The preponderance of news reporting and public dialog about the economic crisis is focused on huge corporations. But half of all Americans work at companies of 500 or fewer employees, and when it comes to surviving in this economy, the prospects of those businesses are a real concern.

Sarwar Kashmeri lives in the Upper Valley and he’s a contributor to publications by the Foreign Policy Association. For the past several weeks, he’s been producing a podcast series called “The View from Main Street” -- interviews with CEOs of small businesses around the country. Several of the companies he’s profiled are in our region. He spoke with VPR's Jane Lindholm about small businesses and policy makers.