Small business owners react to Trump election win

SAN ANTONIO – During his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump promised to improve the US economy with tax cuts and driving down inflation.

Local small business owners are reacting to Tuesday night’s election results and sharing their hopes for their businesses’ future.

Under The 2025 Trump administration, groups who feel the impact of the economy the hardest could be getting a break.

“It affects us quite a lot,” Business owner Mike Specia said. “I think.. trying something different — the last four years have been very difficult for a small businessman.”

Mike Specia owns both a plumbing business and a restaurant and bar.

He’s hoping things will start to look up with Trump in office.

“It’s going to be a change. It just previously just didn’t feel like it was working,” Specia said. “For this particular company, you have to be able to depend on feeling comfortable going out and be able to spend some money, not worried about how much the grocery bill is, or the gas bill, that kind of stuff..”

Mia Cortez is a new business owner, she’s run ‘Midtown Meetup’ for just over a year.

“I think it’s really tough right now as a new business because you really have to know what you’re doing and know how to budget things,” she explained. “Just because there’s so many aspects to it.”

And while she has worries about the change of leadership in January, she’s hoping voters made the right choice.

“I am worried,” she confirmed. “But at the same time, I think that change always kind of brings those kinds of feelings. I think what I’m most looking for is holding accountable what people have said and what they’re going to try to put in place.”

Trump’s platform lists his plans to ‘Make America Affordable Again’ by lowering inflation through a number of steps.

Specia said he’s looking forward to that for his business and his community.

“We can keep the the raw cost down, gas, price of gas going down, and it’s going to help everybody,” he said. “I’m looking forward to people being more comfortable, people coming to use their discretionary income here, and also in the plumbing and electrical business.”