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Greetings,
“It takes a village”, an idiom that means people must come together and cooperate to achieve a common goal. That’s what happened at the Women’s Businesses Enterprise Council South’s grand opening at Crosstown Concourse. I attended the celebration and it felt empowering to be alongside women business enterprises, other entrepreneurs and allies in our community. It was also an honor to share the WBENC stage for a moment on the behalf of Mayor Jim Strickland and the City of Memphis staff to congratulate WBENC and the Small Business Administration.
The SBA’s decision to open a center in Memphis shows it understands the commitment of everyone in our community moving this important work forward together. It’s a testament to the progress of the City of Memphis governments efforts to change both the culture and tangible outcomes around supporting small, minority and women businesses in our community. When we intentionally set our minds to get everyone across the finish line, success will take care of its self.
Since Mayor Strickland’s first term the City of Memphis government has doubled the percent of spending with minority and women businesses from 12.67% to 23.94% as of June 2021. We had to be bold, courageous and persistent in our approach to achieve the vision together. That momentum led us on a charge to offer technical assistance, one on one consultations and training services such as the 800 initiative, an investment program that focuses on empowering minority owned businesses within the city. The new WBENC center opens up doors of opportunity for us all. I look forward to future collaborations, as it will serve as a compliment to our Entrepreneurs Network Center.
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ENC is a one-stop-shop for small businesses owners to conduct business and other assistance located at 480 Dr. MLK Blvd. Further adapting “the village” mindset our partners are also housed in the center. We realize, there is strength in numbers and I thank our treasure trove of partners; Tennessee Small Business Development Center, Black Business Association, MAMCA, Region Smart, Operation Hope and Blight Authority Memphis.
It’s important to empower and uplift others as we climb because we need each other and the City of Memphis is depending on our leaders of today.
As we move into a new month let us never forget the importance of teamwork, uplifting one another and celebrating our victories together both small and big.
Remember, We Mean Business and we want to do business with you!
#WeMeanBusiness
Sincerely,
Director Joann Massey
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OBDC Business Owner Survey
Business Owners! Please take this quick survey from OBDC to let us know how your business is fairing during COVID and how we can help you better succeed in the coming months.
Thank you!
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Daily Memphian Host's Small Business Seminar Series
In August the Daily Memphian hosted a free virtual seminar that offered insight into resources and strategies for small businesses. The Daily Memphian's CEO, Eric Barnes spoke with OBDC's Director Massey, Epicenter's, Anthony Young and TSBDC's Nashawn Branch about vendor certification, access to capital, and much more.
Want to learn more about how to become certified with our office? Click here!
Click Here For the Full Daily Memphian Interview
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Ribbon Cutting for Memphis' First Women's Business Enterprise Council Center
Thank you to Phala Mire, leadership for the Women's Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC) and Vonesha Mitchell, Executive Director for the Women’s Business Center for the invite to welcome the new women's center to Memphis. This center will be the launch pad for many great ideas and the OBDC looks forward to collaborating.
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Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC) South is a regional partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the largest certifier of women-owned businesses (WBEs) in the U.S. and a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs.
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Meet Guadalupe Reyes
Guadalupe Reyes is the Business Services Coordinator for the City of Memphis' Office of Business Diversty and Compliance. She is responsible for helping entrepreneurs and business owners start, build or grow their businesses. She also helps business owners to identify where gaps lie and how to overcome them. Originally from the state of Michoacán, Mexico, she was raised in the United States from an early age. Mrs. Reyes is currently studying International Business Administration and looks to receive her degree soon.
Role with OBDC: Business Services Coordinator
Years of Service: 5 years
Why this work is important to me: I enjoy working for the OBDC because there is nothing more rewarding in life than helping others and seeing them fulfill their dreams.
Fun fact: I am the representative liaison for OBDC business owners with the Mexican Consulate
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Welcome Jewel Williams, Contract Compliance Analyst
We want to welcome OBDC's new team member Jewel Williams. In her role Jewel will be taking on the Contract Compliance Analyst position and joining the Contract Compliance Unit in City Hall.
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Meet Dante Robichaux
Dante Robichaux is the Creative Strategist for the City of Memphis' Office of Business Diversity and Compliance. He is responsible for creative direction, design and technical expertise with in-house projects. He is an alumnus of LeMoyne-Owen College, the place where he began to hone his creative design skills. Before working with the City of Memphis he spent time with United Way as their Social Media Strategist. Outside of work he devotes his time to family and helping others.
Role with OBDC: Creative Strategist
Years of Service: 4 years
Why this work is important to me: Being allowed to use design in order to better deliver a message to our local business community is a great feeling. Also, the ability to be a part of such a powerful mission that is centered around diversity and inclusion means a lot to me.
Fun fact: I worked the set of a big screen film while in college.
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This month's meeting has been canceled. We will reconvene in October.
Mark your calendars for the next MBDOC Meeting on September 8th.
The next Minority Business Development and Oversight Commission (MBDOC) meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 8th at 11:30 in the City Council Room and will be aired online here.
MBDOC Board Commissioners:
Shelley Baur, Tyree Daniels,
Carolyn Jackson, David M. Schuermann
City Councilwoman: Rhonda Logan
OBDC Community Ambassadors:
Cheryl Pesce, Phillip Rix, Roby Williams, Rory Thomas, Tracy Buckley, Vonesha Mitchell, Jessica Taveau, Ron Brooks and Stephanie Alexander
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 The Competitive Bidder’s Prep Accelerator is Back!
The Office of Business Diversity & Compliance launched its first business services city-wide program in 2016 called the Competitive Bidder’s Prep Accelerator (CBPA). This Fall 2021 we will be reviving this program and we are looking to recruit and invest in 20 commercial companies with aspirations to actively bid as primes with the City of Memphis but are in need of guidance and technical support through this program.
Now accepting applications with classes starting in October!
#WeMeanBusiness
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It isn’t easy to spend a lot of time planning for a life of entrepreneurship on your own, especially if you find it complex and confusing. Joann Massey, Director of the City of Memphis Office of Business Diversity and Compliance, interviews entrepreneurs, governmental and quasi governmental leaders, as well as economist who have successfully created or helped to grow small businesses locally and globally. Each month "The We Mean Business Podcast" will pull back the curtain on compelling and beneficial stories for you, "The Entrepreneur".
Tune in here and bookmark for future episodes.
#WeMeanBusiness
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Memphis COVID-19 Updates
Stay up to date with Memphis COVID-19 updates and current CDC recommendations here
Keep up with Mayor Strickland's daily COVID-19 updates here
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For our MWSBE Spotlight this month we want to recognize Charles Barnes of ACTION Janitorial*Paper*Safety. Mr. Barnes is president and CEO of ACTION Janitorial*Paper*Safety, formerly Action Chemical, a full service distributor of janitorial chemicals, equipment and supplies, paper products and a vast variety of other commercial offerings. Since their inception in 1994 as a janitorial supply company, Mr. Barnes has grown the business to multiple product lines. Action Janitorial*Paper*Safety has been the recipient of numerous supplier and diversity awards and continues to be recognized as one of the top janitorial companies in Memphis. The business is located at 275 Cumberland Street in the Binghampton neighborhood.
Thank you Charles Barnes for continuing your entrepreneurial efforts in the City of Memphis!!
To learn more about Action Janitorial*Paper*Safety click here!
#WeMeanBusiness
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- Living Without Limits Home Modification & Accessibility, LLC
- Viet Hoa Market
- The She-EO Unlimited
- All Around Town Services, LLC.
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 OBDC
It seems like the hits keep coming for small business owners, creating a physical challenge to remain healthy and a mental strain to stay on top of your game.The business battle is ongoing, but the conflict can be won by taking time to relax and recharge both physically and mentally.
Join OBDC and Dr. Mia Earl as she shares time tested strategies that will help you navigate the increasing physical and mental demands of running a small business.
Topics covered during the OBDC webinar:
* What you need to do to stay well during the most challenging winter months
* Simple activities that will decrease anxiety levels and relieve mental stress
* Practices and remedies to keep your body strong
* Importance of work-life balance and how to achieve it
* Q&A
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
l logo es la primera presentación de una empresa ante los consumidores. Si se diseña bien, puede despertar el interés del público y darle ganas de descubrir más sobre la empresa; pero si no es así, podrías perder bastantes clientes potenciales e incluso acabar con tu negocio.
Esta sesión cubrirá:
La importancia de tener el Logo correcto
¿Por qué un buen logotipo es importante para su pequeña empresa?
¿Cómo afecta el logotipo a la marca de la empresa?
The logo is the first presentation of a company to consumers. If designed well, it can spark public interest and make them want to find out more about your company; But if not, you could lose a lot of potential customers and even end your business.
This session will cover:
The importance of having the right Logo
why a good Logo is important for your small business?
how does the logo affect the branding of the business?
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
TSBDC
Tuesday, September 14 - 9:00AM-11:00AM
Location- Entrepreneur Network Center (virtual webinar)
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. We will discuss
various applications and web tools used to create and manage content via social media, blog sites, and newsletters in order to effectively engage your audience.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
MAMCA
$449.00
All Virtual
Registration and Payment Information
For more information contact
Stephanie Alexander
901-636-9300
Click here for application
OSHA 30-Hour Outreach training benefits supervisors and workers with safety roles, including those in construction, manufacturing, factory operations, health care and more. Our OSHA 30 courses promote safe and healthful work environments by training workers to identify, predict and avoid hazards in the workplace.
Our OSHA 30-Hour Construction course is appropriate for workers who perform new construction, alterations or repairs.
You MUST be present the entire 4 days . When you register, please select ALL four days.
Grab your snacks and soda and enjoy your experience.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Blight Authority of Memphis (BAM)
We're Hiring!
Open Positions - Link for additional details: Click Here
RegionSmart
Urban Agriculture, The New Amenity?
Urban Agriculture is a growing trend in the real estate as community gardens, rooftop crops, vertical farming, and infill farms increase in number – Memphis is positioned to capitalize on these ideas. Join ULI Memphis to hear from guest speakers who will share their innovative approaches to urban agriculture.
Daron Joffe, Director of Agricultural Innovation & Development at Farmer D Consulting, will kick off the program with a presentation on farms as an asset in land use and conservation policies, and discuss how agriculture can spark other developmental benefits such as equity, affordability, and connectivity. He will describe multiple tiers of farms as a development model, from urban cores to rural fringe.
After Joffe’s presentation, we will transition into a panel conversation that will also include Marlon Foster, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KnowledgeQuest/ Grean Leaf Learning Farm, and Jade Clark, Director of Community Impact at AgLaunch, to explore local innovations and cultural histories of agriculture in the MidSouth.
This event is free and open to the public! It is being offered in-person and virtually.
The in-person session has limited capacity in order to maintain social distancing, so please register at your earliest convenience. Registration for the in-person session is open to ULI members today and open to non-members August 26.
Registration for the virtual session is already open for members and non-members.
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Joann Massey, Director
Carol Kelley, Executive Assistant (City Hall)- EBO Data Coordinator
Compliance
Andrew DeShazo, Esq., Compliance Manager
Annette Crump, Administrative Assistant (Compliance)
Valesia Mason, Intern
Certification
Standley Brady, Esq., Certification Manager
Tabitha Veazey, Certification Analyst
Business Services
Taylor Tagg, Business Services Coordinator Sr.
Guadalupe Reyes, Business Services Coordinator
Ashley Robinson, Operations Mrg. & Outreach & Engagement
Dante Robichaux, Creative Strategist
Jewel Williams, Contract Compliance Analyst
DJ Baker, Intern
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
Contact our office for assistance at bdcinfo@memphistn.gov or 901-636-9300
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