With President Trump returning triumphantly to the White House, there is a sense of resolve rarely seen in Washington. After the revelry and rituals of the inaugural balls recede, after champagne toasts and celebrity sightings are done, the reality remains: corporations want an environment where free market capitalism, not fossilized bureaucracy, can prevail.

It is not an unreasonable prospect.

From cab drivers to real estate developers, companies in the nation's capital sense a new era where business could evolve and expand in profound ways.

Leaving politics aside and focusing purely on business in D.C., there is a robust ecosystem that transcends the partisan divide. Outside the political theater lies a vibrant economy driven by merchants, real estate, hospitality, restaurants and taxicabs, not to mention a brigade of lawyers, lobbyists and consultants of every stripe.

Washington today is not just a company town that houses the seat of government; it is an epicenter of connections and capital. Although small in area, it looms large in American commerce. Beyond government, the District of Columbia’s stature has grown in the global economy as a catalyst for domestic growth........

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