Celebrating Small Businesses with PayPal Small Business Month

Small businesses play a critical role in the global economy. Entrepreneurs create jobs and foster healthy local economies, which leads to a more vibrant national economy. They contribute to local causes, have relationships with their neighbors and are the foundation of the community. We also recognize that not all small businesses have the same issues or dynamics. Some work 9-to-5 while others operate outside traditional business hours. With all of this in mind, it is vital that the public and private sector work to foster an environment where technology and innovation help deliver small business success around the world. 

Today, PayPal is announcing the inaugural PayPal Small Business Month. Taking place throughout the month of May and continuing the momentum of National Small Business Week, we are working with non-profits, trade associations and other companies that share our mission of empowering small businesses and helping them grow. We are working with organizations across the country to bring a new level of engagement to small and underserved businesses and their communities. We want to share what we’ve learned from our 19 million merchants - most of whom are small businesses -  and help them learn from each other in order to succeed. 

As part of PayPal Small Business Month, we will be hosting and sponsoring several events in partnership with organizations that prioritize unique small business communities – including the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Bunker Labs, Kiva, SharpHeels, and Walker’s Legacy. We will be hosting and sponsoring events across communities including Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, Omaha, Oakland, Portland (Ore.), Washington D.C. and more. Each event will include workshops that will educate small businesses on a range of issues, like getting access to finance, leveraging digital tools that can enable growth, and sharing strategies for competing globally. We will also create a space to enable thoughtful discussions on how to improve the small business experience and address the barriers that continue to impede entrepreneurial success. Along with our partners, we will highlight the major opportunities for small businesses in the digital economy while identifying positive policies that can encourage growth. 

PayPal is proud to be a partner and platform for U.S. small businesses as they launch, scale and grow. For nearly 20 years, the PayPal platform has enabled small businesses to grow and become longstanding citizens, which in turn can create positive impact on communities. PayPal Small Business Month campaign is an effort to put small businesses at the forefront of the conversation, and to highlight the positive impact that they are having on their communities. We encourage you to join us in showing support and appreciation for small businesses in your community and around the world.

Bill Ready, EVP, COO, PayPal