Tech Execs Testify on Role of Small Businesses
Apr 24, 2008
It is National Small Business Week and the U.S. House Small Business Committee, chaired by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), held a hearing this morning on "The Role of Small Businesses in Stimulating the Economy."
Representatives from Amazon.com, Google and The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) were among those testifying, and we've included video clips of their testimony in the Media Vault.
In his prepared statement, Google's vice president of online sales and operations David Fischer explained how the company's online advertising services help entrepreneurs by enabling them to reach new customers affordably via AdWords and to sell ads on their own sites via AdSense (he said Google paid out $4.5 billion last year to AdSense partners). Of course, it's a symbiotic relationship that has worked out quite nicely for Google, and Mr. Fischer acknowledged that "much of Google's success is predicated on the success of our small business customers and partners."
He also managed to include a pitch for net neutrality, saying: "As policymakers interested in promoting and fostering small business, I urge you to consider the openness of the Internet as a guiding principle in your legislative work, and as a critical component to ensuring the continuing success of America's small businesses."
Another witness named Marc Steiger, who is the CEO of a value added reseller named DLP Technologies, outlined a number of areas where he felt the Committee could assist small businesses, including measures to improve health insurance, tax policy and patent reform. On the first point, Mr. Steiger, who appeared on behalf of CompTIA, said the association is calling for establishment of a Small Business Health Care Coverage Task Force.
You can visit the Media Vault to hear more from Mr. Fischer, Mr. Steiger and Amazon's vice president of global policy, Paul Misener.
Tags:
Amazon.com, CompTIA, Congress, economy, Google, health IT, net neutrality, small business
