Small Business Owners Need Stability, Not Shutdowns

By Sonya Hopson, CEO of Sage Services Group LLC in Bowie

This week, I’ll join thousands of small business owners from across the nation in Washington, D.C., for the 2025 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit. As part of a delegation of more than 200 small business owners from Maryland, we’ll be coming together to advocate for solutions to policy challenges that affect our businesses, employees, and communities. But this year, our gathering is overshadowed by the ongoing government shutdown, which is having serious consequences on small businesses like mine and many others across Maryland.

As the Chair of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee for the Capital Region Monthly Supplier Diversity Council, a committee representing over 700 small and minority business owners, I’ve seen firsthand how damaging economic uncertainty can be. For us, the effects of the shutdown are not political, they’re personal. Our revenue forecasts are in limbo, staffing needs are unpredictable, and contracts are either delayed or canceled altogether. This situation is compounded by the fact that many of my colleagues–especially those in industries like construction, retail, and professional services–are directly impacted by federal contracts and government spending.

For many of us, the shutdown doesn’t just mean lost revenue. It also creates a cascade of challenges. Our employees start questioning the stability of their jobs and often seek more stable employment with other companies. As small business owners, we do everything we can to hold on to our talent, sometimes sacrificing our own salaries just to ensure our teams are paid. But it’s a hard balancing act.

This uncertainty can also make us ineligible for the loans and lines of credit we rely on for growth and expansion. And, for retail businesses, it means consumers are holding on to their disposable income, uncertain about what the future holds, when we’re counting on that spending to make ends meet.

Here’s the reality: we’re all just trying to keep our doors open, keep our employees on the payroll, and plan for the future. The shutdown, whether it’s a few days or even months, does far more damage than just stalling progress. It threatens the very viability of our businesses.

I am not alone. A recent survey of small business owners from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices found that 72% say it’s critical for Congress to find a bipartisan solution to fund the government. Nearly three-quarters of us are still hopeful about growth, but the challenges we face from an unstable environment are real. Without predictability, we can’t make the investments we need to thrive. Our employees suffer, our communities feel the effects, and our future becomes uncertain.

What small businesses need is certainty. We need Congress to put aside partisan differences and deliver a budget that helps us keep our businesses running, hiring, and growing. Whether it’s ensuring our employees stay on board, securing the funding we need, or providing the framework for long-term stability, we need the ability to plan.

Shutdowns are political games that turn into business disruptions. Congress needs to understand that small businesses, like mine, are a cornerstone of the economy. We need stability to plan, to invest, and to thrive.

We’re ready to work with policymakers to find solutions that benefit not just us, but our employees and the communities we serve. It’s time to reopen the government and give small businesses the stability we need and deserve.

Sonya Hopson is the CEO of Sage Services Group LLC in Bowie and a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.