How Right to Start is expanding entrepreneurial opportunity for all

In the United States, entrepreneurship is widely supported but rarely treated as a civic priority.

New and young businesses drive nearly all net job growth in the U.S., and every 1% increase in entrepreneurial activity at the state level is associated with a 2% decline in poverty. At the same time, 94% of Americans believe people should have a fair shot at starting and growing a business, yet far fewer take the step. That gap between belief and action is where Right to Start is focused.

Through grassroots organizing, policy engagement, and entrepreneur storytelling, Right to Start is working to make entrepreneurship a civic priority across the country — shifting it from something people are often left to navigate across fragmented systems to something communities, states, and civic leaders can align around and elevate as a shared priority.

We spoke with Victor W. Hwang, Founder and CEO of Right to Start, about what this work was designed to change, what has shifted, and what it will take to ensure more people have a real shot at starting a business.

What gap did you see between how entrepreneurship is valued and how it’s actually supported?

Entrepreneurship is often treated as a personal ambition or private risk, when in reality it shapes job growth, economic mobility, and the strength of local communities. New and young small businesses drive nearly all net job growth in the U.S., and every 1% increase in entrepreneurial activity at the state level correlates with a 2% decline in poverty. Right to Start is working to make it a public priority — one that communities, states, and civic leaders recognize as essential to the country’s economic future.

What has shifted as a result?

In just six years, momentum has shifted from idea to action. States across the country are creating new Offices of Entrepreneurship or designating a statewide official focused on supporting entrepreneurs, a sign that entrepreneurship is gaining traction as a civic and policy priority.

Why does this change matter for small businesses?

Most entrepreneurs are so busy building their businesses that they don’t have time to advocate for making it easier to start and grow small businesses, yet entrepreneurship needs a constituency. Right to Start is building that constituency and advancing entrepreneurship by informing the public and our leaders about what steps would best support entrepreneurship and, therefore, economic and job growth throughout the nation.

What did you learn that others in the field should pay attention to?

A bipartisan survey commissioned by Right to Start found that 94% of American voters believe it’s important for people to have a fair opportunity to start and grow a business — a rare level of national alignment and a strong foundation to build on.

What is the next phase of this work?

In June 2025, Right to Start launched America the Entrepreneurial, a national campaign to renew the country’s entrepreneurial promise in connection with the 250th anniversary of the United States, the world’s greatest startup. The campaign, which I co-chair with John Bridgeland, Executive Chairman and CEO of More Perfect, includes playbooks for individuals, organizations, and government leaders and is now focused on implementation across the country.

What does it look like when a community truly supports entrepreneurs?

There’s no single model, but a key signal is through leadership support and engagement. When governors, mayors, or other local leaders formally prioritize entrepreneurship — for example by joining America the Entrepreneurial — it helps set the direction for broader action across systems.

What are the strongest examples you’re seeing of communities strengthening their entrepreneurial environments?

One recent example is in Oklahoma — Governor Kevin Stitt signed an Executive Order in January 2026 creating the first executive-level Chief Entrepreneurial Officer, alongside actions to reduce startup costs, streamline support, and embed entrepreneurship more fully across the state’s systems.

What role do local leaders play in creating stronger pathways for entrepreneurs?

Local leaders play a central role by elevating entrepreneurship as a priority and activating the systems that make it easier to start and grow businesses.

What gives you optimism about the future of entrepreneurship across the country?

I’m optimistic for three reasons: first, entrepreneurship is a unifying issue with broad bipartisan support from voters; second, it benefits everyone; third, we’re seeing momentum building. The National Governors Association, for instance, whose current Chair is Governor Stitt, has invited all governors to sign a Governors Compact that advances entrepreneurship and is inspired by Governor Stitt’s Executive Order.

What would it take for every aspiring entrepreneur to truly have the “right to start”?

Right to Start’s bipartisan survey found that 43% of Americans have considered starting a business, but only 21% have tried. Closing that gap means making entrepreneurship feel more accessible, more supported, and more fairly structured — so that anyone who wants to start a business has a real opportunity to do so. That shift will enhance the economic growth and vitality of the entire nation.