No.
Small businesses –– defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration as companies with fewer than 500 employees –– employ 62.3 million people in America, which accounts for nearly 46% of private sector workers.
Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds said during an Aug. 21 NBC interview that 90% of jobs in the U.S. come from small businesses. It was part of a broader point to back how he believes President Donald Trump’s economic agenda has been successful and supports small businesses.
SBA attributes 9 out of 10 new net jobs created to small businesses, which is likely what Donalds was referring to. However, net jobs factor increases and decreases over a period of time, subtracting jobs lost with ones gained. That’s different from tallying “all” jobs in America, making Donalds’ statement misleading.
In 2025, Florida had the third-highest number of small businesses in the country at 3.49 million.
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Sources
- Small Business Administration 2025 Report
- Small Business Administration FAQ
