The state of small business in Florida

Big Borrowers 

Florida small businesses that borrowed $5 million for fscal year 2013 through the SBA

Certifying Women- Owned Businesses

From an offce in Palm Beach County, Janet Harris-Lange works with women business owners across the country to obtain the certifcations that give them access to lucrative private and public sector contracts.

As president of the National Women Business Owners Corp., Harris-Lange has helped thousands of women complete the intensive certifcation requirements. The nonproft was the frst national certifer of Women Business Enterprises (used by the private sector) and an approved Third Party Certifer for Small Business Administration’s Women-Owned Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business contracting program (used by federal government agencies). Businesses and government agencies often set aside contracts for certifed minority and women-owned business.

Obtaining certifcation is an important strategy, Harris-Lange says. “Companies want to count their spending with minority and women-owned businesses, but they want them to prove their ownership status.” 

To validate ownership, Harris- Lange and a committee of accountants, attorneys and business professionals reviews documents and visit companies. “They either get approved or denied, but they can appeal.” 

Harris-Lange says she sees women who are running unusual and successful companies in Florida and across the country. The certifcation helps them grow their companies and usually results in an economic impact in their communities, she says. “They hire; they buy materials; and they give back.”

“It is not just tech companies but consumer-driven businesses too. The climate is improving for Florida’s entrepreneurs.” 

— Mike Tomas, president/ CEO, Bioheart, Sunrise; chairman, Florida International University’s Global Entrepreneurship Center

10 Tips 

Marketing doesn’t have to be a major undertaking. Something as simple as sending out a weekly email will keep you on customers’ minds.

When choosing a business partner, look for someone with complementary strengths, not someone just like yourself.

Get clear on who your customers are and what social media they use.

Grow your business by hiring experts, delegating and mentoring staff to free up your time for business development.

Hire wisely. The ideal new employee will help grow your business while the wrong choice can be an expensive mistake.

Use technology to rethink your business. It may require looking into cloud storage, email marketing or project management software.

More than half of American adults own smartphones: A mobile friendly website can boost sales.

Ask for referrals. Most satisfed customers are happy to give them but won’t think of it unless you ask.

Test the waters for raising prices by doing so on a few products and smaller clients.

Use discounts and deals sparingly. Excessive use of coupons, daily deals and sales can hurt your margins and attract customers who buy based solely on price.

Source: Women’s Success Summit, Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Resources 

Florida Small Business Development Centers (floridasbdc.org). Counseling and training at 40 centers around the state, including a new partnership with Florida International University serving small businesses in Miami-Dade County 

SCORE Workshops (score.org; scoreflorida.org). Online training and free coaching at local branches 

Florida Women’s Business Center (flwbc.org). Provides training, mentoring and resources to women entrepreneurs. 

The Commonwealth Institute (commonwealthinstitute.org). Helps women entrepreneurs, CEOs and corporate executives build businesses through peer mentoring programs; annually honors top women-led businesses in Florida.

Women Executive Leadership (welflorida.org). Helps Florida women business owners build professional networks and become board-ready 

The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida (HBIFflorida.org). Non-profit, with a Miami office, provides free bilingual seminars, workshops and technical assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs launching or expanding businesses in Florida.

Startup Florida (startupfl.org). Programs and training; registration for Startup America initiative 

Partners for Self-Employment (partnersforselfemployment.com). Offers training, technical assistance and loans.

SBA’s Online Learning Center (sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center). Offers counseling, mentoring and training