Public Private Strategies

03/05/2026

“While SCOTUS has issued its ruling, the path forward is as clear as mud.” - Rhett Buttle

The recent Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling on tariff authority has generated a lot of questions for small businesses battling tariffs.

If the tariff ruling has created uncertainty for you, tune in to Rhett Buttle’s latest for Forbes for a clear breakdown of where things stand for small businesses.

In it, Rhett covers what it means that the SCOTUS ruled that the President does not have broad authority to set tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), recent legislation on refunds, and more.

Read the full piece here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rhettbuttle/2026/03/03/scotus-tariff-ruling-what-it-means-for-you-and-your-small-business/

SCOTUS ruled that the President does not have broad authority to set tariffs under the IEEPA and that this power rests with Congress, but there are still many questions.

02/06/2026

In his latest for Forbes, Rhett Buttle sits down with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to get the latest on the Peach State’s plans for the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary, how Georgia is supporting small businesses, and how his own experience as a small business owner has guided this work.

For more, read the full interview:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rhettbuttle/2026/02/05/business-owner-to-governor-brian-kemp-on-georgias-economic-future/

01/16/2026

The U.S. economy is rapidly evolving and the ability for small businesses to keep pace with it often boils down to resources and where they are operating.

In his latest with Forbes, Rhett Buttle sits down with Jonathan Smith, Chief Deputy Director of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and Director of the Community and Worker Economic Transition Office, to discuss the state’s efforts to make sure that this evolution happens in a fair and inclusive manner for their economies.

A few points that stood out to us:

→ What arguably sets Michigan’s task apart from others is that it has to guide the transition of the state’s utility and auto sectors, which make up more than 20% of its economy.

→ The Community & Worker Economic Transition Office is executing a first-of-its-kind, integrated strategy that brings together workforce development, community resilience, and industrial competitiveness under one unified vision.

→ The Economic Transition Office’s work has three main areas of focus: Industry Growth and Diversification, Community Resiliency, and Employee Engagement and Empowerment.

→ Michigan’s approach is grounded in community-driven design, bottom-up capacity building, and collaborative problem-solving.

As Mr. Smith notes, “By listening first, equipping local leaders with data and tools, and convening cross-sector partnerships, we ensure strategies are rooted in local priorities and capable of delivering real outcomes.”

Read the full interview here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rhettbuttle/2026/01/15/inside-michigans-strategy-for-economic-transition/

12/10/2025

12/10/2025

What does it look like when philanthropy treats economic mobility as core infrastructure?

In his latest with Forbes, Rhett Buttle sits down with DeAngela B.-Wallace, Ed.D., President & CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, for a conversation that goes well beyond the usual talk about grants and programs.

A few themes that stood out to us:
→ Community-led grantmaking as a systems tool, not just a funding mechanism
→ Entrepreneurship as a driver of asset-building, particularly for under-resourced communities
→ Cross-sector readiness ahead of major national moments like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America250
→ Using time-bound opportunities to build long-term capacity, not one-off activity
→ Data and research as engines for smarter policymaking, from the Indicators of Entrepreneurship to new insights rolling out next year

What’s powerful here is the approach:

The Kauffman Foundation is supporting entrepreneurs by building the conditions for small businesses to anchor neighborhoods, shape local economies, and participate fully in regional growth.

As Dr. Burns-Wallace notes, when you unlock education, meaningful work pathways, and business ownership at the same time, you change what economic mobility looks like for an entire region.

Read the full interview in Rhett Buttle’s latest for Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rhettbuttle/2025/12/10/investing-in-economic-mobility-a-talk-with-deangela-burns-wallace/