Media Resources
The Media Relations department for the National Association for the Self-Employed can put you in touch with a knowledgeable micro-business spokesperson. The NASE can offer the unique micro-business perspective on economic and business trends as well as legislation affecting the self-employed.
Self-Employment Statistics
Statistics detailing who the self-employed in America really are.
Click Here. What are home-based businesses accomplishing? NASE has all the answers!
Click Here.
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Robert Hughes, President
As head of the nation’s leading trade association for entrepreneurs and micro-businesses (10 or fewer employees), Robert Hughes draws on his experience and perspective as a small-business owner and brings a keen understanding of the unique issues, challenges and opportunities faced by the self-employed.
Hughes, who is a CPA and has managed his own accounting practice Hall & Hughes in Dallas-Fort Worth for the past 20 years, was named president of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) in 2001.
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Prior to this position, he was a member of the organization’s Board of Directors for 15 years, and most recently served as Secretary/Treasurer. In his CPA practice, Hughes has worked extensively with small- business owners and has witnessed first-hand how various laws and regulations affect them. This experience has helped shape his leadership of the NASE as the leading resource for the nation’s self-employed and micro-businesses.
In his NASE leadership role, Hughes has focused on continually improving the organization’s products and services, working to upgrade and expand benefits to reflect the changing face and needs of micro-businesses. In particular, Hughes has concentrated on bringing small-business owners more technology options -- including NASE-hosted e-mail accounts and a new online legislative outreach program -- to help the self-employed operate more efficiently and establish a stronger and more timely dialogue with legislators.
Hughes has been a major force in advocating for micro-business interests in Washington D.C., raising awareness of the issues and needs of the self-employed among legislators and the Executive Branch. Among the organization’s key legislative priorities in recent years have been fighting for tax equality for the smallest businesses, maximizing health insurance tax credits, as well as representing the interests of micro-businesses in the debate surrounding Social Security Reform.
“Our NASE membership understands that while they’re in business for themselves, it’s good to have a partner behind the scenes who knows and understands the issues they have, and can give them the support they need to address these issues,” said Hughes. “Our ongoing challenge is to continue to provide a compelling menu of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and – in the process – help drive the continued growth of this important segment of the American economy.”
Hughes is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also is a member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI).
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Kristie L. Darien, Legislative
Office Executive Director
Kristie L. Darien is the Legislative Office Executive
Director for the National Association for the Self-Employed. Darien directs the NASE’s legislative affairs program in the D.C. office.She works closely with our nation’s legislators, the Bush Administration and other small business advocacy organizations to ensure that the legislative priorities of the NASE and micro businesses at large remain a priority in Congress.
Darien also heads the team that manages the NASE’s grassroots program, which mobilizes NASE Members to actively participate in protecting the interests of the self-employed. Taking advantage of |
the NASE Web site, Darien utilizes technology to create an effective grassroots program that bridges the gaps between the NASE Membership and the U.S. Congress and Administration.
Prior to the NASE, Darien served as government affairs manager for National Small Business United where she was responsible for monitoring and lobbying on various small business issues. A graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, she also worked in the political affairs department of another national association. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in international relations.
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Gene Fairbrother, Lead Business
Consultant Gene Fairbrother is the lead small
business consultant for the NASE and directs the activities
of the NASE ShopTalk 800® program. Having consulted with
over 75,000 businesses on issues dealing with marketing,
finances, strategic development and many of the hundreds of
other challenges that face entrepreneurs, Fairbrother is an
in-the-trenches type of individual who opens the doors to
the thousands of NASE Members wanting expert advice and
guidance to help make their business more successful. As
someone who knows what it takes to run a business,
Fairbrother is also the president of MBA Consulting, Inc., a
full service Dallas, Texas, consulting firm specializing in
micro and small business issues.
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Fairbrother has authored three books on micro-business
along with several hundred published articles in
publications throughout the country and on the Internet.
He has also shared his common sense approach to
businesses as a guest on numerous national radio
programs as well as being the host of his own radio talk
show on small business. Fairbrother is regularly
interviewed by such national publications as the Wall
Street Journal, The New York Times, Money Magazine,
Forbes, Fortune, Inc, Success and other periodicals
seeking professional expertise and opinions on
marketing, finance and entrepreneurship.
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Keith Hall, National Tax Advisor
Keith Hall is the primary consultant available to the
self-employed and micro-business owners through the National
Association of the Self-Employed’s TaxTalk service, offering
personalized tax advice and answers on everything from
incorporation and automobile expenses to home-office
deductions and travel expenses. Hall was born and raised in
Dallas, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas at
Austin in 1981 with a degree in Accounting.
He began his career with the international accounting firm
of KPMG, working with clients in banking, insurance and
other financial services.
Hall has served as the Chief Financial Officer for a |
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medium-sized bank and a long-term care provider. He has
been involved in providing consulting and tax services
to small businesses for the last ten years through the
accounting firm of Hall & Hughes, PLLC.
Hall’s tax preparation expertise has been featured in
Good Housekeeping, the Long Island Business
Journal, St. Louis Dispatch, and on several
radio programs.
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