The business achievement center is one of the great new things to hit the Midtown area of St. Petersburg. This city funded program is designed to bring new business and new life into the Midtown Community.
A program created for the exchange of ideas and support helps promote growth and longevity to businesses in the midtown community. Called the Entrepreneurial Exchange, the achievement center started this new program. Small Business people can obtain the equivalent of consultants by discussing their problems and needs with other business people who share similar concerns and many times have discovered solutions they can share.
There are two different tracks for this exchange program. The first program is for veteran business owners. These industry leaders meet once a month to discuss such things as how do I stay in business, how do I increase my cliental, how can I establish my niche or should I diversify. This group meets at the business center on the first Monday of each month at 8am.
The second track is open is specifically for hairstylists. It is led by William Bennett otherwise known as Doctor Frogue. This track includes SCORE.counselors and other industry experts. This group meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 9am. Score counsels people about every aspect of running a business from getting financing to finding and maintaining a client base.
All of these breakfast meetings are open to people who have been in business for at least 6 months and use the service of the Business Assistance Center, or are recommended by a client. There is a $5 fee for these breakfast meetings.
One of the great things the center is doing is teaching the people of midtown how to run businesses. This is good because it helps the people of midtown create businesses and jobs. Economic Development and business growth are the keys to refurbishing and reviving a community, which is why the city is funding the Business Assistance Center.
The Business Assistance Center partners with Score, The Florida Small Business Center at the University of South Florida, The Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation and The Eckerd College Intern Volunteer Program. These Partners help the BAC teach aspiring Midtowners how to run successful business so they can refurbish the midtown community
Score is a counseling organization that helps small business owners with everything from sales to finance and management and even marketing. They have success toolkits and podcasts on to survive in the weak economy. They give loan advice. They also have downloadable finance guides. They teach you how to use the social media to your advantage. They even tell you how to whether a crisis.
I tried several times to reach the Business Assistance Center Assistant Director Shirmatee Ojah-Maharaj. She could not be reached for comment. I did reach Administrative Secretary Ondria McDonald, She refused to answer any questions.
I spoke with several business owners including Cecil Michaels. He said that “the government needs to step out of the way and help business owners.” “The way to develop a community is to give tax breaks and other incentives for business owners to take the risk of starting a new business from scratch in a developing community.” Doug Wright is considering starting a new cabinet shop he said that “starting a new cabinet shop is tough especially in this economy.” “I am considering getting help from the business center.” Cecil also said that if the deal is right lots of business owners and developers will want to come into midtown.