SBA South Florida Newsletter, May 2022

South Florida Newsletter – May 2022

Message from the Interim District Director J. Malcom Richards

It’s May and everything is blooming! The first full week of May marks National Small Business Week, the time when SBA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of entrepreneurs whose sacrifices and innovations create businesses and jobs, products and services that sustain our economies and our communities. Read on to find out about the dynamic small business award winners from South Florida who are making a difference. Be sure to check out our Calendar of Events to plug into our celebrations and webinars. May is also World Trade Month and SBA’s international trade and export capital working loans are just some of the many federal resources available for companies that want to Go Global! See the article below to find out more about how to grow your business in the worldwide marketplace. Finally, May is also Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month and SBA applauds the historical and cultural contributions these individuals and groups have made to the United States. SBA is committed to the success of small business owners from ALL equity communities.

Meet Our National Small Business Week Winners:
“Many small businesses were able to successfully pivot and with tenacity and resilience have not only survived the pandemic but have thrived. These awards honor those in our community who have excelled in business ownership, demonstrating these virtues that are among the hallmarks of successful entrepreneurship. We congratulate our winners and thank the small business advocates who have helped them succeed,” said District Director Richards.

2022 South Florida District Small Business Person of the Year
Mr. Roger Pridgeon, Owner, Corporate Air (Vero Beach, Florida)

2022 South Florida District Exporter of the Year
Mr. Carmine Colarusso, Owner, Ultrachem LLC. (Doral, Florida)

2022 South Florida and State of Florida Women Business Owner of the Year
Ms. Wanda Barton, Xtremely Clean (Tampa, Florida)

2022 South Florida District Minority Business Owner of the Year
Ms. Chantel Robertson, Owner, Upful Blends (Margate, Florida)

2022 South Florida District & State of Florida Veteran Business Owner of the Year

Mr. Mack Sasser, Owner, 11 Series Energy (Melbourne, Florida)

2022 South Florida District Small Business Advocate of the Year
Mr. Stuart “Stu” Smith (Cocoa Beach, Florida)

2022 State of Florida Small Business Development Center of the Year
Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, Florida)

2022 State of Florida Women’s Business Center of the Year
Centre for Women – Tampa (Tampa, Florida)

Exports = Opportunities for Business Growth in 2022
SBA is joining the U.S. Department of Commerce to celebrate Export Week 2022, May 2-6 in celebration of May as World Trade Month. Over 95% of the world’s markets are outside the United States and small businesses receive the lion’s share of export sales. This month especially, SBA invites you to consider exporting as a new strategy for business growth. With multiple airports and seaports and its strategic location, South Florida is the gateway to Latin America and one of the nation’s top export regions. South Florida companies are uniquely situated to take advantage of opportunities to grow their sales in Latin America and the Caribbean. Working with participating banks, SBA provides three loan guarantee programs small firms can use to finance their international trade efforts: International Trade Loan for fixed assets; Export Express Loan and Export Working Capital Program which provide lines of credit for exports. If you’re ready or need help positioning your business to Go Global, check out the experts at these resources: International Trade Specialists at the Florida Small Business Development Center Network; at the U.S. Export Assistance Centers at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and join a trade mission at Enterprise Florida. For more information on SBA export programs, please feel free to reach out to the SBA International Trade Team: Sandro Murtas, Lead Export Finance Manager and Hernan Mayol, Export Finance Manager.

Upcoming Events
2022 National Small Business Week Virutal Summit – May 2 – 5th
Registration for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” is now open. This year’s Summit will feature access to federal resources, educational workshops, and networking to help small businesses pivot, grow, and seize new opportunities. The event is free, but registration is required.
The 2022 State winners of the Small Business Person of the Year Award will be formally recognized on May 5, 2022 during the Summit Awards Ceremony.

Join SBA and Public Private Strategies Institute for a series of by-weekly webinars to learn more about programs and services to help you grow your business. Register for the next webinars scheduled on May 11th & May 25, 2022.

Tri-Regional Faith Based Webinar

May 17th – 11am to 12:30pm EST
Join SBA Regional Administrator, Allen Thomas and J. Malcom Richards, District Director for Florida at this virtual gathering for faith-led small businesses, organizations and communities to share the many programs and services offered by SBA to help small businesses and non-profits alike recover from disasters and pivot toward success. This event is also designed to encourage attendees during these challenging economic times with inspirational messages and small business success story interviews.

South Florida Events Calendar
Make sure to look at our calendar for full upcoming workshops. Our resource partners are conducting workshops and events all month long.

If you live in South Florida, you can email us at [email protected]
If your located outside of our South Florida, you can find your local office by accessing this link: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/sba-district-offices

Check out our Website!

SBA South Florida District Office
Miami, Tampa, and Ft. Pierce, Florida
305-536-5521
http://www.SBA.gov/SouthFlorida