HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 6/21/2022 - Memorandum From Jose Luis Ramos Re: Multicultural Business And Entrepreneur Center - Summary (5)
Economic Health Office
222 LaPorte Avenue
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.4349
fcgov.com/business
DATE: June 13, 2022
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU Kelly DiMartino, Interim City Manager,
Tyler Marr, Interim Deputy City Manager,
Jacqueline Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer,
Josh Birks, Economic Health & Redevelopment Director,
SeonAh Kendall, Senior Economic Health Manager,
Shannon Hein, Small Business Program Manager
FROM: Jose Luis Ramos, Bilingual Business Specialist
RE: MULTICULTURAL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR CENTER - SUMMARY
This memorandum provides a detailed summary and status report of the Multicultural Business and
Entrepreneur Center (MBEC) efforts funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a total of
$330,000 for staffing and programmatic dollars, facilitated by the Economic Health Office (EHO). EHO
is providing bilingual consultation services at the Poudre River Public Library (Library) in Old Town
Fort Collins to the underserved/underrepresented entrepreneur and business community in response to
findings and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BOTTOM-LINE:
In the Economic Health Office is working to create
a space for underserved/underrepresented businesses and entrepreneurs via the Multicultural Business
and Entrepreneur Center (MBEC). The MBEC was started as a pilot and it addresses the gaps of the
underserved business community that were exacerbated by the pandemic, such as the lack of access in
languages other than English, access to loans/grants, and understanding of best business practices. We
learned of these needs during our response and the MBEC is an effort to improve our processes and
build trust to have a better prepared business community. The center had a soft launch opening on April
4, 2022, and provides services Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Library. The
MBEC offers an online booking system where clients can setup an appointment or drop-in availability
at the times mentioned above.
OVERVIEW:
The purpose of this program is to ensure that small businesses, creatives, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits
have the resources they need to start and thrive. According to the International Economic
Development Council (IEDC) report -
of the greatest equalizers to racial inequality.... and yet businesses owned by people of color fall
behind businesses owned by white people in almost every measurable indicator starting with the
number of businesses owned by people of color, to their revenue, number of employees, and access to
business capital."
The MBEC provides bilingual services (currently English and Spanish) to customers who need guidance
to start a business, improve their bottom line, and to navigate governmental processes. It also provides
services and tools to enable businesses operations to be soundly positioned for successful recovery,
including but not limited to resource connections, business advice, etc. The MBEC works in partnership
with other local, county, and state organizations to connect businesses and entrepreneurs with services
provided by such organizations.
Wins from the first eight weeks of soft opening:
first official business started by MBEC (3 hired employees)
40 clients served
33 online appointments (using Microsoft Bookings)
12 new companies created
7 walk-ins
72% women
98% Latinx
Next Steps:
Strategic marketing plan implementation Q2
Hire one to two connectors Q3
Start providing workshops Q3
Event participation/promotion Ongoing
cc: Travis Storin, Chief Financial Officer
Blaine Dunn, Accounting Director
Joanne Cech, Fiscal Recovery Manager
Attachment:
Multicultural Business and Entrepreneur Center Update June 2022.pdf
1
MBEC REPORT
Monthly Report #2
06/05/2022
Erika Saucedo owner of
Las Catrinas LLC
2
The Economic Health Office is working to create a space for underserved/underrepresented businesses and
entrepreneurs via the Multicultural Business and Entrepreneur Center (MBEC). The center had a soft launch
opening on April 4th, 2022, where it provides services Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at
the Old Town Library in Fort Collins. The MBEC offers an online booking system where clients can setup an
appointment and/or drop-in availability at the times mentioned above.
Economic Health Office’s Bilingual Business Specialists, José Luis Ramos and Edgar Ramos, have been providing
bilingual technical assistance to local businesses and entrepreneurs at the MBEC.
Appointments:
33 online appointments
7 walk-in clients
4 sessions were conducted via Zoom
12 new companies
1 lunch truck started operating
“Las Catrinas” first official business
launched by the MBEC with 3 hired
employees
Demographics:
29 appointments made by women
11 appointments made by men
1 client was English speaking only
36 clients were semi-bilingual and preferred Spanish
3 clients were fully bilingual but preferred to conduct
the appointment in Spanish
39 clients identify themselves as Latinx
DESCRIPTION
RESULTS AS OF JUNE 5th, 2022