By : Shelly-Ann M . Parkinson
Althea Harris Assistant District Director Marke�ng and Outreach Area 1 ( Miami )
By : Zach Rinkins
Scenes from JITG 2016
The City of Miami Gardens is poised to present its twel�h annual Jazz in the Gardens Fes�val ( JITG ) with renown headliners including Jill Sco� , Herbie Hancock , LL Cool J , hometown legend Be�y Wright , and a host of acclaimed performers . Noted comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley will host the event . The fes�val is scheduled for March 18 and 19 , at the newly named Hard Rock Stadium located at 347 Don Shula Drive in Miami Gardens . The city is expanding fes�val programming to include the Knight Founda�on Arts in the Gardens ( FMAC at
FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 10 , 2017 AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL BB15
So You Want to Start a Business … Now What ?
Star�ng a business can be as in�mida�ng as it is exci�ng . You have all these ideas and you are ready to dive into your passion . You want to be your own boss . You want to make your own hours and do things your way . You know that it will take a great deal of hard work , dedica�on , sacrifice , and risks . It is now �me to put your ideas into ac�on . Ok , now what ?
According to Althea Harris , Assistant District Director of Marke�ng and Outreach Area 1 ( Miami ), at the U . S . Small Business Administra�on ( SBA ), you do your research . She encourages start-ups and exis�ng small businesses to u�lize the resources at the www . SBA . Gov , the Federal Government ’ s one stop shop for informa�on and guidance for small businesses . There , you can find prac�cal tools to write and execute a business plan and links to YouTube videos offering step by step guidelines and encouragement in your small business journey .
So you now have a business plan .
JITG ) conference focusing on film , music , art , and culture on March 16 and 17 . The conference will place the spotlight on the community and include a na�onal poetry compe��on with a $ 10,000 grand prize .
“ JITG started as a concert in the parking lot for a couple of residents . It ’ s now expanded to an event that includes wonderful ar�sts , food vendors , and businesses ,” says Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver G . Gilbert , III . “ We challenged ourselves to figure out how we can a�ract people with diverse interests who may not just want a party and a concert . They may want to be exposed to art , literature , and spoken word .”
JITG has grown into an interna�onal des�na�on that a�racts the most popular ar�sts and welcomes more than 70,000 a�endees . The mayor sees this as an opportunity to expose revelers to economic opportuni�es and good old fashioned Miami Gardens hospitality .
“ Ul�mately , JITG was created to invite people to our hometown and create a brand for our city ,” Gilbert reveals . “ We want people to have fun with us on Saturday . But , we want people to come the week before JITG to enjoy our ar�sts , performers , and intellects . We also want to generate money for the city , the vendors ,
Within that business plan , you have determined the cost to start and maintain your business . The SBA also offers guidance in determining whether you will require a loan . Harris stresses that the SBA does not directly lend to businesses . One must go to the lender first who will then contact the SBA . The SBA is in fact a guarantor of loans . It is the lender who makes the loan to the business and the SBA guarantees that a por�on of the loan is repaid .
Now , this doesn ’ t mean that you are off the hook if you do not pay . Once the SBA repays the lender , they now have the power of the Federal Government to collect what they have paid on your behalf .
Harris offers her best advice for a small business owner : “ Get your financials straight and clean up your credit .” Banks and most lenders will consider your cash flow ( can you afford the loan ?) and credit score ( will you pay back the loan ?). If you are a Black or minority small business owner in Florida , Harris encourages you to contact SBA
Arts in the Gardens Places Spotlight on Community
and residents here in Miami Gardens .” FMAC at JITG provides professional development and networking opportuni�es for arts managers and organiza�ons , ar�sts , community and economic development professionals , students , educators , and others working in the arts and cultural industry in South Florida and across the na�on . It aims to change the way people think about South Florida ’ s film , music and art scene through exposing them to some of the best ar�sts across diverse genres and highligh�ng a wide array of homegrown talent .
“ It ’ s important to be intelligent . It ’ s important to be crea�ve . And , it ’ s important to be able to express what ’ s inside of you ,” Gilbert declares . “ Some�mes we underes�mate the power of crea�vity and the ability to express yourself . Words express thoughts and sen�ments that move us and the world .”
The one and a half-day mul�-purpose event will educate , showcase and celebrate the diversity of ar�orms and ar�sts in and around South Florida . The programming will highlight a number of topics including :
• Filmmakers will obtain insight into developing ideas , making films and ge�ng them seen community lenders such as the statewide BBIF ( Black Business Investment Florida ), Partners for Self-Employment in Miami-Dade and Broward Coun�es , and Paragon Lenders in Palm Beach County . These agencies provide micro-loans to small businesses . Micro-lenders have been a driving force behind the upward trend towards giving SBA backed loans to Black and minority businesses in South Florida over the past 3 years . Micro-lenders are for those businesses that don ’ t need a lot of money . They offer loans up to $ 50,000 with the average loan of $ 15,000 . These loans are not driven by credit score .
To qualify for a SBA backed loan , the business must be a “ for- profit ” business , a small business , and headquartered in the United States . Harris further stated that “ it is very difficult to get start-up money . Try saving and start by asking friends and family for investments . You must have a need for a loan guarantee to get it . If you are si�ng on a pile of cash , you don ’ t need it .”
• Musicians will be inspired by industry professionals who understand their music and how to connect them with their audience ;
• Ar�sts will obtain insight on how to mone�ze their art and maximize their reach ;
• Leaders will explore how art can be used as a catalyst for social change and economic development ; and
• Music , film and art lovers will benefit from art exhibits , art installa�ons , interac�ve art experiences , performance art sta�ons and Q & A sessions .
More information and tickets are available at www . JazzInTheGardens . com
More scenes from JITG 2016