Barca came from a family of entrepreneurs and was a former small business owner himself. Peter continued to serve his community when he left Congress as the Midwest Regional Administrator of the Small Business Administration. In that role, he increased the number and volume of SBA loans made to small businesses throughout the midwest, and supported significant economic growth in Southeast Wisconsin.

As a state legislator, he passed dozens of initiatives to assist small businesses and promote economic growth. He received an award from the Wisconsin Economic Development Association for his support of economic development, and multiple awards from the grocers’ association for his support of their businesses. He was on the Board of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for over a decade.