17 May Small Business. Big Impact.
This year, for the first time ever, the City of Fort Lauderdale celebrated small businesses that are making a big impact by launching Small Business Week – Fort Lauderdale held May 4-10.
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. The U.S. Small Business Administration indicates that more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and these business owners create about two out of every three new jobs. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st Century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. This year, for the first time ever, the City of Fort Lauderdale celebrated small businesses that are making a big impact by launching Small Business Week – Fort Lauderdale, which was held May 4-10. The weeklong event was a collaborative effort involving the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), The Mosaic Group, ANDe International, and Upstart Global. Small business owners in the Northwest-ProgressoFlagler Heights CRA were recognized and entrepreneurs were invited to participate in workshops and conferences to help with strategic planning and learn about best practices, mentorship, and networking. This exciting week of activities included Restaurant Week, a Small Business Conference, Small Business Saturday, Startup Weekend, Business Pop-Up Showcases, and more.
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
The Small Business Conference took place on May 5 at the Hampton Inn at 250 N. Andrews Avenue. This one-day event included a series of workshops geared toward the development, capacity building, and enhancement of local small businesses. Admission was free and there were more than 100 participants.
The Pop-up Business Showcase featured eight retail stores that opened for three days in a variety of existing vacant shops in the CRA. The participating pop-ups are local small businesses that have expressed direct interest in establishing their retail businesses in the Fort Lauderdale CRA and have undergone rigorous planning and preparation toward that effort. This was their chance to “try out” their brand before settling in a brick-and-mortar storefront. The businesses included Jambalaya N Jerk, Root & Leaf Co., Van Charles, Fashion OLG, The Delta’s Boutique, Shade Post, Ethlynn’s, and David I Photography.
Restaurant Week, a seven-day celebration of Fort Lauderdale’s NPFCRA’s restaurant scene, paid homage to the culinary heritage that makes this region of Fort Lauderdale unique, and is held in tribute to the restaurants that are becoming such a vital part of Fort Lauderdale’s tradition of hospitality! Participating restaurants offered various specials at great prices. Restaurant Week spanned three areas of the CRA, Historic Sistrunk, Progresso Village, and Flagler Village. This gave diners more opportunities to share in a unique culinary experience. Participating restaurants included Betty’s Soul Food, Ivory’s Takeout, Maguires Hill 16, Pappa’s Jamaican Restaurant, Refresh Live Café, Seafood & More, Premo’s Subs, and M&C Soul Food.
Startup Weekend, is a Global initiative where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs come together for 54 hours to launch a startup, gain hands-on experience, and find out if their startup ideas are viable. Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, more than 40 attendees brought their best ideas and inspired others to join their team. Six teams were formed. Over Saturday and Sunday, teams focused on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN startup methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening, teams demoed their prototypes and received valuable feedback from a panel of experts. There were three finalists, including EyeSawThat which placed third, Technavex Innovations, Inc., which placed second, and RENAL TRKRR, the first place winner. $5,000 in Prizes, including marketing, legal, business management consulting services from Digital Grass Innovation & Technology, two months of free space from General Provision, a co-working space (RENAL TRKRR has located its startup in the CRA at General Provision with a one-year lease agreement), and registration to the National Urban League Conference’s Small Business Matters Entrepreneur Summit. All of the participants are interested in taking part in future business events and workshops in Fort Lauderdale. Keynote speakers included Sonya Haffey, Design Director at V*STARR INTERIORS and Brandon Okpalobi, Founder/CEO – DIBIA Athletic. Final Pitch Judges included Doug McCraw, Developer of FATVillage; Neil Ramsay, Researcher and Entrepreneur Advisor; and Eric Sanon, UPS Account Manager. Coaches and Mentors included Joycelyn Brown, Attorney, Brown Intellectual Property, P.A.; Tim Hasse, Co-Founder of General Provision CoWorking; Michael Hall, CEO/Founder, Digital Grass Innovation & Technology; Simone Kelly, CEO of Own Your Power® Communications, Inc.; Carla Latimer, Principal Management Consultant; Charley Lawrence, Entrepreneur; and Julie Fahnestock, Founder & Sustainability Storyteller, B Storytelling. Startup Weekend was hosted and sponsored by the Urban League of Broward County. Other fun events geared toward community involvement while bringing attention to small businesses included “Eat & Go Seek,” Fat Tuesday in Fat Village, and the Happy Hour Stroll where guests visited participating restaurants, pop-up businesses and other companies located in the CRA for samplings and a chance to win prizes. Other participating businesses and organizations included Art Attack, Glavovic Studio, Midtown Commerce Center, Fort Lauderdale Negro Chamber of Commerce, Jacq’s Organics, Avenue of the Arts Executive Suites, HomeMadeFLA, Sweetie’s Italian Ice, Financial Education Services, Made in Broward, Jurado & Farshchian, P.L., Marina Tile, and Fort Lauderdale’s Best BBQ.