Built America Magazine
The Moment Everyone Realized Why Onshoring Matters One of Shimkat’s stories shifted the energy in the room. She described sitting at a roundtable where one business owner said, “I need this product, but it’s not made in the United States — I have to buy it overseas.”
Not just writing rules but fixing the ones that no longer make sense.
Through SBA’s Office of Advocacy, her team sits across the table from agencies like the EPA and USDA, bringing real business data to push for changes that keep companies alive. “They’re coming to us now and saying, ‘How can we de-reg?’” she said. “That’s huge.” But to do that, SBA needs something only the industry can give: truth . The Red Tape Hotline: Your Voice, Direct to Washington Lisa urged every business in the room to use a tool most had never heard of: redtape@sba.gov “Every single submission is read,” she said. “We need to know what it really costs you — not just the fee, but the hours every week it takes.” She told a story about a regulation an agency said would cost $100,000 to comply with. SBA gathered real numbers from businesses. “It was actually over a million dollars,” she said. “That’s when companies have to choose between compliance and hiring. That’s when regulations start pushing small businesses out — and we can’t let that happen.” The room understood exactly what she meant. 115
There was a pause.
“And someone across the table said, ‘I make that.’ They were in the same room.”
That moment, she explained, is why SBA launched its Onshoring Portal — to connect American manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers who don’t even know they already need each other. “It’s about closing the gaps in our supply chain,” she said. “And helping businesses source right here at home.” For an industry that builds America with American hands, it hit deep. When ‘Regulations’ Really Mean ‘Pain’ Lisa was honest about something every builder in the room understood immediately. “When we say ‘regulations,’ people sometimes say they’re fine,” she said. “But when you ask about pain points, suddenly there are a lot. Almost every one of them traces back to a regulation.” That’s where SBA is focusing its efforts.
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