Mom-and-pop shops are the backbone of New York City–but running one has never been easy. Now, Zohran Mamdani is taking a new step to support them: appointing the city’s first-ever “mom and pop czar.”
The role will be filled by Delia Awusi, a former local business adviser tasked with helping small businesses more easily operate across the five boroughs. The move builds on Mamdani’s broader small business push, including January’s Executive Order 11 aimed at easing financial burdens.
Who is NYC’s new “mom & pop czar”?
Awusi brings experience working directly with local entrepreneurs, most recently advising a wide range of businesses–from coffee shops to childcare centers–through outreach and counseling programs.
Her appointment is part of a larger effort by the administration to center neighborhood businesses and working-class owners, many of whom face the steepest challenges navigating city systems.
What the role actually does
At its core, the “mom and pop czar” role is about cutting red tape and making city government easier to navigate. Awusi’s responsibilities include:
- Cutting red tape: Simplifying city processes that make it difficult to run a small business
- Navigating city systems: Helping owners manage permits, inspections, and other services–some of NYC’s biggest barriers
- Reviewing fines and fees: Examining costs tied to agencies like FDNY and the Department of Transportation to identify where they can be reduced or streamlined
The role sits within the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), led by commissioner Kenny Minaya. With a roughly $140 million budget and about 300 employees, the agency is central to Mamdani’s pledge to cut small business fines and fees by 50%.
Why this matters for small businesses
According to city officials, Awusi will primarily focus on smaller, family-run businesses generating roughly $1 million to $2 million annually–think: bodegas, nail salons, home-based childcare centers, and neighborhood coffee shops.
Mamdani has framed the appointment as a shift away from prioritizing large corporations, emphasizing that small businesses will now have stronger representation inside City Hall.
The role, first proposed during his campaign, reflects a broader push to make city government more accessible–and less burdensome–for the local businesses that keep NYC’s neighborhoods running.
See Mamdani’s campaign trail below:
