“All organizations, public and private, depend on a vast number of people to achieve success. We are blessed to have an advisory board comprised of business and economic development leaders that commit their time and, more importantly, their mentorship to me in helping the Florida SBDC Network achieve our mission and vision. They deserve our respect and gratitude for their commitment and counsel.” said Michael Myhre, CEO of the Florida SBDC Network.
As a small business owner myself who understands the challenges of starting, funding and growing a business, I was pleased to discover an organization whose goal was to provide a network of individuals and services specifically geared to help and guide entrepreneurs. I have served as Vice-Chair on the Florida Small Business Development Center State Advisory Board for several years.
There are currently 2.3 Million small businesses in Florida. One of the key strategies of the Florida SBDC Network is to establish strategic alliances and partnerships that forward the organizations’ vision of creating a better Florida for all by helping businesses grow. The goal of the network’s strategy is to strengthen collaboration and alignment among federal, state, regional and local entities, public and private, that can contribute to the success of small business in Florida.
There are now 63 Lead Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) throughout the United States. SBDC assistance is tailored to the local community and the needs of individual clients. Each center develops services in cooperation with local SBA District Offices to ensure statewide coordination with other available resources.
In January, the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) announced a new partnership to establish the Florida SBDC at FAU. Through the partnership, FAU will serve as the Florida SBDC’s newest regional host partner to provide the intellectual capital and expertise to meet the needs of existing and emerging small business owners in Broward and Palm Beach counties. As part of its service offerings, Florida SBDC at FAU professionally certified and experienced business consultants will provide no-cost consulting, no-and low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources to existing and emerging small businesses throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties. SBDC consultant expertise focuses on areas vital to accelerating business growth, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, strategic planning, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. During our annual Board meeting, Florida SBDC CEO Myhre shared that the new Florida SBDC at FAU has already severed over 660 small and medium-sized businesses in the two counties in the first six months and expects to exceed 1,500 before the end of the year.
Florida SBDC CEO Myhre also shared with the board an expanded partnership with Florida International University (FIU) to expand and enhance SBDC services to existing and aspiring small business owners in the Florida Keys, including our many recovering small businesses following Hurricane Irma. Since 2014, the Florida SBDC at FIU, as part of our statewide network of service centers hosted by state universities, colleges, and economic development organizations, has been successfully serving the needs of small and medium-sized business in Miami-Dade County. Through the work of its certified and experienced team of professional business consultants, the Florida SBDC at FIU has delivered significant impact, including 3,653 jobs impacted; $471 million in sales increased; $2.5 million in government contracts acquired; $50.6 million in capital accessed. CEO Myhre expressed eager excitement about what this new partnership will mean to the small businesses still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Irma located in the Florida Keys.
Finally, Myhre shared with the board an exciting new initiative he has launched to better educate our state elected officials about the importance of economic development investment. After recent attacks that targeted taxpayer investment in economic development as a form of corporate welfare, Myhre knew that there had to be a better way to tell and illustrate how Florida’s principal business development organizations work as one team with one mission to foster the growth and success of all businesses, small and large, that choose Florida as home. So he went to work and developed a one-page illustration that he branded – the “Partners in Prosperity.” In the Partners of Prosperity infographic, each key statewide organization is positioned to reflect its target market and target service area. The infographic will empower each organization, SBDC advisory board member, and advocate a better and simpler way to educate new and incumbent legislators to work alongside us as partners who create possibilities together to ensure our continued and long-term economic success.
If any of these topics resonate with you and you would like to learn more, visit the Florida SBDC or Visit American’s SBDC
Photo (from left to right): David Weeks (Associate State Director of Finance, Florida SBDC Network), Gilbert Colon (Deputy District Director, SBA North Florida District Office), Jonel Hein (Deputy District Director, SBA South Florida District Office), Leon Koyama (SBA-FSBDC Project Officer), Louis Foreman (state advisory board member), Lynn Douthett (District Director, SBA South Florida District Office), Tami Fitzpatrick (state advisory board member), Dennis Bradford (state advisory board member), Leslie Dougher (state advisory board member), Jane Dowgwillo (Government Contracting Program Manager), Mike Myhre (CEO of Florida SBDC Network), Greg Britton (state advisory board member), Pam Northrup (President of the Division of Research and Strategic Innovation).