Author: Rhonda Abrams, Special to USA TODAY

COVID-19 could have ended a West Coast bike company and an ice cream maker. But both owners found ways to fill needs in the pandemic and are thriving.

Most small businesses can’t wait for a COVID-19 vaccine. They need a fully reopened country and wearing a mask is the fastest way to get us there.

It’s estimated that over 100,000 small businesses have closed their doors for good. There are ways to avoid that fate.

Small-business owners are respected members of the community. It’s time to use that position to demand justice and equality for everyone.

If Congress truly cares about the survival of America’s small businesses, it must fix the forgiveness provisions of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and fix them fast.

Lawmakers should focus on long-term plans for small business survival and better oversee stopgap measures like the Paycheck Protection Program.

The $400 billion is just not enough. Some banks are already tapped out and smaller businesses must compete with larger ones for the same pot of cash.

The just-passed Senate bill guarantees loans and unemployment insurance, but provisions like payroll subsidies and deferred tax payments are missing.

Drastic cuts in aid to the small business sector in Trump’s 2021 budget proposal suggest entrepreneurs are not his priority.

Chinese astrology says Rat years are good for fresh starts, new beginnings or changing directions. Could your business benefit from a 2.0 reboot?