JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp was in Jamestown Friday afternoon hosting a discussion on women-owned small businesses in North Dakota.

Senator Heitkamp says the discussion focused on collaborative strategies to encourage and support women entrepreneurs.

Senator Heitkamp says the discussion not only looked at women starting a business, but also maintaining that business.

Another important aspect discussed by the senator and other leaders was work/life balance.

In a recent report, North Dakota continues to rank as one of the top states in the Union for women starting and growing their business. The state, which now has over 20,000 women-owned businesses, ranks number one in terms of employment vitality.

Senator Heitkamp says she hopes to use the information gained in those discussions was for SBA programs.

In March 2017, Heitkamp reintroduced the bipartisan Supporting America’s Innovators Act with U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) to help encourage investments in small businesses and startups in smaller communities.