NY’s Praise Mayor Adams SBS Commissioner Kim At Business Kick Off

May 4, 2023

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim today by avoiding fines and violations.

Since the free program’s launch last year, NYC BEST has assisted more than 2,200 diverse businesses across the five boroughs by providing small businesses with one-on-one expert support to help business owners not only resolve or avoid fines and violations but also save time and money navigating city government rules and regulations, as well as expedite permit and licensing processes.

See below for what they’re saying:

“I commend Mayor Adams for creating the NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST) and for his continued efforts and commitment to uplifting New York City’s small business community,”

“I commend Mayor Adams for creating the NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST) and for his continued efforts and commitment to uplifting New York City’s small business community,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “Small businesses play an invaluable role in our economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and making our communities a more vibrant place for all. I look forward to continuing my work alongside the Adams administration to ensure small businesses have access to the resources and support they need to thrive and flourish in our city.”

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods and communities, and play a vital role in our nation’s economy – employing tens of millions of people,” said U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres. “It’s crucially important that we do all we can to support them and create an environment where they can grow, thrive, and continue to provide endless opportunities. Congratulations to the NYC BEST team for all you do to serve our city’s small businesses, which I hope everyone will join me in supporting this Small Business Month!”

“Our city’s small businesses have been through a lot over the last few years,” said U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis. “Giving them an opportunity to rectify a problem instead of slamming them with punitive fines is one way to provide them relief and help keep them from closing. I’m glad this new administration is approaching businesses as the backbone of our economy instead of ATMs it can drain.”


“Demonstrating that government is here to help is an incredibly important accomplishment of the BEST initiative, and I want to applaud Mayor Adams for making our city’s small businesses a priority,” said U.S. Representative Dan Goldman. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and owning and operating a small business should not be made any more difficult by unnecessarily burdensome red tape. Programs like this one should serve as a model for government efficiency and accessibility.”

“I applaud Mayor Adams for his efforts here,” said New York State Senator Andrew Lanza. “Small business owners have been through unprecedented challenges that have put their livelihoods at risk over the past few years. I am pleased to see that Mayor Adams’ New York City Business Express Service Team initiative has helped New York City entrepreneurs resolve many fines and violations in just the past few months. Instead of trying to nickel and dime New Yorkers, initiatives like this are exactly what will support and strengthen small businesses, which are the backbone of our community.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the community,” said New York State Senator James Sanders Jr. “They provide needed jobs and services every day for all New Yorkers. The BEST initiative is a commonsense approach to assist small businesses to navigate government bureaucracy for the benefit of everyone involved.”

“Small businesses are crucial to the identity of New York as a place of unmatched opportunity,” said New York State Senator Leroy Comrie. “We in government need to work to reduce unnecessary burdens faced by our small business owners. By helping our small business owners cut through red tape posed by time-consuming administrative processes, New York City Business Express Service Team (NYC BEST) is helping to make this goal a reality. I applaud Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim for launching NYC BEST and look forward to the positive impact it will have in my district.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and it is heartening to see the New York City Business Express Service Team (BEST) initiative making a real difference in the lives of these business owners,” said New York State Senator Luis Sepúlveda. “Saving them over $22 million in fines and violations is a testament to the impact of this program, which has provided invaluable support and guidance to over 2,200 diverse businesses across the five boroughs. Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim are to be commended for their commitment to promoting and supporting our local small businesses, and I am proud to join them in celebrating Small Business Month, which highlights the vital contributions of small businesses to our city’s economy.”

“I’m proud to join Mayor Adams in celebrating Small Business Month and supporting the local businesses and entrepreneurs who contribute so much to the unique character and vibrancy of our communities,” said New York State Assemblymember David Weprin. “I’ve hosted small business tours across my district with fellow elected officials and the New York City Office of Administrative Trials & Hearings (OATH) to meet our small business owners and help educate them on best practices to avoid fines and penalties. I’m very pleased to see so many New Yorkers using and benefiting from NYC BEST during these challenging times, and I look forward to boosting this initiative.”

“Small businesses are the heart and soul of our city,” said New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. “Two-thirds of every dollar spent at a local business remains in the community and a ‘multiplier effect’ ensures that more of this money recirculates locally. I applaud Mayor Eric Adams and SBS Commissioner Kevin D. Kim for their vital and effective NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST), which has saved $22M by helping over 22,000 small businesses in our communities recover from the pandemic and boost our local economies. The data shows that New York City is building back better than ever, with nearly all private sector jobs lost since the pandemic recovered, and BEST is ensuring that small businesses are uplifted in the rising tide by providing valuable training and programs to navigate city rules and regulations; allowing small businesses to thrive, avoid fines and expand quicker. I’m committed to working alongside the Adams administration and SBS by ensuring my constituents are educated and aware of the myriad services and programs the city has to offer as we support the businesses that are the lifeblood of our great city.”

“Our 240,000 small businesses are a pathway to the ‘American Dream,’ and we need to support the entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, and vitality that they bring to our city,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim have done precisely that with the Business Express Service Team. The initiative has provided expert advice to over 2,200 small businesses, helping them avoid costly violations and slash through red tape. These businesses saved $22 million dollars in fines and countless hours of navigating bureaucracy, which is all reinvested in the businesses and their employees. The work of BEST was essential in our city recovering 99.7% of the private sector jobs lost during the pandemic. Every week, I am in my district promoting new small businesses, often immigrant-owned and run, and I hear about the challenges they face and their hopes for the future. I thank Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim for being my partners in ensuring New York City’s small businesses grow and thrive.”

“Doing business in New York can be tough and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that small and micro-businesses can operate safely and efficiently to provide goods and services to New Yorkers,” said New York State Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman. “By creating the NYC BEST initiative, small business owners can comply with city, state, and federal regulations in a streamlined manner and get the help and support they need. This initiative allows businesses to concentrate on what they do best – job creation and innovation in one of the largest economies in the world.”

“Our local economy depends on the hard work of our small businesses, they are the backbone of the community,” said New York State Assemblymember George Alvarez. “When our small businesses are thriving that means our community is thriving. Keep in mind, as Mayor Adams and SBS kick off Small Business Month, this is a good time to support our small businesses and keep our economy moving in the right direction.”

“There’s no doubt that our small business community needs help navigating New York City bureaucracy,” said New York State Assemblymember Lester Chang. “I’m glad there’s a city agency now to assist small business owners with the red tape. I look forward to collaborating with the mayor and NYC BEST to make it easier to do business in my district and New York City.”

“As a small business owner myself and as a member of the Small Business Committee within the New York State Assembly, it is my privilege to join Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim in celebrating the commencement of “Small Business Month” in New York City,” said New York State Assemblymember Michael Novakhov. “Our small businesses, especially those mom-and-pop shops that make New York intrinsically New York, are the backbone of our city and exemplify the American Dream. Again, it is my pleasure to join my colleagues in recognizing small business month and the incredible contributions and dedications of small business owners across our city and state.”

“I am thrilled to see the tremendous impact Commissioner Kim and the New York City Department of Small Business Services have made on our small businesses,” said New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga. “This $22 million in savings from fines and violations highlights the much-needed financial relief for our small businesses and the thoughtful and targeted approach SBS used to meet the needs of small businesses. As we celebrate Small Business Month, let’s continue to champion the vital role these businesses play in the economic recovery and vibrancy of our neighborhoods.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the Queens economy, so it’s important they are not hit with avoidable and unnecessary fines,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “NYC BEST does a great job of helping businesses avoid these fines, without undermining the city’s health and safety regulations. I can think of no better way to kick off Small Business Month than to salute our borough’s small businesses and NYC BEST for working together to support our economy and promote health and safety.”

“As the son of a small business owner, I know firsthand how important they are to our communities,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Keith Powers. “We must continue supporting small businesses through initiatives like NYC BEST that cut red tape and allow our economy to grow.”

“During my tenure as commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, onerous fines assessed on small businesses were cut in half and violations issued were reduced by one-third,” said New York City Councilmember Julie Menin, chair, New York City Council Small Business Committee. “The success of the city’s Business Express Service Team Initiative is a significant step forward in helping business owners avoid fines and navigate complex city government rules. I thank the Adams administration and Small Business Commissioner Kim for prioritizing cutting fines and expediting permits which have made owning a small business easier in our city.”

“Our local small businesses are the backbone of the city’s economy and deserve to be free of burdensome regulations in order to thrive,” said New York City Council Member Lynn Schulman. “That is why the NYC BEST program is so important, and its success thus far demonstrates the mayor’s commitment to the local businesses in our city’s diverse neighborhoods. I also want to thank Mayor Adams and Small Business Services Commissioner Kim for recognizing a wonderful new bakery in Forest Hills, Queens, to announce Small Business Month.”

“Every big business started as a small one,” said New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer. “So, it’s welcome that the administration is working to support the city’s small businesses via the BEST program and help them grow.”

“Every day, millions of New Yorkers utilize services and goods provided by our small businesses, and our city wouldn’t survive without them,” said New York City Councilmember Shekar Krishna.“We commend Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim on the success of the NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST) initiative, streamlining communication and providing better access to resources, putting over $22 million back in the pockets of our small business owners.”

“In true celebration of Small Business Month, it is important that our city is putting systems in place that provide small businesses with the services and resources to thrive,” said New York City Councilmember Kevin C. Riley. “The NYC BEST program is a valuable lifeline to small business owners, already committing its efforts to benefit more than 2,200 small businesses since its launch. With savings of $22 million in fines, establishments are further empowered to keep their doors open and encourage reinvestment into their communities with local hiring and commerce. I commend Mayor Adams and the New York City Small Business Services Commissioner Kim for their leadership in uplifting and protecting the city’s treasured small businesses. The continued partnership is indispensable to serving our neighbors and promoting the economic development of this city, particularly in our underserved communities.”

“The launch and subsequent success of the NYC BEST Program is a testament to the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and Chamber of Commerce’s joint dedication to serving small businesses,” said Linda Baran, president and CEO, of Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.“Small Business Month highlights SBS’ commitment to making it easier to run a business in New York City, and we look forward to partnering with SBS on more small business-facing services and events, including our Small Business Roundtable on May 11.”

“The New York City BID Association is proud to celebrate Small Business Month in partnership with the Department of Small Business Services,” said Robert J. Benfatto and David Estrada, co-chairs, of NYC BID Association. “There’s no better way to kick off the celebration than with the grand opening of a new small business assisted by SBS’s NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST). We are grateful for our partnership with SBS to provide education and outreach to small businesses as well as direct services to the neighborhoods we serve. We are particularly excited to celebrate NYC BID Day on May 9th, which will recognize the hard work of our diverse BIDs citywide which provide direct services to over 300 miles of commercial corridors including nearly 25,000 storefront businesses while investing more than $160M back into our communities annually. We look forward to this month of activities and continuing our support for small businesses in partnership with SBS.”

“New York City is the best city in the world because of its vibrant businessmen and women who provide its residents and the millions of tourists who come to New York with their creative best in food, fashion, design, technology, and experience,” said Marlene Cintron, administrator, Small Business Administration Region II. “Each of them deserves this recognition and our deepest thanks for its excitement and vibrancy. Last year we were able to provide these businesses with over a billion dollars in loans to the smallest of the small and the historically underserved and are a proud part of their economic success.”

“Small businesses are engines of economic opportunity, creating jobs and adding to the unique character of every neighborhood in our city,” said Tom Grech, president, and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce. “We are delighted to join Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, and SBS Commissioner Kim in celebrating SBS Small Business Month, to both recognize the important role small businesses play in our communities and ensure that they have the resources they need to grow and thrive. We encourage all New Yorkers to shop small and local, this month and every month.”

“Small businesses drive New York’s economy,” said Randy Peers, president, and CEO, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “The Brooklyn Chamber is proud to support ‘Small Business Month,’ a campaign across all five boroughs to help attract tourism, create opportunities, and cut the red tape shop owners face. This program will aid businesses across Brooklyn – and when our small businesses succeed – our economy thrives. We thank SBS Commissioner Kim, our BIDs, and city agencies for expanding this key initiative, and making New York the ‘City of Yes’ for small business.”

“Hiring events and workforce development are essential tools for a holistic and person-centered economic recovery,” said Lisa Sorin, president, of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to partner with the New York City Department of Small Business Services to celebrate National Small Business Month in the Bronx, while also providing New Yorkers an opportunity to explore new workforce endeavors and strengthen local communities. We are grateful to Mayor Adams, the New York City SBS team, and the New York Yankees for this sustained partnership and look forward to building strong public/private partnerships among our anchor organizations.”

“New York City’s small business community is resilient and energized,” said Jessica Walker, president, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. “Small Business Month is all about celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of New York — the collaborative efforts of the Manhattan Chamber and the city are fueling that energy, helping businesses start and grow, including through the NYC BEST program. We’re ready to celebrate alongside Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim and all our small businesses!”


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