Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 6-30-17

Meetings
Minority Business Accelerator Is An Initiative To Help Entrepreneurs
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Nearly two dozen Black busi- ness owners curious about a new business program for minorities got the chance Tuesday to learn more about the program at a special meeting.
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s latest initiative – dubbed the Minority Business Accelerator – is a two-year pro- gram designed to help Black and Hispanic businesses expand by identifying barriers to growth and gaining greater access to suppliers.
In a separate interview, LaKendria Robinson, the Chamber’s Director for the Mi- nority Accelerator and Economic Inclusion, said the program is an effort to bridge the disparities that exist between white-owned and minority-owned businesses in the local economy.
Such programs have been successful in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Greenville, SC, Robinson stated in her presentation.
The application process for the program’s first co-
hort will begin in August and participants will be an- nounced in November.
Lack of capital and resources are some of the obstacles that can prohibit minority business owners from reaching their po- tential. Participants are given tools and information to help them overcome those barriers.
That includes strategic plan- ning assistance, mentorship, and a peer support network.
Program goals include in- creasing business capacity and competitiveness and building more diversity within the busi- ness community.
The program is not geared toward startups and does not guarantee participants contracts, capital, or projects, Robinson said.
To be eligible, a business must be 51 percent minority- owned and located in Tampa or Hillsborough County. Qualifica- tions also include a current busi- ness plan with a well-defined growth strategy and an annual gross revenue of $500,000.
Some business owners took exception to the latter.
In a separate interview, Derek Watford of High Point Gamer said he was shocked by the annual revenue figure.
“Before coming, I was think- ing what small business needs help if they're already making $500,000?,” he said.
Still, Watford said some points of the program “sounded interesting.”
“I just wanted to hear the in- formation and see what it was about.”
Gaston Meredith con- curred.
“If they make $500,000, then they may not need the pro- gram,” he said. “But someone with the time and patience to go through, it may be a benefit to them.”
Each business, however, is thoroughly reviewed on a case- by-case basis so those that are not at that revenue level, but are otherwise strong candidates are encouraged to apply, said Be- metra Simmons, Chair- woman of the Accelerator Program.
“Apply and we will evaluate accordingly,” she said.
West Tampa Residents Asked To Attend
Important Meeting
On Tuesday, July 11th, members of the West Tampa community will host an important meeting. It will take place at 1 p.m., at the West Tampa Public Library, corner of Union Street and Howard Av- enue.
During the meeting, speakers will address changes planned for the area during the next 3 to 5 years. They will also give updates on other issues.
Some of those on the agenda are:
Leroy Moore, Sr., is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Tampa Housing Au- thority. He will discuss the Redevelopment of North Boulevard Homes.
Malcolm Kiner is the City of Tampa Urban De- velopment Manager. His topic of discussion is the West Tampa Community
Redevelopment Plan. Randy Goers will talk about an update pertaining to the City of Tampa Urban Planning Coordinator and the special West Tampa Tax District Funding
Source.
Ms. Beth Alden, Di-
rector of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Or- ganization for Transporta- tion will also address the audience.
Individuals interested in learning about the af- fects and impact of the Trump Administration’s Budget Cuts and how they affect not-for-profit organ- izations are encouraged to attend.
For additional informa- tion about the community meeting contact the West Tampa Community Devel- opment Corporation at (813) 344-4106.
PAGE 10-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017