Small Business – Big Opportunity^®: Small Business Advocacy

Given the importance of small businesses to the national economy, especially as a driver for creating and sustaining jobs, the Travelers Institute believes public policies should encourage entrepreneurship. The Travelers Institute’s Small Business – Big Opportunity initiative helps promote small business success by convening business owners across the country with industry experts to explore solutions to everyday business challenges, such as business continuity planning, access to capital and cybersecurity. The Travelers Institute has collaborated with recognized small business advocates, such as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), regional Federal Reserve Banks, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council and the National Association of Women Business Owners, as well as community banks and angel investors.

In 2025, the Travelers Institute was joined by representatives from SBA and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at three in-person symposia around the country. These cybersecurity and small business-focused events aimed to help educate small business owners and those who advise them about factors impacting their success, including evolving cybersecurity risks. In February 2025, the Travelers Institute hosted a Small Business – Big Opportunity symposium featuring representatives from SBA, CISA, Zions Bank and TechHelp Idaho Manufacturing Specialists. The event was held at Boise State University and hosted in partnership with the Boise Metro Chamber and the Big “I” of Idaho. More than 100 local business professionals, agents, brokers and small business owners attended the event, which featured a keynote presentation, a panel discussion and audience questions.

Throughout 2025, the Travelers Institute offered continuing education (CE) credits to agents and brokers who attended workforce and cybersecurity education symposia. In total, nearly 160 agents and brokers across 10 states received CE credit, a valuable step in renewing their insurance license. The Travelers Institute also held a webinar focused on cybersecurity, which provided an overview of the current threat landscape and essential practices that can improve cyber readiness for business owners and their customers.

Through its Wednesdays with Woodward^® webinar series, the Travelers Institute also addressed important workplace-related issues relevant to small businesses. Topics covered included economic forecasts from renowned U.S. government and industry economists, negotiation strategies that also strengthen professional relationships, how employers can help overextended caregivers, and how to recruit and engage emerging talent.

Related resources

• Travelers Institute^® webinar: Strategic Connections: Short-Term Negotiation Tactics for Long-Term Success
• Travelers Institute^® webinar: Global Cyber Resilience: Lessons from Former White House and CISA Leader Jeff Greene
• Travelers Institute^® webinar: Recruiting Your Rising Stars: Engaging the Insurance Industry’s Emerging Talent