Business group urges Sisolak to continue digital support

A group of 68 Nevada business leaders led by the Connected Commerce Council on Friday sent a letter to Gov. Steve Sisolak urging continued support for online tools and digital platforms vital to preserving small business activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Access to online tools enables websites, analytics, digital ads, online marketplaces, and e-commerce platforms to empower retailers, restaurants, service providers, and Nevada small businesses of all types,” they wrote. “Now, more than ever, businesses and the Nevadans they serve benefit from the stability, scale and security of these tools.”

Small business advocates also cautioned against ill-timed regulations and legal challenges that could disrupt technology options that have proven critical during the downturn.

“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,” 3C President Jake Ward said. “We’re fortunate to have leaders like Governor Sisolak who understand what it takes for Nevada to compete in the digital economy, but we continue to see misguided anti-tech campaigns that create needless uncertainty for small businesses just working to stay afloat.”

“Without tools like Google Meet and Zoho Assist, there’s no way we could have maintained the same level of service for our customers across Nevada during this pandemic,” said Jon Gedde, CEO of SimpliFi Mortgage in Las Vegas. “We’re lucky to have access to so many free and low-cost digital platforms and tools to stay in business, maintain our workforce and serve our community.

“As we work toward reopening the economy, it’s important that elected leaders understand the role technology is now playing and avoid policy mistakes that could slow our recovery.”

The Connected Commerce Council is a nonprofit membership organization with the goal of promoting small businesses’ access to essential digital technologies and tools.

According to a release, “3C provides small businesses with access to the market’s most effective digital tools available, provides coaching to optimize growth and efficiency, and cultivates a policy environment that considers and respects the interests of today’s small businesses.”