Published
October 08, 2025
After a night recognizing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO—100: America’s Top 100 Small Businesses and announcing that Dynamic Automotive was the CO—100 Top Small Business 2025, small business leaders reconvened for the Small Business Forum, to learn, be inspired, and hear expert insights on how to help their businesses thrive.
Dwayne Myers, CEO of Dynamic Automotive, took the stage for a short Q-and-A and gave tips for success.
Discussing the company’s tagline, “Where Customers Become Friends,” Myers said he encourages his workers to engage with customers, to find out how their day is going, and get to know them.
“I encourage our team to take a minute, to take five minutes…Make that personal connection,” Myers said. “We’re dealing with customers’ second biggest expense after their home—there are trust issues. The best way to build trust is to build a relationship…We may not be the most efficient because of that, but it pays off.”
He also said his company offers apprenticeship programs to train mechanics who are high school grads and older workers so that they have a pipeline of talent.
“When you develop your team, your people stay with you,” Myers said. “It’s more than money—they feel they’re part of something.”
The 2025 CO—100 honorees
Google Announces AI Partnership for Small Businesses
During the Forum, a Google executive announced the launch of Small Business B(AI)sics, a national training initiative designed to help entrepreneurs harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to grow their businesses and strengthen local economies.
“The biggest thing that you can do is figure out how to use this stuff,” said Christopher Turner, Global Head of Information and Knowledge Products, Government Affairs, and Public Policy. “You’ll be able to pick it up and figure it out relatively easily. The thing to do the next couple of years is to pick this up and play with it.”
Developed in partnership with the Chamber, CO—, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and supported by Google.org’s AI Opportunity Fund, the program aims to reach 40,000 small business owners over the next three years through a combination of in-person and digital training resources. The courses are free and the scheduling is flexible.
“Your greatest risk is your competitor figuring out how to use this stuff faster than you,” Turner said.
A Strong Economy That Can Get Stronger
In another session, Neil Bradley, U.S. Chamber Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy, said the American economy is doing well, but could be stronger.
“We have an amazingly strong economy,” Bradley said. “We think we could be growing even more strongly…The government is helping in some places, the Tax Bill, for example. But it’s hurting in other places: Tariffs, uncertainty, and government shutdowns just keep holding us back from our real potential.”
Bradley said he hopes the current federal government shutdown ends quickly because it is having an array of negative impacts on businesses, including slower processing of loans by the Small Business Administration.
“A well-functioning economy needs a functioning government,” Bradley said. “Shutdowns are choices. This is a bad choice. Hopefully, our elected officials will realize that quickly and bring it to an end.”
More for Small Businesses
About the author
Thaddeus Swanek
Thaddeus is a senior writer and editor with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's strategic communications team.
