Dear Editor:

I own a small business that sells chamoy (traditional Mexican candy that is sweet and a little spicy) online. This isn't my first business, but it is by far my most successful, thanks mainly to my ability to reach customers nationwide easily and inexpensively online.

But some members of Congress think that's a problem because big companies can't compete with the biggest. Sen. Klobuchar is trying to pass the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which would make selling products online harder and more expensive.

I started my business with a Shopify website, taught myself graphic design, and learned how to leverage TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. I also use affordable Google Ads to make it easier for customers to find us when searching online for chamoy. Google Ads alone bring nearly 1,000 people to our website daily and, together with free Google Analytics, make it easier for me to find customers. If Google could no longer integrate Analytics with Ads, I might have to go to another provider that charges. Without that direct link to Google Ads, I don't think their analytics will be nearly as useful as Google's.

I know tech companies are easy targets, and it's trendy to believe that big always equals bad. But digital tools have helped my small business grow, and I can't afford to go backward. I urge Sens. Padilla and Feinstein to oppose the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and stand with California's small business community.

Alex Salazar

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