AIC Team Talks with Local News About How Private Equity Strengthens Small Businesses Across America
Media coverage spanning Washington, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Arizona, Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina, and Florida highlights how private equity supports small businesses nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. – To celebrate Small Business Week, the American Investment Council (AIC) launched a nationwide press tour to highlight how private equity is investing in the growth of small businesses across the country. AIC’s Drew Maloney, Emily Schillinger, and Jamal Hagler spoke with local TV and radio stations nationwide about how private equity continues to drive job growth, high wages, and economic stability for small businesses in their communities.
Featuring Private Equity Investment in Local Small Businesses
KFNN-AM (Phoenix, AZ) – Hagler: “The Arizona Biltmore and Super Star Car Wash are just two examples of businesses that have received private capital [in Arizona]. Private capital has helped them grow, expand, and provide stellar services to their customers … Private equity has a proven track record of helping businesses grow, increase jobs, increase supply chains, and increase channels of distribution.”
WFIN-TV (Seattle-Tacoma, WA) – Schillinger: “There has been over $70 billion invested in Seattle by the private equity industry over the past 10 years, and there are 17,000 jobs at small businesses in Seattle that are private equity-backed … Many assume that investment only goes into large cities, but that’s not the case. Private equity is essential to small businesses and supporting local communities.”
Louisiana Hometown (Louisiana) – Maloney: “There are more than 100 small businesses across Louisiana that enjoy private equity support. We invest in all types of businesses. We invested in BBQGuys, Golfballs.com, Fat Tuesday… In every sector across the Louisiana economy, whether it’s energy, renewable energy, or services to the energy business, we provide capital to these companies so they can grow, invest in their communities, and provide good jobs to everybody in Louisiana.”
WCSC-TV (Charleston, SC) – Hagler: “Over the last decade, a billion dollars have been invested into small businesses in South Carolina, in the Charleston area alone. Small businesses are one of the drivers of any local economy and are an important source of jobs for so many in the community.”
WFIN-AM (Toledo, OH) – Schillinger: “In Ohio, there are 11,000 people whose jobs are directly backed by private equity, and 2,000 jobs are directly backed by small business companies – and that’s just in the Toledo area alone. Some of the local companies you might have heard of are Dedicated School Staffing, who make sure substitute teachers are available to help at your kids’ school; Tronair, which manufactures aircraft components and ground staff equipment; and Robex, a developer of industrial robots designed for the manufacturing industry. Private equity really invests in every part of the economy.”
Highlighting the Benefits of Private Equity Investment in Small Businesses:
KRLD-AM (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX) – Maloney: “Private equity provides two benefits to businesses throughout the country. The first is that they provide the capital to scale and expand into markets, hire more people, produce technology, and even more. They also partner with businesses and provide industry expertise to help them grow and navigate business challenges that they may have.”
Business First (National) – Maloney: “Private equity creates a partnership with the leadership team at the small business. That means they mentor and work side-by-side to identify challenges, solve problems, and figure out how to expand the business. It’s this kind of partnership that makes private equity-backed small businesses thrive and become positive contributors in the communities where they operate.”
WPTF-AM (Raleigh-Durham, NC) – Maloney: “[Private equity-backed companies] employ 12 million Americans across the United States. When you get private equity money and it allows you to scale, this type of investment often leads to higher compensation. The average wage for a private equity worker is $80,000, while the average wage across America is $60,000. They’re better-paying jobs and often have better benefits. It allows companies to focus on those human resources needs they need to maintain their workforce.”
How Policymakers Can Support Private Equity Investment in Small Business
WIOD-AM (Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL) – Maloney: “Policymakers can agree that supporting small business is critical to communities across America – they are the backbone of our economy… We have to remind policymakers that they have to advocate for policies that encourage small investment and encourage this capital to flow, and not inject unnecessary regulations for investors and small businesses. That is the only way these companies will succeed in the long run.”
KRDO-FM (Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO) – Hagler: “One of the most important things to investors is stability, so it’s important that elected leaders don’t change the rules of the road. It’s important that they encourage investment and don’t pass legislation that would prevent investors from investing their capital.”
