Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed
In Miami, a coalition of funders, leaders and local Community Development Financial Institutions came together to ensure that as many of our small businesses as possible would survive the pandemic. The RISE Miami-Dade Fund (RISE), which the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners seeded with CARES Act funding, distributed $20 million to […]
We checked in on a few of the small businesses we followed during the pandemic. They have survived, and dare we say it, thrived because of the steps they took and pivots they made during the pandemic, sometimes painful, to get through it. These are just a few of the […]
Fees can add up when obtaining an SBA small business loan. Here’s some good news on that front. Starting Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022, the US Small Business Administration will waive both the upfront guaranty fee on the 7a, Express and EWCP loans, among others, as well as the ongoing servicing fee, for amounts up […]
There’s good news and bad news in the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism survey. First off, there is still a lot of uncertainty out there: The NFIB Uncertainty Index decreased seven points to 69, the lowest level since January 2016. “As the economy moves into the fourth quarter, small business owners are […]
Ray Juncosa, a consultant at Florida SBDC at FIU and an expert in business finance and access capital, doesn’t mince words. “If you don’t have a grasp of your finances, it will be difficult to succeed,” he tells small businesses. As a small business owner, you need to understand your […]
By Ellen Forman Back in 2015, Richard Laviña (MAcc ‘13) was rising through the ranks at accounting giant PwC. He was offered a job at the firm’s national headquarters in New Jersey, required for all partnership candidates, which meant leaving his Miami home and family. Hitting what he called “a fork in […]
It’s been nearly three years since Florida International University launched StartUP FIU Procurement to help minority-led small businesses grow and navigate the world of government and anchor institution contracting. Let’s check in with StartUP FIU Procurement Director Barbara Cotto and see how they are doing. The small business incubator was […]
How do you balance what your business requires to safely sell products overseas against the needs of your foreign buyers? Many firms struggle to capture foreign sales, simply because they are unaware of the options available. As an exporter, you face risks most businesses never consider. Banks often hear “export” […]
Are you running your business or is your business running you? If you answer with choice 2, this story is for you. Here are 5 ways to level up your skills as a small business CEO, from Florida SBDC at FIU business consultant Yanyn San Luis, who specializes in marking, […]
If you ever wondered how your small business can increases your chances for success winning contracts for local anchor institutions like Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Schools, Florida International University, University of Miami or Miami Dade College, read on. This post is for you. Florida SBDC at FIU offers a range of […]