Every year, National Small Business Week recognizes how important small businesses are to our economy and communities. In 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration celebrates the innovation, resilience, and impact of small businesses nationwide.
In Vermont, small businesses build our communities, create jobs, and add to what makes our state unique. The Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) is proud to have the Vermont Attorney General’s Small Business Initiative on site to support Vermont small businesses.
CAP is known for helping individual consumers, but Vermont law also sees businesses as consumers. Small businesses often face the same issues as individuals, such as scams and unfair practices in the marketplace. Through CAP’s Small Business Initiative, we work directly with businesses across Vermont to resolve complaints, offer education, and connect them with trusted resources.
This past year, the Small Business Initiative helped 284 businesses statewide. We handled 179 requests and successfully mediated 65 complaints, helping business owners solve problems and focus their time on business operations. We also received 176 scam reports from businesses, which showed that owners face more challenges as the digital world becomes more complex.
The businesses we helped come from many industries, like banking, retail, internet services, telecommunications, and more. This variety demonstrates that scams and disputes can affect any business, no matter the size or industry.
This work is built on problem solving and partnership. Whether it’s helping with a billing dispute, explaining business rights, or connecting someone to resources, the goal is always to support the needs of businesses.
This National Small Business Week, we are launching the Small Business Resource Spotlight to connect businesses with useful resources across Vermont. The linked webinar highlights many resources. Today’s spotlight is Mercy Connections!
Mercy Connections helps people through education, mentoring, entrepreneurship, and community programs. They work to make business ownership more accessible. Ruchi Nadkarni, a UVM-SIMBA graduate and Director of Inclusive Entrepreneurship, is a team member who leads this effort. Through education, coaching, and community programs, Ruchi and the Mercy Connection’s team help entrepreneurs build the skills and confidence to start and grow businesses. They focus on both economic success and personal growth to support long-lasting stability.
Mercy Connections offers programs like entrepreneurship classes for English language learners, business planning courses, and citizenship preparation. These programs help people build stability and take part in the economy. They are intentionally designed, knowing that many participants face complex life situations while working toward their goals.
Thank you, Mercy Connections for the service you provide to the business community.
Stay connected to learn more about small business resources in Vermont. We will be adding new resources here and to our webinar series regularly.
