Camden Business Association

We're hiring! #jobs #nonprofit #hiring #communitybuilding https://lnkd.in/e2wvZxFa

In an effort to map the federal contracting landscape as well as the small business service provider landscape in the city of Camden, New Jersey, The Enterprise Center of New Jersey leader Victoria L. Hosendorf, MS commissioned Drexel University's Nowak Metro Finance Lab's elijah e. davis and Milena Dovali and Kevin Lyons at Rutgers School of Business–Camden to create The Camden County Playbook for Diverse and Small Business Growth. As the playbook was unveiled by Davis, the business leaders, financial institution representatives, and small business service providers in the room hung on every slide, frequently chiming in with questions and comments as their own observations and experiences often mirrored and added nuance to the data unearthed by the teams at Nowak Lab and Rutgers-Camden. The data shows a daunting situation for diverse firms in Camden hoping to contract with the Federal government. Federal contracting with minority-owned firms is disproportionately low, with only 12 Black and Latino vendors winning contracts; these firms ultimately captured only 15.5% of Camden County's Federal spend. Of that 15.5%, only .3% was spent with Black-owned firms. (Source: USAspending.gov ) In a county where over 40% of residents are people of color, that low % of spend represents a huge disparity. These numbers, coupled with the low SBA 7a loan numbers for the county, led many in the audience, including Ray Jones, Capital Revolutionary Della Clark, Nichelle Pace, and Ray Lamboy, to entreat those in attendance to come together and spur action, as no one organization or financial institution can improve the Camden small business ecosystem alone. Indeed, increasing collaboration and enhancing coordination between service providers was one of the study's key recommendations. Victoria closed the presentation by thanking JPMorganChase's team for their generous support in funding this critical research and playbook, with special shoutouts to Camden native Josué Figueroa ⭐️ as well as Jac Rivers and Michele Lawrence. Our team at The Enterprise Center and The Enterprise Center of New Jersey would also like to thank key study partners Camden Business Association and LAEDA, Inc., as well as everyone who contributed to the research and this event, as your contributions are integral to improving the small business ecosystem in Camden. #CamdenNJ #NewJersey #SmallBusiness #diversebusinesses #federalcontracting

🚨 Opportunity Alert: Calling all #smallbusiness owners! Join these FREE Weekly #lunchandlearn #Business workshops powered by Verizon Business @ 12:00 noon tomorrow and every Wednesday throughout May and June. Register now to learn more about these free workshops and how to apply for the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready $10,000 Grant. Download the full list of registration links to the workshops here: https://lnkd.in/egvTQJ7m LEGAL OVERVIEW FOR SMALL BUSINESSES MAY 29 | NOON Gain a comprehensive understanding of essential legal aspects for small businesses, including business structures, contract negotiation, intellectual property protection, and regulatory compliance, in this informative virtual session. MARKETING AND BRANDING JUNE 5 | NOON Understanding how to build your business or product brand to be sustainable and have longevity. We will discuss key strategies including logo design, brand messaging strategy, target customer profile development, and how to stand out in a crowded marketplace. **Register now for Marketing & Branding on June 5th hosted by the CBA: https://bit.ly/4bDuOz8 DIGITAL PRESENCE JUNE 12 | NOON Unlock the keys to a successful online presence by mastering web design, branding integration, content creation, social media management, and analytics optimization in this comprehensive virtual session. TECHNOLOGY AND AI JUNE 26 | NOON Discover how small businesses can leverage technology, including AI, to enhance productivity and drive innovation, while also learning practical implementation strategies, staying updated on future trends, and discussing ethical considerations.

🚨 Opportunity Alert: Calling all #smallbusiness owners! Join these FREE Weekly #lunchandlearn #Business workshops powered by Verizon Business @ 12:00 noon tomorrow and every Wednesday throughout May and June. Register now to learn more about these free workshops and how to apply for the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready $10,000 Grant. Download the full list of registration links to the workshops here: https://lnkd.in/egvTQJ7m LEGAL OVERVIEW FOR SMALL BUSINESSES MAY 29 | NOON Gain a comprehensive understanding of essential legal aspects for small businesses, including business structures, contract negotiation, intellectual property protection, and regulatory compliance, in this informative virtual session. MARKETING AND BRANDING JUNE 5 | NOON Understanding how to build your business or product brand to be sustainable and have longevity. We will discuss key strategies including logo design, brand messaging strategy, target customer profile development, and how to stand out in a crowded marketplace. **Register now for Marketing & Branding on June 5th hosted by the CBA: https://bit.ly/4bDuOz8 DIGITAL PRESENCE JUNE 12 | NOON Unlock the keys to a successful online presence by mastering web design, branding integration, content creation, social media management, and analytics optimization in this comprehensive virtual session. TECHNOLOGY AND AI JUNE 26 | NOON Discover how small businesses can leverage technology, including AI, to enhance productivity and drive innovation, while also learning practical implementation strategies, staying updated on future trends, and discussing ethical considerations.

Business Development opportunity alert:

Are you a minority, women, or veteran-owned business? Do you currently work on or wish to work on local government and state contracts? Don't miss this important town hall with partners, the African-American Chamber of Commerce, NJ and Rutgers University-Camden. The Camden Business Association in partnership with the African-American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey will present a presentation on the State of New Jersey’s Disparity Study. This is the 3rd in a series of town hall meetings held throughout the state. Click here to register: https://ow.ly/rlsz50RsnTx

Last week: From cheering in the stands to witnessing victory once again, proud alma mater moments with Northeastern University as both men's and women's track teams clinch the CAA Championships! Huge shoutout to my friend and former teammate Coach Tramaine Shaw for leading the charge, and props to my big cousin Coach Maurice Pierce of Hampton University and my friend and former teammate Coach Consandria J. Walker-Hall of Towson for their stellar coaching and athlete triumphs. #AlumniPride #CAAChamps #northeasternuniversity #huskies

Great work by our partners at Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey