A store owner from North Dakota, has been quietly addressing the US Congress on behalf of the car audio industry and small businesses. Nick Paulson owner of Audio Garage has been meeting with Congressmen through two presidential administrations and three Congressional sessions.
Paulson was initially invited by Meta to report to Congress on how small businesses use targeted ads on Facebook. Later, he reported on how car audio businesses are impacted by tariffs.
Paulson said, “I am not sure if you’re going to believe me, but I received an email from Facebook…Yes, I said Facebook. I thought it was a scam, but it was an initiative via Meta on targeted ads via Facebook on behalf of local businesses.”
His first sitting was with Congressman Kelly Armstrong. Congress wanted to learn what information businesses had access to when using Facebook ads. For example, if you place an ad for motorcycle audio with a targeted audience of people who like Harley-Davidson, what customer information were businesses able to view when using the targeted ads. Meta sent two representatives on the topic to Washington from North Dakota, and Paulson went to Washington twice on the subject.
On his third visit to Washington, Paulson sat down with Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak to discuss how tariffs, healthcare and rising costs are affecting the 12-volt business owners. Congress was under the impression that companies could just absorb the tariffs. Paulson worked with distributors and manufacturers to gather pricing information to demonstrate how increases are passed on to retailers, and then to consumers.
For others in the 12-volt industry who want to get politically involved, Paulson offered this advice: go to your local government office. “Whomever you talk to at your local, state or federal office, your voice is being heard. It is their job to record and report the sentiments and issues affecting their constituents to the members of Congress. Do not change your narrative when speaking to different people at any level of government. Be clear, concise and back up your voice with tangible data.”
When asked if he would answer the email from Meta again, Paulson paused and said, “Absolutely, I signed up again to tell our story at the next sitting of Congress!”
Paulson is also discussing the impact of healthcare on small businesses and other rising costs.
Top photo by Edgar Arroyo: www.pexels.com
