It’s hard to believe that it has been over five months since COVID-19 hit our Burg community. Like many organizations in St. Pete, Grow Smarter was quick to pivot and respond to community needs. Over the last few months, we worked in partnership with the Chamber, the Greenhouse, our business districts, and other organizations to organize the Business Resiliency team in response to the needs of our small business community.
The BRT served over 200 businesses during its four months in action, providing a curated approach to business assistance. We are now transitioning BRT clients back to the Greenhouse navigation team, who had themselves pivoted to implement the city’s Fighting Chance fund.
If you’ve worked with the BRT during COVID, one of the Greenhouse team members will reach out soon to check in with you. If you are interested in receiving business navigation services, you can visit https://stpetegreenhouse.com/small-business-navigator-program/ or email info@stpetegreenhouse.com.
In addition to navigation, the Greenhouse will continue to provide additional programming for small businesses, including upcoming free events like “Introduction to Business Taxes,” “Estimating and Bidding,” and a series on how to use Instagram to grow your business. There is also a fall session of the Greenhouse’s Entrepreneurial Academy, which starts in September (tuition applies). Visit https://stpetegreenhouse.com/ for details.
You can also follow along on social media for ongoing updates about small business resources: