small businesses in boston

In the United States, 99.9% of firms are small businesses, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. These 33 million establishments run the gamut from mom-and-pop shops to tech startups, and their contributions to the economy are notable.

Jae’da Turner is in the business of spreading the word. The Boston native and entrepreneur runs Black Owned Bos., a platform dedicated to highlighting and supporting Black-owned businesses in Boston.

Mayor Martin Walsh announced Tuesday a new community engagement process to reimagine Boston’s businesses. Reimagine Boston Main Streets is meant to strengthen the city’s Main Streets program, assess where the resources are and identify gaps. The first part of this community engagement process began at a Nov. 23 Remo event — a virtual conference where attendees could sit at “tables” and discuss different aspects of Boston business.

The Boston City Council Committee on Small Business and Consumer Affairs held a hearing last Tuesday at the Bruce C. Bolling Building on the opportunities and challenges facing small businesses in the city such as access to capital, equitable liquor license distribution and navigating the permitting process.