Dallas Small Business Roundtable at AT&T Discovery Center Sparks Collaboration, Advocacy, and Resource Sharing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

August 8, 2025

PRESS CONTACT
Phuong Nguyen
pnguyen@nationalace.org

Dallas Small Business Roundtable at AT&T Discovery Center Sparks Collaboration, Advocacy, and Resource Sharing

[August 8, 2025, Dallas, Texas] – The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE), in collaboration with AT&T and the U.S. China Chamber of Commerce Dallas, convened small business owners, policymakers, and community leaders for a Small Business Roundtable at the AT&T Discovery Center in Dallas. The event served as a critical platform to elevate the voices of entrepreneurs and discuss strategies to overcome challenges and accelerate growth. 

“Dallas continues to be a driving force for innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Jimmy Ferguson, Policy Committee Chairman of National ACE. “This roundtable highlights the importance of elevating local voices, building public-private connections, and sharing resources to address the challenges facing small business owners. National ACE is proud to partner with AT&T and community leaders to ensure Texas entrepreneurs have the support they need to grow, compete, and lead in today’s economy.”

Notable attendees included Congressman Marc Veasey, Carrollton Councilmember Rowena Watters, and Plano Mayor Pro Tem Maria Tu. Also present were Erin Moore (Director of Outreach for Congresswoman Julie Johnson), and Abigail Veliz-Magana from the office of State Representative Mihaela E. Plesa, Vice Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. Other participants included Joe Chow, former Mayor of Addison; Aaron Mackisey, Manager of Local Government Affairs at PMI U.S.; Mohammed Farshori, Chair of the Asian Chamber of Texas; and Andrew Nash, Chief Operating Officer of the DFW Minority Supplier Development Council.

“Asian American–owned small businesses comprise approximately 15% of all businesses in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metro—about 19,000 firms, a figure that’s surged over 15% in just two years,” said Congressman Marc Veasey. “That level of growth makes AAPI entrepreneurs a critical engine of DFW’s economy—creating jobs, innovating, and building community. National ACE’s roundtable here in Dallas is essential to ensure these entrepreneurs have access to capital, connections, and opportunity to keep thriving.”

Key topics raised by small business owners included workforce and talent challenges, artificial intelligence, access to capital, resources and funding, supply chain uncertainties, and tariffs. 

“The roundtable was a powerful space to connect with others who share similar backgrounds and a deep commitment to supporting small business growth. Dallas has been my home for 16 years, and I’ve seen how vibrant and diverse this city truly is. At the same time, many of us face legal and structural barriers that make it harder to thrive. Still, we’re staying positive working tirelessly to engage with the broader community, build bridges, and advocate for fairer opportunities for all small business owners,” said James Huang, Managing Partner of EA Insurance and Financial Services. 

“This roundtable was a timely and meaningful conversation for small business owners. We’re facing real challenges, and it was valuable to share those concerns openly,” said Trang Dang-Le, CEO of ERA Empower Realty. “There’s more work to do, and we need more events like this in Dallas to keep momentum going. While we’re watching the market and interest rates with concern, we remain hopeful. Small businesses are resilient, and we just need the right support to keep moving forward.”

The event also included a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between National ACE, the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Texas, and the U.S. India Chamber of Commerce Dallas-Fort Worth. “National ACE is excited to grow our partnerships with these two Texas-based organizations,” said President & CEO Chiling Tong. “We look forward to all we can achieve together in Dallas and beyond.”

This roundtable is part of National ACE’s ongoing commitment to support entrepreneurs and facilitate productive conversations around the unique challenges they face. National ACE continues to provide tailored resources and programs aimed at helping small business owners access funding and grow their operations. 

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About National ACE:

National ACE’s mission is to serve as a strong advocate of AAPI and all small business interests and positive change on all issues that enhance and advance the goals and aspirations of business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders. National ACE strives to do this by supporting and promoting issues that impact the small business community, improving the economic development and impact of the AAPI community, advancing coalitions, enhancing community building, and fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs and executives. National ACE provides a unified voice for the business interests of AAPIs and all small businesses nationally. Learn more at www.nationalace.org.