ADAM: WELCOME BACK.
AS ELECTED OFFICIALS OFTEN SAY,
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE
LIFEBLOOD OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY.
TODAY, WE HAVE THE HEAD OF THE
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
JOINING US ON CLOSEUP.
LINDA MCMAHON, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
LINDA: THANK YOU.
IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE.
ADAM: ABSOLUTELY.
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, MS.
MCMAHON IS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS
OF THE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
EMPIRE KNOWN AS WWE, WORLD
WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT.
LINDA: THAT IS CORRECT.
ADAM: YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON A
TOUR OF EVERY SPA OFFICE.
WHAT IF YOU LEARNED?
LINDA: MY GOAL, WE ARE CALLING
IT THE IGNITE TOUR.
THIS IS FOLLOWING THAT FROM LAST
YEAR.
IT IS NOT JUST VISITING THE
OFFICES, IT IS DOING WHAT I HAVE
BEEN DOING IS GOING TO A
BUSINESS, HAVING A TOUR THAT
BUSINESS, AND THEN A BUSINESS
ROUNDTABLE.
19 DIFFERENT COMPANIES
REPRESENTED AT THE ROUNDTABLE TO
HEAR WHAT THEIR ISSUES ARE.
AND SO, THEN I DO A LOT OF LOCAL
MEDIA LIKE I AM HERE WITH YOU
DOWN BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THE SBA DOESN'T CONTINUE TO BE
THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE
COUNTRY.
ADAM: IT IS MUCH MORE THAN
LOANS.
EXPLAIN.
LINDA: IT IS MUCH MORE THAN
THAT.
WE HAVE OUR RESOURCE PARTNERS,
OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
COMPANIES.
WE HAVE OUR WOMEN'S BUSINESS
CENTERS, OR VETERAN'S OUTREACH,
ARE EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM,
WHICH HELPS TRAIN ENTREPRENEURS
IN BUSINESS.
AND IT IS OF NO COST FOR THEM TO
COME.
I HAVE HEARD MANY BUSINESSES SAY
THEY WOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS IF
IT WAS NOT FOR LOANS, CAPITAL,
BUT FOR THE MENTORING ASPECT OF
DEVELOPING THEIR BUSINESS PLANS,
LOOKING AT THEIR MARKETING
PLANS, HOW CAN A BETTER UTILIZE
ONLINE?
SPA'S GOAL IS TO HELP
ENTREPRENEURS TO START BUSINESS,
OR FOR THOSE IN BUSINESS TO GROW
AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
ADAM: TAX REFORM IS SUCH A HUGE
ISSUE IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW.
IF I OWNED A SMALL BUSINESS IN
NASHUA THAT IS A FEW THOUSAND
DOLLARS OF BUSINESS A YEAR, WHAT
IS IN IT FOR ME?
LINDA: EVERY SMALL BUSINESS I
HAVE TALKED TO HAS SAID TO ME,
WITHOUT FAIL, IF I HAD A TAX CUT
, AND I HAD MORE MONEY TO
INVEST, I WOULD INVEST IT BACK
INTO MY COMPANY, WHETHER THAT IS
HIRING ANOTHER EMPLOYEE,
BRANCHING OUT, DEVELOPING A NEW
PRODUCT LINE -- I WOULD REINVEST
THAT MONEY BACK INTO MY
BUSINESS.
IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT
WOULD TAX REFORM, WE ARE LOOKING
AT TAX CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR
EVERYONE, BUT SMALL BUSINESSES
ESPECIALLY WILL BENEFIT.
ADAM: IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHEN
MARK -- ONE OF HER BIGGEST
STRUGGLES IS THE WORKFORCE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH QUALIFIED
WORKERS.
DO YOU KNOW HOW BEACON SOLVE
SOME OF THAT?
LINDA: NEW HAMPSHIRE IS NOT
ALONE.
THE WORKFORCE ISSUES CLEARLY
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I HAVE HEARD FROM SO MANY
DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, AND IT HAS
TO DEAL WITH FIRST OF ALL, A
SKILLED AND TRAINED WORKFORCE,
AND ALSO A WORKFORCE THAT WANTS
TO WORK, ONCE TO COME TO WORK,
ONCE HAVE A GOOD DAY'S PAY FOR A
GOOD JOB.
IT IS BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THE PRESIDENT
HAS DONE IS SIGNED A BILL FOR
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND ASKED TO
SET ASIDE $100 MILLION TO GO
INTO THAT PROGRAM SO IT COULD BE
AS YOU LEARN.
WHAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OVER THE
YEARS AS THE VALUE OF A SKILLED
WORKFORCE.
OUR COMFORTERS, ELECTRICIANS,
PLUMBERS, AND THE TECHNOLOGY
ASPECT OF WHAT WE NEED TO TRAIN
PEOPLE FOR, SO TO BE ABLE TO
HELP PROVIDE ECONOMICS TO TRAIN,
AND GET INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR
TO COORDINATE MORE WITH OUR
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, OUR
TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, HELPING
DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM THAT
PRIVATE INDUSTRY NEEDS.
THERE ARE MANY IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR NOW WHO NOT ONLY HAVE TO
WRITE THAT CURRICULUM, BUT THEY
ARE PUTTING IN EQUIPMENT LIKE
FOR INSTANCE, MANUFACTURING, SO
STUDENTS IN THOSE LOCATIONAL
SCHOOLS ARE COMMUNITY COLLEGES
ARE NOT ONLY TRAINING IN THE
CULTURE AND WHAT THE COMPANY --
AND ALSO ON THE EQUIPMENT THAT
THEY WILL USE OF THE ARE READY
FOR THE EMPLOYER AND ARE PART OF
AN APPRENTICE PROGRAM.
THAT IS A REAL WIN-WIN, BUT
THERE ARE 6 MILLION JOBS
AVAILABLE IN OUR COUNTRY, WE
DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE TO FILL
IT.
ADAM: YOU LIVE IN WASHINGTON,
BUT YOUR HOME IS IN NEW ENGLAND,
SO YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE
OPIOID CRISIS THAT HAS AFFLICTED
OUR REGION, AND THAT PLAYS INTO
THE WORKFORCE ISSUES AS WELL.
WE MAY HAVE SKILLED WORKERS THAT
MAY COME WITH CRIMINAL
HISTORIES.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRY TO
MOVE PAST THAT, OR -- PASS THAT
WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AT THE
SAME TIME?
LINDA: THE PRESIDENT HAS PUT A
GREATER DEAL OF FOCUS ON THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC BY LABELING IT
AND CALLING NATIONAL ATTENTION
TO IT.
IT IS THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH
MONITORING, THROUGH HELPING HAVE
THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE TAKING THESE
DRUGS UNDERSTAND HOW DETRIMENTAL
THEY CAN BE.
KID TO GET INTO MEDICINE CABINET
TO TAKE PART OF THEIR PARENT'S
UNUSED PRESCRIPTIONS, WE HAVE TO
BE CAREFUL ABOUT NOT THROWING IN
AN EVENT MEDICATION THAT IS LEFT
OVER A WAY SO THAT IT IS EASY TO
GET ACCESS TO IT.
BUT THERE IS SO MANY MEASURES.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES REALLY DOES HAVE
A GOOD PLAN AND IS CONTINUING TO
WORK ON IT TO GET THAT DONE.
ADAM: THAT THE GOVERNMENT TAKE A
GREATER ROLE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
IN RECOVERY CAN OBTAIN A GOOD
JOB?
LINDA: THAT THEY CAN --
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GO
WITH HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT HELP
PEOPLE IN RECOVERY?
WHAT SPA DOES IS LOOK AT SMALL
BUSINESS -- AND AWAY, A PERSON
GETS INTO AN OFFICE BECAUSE THEY
HAVE A GREAT IDEA AND SPA CAN
HELP THEM DO THAT.
THEY MAY BE A RECOVERING ADDICT
OR SOMEONE TRYING TO GET OVER A
HELP.
GETTING INVOLVED IN A HOME
BUSINESS, THERE OWN IDEAS COME
IS PROBABLY ONE WAY TO GET AHEAD
WITH THAT.
ADAM: IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS,
PARTICULARLY IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, WE ARE
SEEING HARASSMENT, ASSAULT, AND
IT IS SPARKING CONVERSATION
ABOUT THE ISSUE.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
HAPPEN AS THIS SITUATION
EVOLVES?
PARTICULARLY WITH WOMEN IN THE
WORKPLACE?
LINDA: I THINK IT IS EVERYONE'S
WHILE BEING IN THE WORKPLACE.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROVISIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN PASSED LIKE SEXUAL
HARASSMENT TRAINING.
BEING THE CEO OF THE COMPANY, I
KNOW HOW DEDICATED WE WERE TO
MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ISSUES
WERE ADDRESSED AND THAT NO ONE
SHOULD HAVE TO BE IN AN
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY ARE
HARASSED, WHETHER IT IS WOMEN OR
MEN.
YOU HAVE TO TREAT EACH OTHER
WITH RESPECT.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE, WE ARE USING COMMON SENSE,
AND COMMON DECENCY TOWARDS ONE
ANOTHER.
ADAM: IT HAS TO BE DIFFICULT IN
THE BUSINESS YOU ARE IN, THE
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.
RUDE AND LEWD LANGUAGE BECAME
WRAPPED UP IN THE STORYLINE OF
THE BUSINESS.
HOW DO YOU KEEP THOSE TWO THINGS
SEPARATE?
LINDA: WHEN DEBBIE DEBBIE E WAS
WRITING THE STORYLINES -- WHEN
WWE WAS WRITING THE STORYLINES,
IT SEEMS LIKE TV IS EVOLVING THE
SOCIETY.
BUT WWE IS JUST A FUN PRODUCT
AND A WONDERFUL BUSINESS TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH FOR SO LONG.
ADAM: SPEAKING OF THAT, ARE
THERE ANY LESSONS THAT TRAFFIC
FROM THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL
WRESTLING TO WASHINGTON AS YOU
HAVE EXPERIENCED SO FAR?
LINDA: WELL, SOMETIMES IT IS
KIND OF NICE TO HAVE A HIP TOSS
IN YOUR POCKET JUST IN CASE.
[LAUGHTER]
ADAM: LINDA MCMAHON, THE IGNITE
TOUR IS TAKING YOU TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
WHAT IS THE NEXT STOP?
LINDA: I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT
MY SCHEDULE.
I HAVE BEEN FROM PUERTO RICO TO
ANCHORAGE TO SEATTLE, PORTLAND,
BOISE, DENVER, EAST COAST STOPS,
FLORIDA, TEXAS, ESPECIALLY WITH
THE DISASTER RELIEF ASPECT OF
WHAT SPA DOES, WHICH IS NOT
KNOWN BY MANY.
HOW INVOLVED SPA IS INVOLVED IN
DISASTER RECOVERY.