What is the BRT?
The Business Resiliency Team (BRT) program is a partnership between Grow Smarter, the St. Pete Chamber, and the Greenhouse. This team is comprised of Business Resiliency Navigators who will work with the small business community to help them weather the COVID storm.
Business owners will be paired with a Navigator who will connect them to resources, technical support, and volunteer professionals who can help businesses survive and thrive. .
The primary goal of the BRT is business stability in 90 days. This means Navigators will assist business owners in achieving incremental growth and establishing a positive trajectory throughout their recovery. While we will help as much f the community as possible, special consideration and efforts will be given to minority and women-owned businesses, driven by our mission on equity.
How To Connect
Business owners can email brt@growsmarterstpete.com or leave a voicemail at (727) 351-3249. A team member will respond within 48 hours.
How To Help
Give Us Five! The team is looking for additional professionals to serve as Business Resiliency Volunteers: attorneys, accountants, bankers, tech gurus, marketing professionals, and business consultants who are willing to provide five hours of their time, free of charge, to our business community.
Professionals who would like to volunteer their time, skills, and resources can contact us at brt@growsmarterstpete.com.
Background
In early April, Grow Smarter conducted a Community Needs Assessment which included nearly 200 online survey responses from local businesses as well as input from Grow Smarter’s steering committee and community leaders across the business, faith, nonprofit, and government sectors. Based on this needs assessment, Grow Smarter designed its COVID-19 response in partnership with the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the Greenhouse, St. Pete Chamber, St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, One Community, SPC, St. Pete Arts Alliance, Warehouse Arts District Association, Deuces Live, and others. The BRT is part of this comprehensive response.
To learn more about the BRT program, our Navigators, and the Give Us Five opportunity, visit www.growsmarterstpete.com/brt.