The Oregon Secretary of State's Office is celebrating a decade of dedication to small business owners across the Beaver State. A recent annual report from the Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA) highlighted the strides taken to support entrepreneurs dealing with the intricacies of governmental regulations.
According to the report released by Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, the OSBA aims to be a catalyst for small businesses grappling with the ever-changing landscape of compliance. "Oregon aims to be a small business-friendly state, but there’s more we can be doing to help these businesses operate," Small Business Ombudsman Trevor Leahy said, as reported by Oregon.gov.
Since its inception in January 2014, OSBA has expanded its reach from a one-person operation to a team of five, attending numerous public events and aiding over 14,000 clients. The office is a go-to for businesses and nonprofits in Oregon with 100 or fewer employees, assisting with state and local government issues.
In the previous year, the OSBA went on to help a total of 2,624 customers bridge connections with 96 governmental units. Most of the cases, approximately 61%, were information seekers, with significant inquiries about business registrations, as "Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said. "It’s such a privilege to be able to look back on ten years and see all the hard work the OSBA has done and the many ways it’s paid off," she added, as per Oregon.gov.
The anniversary also showcases the OSBA's dedication to statewide outreach, successfully completing visits to 25 Oregon counties as part of their mission to enhance business-owner interactions. A particular focus was placed on Eastern Oregon in a joint venture with local employment and workforce boards to support regional employers. This initiative saw seven state agencies collaborating to engage close to 300 employers across nine communities.
