Help for small business owners nearby
Small business owners or those looking to start one in North Fort Myers have a very valuable resource that’s not only nearby, but also free.
That’s what Lois Knox, director of the Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center, told the North Fort Myers Civic Association at its monthly meeting at the recreation center Tuesday.
Knox said that it isn’t the big box retailers or fast food franchises of the world that are the lifeblood of the workforce. It takes small businesses to succeed for the economy to succeed.
“Last year, 50 percent of all jobs in Florida are with small businesses of 20 employees or less. That’s why we’re so passionate about what we do,” Knox said. “Our governor is building the economy based on our small businesses and how they grow.”
The SBDC offers free, confidential consulting to those who are either in business or looking to start one. It isn’t just there to help the family-owned independents, but also those that have been in business for three years, survived the economic downturn and are ready to get to the next level.
Knox said it’s an exciting time for business and that the legislation coming down the pike is meant for them.
“We’re helping businesses work at and on their business and not in their business. Not necessarily working harder but working smarter,” Knox said. We’re teaching them new technology to better focus on their business.”
Knox said that business owners who seek help succeed three times more often than those that don’t. She also addressed the biggest misconception about the SBDC, that it is meant only for start-ups.
“It’s when you start in business that you need most of the help. You get to working and you realize you don’t know what you don’t know,” Knox said. “If a business owner can’t make it to us, we’ll come to them. Our consultants will show up at your storefront.”
In other business at the meeting, the civic association announced it would hold a “flapjack fundraiser” at the Applebee’s at Merchants Crossing on Saturday, Feb. 13, from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets will be $10 and someone is expected to be a guest speaker.
Also, the North Fort Myers Farmer’s Market at Marinatown has been the victim of some very unfortunate weather since opening last month. Out of the six dates so far, four has had rain and one of the two nice days came on New Year’s Day.
The owners of the market are looking to recruit some help from Amy Lynn at 95.3FM The River’s to bring more people in.
The civic association has also created a task force to help improve membership. Some of the things it plans to do include improving its social media presence, hold a picnic for its members, do more advertising in the local papers, perform mailings to communities and invite guests to meetings.
President Michael Land also has been seeking help from the community regarding the improvement of the association’s website. He said he hoped to gain to help from the local high school, but so far that has not happened. He asked those in attendance of they knew anybody who could give them a helping hand.