Today is Veterans Day—a time to honor those who’ve served and reflect on how our country supports its people—small businesses across America are still waiting for the systems they rely on to serve them better, too.

Some business ideas make you wonder why no one thought of them sooner. That’s the story behind WHOLEROLL, a small company turning something as ordinary as toilet paper into an extraordinary product: a sustainable, bamboo-based alternative that saves trees and sparks conversations about what’s possible when innovation meets purpose.

But while WHOLEROLL’s ideas move fast, their payments struggle to keep up. And with another federal bank holiday just around the corner, it’s a timely reminder that when banks pause, so do many small businesses. Like countless entrepreneurs nationwide, WHOLEROLL is building for the future on a financial system still stuck in the past.

Innovation Shouldn’t Be Slowed by Outdated Systems

For small businesses, time is everything. Waiting days for payments to clear can mean delaying payroll, holding back on restocking, or missing a chance to grow. And around federal holidays like Veterans Day—when banks close and payments stall—the slowdown becomes even more visible.

Even one missed business day can throw off cash flow for companies trying to meet orders or pay workers on time. And when every transaction comes with hidden or unnecessary fees, those costs eat directly into already thin margins.

WHOLEROLL’s momentum depends on turning raw materials into finished products and ideas into impact. Yet too often, funds get trapped in processing delays and chipped away by costs that simply don’t fit the pace or realities of modern business.

When payments lag, innovation slows, not because entrepreneurs lack creativity or demand, but because the system that moves their money can’t keep up.

It’s Time for a System That Moves at the Speed of Innovation

America’s payment infrastructure was built for another time, back when commerce shut down at 5 p.m. and banks took weekends and holidays off. This week’s bank closures for Veterans Day are a reminder that, even as small businesses keep working, the financial networks they depend on do not.

Today, business runs 24/7. Small companies are redefining sustainability, access, and inclusion. They need financial systems that match their drive.

Modernizing payments isn’t about convenience. It’s about fairness. Faster, more open payment networks give small innovators the same stability, speed, and cost efficiency that large corporations already enjoy.

Policy That Powers Progress

To unlock innovation everywhere, federal action must:

• Open access to the nation’s core payment systems so more providers can offer faster, lower-cost services.
• Update outdated rules that block competition and limit choice.
• Ensure every American, at every bank, can send and receive money in real time.

WHOLEROLL proves that creativity can flourish in even the most familiar places. To keep that spirit alive, our payment system must evolve, too. When money moves as freely—and affordably—as ideas do, small businesses and the communities they sustain can thrive.

“Selling bath tissue made from bamboo is already a conversation starter. But what’s not fun is chasing down payments or dealing with extra fees. A faster, fairer payments system would help us get paid on time and stay focused on softening the planet’s footprint, one roll at a time.” — WHOLEROLL