LA Small Business Leaders Head to D.C. to Defend Digital Tools that Power Growth

In recognition of National Small Business Week, Louisiana entrepreneurs are heading to Capitol Hill to make the case for digital policies that support growth, innovation, and job creation in the Bayou State.

Business leaders from across Louisiana—representing industries from local commerce to community development—will meet with members of the state’s congressional delegation, including Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04), Senators John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05), and Congressman Troy Carter (LA-02). The message they’re bringing: preserve access to data-driven digital tools that empower small businesses.

The group is organized by Internet for Growth, a national coalition of small businesses and creators working to protect affordable, personalized advertising and other digital services essential to modern commerce.

“Digital advertising gives us the nationwide reach to recruit top talent to our state,” said Mike Downhour, Executive Director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. “Thanks to digital platforms, we can spotlight the opportunities here in Louisiana and bring in the workforce we need.”

Small businesses make up 99.5% of all businesses in Louisiana, employing more than half of the state’s workforce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. With recent investments in broadband, data centers, and digital infrastructure, advocates say Louisiana is well-positioned for growth—if policymakers protect the tools that got them here.

“Louisiana has faced economic challenges, but there’s real momentum,” said Brendan Thomas, Executive Director of Internet for Growth. “Now is the time to help small businesses compete. Affordable, data-driven advertising tools help local entrepreneurs reach customers, hire employees, and diversify the state’s economy.”

The group is urging Congress to reject proposals that would limit personalized advertising or restrict responsible data use—rules they warn could increase costs for consumers and make it harder for small businesses to compete online. They are also raising concerns about proposed regulations from the Federal Trade Commission that could undercut the personalization and speed consumers have come to expect in the digital marketplace.

Supporters are also watching growing bipartisan interest in creating a national privacy standard that protects consumers without stifling innovation or burdening small businesses.

The Louisiana delegation will be joined by Internet for Growth members from several other states, including Georgia, Utah, and West Virginia, as part of the coalition’s third annual advocacy day in Washington.

Their goal: to ensure that as Congress crafts the future of digital policy, small businesses remain front and center.