Louisville to Washington DC: NABA Founder Di Tran Joins NSBA’s National Advocacy Ranks
Executive summary
The New American Business Association (NABA) is proud to celebrate our founder, Di Tran, who has been named a 2025 finalist for the National Small Business Association’s (NSBA) Lew Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. This national recognition—alongside his leadership at Louisville Beauty Academy (LBA)—caps more than five years of sustained, local-and-state advocacy for practical workforce pathways and small-business vitality in Louisville and across Kentucky. In September, Di joined NSBA’s two-day Washington Presentation in Washington, D.C.—a high-level convening that includes the White House policy briefing, Congressional Breakfast, and scheduled Capitol Hill meetings—to elevate the voices of Main Street entrepreneurs.
About the National Small Business Association (NSBA)
Founded in 1937 and proudly nonpartisan, NSBA is America’s original small-business advocacy organization. It represents a nationwide network of ~65,000 members spanning every industry and all 50 states, ultimately giving voice to tens of millions of small-business owners and employees. NSBA is widely known for:
- Federal advocacy that has helped expand access to capital, reduce unfair tax burdens, and roll back harmful regulations.
- Respected Economic Reports and targeted member surveys that brief Congress and the Administration on small-business realities.
- A year-round cadence of issue committees, member fly-ins, and D.C. briefings that keep small-business perspectives at the center of policymaking.
Leadership & staff (select)
- Todd McCracken, President & CEO
- Molly Brogan Day, Senior VP/Public Affairs
- Reed Westcott, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Federal Policy
- Rachel Grey, Director, Research & Regulatory Policy
- Jack Furth, Manager, Government Affairs
- Son Thach, Senior Director, Operations
- Ian Elsenbach, Director, Leadership Council
NSBA also draws strategic guidance from a volunteer Board of Trustees comprised of accomplished small-business owners and leaders from across the country.
What the Lew Shattuck Advocate of the Year Award signifies
The Lew Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year is NSBA’s signature recognition for citizen-leaders who:
- Demonstrate sustained, effective advocacy on issues impacting small firms;
- Build coalitions and communicate data-driven solutions to policymakers;
- Elevate the everyday realities of small employers—from access to capital and workforce to regulatory clarity.
Being named a national finalist places Di among a select, peer-nominated group recognized by NSBA’s board-led process for leadership, credibility, and measurable community impact.
Di Tran: from local builder to national voice
An immigrant entrepreneur, educator, and author, Di Tran founded Louisville Beauty Academy to create fast, ethical, and affordable on-ramps into high-demand beauty careers. In five-plus years, LBA has:
- Helped nearly 2,000 students complete training and earn professional licenses,
- Seeded new salons and micro-enterprises launched by alumni,
- Generated an estimated $20–50 million in annual economic activity through jobs, services, and new businesses,
- Pioneered debt-averse, discount-first pathways that keep students working and learning without relying on Title IV aid,
- Integrated technology and AI-assisted learning to streamline instruction, compliance, and student support.
Beyond the academy, Di has consistently advocated for short, job-ready training (e.g., nail technology and esthetics) to be recognized in policy and supported through outcome-based funding—so that federal dollars pay for results (completion, licensure, employment), not just enrollment.
The NSBA Washington Presentation: two days that matter
Di’s participation in NSBA’s Washington Presentation placed him in the room where national policy is shaped—alongside small-business leaders who pressed for practical, bipartisan solutions. The program included:
Day 1 (Wednesday)
- NSBA Opening & Luncheon (recognition of Advocate finalists)
- White House policy briefing (Eisenhower Executive Office Building)
- Topical briefings on AI & small business, regulatory updates, and Advocacy 101
- Evening networking among state delegations and national peers
Day 2 (Thursday)
- Congressional Breakfast with Members of Congress
- Capitol Hill meetings (House and Senate offices) coordinated by NSBA’s Government Affairs team—focused on NSBA’s priority issues, not individual agendas, to maximize unified impact
This concentrated agenda brings the elite volunteer core of small-business advocates—owners who step away from their companies and families—to the nation’s capital to testify, educate, and persuade.
Why this recognition matters—for Louisville, Kentucky, and beyond
- Validation of local excellence. A Louisville-born model—lean, ethical, and outcomes-oriented—is now part of the national policy discussion.
- Platform for practical reform. LBA’s data and NABA’s policy proposals advance pay-for-outcomes and short-program recognition, aligning funding with what taxpayers actually want: graduates, licenses, and jobs.
- Network effect. Through NSBA, Di and NABA now connect directly with federal policymakers, national media, and peer advocates across industries—accelerating scalable solutions that help all small firms, not just one sector.
NABA’s commitment going forward
NABA will continue to:
- Advocate for outcome-based education funding that reduces waste, rewards results, and expands fast, affordable pathways into work.
- Convene employers, educators, lenders, and policymakers to remove barriers that keep small businesses from hiring and growing.
- Publish research, toolkits, and model policies that states and federal partners can adopt to speed talent into the small-business economy.
A note from Di Tran
“This NSBA recognition is an honor for Louisville, for Kentucky, and for every small business that makes payroll, trains talent, and serves community every day. We’re not walking—we’re running—to graduate more licensed professionals debt-free and to champion outcomes-based policy that helps every small business thrive.”
Call to action
- Small-business owners: Join NSBA and get involved with an issue committee.
- Educators & workforce partners: Collaborate with NABA and LBA to pilot results-driven training models.
- Policymakers: Meet with NABA to discuss scalable pay-for-outcome approaches that protect taxpayers and strengthen Main Street.
Contact NABA: di@naba4u.org | Web: naba4u.org
Louisville Beauty Academy: study@louisvillebeautyacademy.net | louisvillebeautyacademy.net
NABA congratulates Di Tran, Louisville Beauty Academy, and all NSBA Advocate honorees. Together, we’re building a results-first future for America’s small businesses and the people they employ.
