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Delray Beach Shows Love to Small Businesses in May

Economic development team prepares for second annual month-long campaign

The Delray Beach City Commission has declared the month of May 2016 as “We [Heart] Small Biz Month,” with the approval of a proclamation at its regular meeting on April 19, 2016. The city’s economic development team has planned a series of activities designed to help small business owners connect with local resources throughout the month, including networking events, business walks, workshops and giveaways. Residents and visitors are also encouraged to show their love for their favorite local small businesses by visiting them, supporting their products and services, and posting about them on social media using the hashtag #SmallBizDelray.

The month-long campaign is led by the Office of Economic Development (OED), as part of the city’s business retention and expansion program, Grow, Expand and Retain—known as G.E.A.R. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of and support for local small businesses, who account for 93% of all companies in Delray Beach.

The second annual Small Biz MiniCon will kick off the month, on Wednesday, May 4th at the Old School Square Fieldhouse, beginning at 8 a.m. The free half-day mini conference will include a series of dynamic panel discussions featuring local business owners, who will share their insights into starting and growing a successful small business. Additionally, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Palm Beach State College will be a featured presenter, discussing opportunities to grow by accessing government contracts, expanding into export markets, and leveraging financial resources. Details and online registration are available at http://bit.ly/smallbizminicon.

The Delray Beach Office of Economic Development (OED) launched We [Heart] Small Biz month last year in collaboration with the City of Delray Beach; the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency; the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative; the Downtown Development Authority; the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce; the West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition; and the SBDC at Palm Beach State College.

“Since last year, we’ve worked to grow our family and bring new partners into our network to better support our local small businesses,” said Economic Development Director Joan Goodrich. “We’re excited to announce that we’ve enlisted the support of the Palm Beach County Office of Small Business Assistance, the TED Center and Florida Women’s Business Center, and our local SCORE chapter this year.”

For more information and the complete schedule of events, visit www.WeHeartSmallBiz.org or call the Office of Economic Development at (561) 243-7054. OED is a joint office of the City of Delray Beach and the Delray Beach CRA. Services offered include site selection and relocation assistance; grant and incentive opportunities; connections to community resources; small business and entrepreneurial support; workforce development; and project management. The OED mission is to drive and inspire the growth of a diverse, vibrant, entrepreneurial economy for all.

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