Small Business Owner: ‘We create jobs’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — For the first time, the City of Columbia invites small business owners to a gripe session they hope, in the end, benefits them, merchants and consumers. Some two dozen small and minority-owned business leaders gathered Tuesday to speak face to face with city leaders. Council members say they wanted to give merchants the opportunity to share the good, the bad and the ugly, in terms of working with and operating their establishments in Columbia. Nationally recognized attorney, Franklin Lee, from Maryland, has been retained by the City to take the business owners’ lemons, make lemonade, in terms of new policies, and give it to city leaders to see if it’s sweet enough. The advocate signed a two-year, $200,000 contract with Columbia for his expertise. Small business owners we spoke with hope their feedback is communicated to enhance their bottom line, in a trying economy.