Fireside Chat, Conference Presentation
Gov. Gina Raimondo (RI) and Gov. Rick Snyder (MI): Small Businesses Catalyzing the Future Economy
Goldman SachsGina Raimondo, Rick Snyder, Dane Holmes, John F.W. Rogers, Kevin McCarthy, Tyler Perry, Danny Meyer, Sarah Kauss, Wilbur L. Ross, Sara Blakely, Michael Bloomberg, Marco Rubio, Lloyd Blankfein, Richard Branson, Warren Buffett
- Administrators anticipate that daily engagement with business communities and cross-state collaboration will foster significant innovation and support small business growth across the nation.
- Governor Raimondo predicts Rhode Island's trajectory will continue upward until reaching the top of rankings, driven by improvements in unemployment insurance taxes and business climate scores, while maintaining a willingness to take risks even if not all initiatives succeed.
- Governor Malloy expects Michigan to achieve a "comeback" and "booming" status by refining regulatory and tax environments, with the state recovering from a 50th rank to a top 10 position to support a bright future for free enterprise.
- The "First Customer" program is projected to continue generating substantial economic impact, citing $5.5 billion in additional sales over the last five years, while the "Pure Michigan Business Connect" initiative will scale successful pilots determined through smaller initial tests.
- Both governors foresee immigrants remaining a critical driver of job creation, with one statistic indicating that for every job an immigrant takes, two additional jobs are created, alongside plans to recognize their contributions through awards and cultural exchange.
- A focus on education and workforce development includes teaching computer science in every public school grade and making community college tuition free in Rhode Island, alongside a broader organizational commitment to job training to keep workers ahead of technological transformation.
- Strategic plans emphasize fostering an ecosystem where small businesses act as the core of a cultural revolution, encouraging business owners to maintain lifelong professional connections and sell to one another.
- The ultimate expectation is that these combined efforts regarding risk-taking, regulatory reform, and education will create environments in Rhode Island and Michigan that are attractive destinations for business operations.