Connected Commerce Council

Established in 2018, The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a non-profitnonprofit organization lobbying for the promotion of small businesses’business access to digital technologies and tools. 3C claims to offer small businesses access to digital tools, provide coaching for growth and efficiency, and works to promote a policy environment that considers the interests of small businesses.

The lobbying group is funded by Amazon and Google, and claims to represent thousands of small businesses in the United States, opposing legislation that would restrict large tech companies. The group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before taking down the document from its website in 2022. Many of the businesses said they were not members of the group and added that they had not heard about it. The Connected Commerce Council works to shape the debate around antitrust regulation in Washington.

The lobbying group is funded by Amazon and Google, and claims to represent thousands of small businesses in the United States, opposing legislation that would restrict large tech companies. The group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before taking down the document from its website in 2022. Many of the businesses said they were not members of the group and added that they had not heard about it.Theit. The Connected Commerce Council works to shape the debate around antitrust regulation in Washington.

The lobbying group is funded by Amazon and Google, and claims to represent thousands of small businesses in the United States, opposing legislation that would restrict large tech companies. The group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before taking down thatthe document from its website late lastin month2022. When POLITICO contacted 70Many of thosethe businesses, 61 said they were not members of the group and many added that they werehad not familiarheard about it.The withConnected Commerce Council works to shape the organizationdebate around antitrust regulation in Washington.

TheAlongside an external lobbying firm called Connectedthe CommerceMajority CouncilGroup, 3C has been active in shaping the debate around antitrust regulation in Washington. It’s worked with an outside lobbying firm, called the Majority Group, for several years to advocate onfor small business and technology issues on Capitol Hill. InAccording to the Center for Responsive Politics, in 2021, the group spent $400,000 on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In 2018, the Connected Commerce3C Council offeredprovided public comment to the Federal Trade Commission on antitrust issues, arguingits argument being that large technology platforms such aslike Amazon and others provideoffer benefits to small businesses.

The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a non-profit organization with a single goal: to promote small businesses’ access to essential digital technologies and tools. 3C provides small businesses with access to the market’s most effective digital tools available, provides coaching to optimize growth and efficiency, and works to cultivate a policy environment that considers and respects the interests of today’s small businesses.

Established in 2018, The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a non-profit organization lobbying for the promotion of small businesses’ access to digital technologies and tools. 3C claims to offer small businesses access to digital tools, provide coaching for growth and efficiency, and works to promote a policy environment that considers the interests of small businesses.

AThe lobbying group is funded by Amazon and Google, and claims to represent thousands of U.S. small businesses asin the itUnited States, opposesopposing legislation that would clamprestrict large tech companies. The group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before taking down on the tech industry’s giants. The four-year-old group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before it removed that document from its website late last month. When POLITICO contacted 70 of those businesses, 61 said they were not members of the group and many added that they were not familiar with the organization.

The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a Washington, DC based non-profit membership organization created in 2018. 3C's mission is to ensure that online tools needed by small businesses remain cheap and easily accessible. 3C helps small business through issue advocacy, education, training, and mentoring. 3C works on issues such as anti-trust, data privacy, and security at both the state and federal level. Jake Ward is the founder and president of the organization.

3C was founded in 2018 by Jake Ward. Ward's aim was to keep digital services to small businesses affordable and accessible. He was particularly concerned with anti-trust rules hamstringing such services.

In addition to the issues detailed below, 3C also works on anti-trust rules and international trade.

3C supports rigorous privacy protections that are tailored not to impede economic growth. The organization supports a universal standard for data practices. It believes that such a standard should avoid vaguely defined terms but should instead have clear definitions and precise rules in order to promote compliance.

3C wants security-related legislation to continue to allow the use of large anonymized data sets. 3C would like federal legislation that encourages business owners to bring security breaches to the attention of law enforcement while enacting “safe harbor” rules to ensure that they are not punished for coming forward.

The Connected Commerce Council presented Governor Andy Beshear and other state policymakers with a letter signed by numerous community leaders and small businesses asking for help to ensure access to certain business-critical digital tools. The letter specifically singled out overbroad regulations and poorly thought-out court orders as a threat to small businesses. The letter was signed by 80 business leaders from across Kentucky.In 2020, 3C published an open letter to Colorado's governor, Jared Polis, signed by about 150 small businesses stressing the importance of protecting access to online tools during the coronavirus pandemic through overly aggressive anti-trust enforcement.Ward expressed concern about a House Judiciary Committee report on anti-trust issues surrounding large technology firms and investigations be conducted by state attorneys general.3C has led the effort to send similar letters to the governors of New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. Letters were also sent to relevant congressional committees.

Google has partnered with the Connected Commerce Council to provide training, consulting, and other resources to people who want better careers or to grow their businesses. This program, called “Grow with Google,” focuses heavily on computer and social media skills. The program uses a wide range of means to reach learners ranging from short online video tutorials to multi-day in-person workshops. This program is part of what 3C calls a “digital safety net” for small businesses.

A study conducted by the Connected Commerce Council in 2020 determined that about 70% of small businesses found digital tools were very useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. 31% of respondents said they would have to reduce their operations or shutdown altogether without such resources. The same study found that businesses that did not use e-commerce were twice as likely as those previously doing business online to have ceased operations during the pandemic.In 2020, 3C contracted with Google and Greenberg to produce a research report based on a survey of 7,021 small business in all 50 states, with results broken down by state. The report was entitled “Digitally Driven.” The researchers found that businesses that adopted online tools aggressively at the start of the pandemic were on track to earn four times as much revenue as businesses, called “Digital Maintainers,” that failed to adapt in the same manner.

Ward grew up in northern Maine in Greenville. His father was a small business owner. Ward worked in politics but later moved onto corporate communications in the technology industry. Prior to starting the Connected Commerce Council, Ward was co-founder and CEO of the Application Developers Alliance and Forward Strategies. He sits on the advisory board of Data Catalyst, a non-profit working to mold data privacy policies to provide meaningful protection while promoting economic growth. Ward has testified before the United States Congress. He is a frequent public speaker.

The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a non-profit organization with a single goal: to promote small businesses’ access to essential digital technologies and tools. 3C provides small businesses with access to the market’s most effective digital tools available, provides coaching to optimize growth and efficiency, and works to cultivate a policy environment that considers and respects the interests of today’s small businesses.

A lobbying group funded by Amazon and Google claims to represent thousands of U.S. small businesses as it opposes legislation that would clamp down on the tech industry’s giants. The four-year-old group listed about 5,000 small businesses in its membership directory before it removed that document from its website late last month. When POLITICO contacted 70 of those businesses, 61 said they were not members of the group and many added that they were not familiar with the organization.

The Connected Commerce Council has been active in shaping the debate around antitrust regulation in Washington. It’s worked with an outside lobbying firm, called the Majority Group, for several years to advocate on small business and technology issues on Capitol Hill. In 2021, the group spent $400,000 on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In 2018, the Connected Commerce Council offered public comment to the Federal Trade Commission on antitrust issues, arguing that large technology platforms such as Amazon and others provide benefits to small businesses.

The Connected Commerce Council (3C) is a Washington, DC based non-profit membership organization created in 2018. 3C's mission is to ensure that online tools needed by small businesses remain cheap and easily accessible. 3C helps small business through issue advocacy, education, training, and mentoring. 3C works on issues such as anti-trust, data privacy, and security at both the state and federal level. Jake Ward is the founder and president of the organization.

3C was founded in 2018 by Jake Ward. Ward's aim was to keep digital services to small businesses affordable and accessible. He was particularly concerned with anti-trust rules hamstringing such services.

In addition to the issues detailed below, 3C also works on anti-trust rules and international trade.

3C supports rigorous privacy protections that are tailored not to impede economic growth. The organization supports a universal standard for data practices. It believes that such a standard should avoid vaguely defined terms but should instead have clear definitions and precise rules in order to promote compliance.

3C wants security-related legislation to continue to allow the use of large anonymized data sets. 3C would like federal legislation that encourages business owners to bring security breaches to the attention of law enforcement while enacting “safe harbor” rules to ensure that they are not punished for coming forward.

The Connected Commerce Council presented Governor Andy Beshear and other state policymakers with a letter signed by numerous community leaders and small businesses asking for help to ensure access to certain business-critical digital tools. The letter specifically singled out overbroad regulations and poorly thought-out court orders as a threat to small businesses. The letter was signed by 80 business leaders from across Kentucky.In 2020, 3C published an open letter to Colorado's governor, Jared Polis, signed by about 150 small businesses stressing the importance of protecting access to online tools during the coronavirus pandemic through overly aggressive anti-trust enforcement.Ward expressed concern about a House Judiciary Committee report on anti-trust issues surrounding large technology firms and investigations be conducted by state attorneys general.3C has led the effort to send similar letters to the governors of New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. Letters were also sent to relevant congressional committees.

Google has partnered with the Connected Commerce Council to provide training, consulting, and other resources to people who want better careers or to grow their businesses. This program, called “Grow with Google,” focuses heavily on computer and social media skills. The program uses a wide range of means to reach learners ranging from short online video tutorials to multi-day in-person workshops. This program is part of what 3C calls a “digital safety net” for small businesses.

A study conducted by the Connected Commerce Council in 2020 determined that about 70% of small businesses found digital tools were very useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. 31% of respondents said they would have to reduce their operations or shutdown altogether without such resources. The same study found that businesses that did not use e-commerce were twice as likely as those previously doing business online to have ceased operations during the pandemic.In 2020, 3C contracted with Google and Greenberg to produce a research report based on a survey of 7,021 small business in all 50 states, with results broken down by state. The report was entitled “Digitally Driven.” The researchers found that businesses that adopted online tools aggressively at the start of the pandemic were on track to earn four times as much revenue as businesses, called “Digital Maintainers,” that failed to adapt in the same manner.

Ward grew up in northern Maine in Greenville. His father was a small business owner. Ward worked in politics but later moved onto corporate communications in the technology industry. Prior to starting the Connected Commerce Council, Ward was co-founder and CEO of the Application Developers Alliance and Forward Strategies. He sits on the advisory board of Data Catalyst, a non-profit working to mold data privacy policies to provide meaningful protection while promoting economic growth. Ward has testified before the United States Congress. He is a frequent public speaker.