U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai recently held a roundtable discussion with Hawaiʻi resource partners and local business owners.

The business owners discussed the challenges they have faced in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and inquired about opportunities to expand their reach to overseas markets through federally funded programs, such as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program (STEP).

Senator Hirono and Ambassador Tai heard from each business about their experience operating in a diverse state like Hawaii and the importance of e-commerce sales for growing businesses. The roundtable included representatives from YWCA Oahu; Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center Network (Hawaii SBDC); Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT); and INNOVATE Hawaii.

Photo credit: Office of Mazie Hirono