Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) have announced a new initiative called Cut the Tape for Small Business. The program aims to make it faster and easier to start and run a small business in Chicago by updating city administrative processes.
Cut the Tape for Small Business is described as both a strategic framework and a long-term resource intended to support Chicago’s small business ecosystem. The initiative builds on Mayor Johnson’s earlier Cut the Tape effort, which focused on streamlining housing and commercial development procedures.
“There is no better way to celebrate Small Business Saturday than by directly addressing the concerns of the small business owners and entrepreneurs who help make Chicago a vibrant, nation-leading economic hub,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As my administration continues our work to modernize and enhance the responsiveness of City government, Cut The Tape for Small Business sets a clear direction for how we will engage, serve and partner with entrepreneurs now and into the future.”
“Cut the Tape for Small Business demonstrates our dedication to the thriving small business ecosystem across Chicago,” said BACP Commissioner Ivan Capifali. “Under the Johnson administration, BACP is aligning resources and systems to meet the real-world needs of entrepreneurs in every stage of business. The department is fully focused on being responsive and adaptive to the needs of small businesses across the city.”
The program targets common challenges faced by local businesses by aiming to reduce costs, save time, simplify regulatory processes, improve transparency, expand access to educational resources, digitize licensing systems, streamline debt checks, develop an interactive zoning map, explore regulations for new industries, use marketing strategies that highlight neighborhood tourism potential, eliminate information silos among city departments, collaborate with City Colleges of Chicago on entrepreneur education programs within communities, and launch digital literacy efforts for under-resourced entrepreneurs.
BACP organized regional meetings with Neighborhood Business Development Centers—including chambers of commerce—and local business owners to identify immediate needs as well as longer-term priorities within Chicago’s small business community.
More details about Cut the Tape for Small Business are available at https://www.chicago.gov/CutTheTape.