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Economy

A Mayor Makes the Case for Investing in Micro-Businesses

The smallest U.S. enterprises became more numerous during the pandemic. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt says cities need to start paying attention.

Downtown Oklahoma City sits empty at the height of the pandemic in April 2020. But many people started their own micro-businesses, and the city’s mayor is now aiming to better support them. 

Downtown Oklahoma City sits empty at the height of the pandemic in April 2020. But many people started their own micro-businesses, and the city’s mayor is now aiming to better support them. 

Photographer: Nick Oxford/Bloomberg

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An often-overlooked segment of the business community is getting some new attention from city leaders in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic: micro-businesses.

Defined as organizations with 10 or fewer employees, there are now more than 20 million “micro-businesses” in the U.S., 3.4 million of which have been created since the onset of the pandemic, according to research compiled by GoDaddy Inc.