Business Forward

On January 15, Co-chair of the Biden-Harris transition team and Biden’s Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Congressman Cedric Richmond joined us for introductory remarks. Governor Gina Raimondo, President-elect Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Commerce, and Isabel Guzman, his nominee for Small Business Administrator, talked with Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck of Washington, a...

On Wednesday, January 6, Business Forward and Small Business For America’s Future welcomed Neera Tanden, President-elect Biden’s nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Tanden discussed her background and OMB’s role in President-elect Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, and answered questions from our network of business leaders.

On Wednesday, October 28, Business Forward welcomed Ben Harris, Former Chief Economist to Vice President, Obama-Biden Administration, for a briefing on Vice President Biden’s plan to create jobs and investment in the Heartland.

On Thursday, October 15, Business Forward welcomed National Rural Engagement Director Will McIntee at Biden for President for a Solutions 2020: Real-world Recommendations for the Next President briefing. This briefing focused on the Vice President's plan for agriculture and sustainable infrastructure development.

On Wednesday, September 23, Business Forward welcomed National Rural Engagement Director Will McIntee at Biden for President for a Solutions 2020: Real-world Recommendations for the Next President briefing as part of small business week. This briefing focused on the Vice President's plan for engaging small businesses located in rural communities.

Jim Doyle, president of Business Forward, offers advice on how business leaders can communicate their ideas on transitioning to a green job economy with local media. Business Forward has helped more than 175,000 business leaders brief policymakers and work with local media, publish op-eds, testify at public hearings, lobby members of Congress and the White House, and advocate online.

On Thursday, July 30, Business Forward and Small Business for America's Future welcomed Biden for President Senior Policy Advisor Seema Sadanandan and Deputy National Coalitions Director Jason Rodriguez for a Solutions 2020: Real-world Recommendations for the Next President briefing focused on the Vice President's plan for advancing racial equity in America.

On Tuesday, July 28, Business Forward Foundation welcomed John Bailey, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, for a briefing on steps Congress can take to close the homework gap. On this call, Bailey outlined the causes of the homework gap, its impact on students during Covid-19, policy options, prospects for action in Congress, and steps local business leaders can take to help.

On Wednesday, July 22, Business Forward and Small Business for America's Future welcomed Biden for President Policy Director Stef Feldman and Deputy National Coalitions Director Jason Rodriguez for a briefing focused on the Vice President's plan for building our caring economy. They discussed the campaign's plan to mobilize American talent to build a 21st century caregiving and education workforce...

On Thursday, July 16, Business Forward welcomed Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, for a briefing on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) serves as a safety net for those who have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance during the pandemic. Larry discussed the extent to which job losses have increased the number of uninsured Americans, and...

On Wednesday, July 15, Business Forward and Small Business for America’s Future welcomed Biden for President Policy Director Stef Feldman for a Solutions 2020: Real-world Recommendations for the Next President briefing focused on the Vice President’s plan for modernizing our energy economy and building a sustainable infrastructure.

On Thursday, July 9, Business Forward and Small Business for America's Future welcomed Biden for President team members Jason Rodriguez, deputy national coalitions director, and Jake Sullivan, policy advisor, for a Solutions 2020: Real-world Recommendations for the Next President briefing focused on economic policy. Our guests from Biden for President discussed the campaign's commitment to small b...

Jim Doyle talks with Jennifer Anastasoff, executive director of the Tech Talent Project, about how to mobilize technology for a 21st century government. Anastasoff discusses the current state of technology used by government agencies and opportunities to upgrade systems and create new government tech roles.

Jim Doyle, president of Business Forward, offers advice on how business leaders can communicate their ideas on education reform with local media. Business Forward has helped more than 175,000 business leaders brief policymakers and work with local media, publish op-eds, testify at public hearings, lobby members of Congress and the White House, and advocate online.

Jim Doyle, president of Business Forward, outlines the eight rules business leaders should follow when they talk to local media. Business Forward has helped more than 175,000 business leaders brief policymakers and work with local media, publish op-eds, testify at public hearings, lobby members of Congress and the White House, and advocate online.

Ed Meier talks with Natalie Gould, Co-Founder and COO of Washington Leadership Academy (WLA), about reforming high schools to prepare students for the future of work. They discuss WLA’s mandatory four-year computer science progression, its internship program, and what policymakers can do to encourage high schools to teach more technical skills.

Taxpayers spend billions of dollars each year subsidizing coal companies, even though coal jobs are disappearing due to automation, surface mining, and natural gas. Despite clear market forces, Trump continues to protect coal plants and promise he will bring mining jobs back. Featured guests include Ohio business leader Myles Murray, director of communications at Better Together Solar, and David H...

President Trump once claimed that trade wars are "good and easy to win," but in his clash with China - American companies are paying the price. In trade wars with no strategy, there are more losers than winners. Featured guests include business leader and serial entrepreneur Robert Roche, founder and president of Roche Enterprises, and Jen Harris, former State Department official in the Obama Admi...

Business Forward Foundation welcomes Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), New Democrat Coalition Future of Work Task Force Co-Chair, for a conference call briefing on closing the skills gap, investing in STEM education, and preparing young Americans for an economy in which they will need to operate as lifelong learners. 

Small businesses employ nearly half of America’s workers and generate most of our new jobs. However, fewer new small businesses are being established, especially in rural areas. What’s to blame? Student debt and the lack of fair access to capital. Featured guests include Illinois business leader Robin Simmons, director of innovation and outreach at Sunshine Enterprises, Illinois business leader Ey...

Business Forward welcomed Cameron Kerry, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation and former acting Secretary of Commerce, for a briefing on the state of consumer privacy reform. He discussed the surge in data collection, new data uses, key players in Congress, and what a bipartisan deal might look like.

President Trump’s focus on the wall has divided the country and derailed bipartisan legislation on infrastructure. In reality, there are better and cheaper ways to protect the U.S. and those dollars would be better spent fixing America’s roads, bridges, rail, and waterways. Featured guests include Ohio business leader Kevin Burch, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, Michigan business leader Pat Gillespie, a...

Under President Trump, “America First” means “America Alone” – this is bad for business. Featured guests include Michigan business leader Cornelius Harris, founder of Alter Ego Management and Jake Sullivan, Distinguished Montgomery Fellow at Dartmouth College.

Women remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs and underrepresented in high-paying jobs. By simply helping women match men’s labor force participation, America could grow its economy by $1 trillion. Featured guests include Colorado business leader Denise Burgess, President and CEO of Burgess Services and Betsey Stevenson, Professor at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University o...

Automation creates and destroys jobs simultaneously, changing the future of work. We can't go back. We must reskill. School reform must prepare our students for the skills and qualities tomorrow’s employers will need. Featured guests include Michigan business leader Michael Guthrie, founding design principal of inFORM Studio and Alastair Fitzpayne, Executive Director of the Future of Work Initiati...