When my parents moved to Las Vegas from South America, they came for the same reasons so many others did. They wanted to find the American dream, and like so many Nevadans, their entry point to that dream was business.
My father worked as a porter and then as a blackjack dealer, and my mother as a seamstress. One generation later, their daughter is lieutenant governor of the state they made their home. That’s not just an American dream, but a truly Nevadan story.
It’s one similar to that of Sonny Vinuya, who, as Nevada’s new director of the Office of Small Business Advocacy (OSBA), will be instrumental in promoting the role of small businesses throughout the state. Sonny came to the U.S. from the Philippines as a teenager, and worked everywhere from cookie shops and sunglasses stores to pharmaceutical sales.
His credentials as a banking executive and president of the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce speak for themselves, and his experience is why Sonny was one of the first hires I made.
It was crucial to me to make sure the OSBA was up and running as quickly as possible. Despite federal assistance, roughly 35% of Nevada small businesses shuttered their doors at the beginning of the pandemic because of issues accessing that support. I want to ensure that every single business takes full advantage of the resources to which they are entitled.
Most small businesses don’t have an HR representative or an attorney on hand. As an entrepreneur, opening and operating a business can be complicated. Making sure all the forms and permits are filled out correctly can be daunting, serving as a barrier to access. Business owners should be focused on growing their small business and creating jobs and opportunity for their community rather than getting bogged down in paperwork.
Then there’s the added challenges when those business owners don’t speak English as a first language. I grew up speaking Spanish, and when I was in school, I tutored other kids whose parents moved to this country, so I know how hard that language barrier can be to overcome.
And Sonny, in his work with the Asian Chamber of Commerce, watched as member businesses didn’t take advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program due to the intimidation of understanding the process in their non-native language, and heartbreakingly missed out on the help that was there for them.
The OSBA, under Vinuya, will be that one-stop shop for those folks, a sort-of conductor for small businesses when they need an answer or have a barrier to access, language or otherwise.
While so many people think of Nevada as the glitz and glamor of the Las Vegas Strip, the reality is there are nearly 300,000 small businesses in the state, comprised of more than half a million employees. Supporting small-business owners is vital to Nevada’s economic growth and resiliency.
Look at Lincoln County, less than an hour away from Las Vegas—nearly every worker there is employed by a small business.
Rejuvenation of small business has reflected Nevada’s recovery from the pandemic. Nevada in 2021 had more small businesses than it did in 2019. We’re coming back stronger than we were, and small businesses are leading the way.
These issues are important to me because I spent my life with students—future employees and employers. After 25 years in Clark County as a teacher and principal, education is the lens through which I see the world.
And I want to talk about what I mean by education. I was asked recently why, when there are no constitutional duties assigned to the lieutenant governor related to education, I am so adamant about its importance in this position.
To that I say this: Education is economic development.
To fill the good-paying jobs that our state has to offer, our workforce must be properly trained, and what is training but targeted education? Whether it comes from four-year universities, community colleges, trade schools or apprenticeships, somewhere along the way Nevadans learn the tools necessary for the jobs they want, and we need.
Just look around our state and you’ll see a landscape primed for new business, in virtually every sector. If you want to be outside, hike Red Rock Canyon or swim in Lake Tahoe or ski down Mt. Rose. If you want to dive into history, visit the mining villages of Virginia City or the train depot in Ely. And if you want to gamble and vacation at a world-class resort, book your stay in downtown Reno or on the Strip. All of that resides in the confines of our home state.
Nevada is a place where locals can begin their professional training and start their own firms in the industry of their choosing. It’s a place where someone can move and put down roots. It’s a place where a company can open their newest location and be welcomed with our world-famous hospitality.
Nevada is a place for business, and it will be long after my time as lieutenant governor is done. But as long as I’m in office, I plan to do everything I can to give Nevadans the chance to do what we do best: turn hard work into opportunity.
Lisa Cano Burkhead is lieutenant governor of Nevada.
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