initially enacted under the sponsorship of Senator Kit Bond in 1997, following the collapse of the manufacturing industry. It is a federal contracting program, but to many members of our organization, they see it for what it's supposed to be. It means to facilitate job creation and economic growth. This was a means in order to provide a competitive advantage for companies and encourage them and incentive them to relocate into certain areas that were obviously being significantly impacted by unemployment. (3:48)
When asked where her passion for the HUBZone program stems from, she simply states that it is “because the HUBZone program is all inclusive. It doesn't matter what color of skin you are, it doesn't matter where you're from, what you did. It's a program that allows access for anyone. It's about supporting. (6:09)” It also come from that she spent most of her life in West Virginia, and her love of living in these rural areas, because the people, they take care of each other.
There is no better way to hear the advantages of this program than from her own words: “When companies live and work in communities, it's not just the jobs that they're creating. It's a holistic effect. They're investing in their communities, and when that happens, when companies come into these communities and they are successful and they build an infrastructure, they're investing in the schools, the medical care, the environment. Some are very environmentally friendly, and they change these communities, communities that were lost, that had completely just dwindled and might be being overwhelmed by crime or ... They bring them back to life. They breathe life back into these communities, and that's the point. (8:04)
In this episode we hear about many other topics that are very prevalent to us in this arena. We hear about Puerto Rico is the first location that can allow for double credit under the RISE Act.
We hear about the 809 Panel and how essentially it is one of the biggest things that small businesses should be aware of because it actually proposed getting rid of small business goaling altogether.
How opportunity zones and the great idea they are because the whole goal is to get companies to relocate into these areas in order to facilitate economic growth. (38:44)
Michelle gives us her insight on industry days, budget cuts, advice to the ones and twosies companies.
This episode is filled with many great topics, advice, ideas, strategies and laughter.
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