Thousands of American Small Businesses Ask Governors for Help During COVID-19 Crisis Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Urged to Protect E-Commerce Tools for Small Business
ATLANTA, Georgia (June 11, 2020) – Community leaders and small businesses throughout Georgia sent a letter calling on Governor Kemp and other state policymakers to preserve access to business-critical digital tools and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic and the long recovery period ahead. Led by the Connected Commerce Council (3C), the letter was signed by over 35 Georgia-based leaders representing a range of digitally empowered small businesses, including Clink in Atlanta.
“Access to online tools enables websites, analytics, digital ads, online marketplaces, and e-commerce platforms to empower retailers, restaurants, service providers, and Georgia small businesses of all types,” wrote Georgia business leaders. “Now, more than ever, businesses and the Georgians they serve benefit from the stability, scale, and security of these tools.”
The letter also cautioned Governor Kemp that controversial campaigns against U.S. tech companies like Google and Facebook create unnecessary instability for millions of American small businesses using these tools and services to run and operate their businesses.
“With storefronts closed across the country, the tools offered by companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon have become vital economic lifelines for countless small business owners and entrepreneurs,” said 3C President Jake Ward. “Governor Kemp and leaders like him throughout the state understand what it takes for Georgia to compete in the digital economy, and they know that now is not the time to put small businesses at a disadvantage or slow their recovery.”
“The digital tools provided by technology companies drive innovation and help small businesses reach their customers,” said Cameron Pepe, founder of Clink in Atlanta. “The platforms they provide make startups like ours possible.”
A copy of the letter and a list of signers is available here.
