It’s been a good year for most small businesses. The economy remains strong, and you all are a relatively optimistic bunch. Still, every business should take the time to look at what went right – and not so well – in the past year and then create a road map […]
Finance
Applications now open for StartUP FIU Procurement incubator
This October, StartUP FIU Procurement graduated its first cohort, a group of 11 minority-led small businesses that service the construction industry. The small business incubator was born out of discussions about how information about FIU’s own contracting opportunities weren’t reaching minority-owned small businesses at the levels the university wanted. Turns […]
For niche small businesses willing to work hard, government contracting can open doors
Find a niche where the barriers to entry aren’t too low, become an expert in it, perfect your customer service and then go out and win some lucrative contracts with the government. That’s Craig Waltzer’s formula for success, and it is working. Seven years ago, Waltzer founded GovComm, a boutique […]
Low-interest SBA loans available to Florida small businesses hurt by Dorian
Florida small businesses escaped the physical wrath of Hurricane Dorian, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t economic hits because companies needed to prepare for the storm and close up shop. The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that businesses negatively impacted economically by Dorian between Aug. 28 and Sept. 9 are […]
Doing business with local and state governments: the pros and cons
Many small businesses that have no experience contracting with government at any level often begin with the federal market. No so fast. Federal Government Contracting Officers will look for contractors that have past experience with either state or local government contracts, said Luis Batista, procurement specialist with Florida PTAC at […]
Small business grant winners share tips for $uccess
By Gerri Detweiler / Guest Contributor Small business grants are perhaps the most coveted of all types of small business funding. Grants don’t have to be repaid and, unlike equity funding, you don’t give up any ownership of your company. (The IRS does want its share, though, so be prepared […]
Brickell Energy takes off with EV charging-as-a-service
Alejandro Burgana has always been a car guy, even as a little kid. “I knew everything about the race car drivers, the technology and the internal combustion engine, the collections, all of that.” Burgana, an entrepreneur, is also environmentally conscious so maybe it’s no surprise he purchased the second Nissan […]
Government contracting: Tips from a small business in the trenches
If you’ve been putting off learning about government contracting and applying for certifications, this entrepreneur has a message for you: Just do it. Fabiola Fleuranvil is the owner and CEO of Blueprint Creative Group, a strategic communications company based in Miami. With Blueprint Creative, over the years she has successfully […]
This South Beach café is gaining fans – of the feline kind, too
Celyta Jackson had a Plan A, B and C for her Miami Beach small business when Hurricane Dorian threatened. After all she had some very precious assets to protect: 30 formerly homeless cats. Luckily, the hurricane did not strike South Florida and Veronica, Sylvester, siblings Willow and Wilson and the […]
The beauty of this small business: A passionate owner and continuous learning
When Rosanna Bermejo set out to start her business, Med Aesthetics Miami, about eight years ago, she already had worked in a corporate career for 13 years and had run a physician’s office for another six years. She had advanced degrees in business and finance. Friends wondered why she didn’t just […]
