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6BB AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 10 , 2017
Small Business Development
By : Jasmine Jones
Jasmine Maignan Jones PIO / Manager Community Rela�ons and Outreach
INTRODUCTION
Did you know that in 2016 the Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development ( OESBD ) worked to engage , educate and empower the 250,000 + businesses and nearly 1.9 million residents located within Broward ’ s borders ? If not , keep reading to find out what we ’ ve been up to over the past 12 months . Using various methods , strategies and tools , we achieved notable results suchas introducing innova�ve new ini�a�ves , enhancing exis�ng services , and presen�ng well-received programs and
What Has OESBD Done for Your Business Lately ?
events – all to make a meaningful impact on the economic outlook of the local community . Take a moment to review highlights of our most recent accomplishments .
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Broward County Economic Development Partnership , consis�ng of OESBD , the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance and the county ’ s 31 municipali�es , coordinated efforts that resulted in the reten�on of 1,850 jobs . Outcomes for FY 2016 facilitated the an�cipated crea�on of 3,845 new jobs , generated at least $ 203.5M in new wages countywide and an�cipated direct capital investment of $ 384M , contribu�ng a total economic impact in Broward County of $ 587.5M .
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Last year , OESBD conducted five Business Development Workshops , and facilitated eight targeted industry meet and greet events - a�rac�ng more than 1,383 primes , subcontractors , and small businesses eager to learn more about county projects and how to par�cipate . Two events were held for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ( DBE ) firms interested in federally funded contrac�ng opportuni�es . OESBD con�nued to
maximize opportuni�es for cer�fied firms to par�cipate as prime vendors by unbundling large projects and reserving contracts to grow and develop local small businesses . During FY 2016 , 410 cer�fied firms were awarded over $ 55,000,000 in contrac�ng with Broward County as a prime or subcontractor . ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT Fi�een aspiring entrepreneurs graduated from Kauffman FastTrac ® NewVenture™ , a free program to guide par�cipants on the path to success by refining their business concept , iden�fying the components of a strong business plan and accessing appropriate resources .
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
In 2016 , OESBD published the printed guide “ 11 Steps to Expor�ng – A Roadmap to your Expor�ng Success !” to introduce Broward County businesses interested in expor�ng to global markets . OESBD also organized its second annual “ Doing Business with the World ” during the Florida Interna�onal Trade and Cultural Expo ( FITCE ). This signature event brought representa�ves from over 30 na�ons to meet with Broward County businesses .
OUTREACH Last March , OESBD hosted its inaugural business conference focusing on building capacity providing training and networking for 420 a�endees . The event highlighted 38 presenters and 12 Broward County agencies sharing their exper�se over the course of two days . OESBD provided one-on-one guidance to 660 firms , and in recogni�on of innova�ons used in OESBD ’ s Technical Assistance Training Program , the agency received a Na�onal Associa�on of Coun�es ( NACo ) 2016 Achievement Award . THE YEAR AHEAD : 2017 BROWARD AND BEYOND BUSINESS CONFERENCE
This May , OESBD will welcome over 300 businesses to the Signature Grand for the 2017 Broward and Beyond Business Conference , part of “ Broward Means Business ,” an ini�a�ve of Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief . This event will provide a three-pronged approach in collabora�on with County agencies and community partners , concentrated into three tracks : Start Up , Growth , and Nonprofit . A�endees will enjoy more than 14 hours of educa�on during the one-day event . Over 30 industry experts will engage a�endees in three roundtable discussions - B2B Resources , Meet the Primes and Doing Business with the World . To learn more , visit Broward . org / EconDev .
BROWARD IS LISTENING
Thursday , April 20 , 2017 | 5:30 to 7:00 PM
North Regional / Broward College Library , 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd ., Coconut Creek , FL
Meet with key representatives of Broward County ’ s Office of Economic and Small Business Development and Small Business Development Advisory Board .
WHO SHOULD ATTEND ? TOPICS OF DISCUSSION :
• Business owners with an office located in Broward County who are NOT currently certified with the County
• Business owners who want to increase their revenue
• Anyone with questions about business initiatives
• Entrepreneurs with plans to start or expand a business
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Thursday , August 3 , 2017 | 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Banquet Hall at the City of Miramar Multi-Services Complex , 6700 Miramar Parkway , Miramar , FL
• Challenges associated with getting SBE & CBE certified
• Removing myths and addressing realities
• Multi-million dollar contracts that are available
• Expectations , experiences and needs
������������������������������������������������ 115 S . Andrews Ave ., Room A680 , Fort Lauderdale , FL 33301 | 954-357-6400 | Broward . org / EconDev We ’ re Social ! Follow and Like Us : @ BCOESBD Broward County OESBD
To learn more and to register online , visit Broward . org / EconDev .
Registration is strongly encouraged . This event is subject to change . Individuals requiring accommodations to participate must notify us in advance .