Alright, here we go live. Give it one second. I guess for that sort of we're talking obviously from a business perspective, obviously some some sort of show that you know 90 percent of the businesses that are owned by people of color have have been shut out of some of the programs that are out there for to help small business owners and and this could be attributed to you know minority communities tend to rely more on some of the smaller banks, and that's one of the the things that they've talked about. Could be one of the reasons why they've been shut out and other or that minority communities are also the small businesses tend to be under banked to begin with so couple of different things to really look at and in those in those instances. Okay. How about from your perspective? Rita? Well, I feel like a lot of our minority African-Americans Hispanic on the majority are sort of lost. They don't know they don't know where to go to get help and they don't feel and they don't ask a lot of times. I get a phone call and I said you know they tell me I've been struggling to find information. I don't know where to go and I. Well, don't worry, let's we'll we'll guide you where to go, but I find that is the biggest problem they don't know where to go and they don't have relationships so they don't have a Bank relationship. They don't have a CPA relationship so they don't really have those relationships that can help them find the correct information and because they're not having that relationship. then they submitted I. That we're not complete, they didn't understand what had to be submitted for those applications. and so that's where I find is the biggest problem I have heard. And thank you and charmaine. What are you seeing? especially you're right here in the district? what we have experienced just think about an offer and confirming what she's saying and where how I had to step in and pivot what I would probably normally do and how I would do it help people through the process help businesses right around me. I'm in the plaza with small businesses. by blacks so from getting them the information to helping them understand the information and the fear of what if I give this, then it's a fear as well Associated with trying to get help a label and so I have found myself helping with application not notarized different documents reading different documents educating. I've been doing a lot of educating and I really think because of my background, It's not just nonprofit. I have a very diverse background so I'm able to adapt and help not just the people around me, but the community the families to get the resources to them. You know, it's been a lot of issues we as African-Americans, we have a higher rate and we are disapproved when it comes down to health when it comes You know when it comes down to finances, understanding wealth and so it's it's been hit hard We as people have been hit hard, but we as minority have been hit hardest. And we've been seeing that that is exactly what you're saying so let's get in a little bit more into into today's topic. So let's start with Eileen. what are some of the ways in which the Small Business Development Center is helping minority-owned small businesses get through the economic crisis that's been been caused by covid-. That's a great question and obviously one of the things that we've been doing you know throughout and you know. obviously Kogan is a big deal, but you know throughout is really helping minority businesses establish their businesses continue to grow their businesses and and and make sure that they're a part of the fabric of the economic community and so right now what we're doing is we're we're meeting with our small business owners and ensuring that first of all that they have access. To some of that capital, that's out there right now, whether it's at the federal level, the state level County and cities are also providing a lot of Grant and loan programs. And so we wanna make sure that our that our that our clients are aware of those things so that they can take advantage of it. I mean they need to know how to continue to survive if you will pass this issue and it's not easy. I mean, I'm sure everybody reads the newspaper you see the news. It's really not easy for anybody, but again, minority businesses have it a little bit harder because they're they're they kinda start off in in a in a little bit more difficult position anyway, if they're under banked as I mentioned earlier and so any little thing can throw your business into a tailspin and So where they were to try to make sure that we're helping them find those resources that they need and to help them understand better understand how to how to survive this entire pandemic. Doesn't mind keep the same order that we've been talking so Rita what are some specific ways that the County has been assisting minority-owned small businesses that have been you know hard hit by of shutdowns and restrictions well I'm not sure if everybody is aware that the County has an office in a city called the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center. We have over 50 partners all nonprofits that before Kobi they were using the Center to meet their. To provide workshops all to help small businesses now, of course, the Center is closed, but we're having a lot of virtual classes. the same pretty much the same workshops that we're having before they're all virtual now. so that's the way to help the community. Also the County itself is bringing out a program. It's called. At Work mitigation Grant, so it's an economic recovery program. It's gonna be released probably before the first of June they're working on the final details. It's a Grant program for small business, So it's gonna be at grants. it's 85 million dollars the County is gonna use to give to. Small businesses in the in the you know the areas of Hillsborough County, Of course, it's gonna involve an application and some documents they have to submit one of the the the most needed things that they have to show that they did suffer loss of income because of 19 and some other documents. It's it's gonna be a A- 23 pay up. It's not gonna be very involved, but, of course we will help with the application and the all the notices will go out will be posted in the newspaper on all the TV stations It will be on Facebook so keep an eye on that information because it's all grants. It's not loans. It's grants so it's not money you have to pay back. Well, that's that's really great. Thank you now Charmaine can you first talk a little bit about what's Serenity outreach is and the people that aims to help Serenity outreach is a social service agency in Providence Village. We open our doors in progress village last year, but we've been established since 2016. I went from doing outreach to now running a social service agency that helps all. Hillsborough County, But of course, the community that we serve in our mission is to impact the family system in the community by alleviate poverty and eliminating barriers using a therapeutic in an evidence-based practice approach. So where some nonprofits it's just a revolving door. We're taking approach to a long-term stability through our program such as our workforce. We have a youth social development and leadership program we have So we have so support groups that will hopefully will be really launching in the fall because a lot of people need to know how to transition. We have one called breaking the cycle and it's basically breaking the cycle of poverty changing the mindset and that's where we at Covid- 19 has changed the way we look at the world. We're looking at people and we're looking at Christ So it''s to alleviate the crisis. We in Christ is small, but it's now it's time to intervene to rebuild and before we can get. Physically doing that mentally, we have to change the mindset, so we do a lot of the hands on approach from notary facts and they can come use the computer. We have a computer lab. I am a social worker also have a contract with USF getting interns. That's for that's in the social work program. We also teamed up before all of this career source of Tampa Bay for our workforce program. So I'm heavily focused on employment now. We gotta get people back ready to go back in the workforce or new jobs. so we build that team here to get the community ready to really transition you know and live with Colgate nights. We all how to exist with Kobe 19. On some great points, okay, Eileen we know that the SBDC can assist with helping businesses become a certified minority owned businesses. What are some of the benefits of becoming certified and are there any specific ways that this will be an asset to businesses impacted by the pandemic? Oh, yes, we do help people get their businesses certified as minority owned businesses whether it's at the federal level as an eight, a company at the state of Florida level with the office supplier diversity or even with the cities in the counties if they have additional questions and so this is always a good idea. right now, companies are going to have to really take a look at their marketing strategies as we as I mentioned earlier, we're we're looking at surviving this pandemic and so many people on. Employed and so the dollars out there might be a little bit less for you know the spending dollars, so these companies really need to take a look at you know what is it? What is it going to take for me to sell my product or my service and to whom am I going to sell it to being certified as minority business is really advantageous for our small business community because it gives them the opportunity to sell their products and services to large corporations and to government entities because these. Folks that these are the organizations that tend to have established supplier diversity programs and have dollars set aside to spend with certified minority businesses and so it really is important for our small business community to understand that it's in their best interest to get certified if they are not already certified so that they can sell their products and services to those large companies and the government who currently are the ones that have. Money you know to spend on these types of programs. it's always been a good idea. I've always told my clients you know, don't base your business on the fact that you're a minority owner of the business and that's that's sort of the icing on the cake, but the business has to be established. It has to be run properly. The pricing has to be right you have to be able to compete with everybody out there, but then you have this extra added advantage that you can be certified as a minority business and so that's a. Good way to look at it moving forward with is just to give it all these all these small businesses. all these minority owned businesses a leg up if you will when they're looking at competing with non minority businesses, great and reader, we know that the County offers some new minority and women business certification. so similar question for you. What what are the benefits of this certification and are there any way specific ways that this will aid businesses impacted by. By the pandemic, Well, yes, the the way the County gives business to the minority to certified is by adding goals what we call Construction goals and also janitorial landscaping a professional services so the majority of our contracts have a goal. It could be anywhere from five percent to 20 percent, depending on the availability of the minority businesses. So that's why the reason why we're always looking for new. Minority businesses to get certified is because it depends we can add goes to the contracts, according to the ability of our minority businesses, and that is a set aside. It's almost like a set aside money for minority on individuals because the the Prime contractors the big companies that win the contracts have to hire than minority firms to participate in the. Tracks to meet that goal. Of course, I always tell our minority businesses just getting certified. It's not gonna help you if you don't go out there and make the connections. I mean the reason why we go to all of these events why we have workshops why we are out in the community and so to meet more people to spread the news, but they have to also. Make the connections network with the with the contractors network with County personnel just be out there so people know they exist They cannot stay at home and hoping that the work is gonna come to that. Okay. Great. Okay Another one for for you to charmaine what are some of the greatest economic and entrepreneurial challenges that you have seen and I don't know even perhaps the experience personally that that minority owns a small businesses are facing during during this Eide well one the businesses in the same plaza as I am my neighbors. we have a restaurant. We have a bar. have a barbecue restaurant. We have the barber shop we. A salon and we have Soul Cafe so for five of those business shut down, you know and the rest remain open, but you know and as a non profit, you know I had to cancel fundraisers, you know I still was open for those who need it ving or you know different things some of the students can't. To use the computer cuz a lot of the kids didn't have computers or Wi-Fi, so I made myself available still being safe been here to answer phone calls you know, but it's been hard across the board, whether you're a nonprofit or for profit, it's been hard because profit has been cut tremendously, You know so but I've just made myself available. I I. To my own situation and was available for the community from doing outreach homeless outreach, whatever we needed to do as an Organization to help our community, we stepped up to the plate. you know we're small, you know in our budget is tight, but I didn't see it is that I'm helping my neighbors whether it was next door to me or across the Hillsborough County. We got up and did and still doing what we need to do for the community. I know that's really impressive. We've seen a lot of a lot of communities come together like that and that's that's been one of the hallmarks of of of success during during the pandemic. okay, Eileen. This is a longer question a little more involved so, according to the state of the region's Covid- 19 community report, the majority minority neighborhoods within the nation's top metro areas, including owners and in areas where the population has low educational attainment. Small businesses have. Significantly, lower profit margins and smaller cash buffers to manage business interruptions, so you know when they're when they're compared to their counterparts and predominantly non minority neighborhoods in areas with high educational achievement. What what advice can you offer Minority-owned businesses to help bridge this gap in order for them to to be successful and survived despite all of this. Honestly, but what what needs to happen? here is that all businesses and in particular minority minority businesses, we need to become savvy on how to run our businesses. This is gonna be really important for all of us. it's a matter of taking the time and arming ourselves with the tools that we need in order to sustain our company not just to sustain them, but then take them to the step, which is to grow them. And that means that we. We need to learn how to prepare and refinance statements We need to understand cash flow. We need to improve our credit scores. this is all gonna help us position ourselves to become more eligible for some of the loan programs that are out there. so these are things that that minority businesses can really do to strengthen their businesses so that they can continue to sustain I can tell you that the SBDC the Small Business Development Centers, we can help with all of these types of things. we have consultants on staff that will sit down at no. With the small business owners and help them understand their financial statements or even prepare them, you know help them understand how to prepare them if they don't have them if they don't have these relationships that I believe I mentioned earlier, you know with their with their accountants with their attorneys and so we'll help them sit down and try to figure all of that out so that so that they can become stronger and therefore be able to really survive this a lot easier. I'm. Great Okay. back to Rita, we know that Tampa Mayor Jane Castro set up the relief now Rise together Fund to provide financial relief to qualifying small businesses, families and even individual folks that have been impacted by Prot 19, Is there anything similar being offered at the County level for business owners and residents throughout the entire County especially not incorporated. Hillsborough. Yes, we are we are coming up with a program that will be released next week all the details. Be released and it's to help their grants to be offered to minority and small businesses in Hillsborough County. So it's gonna be for any business that wants to apply. Of course there has is involves an application and a very few pieces of documentation that have to be submitted and and then they can apply to this Grant that I said it's a. It's not a loan so they don't have to pay it back. They do have to show proof that they suffered that they didn't get any money in well with the Cove in 19, but also on the side note of small businesses have to understand they have to learn to run the business like a business. This is not a hobby. It's a business. And they have to I see it's very important that they learn about the financial statements. how important they are, and there's a lot of resources out there like I said earlier, there's a lot of webinars being offered through the EC. Also if you have the Hillsborough County Library card, Hillsborough County Library's has free webinars online, they have a system called Linda. They have Webinars and excel in word and all of the on how to how to write a business plan, and of course, the SBDC and Hillsborough County can help them with that. But I think the individuals need to take responsibility and start learning all of these things that to help themselves grow the business you know when when. Submitting an application on the first thing they tell me is I don't have the financial statements. It's the balance sheet of the profit and loss. I'm sorry, but that's very important in a business. you need to know how much money is coming in. you need to know how much money is going out and a lot of them do not keep track of that. So there's Sosa help we help with everything but this this program that is coming out all the details will be released next week and it's 85 million dollars, going first minority and small businesses. And that definitely let our office know when those details come out and we'll we'll share that okay charmaine this one is a little bit forward thinking so how was Streamy outreach available to help Minority-owned businesses specifically with recovery efforts as a result of Covid- 19, as a state as we begin to reopen as Rita and Ali both stated. I'm in a position where right now, I'm taking a post. His leadership and also a certification with USF and I'm also crisis intervention certified so my stance on anything I do one with the business, especially the ones around me my neighbors to educate to provide the resources. Hey Grant coming out. Let's do this together. did you contact us, you know SBA you know so I I can educate I can teach if I have to go through it so I can come back and teach or I team up with Aileen and Rita hey what documents they need. You know that's my position as a a social worker as I live in a community as well. So it's my job to provide the information not only provide but to help navigate or teach it as well. So I believe in two things effective and efficient. So if I have to go take that certification to make sure the community is thought well or if I need to collaborate with aleen and. Rita Hey, I need you know or whomever that has the information I will forward the information on whether it's verbally or my social media pages by the telephone text message. However, I need to get people educated or in front of the information that is my stance and I will always be Serenity outreach is here to alleviate and eliminate. There's a lot of barriers. so I'm here to help like be that. Mediator Let me help you with the barriers, let's identify like Missa said before we can call her or miss Aileen. Do we got our checklist? Please let me help you with that. you know. so that's where I come in to play and not just me my team. you know, I can't do it all but I I do believe that's where Serenity we're not just when I say, community and families the businesses make up the community families make up the community so the families are the business owners so it goes hand in hand. Who I'm helping you know so and that is my job and I will continue to do it to the best of my ability and I will collaborate team up with whoever I need to to make sure our community. Hillsborough County is thriving. We just don't want them to survive. no more. We need to drive through Cavett 19. We need we have to because the next generation depends on it. Just so you know while you're talking to somebody commented great leadership, that's fantastic. what you're doing. so thank you. Thank you. okay. So those are all the specific questions that I've I've just a couple of general questions kinda opened up for for everybody so feel free to to chime in or any of your organizations available to help business owners apply for any of the state or federal disaster loans available for small businesses, and we know that many of these funds get tapped out very quickly after becoming available, but are there any state or federal aid programs that are still available for minority owned small business? Specifically, that people can apply for. I can tell you that that's exactly what we do. The SBDC is is there to help small businesses kinda go through that process. we help them figure out the documentation make sure that they've got all the right documentation before they actually click on the submit button. There are still some programs out there at the federal level the P loan, which is the paycheck protection program loan, which is an SBA product, is still available. They have to go through a lending institution in order to apply for that loan. There's still money in that one, so definitely make sure that if you. Already applied that you do apply for that the economic injury Disaster loan program Also another SPD, SP, a product that one is in it's second round, however, at this point because they had so many applications in the first round, they're not taking any new applications in the second round of funding they are merely fulfilling the applications that they already had in the first round. my understanding is that they did open it up to agricultural businesses for the second round, so those are the only new applications that they were taking. Not sure, if that's still the case because they have been open now for over a week so I'd have to check back on that and and at the state level, I will let you know that there is that that the state of Florida still has their Rebuild Florida loan program and we're in the process of helping companies access that capital as well. So you know, I'm sure all of us here on the panel will be more than happy to help. all you have to do is reach out. I mean there's plenty of help out in the community. you know we talked about the EC. there's there's just so many of us out there that all we wanna do is help small businesses to continue to access all of this money that's available to them. so so don't don't stop you know. Pick up the phone call. email. check out our websites. I can tell you right now. We're all working from home so calling our office probably isn't the best we are answering phones. you know we're we're getting messages off of it, but the best thing to do is to go to our websites and you can. Find how to ask questions on the website and we're more than happy to reach out and try to help you guys with that. Anybody else like to chime in. Okay. I'm sorry I just disagree with Eileen if you don't know where to where to go reach one of our one of our offices go to the website. Find out Call me Eileen ask. If we cannot help you, we can tell you who can help you, but just ask we'll we'll guide you in the right direction. Okay, what are some of the best ways for these small businesses to to market and advertise not only their services and what they do, but also the you know the safety precautions that they've they've taken to to safely reopen so they can attract more business for small businesses a lot of it is hard one -A marketing it can be expensive, but one thing I can say utilize social media. a lot of small business owners, I need to get of this meaning they need to you know you gotta take different. You gotta be creative. You know if you're in the community one thing I've seen one of my business neighbors next to me. you know they got in the community barbecue and we collaborated feeding the seniors and they got in the face of it, you know and and that kind of chunk. They use social media. I'm heavily you know we're open. this is the time you know I saw I saw them how they they transition with Cobain did a business stuff. Yes it did, but at the same time they did a lot of different measures. you know in one in the community they serve they were out in their community. You know being being up. Being transparent, like miss just spoke about asking you know it's okay to ask for help and we have to understand that it's it is okay. you know collaboration. it's powerful to small businesses collaborate together. Can do wonders I I I I'm just love collaboration. It's the team effort. you know. it's not. I'm getting all reaping the harvest, but we can do this together. so I'd like to I'd like to also just comment that you know it's as part of their marketing plan to be able to tell their customers that they are ready to receive them in a safe manner. it wouldn't hurt for them to kind of put together some sort of of Aviv ability plan or a business plan that kinda covers all of those things and I can tell you that we're doing that with our clients right now, we're helping them put together and they're not really in depth, you know. Super detailed business plans, but these are our survival plans. I mean how do we how are we gonna open back up our businesses? How are we going to do it safely so that our employees are safe and our customers are safe. and so we're we're currently doing that with our folks with our clients, helping them put that together and they can advertise that they can say look we didn't just willy-nilly decide to open the doors. We have a plan in place and here it is and we're following this plan. Using CDC guidelines using other resources at the State of the federal level, so really, I think that's a very good marketing tool for small businesses to advertise the fact that they are following all of the rules and the regulations so that their customers feel comfortable and are able to go back to see them. Right okay. we've been contacted by a lot of people who who wanna help so how can folks that that want to help? how can they most effectively support and not just support but find these minority owned small businesses? Various websites and and I actually kind of have some ready for you. There are a lot of websites out there a lot of organizations that cater to minority businesses and I think would be really happy to hear from other folks that are willing to lend a hand. I can and if you don't mind I can actually share share my screen for a minute and just kind of show you some of the some of the organizations that are out. There so the one that's can you see it give me a thumbs up If you can see it. Yup. we got it. okay good so the one that I have up is the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council. they're they're they cover the entire state of Florida. They're all about helping minority businesses they act as a chamber of Commerce, but it's a great place for for people to reach out and and see if they can connect there. the other one here is the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce We have the Tampa Bay Chamber, which used to be the Greater Tampa, the Greater Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay, they have a minority business accelerator so you can always contact them. We have the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber also a very good resource that Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay. So, as you can see, there's just quite a number of organizations out there, I'll stop sharing my screen that. That are out there specifically to help minority businesses and so that's who folks who wanna help and reach out and help they should probably reach out to those folks as well and make sure that they can maybe volunteer some time or join those organizations if that's something they wanna do. It's just one suggestion. So the our list of certified minority and small businesses. it's online. It's on the County website. Hillsborough County dot org under their businesses. You can find the list of certified minority businesses up today we have a hundred and 93 businesses and it's a list that can be downloaded to excel and sorted by category If there's want to contact us. Specific type of service all can be done through the County website, so it's all available plus the County right on the website. They also have different organizations that are partners. And you know the state of Florida. I'm sorry Charmaine. The state of Florida also has that same kind of a vendor list of all of the certified minority businesses at the state level, so you can always go to the state of Florida Office of diversity and find their list there as well, just to kind of piggy back on the the County list with events and stuff and on Facebook miss Candy Lowe Black Business bus tour has also been very. effective in the community with a good resource to know what different businesses black owned businesses as well. I have seen different organizations compile a list, especially during the time restaurants to support small businesses to support and if they want to do something when you say they wanna help they could do different things like that. In to their own neighborhood to see what are those business within their own neighborhood, their own community that they live that they can support or they can reach out to local nonprofits such as Serenity outreach and Metropolitan Ministries Feeding Tampa Bay Echo Brandon it there's so many, It's so many ways to help, but it starts in your own community. Why does someone else when you're living in your community that need help they have the neighborhood page that you can get on and find. What's going on in your neighborhood? so it's so many ways to get help to help. okay great. We actually have a question from the comments Matthew's asking what can these businesses do to inspire confidence for consumers that it's safe to start patronizing local of exposure to a Corona virus. Go ahead Charmin, Darlene said before you know going out with those that survival plan that plan this is what we're doing. We're we see like the cruise line the big Corporation who have money to really advertise it on our TV, but really getting in front of it using our social media, you know having an open door policy. Hey, come in and see what we have done. you know it's a lot of. Fear and we have to change that narrative you know and we we do we have to live with at 19 and how do we do that and that is by really slowing down a little bit more and saying, okay, I see like I see Burlington the open, but I got a fear about going into it right, but then we but we have to test the water we have to live with it and how you know when I went in and I seen the measures that Burton took for me to be in Burlington right, but the only way we're gonna do it is by getting exploring because. Might don't be at that at that time to see what they've done so we're gonna have to explore it as well. Okay, well, the the panel has been great. This has a little bit longer than expected, but I think that's actually a good thing. I wanna say thank you again to Eileen Rodriguez from the Florida Small Business Development Center. read a salary from the Hillsborough County Minority and disadvantaged Business Department, and of course, Charmaine Barr from Serenity outreach. I have to plug them a little bit because they are right here in the Florida 50 -ninth in the district in progress Village. Thank you again ladies on the panel for joining us this week for our tele-town Hall and. Be on the look out on our on all of our social media to see what we're gonna be talking about next week and we will absolutely be seeing you then thanks for joining us. everybody. Thank you.