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September 13, 2021
COVID-19 Business Resource Center: VolusiaBusinessResources.com
COVID FUNDING & PROGRAM UPDATES
SBA COVID ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN ENHANCEMENT
Businesses that may be facing challenges from the COVID Delta variant can now take advantage of policy changes to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). On Sept. 9, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced major enhancements to the EIDL program by increasing the borrowing limit to a maximum cap of $2 million. Additional updates to the program include expansion of the use of funds to include pre-payment of commercial debt and make payments on federal business debt, extension of the deferment period to 24 months, and simplification of affiliation rules for all industries, among other updates. For a full breakdown of the policy updates, visit the SBA’s EIDL program webpage.
WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS & FORUMS
SYMPOSIUM: EMBRACING A BROADER VISION OF SUCCESS FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
To fully benefit from diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, organizations embrace a broader vision of success that encompasses learning, innovation, creativity, flexibility, equity and human dignity. Leaders acknowledge that increasing demographic diversity does not, by itself, increase effectiveness; what matters is how an organization harnesses diversity, equity and inclusion, builds an inclusive culture and whether it’s willing to revitalize its organizational structure. To that end, join Daytona State College for a symposium from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 1 featuring keynote speaker Terri Von Lehmden, vice president of human resources for Toyota North America. In-person and virtual opportunities to attend the event are available and registration is required.
ENTREPRENEUR EVENTS
STARTUP GRIND EVENT: READING THE TEA LEAVES
The Ormond Beach chapter of Startup Grind will host an in-person event at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Ormond Beach with guest speaker Kyle White. White is co-founder of Yaupon Brothers American Tea, a company that grows all of its tea in Central Florida and can be found in over 600 stores nationwide. Yaupon Brothers is building a model of low impact sustainable agriculture. White is the assistant director of the Center for Advance Entrepreneurship at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. To join in on this fireside chat with White, register here.
ONE MILLION CUPS RELAUNCHES WITH EVENT ON SEPT. 22
The organizing team for 1 Million Cups Daytona Beach has announced a relaunch event set for 9 a.m. Sept. 22 at Cinematique Theater in downtown Daytona Beach. The relaunch speakers include Jeremy Craig from Copper Bottom Craft Distillery and Percy Lassiter from Elements Food Truck. Each speaker is given six minutes to speak about their business followed by 20 minutes of Q&A from the audience. Based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and engage with their communities over a million cups of coffee, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation developed 1 Million Cups, a free program designed to educate, engage and inspire entrepreneurs around the country. Guests are invited to attend in person or to view the live stream through the 1 Millions Cups Daytona Beach Facebook page.
BUSINESS RESOURCES
FREE BUSINESS RESEARCH TOOLS WITH YOUR LIBRARY CARD
Did you know your public libraries are excellent resources for national and regional demographic and business-directory information? Gain access to free resources with a library card from the Volusia County Public Library in just a few simple steps. You can perform advanced searches on more than 64 million U.S. businesses and 19 million new homeowners plus gain access to free webinars for entrepreneurs and business owners. Sign up for your library card and take advantage of these resources.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH
National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” With the peak of the hurricane season having just passed on Sept. 10, it’s a timely reminder for area businesses to ensure they are prepared for disasters. Visit our Hurricane Preparedness page for a checklist to plan and prepare your business.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS FOR BUSINESS
Hurricane season officially starts June 1 and planning ahead for a disaster can save business owners thousands of dollars in lost revenue due to structural damage, content damage, interruption of operations and employee displacement.
Did you know that 40% of businesses never re-open their doors post-disaster? We encourage all business owners to prepare their business for the season with the Volusia Prepares Business program checklist.
PLAN AND PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS
Protect and prepare your business with a Business Disaster Continuity Plan
- Review property insurance to determine if you have adequate hazard, flood, wind and business interruption insurance
- Video and photo document your property, vehicles and inventory before and after the disaster to assist with verifying insurance and tax credit claims
- Determine what emergency equipment and supplies are needed to protect and repair your business
- Protect computers and backup your files. Store backup files in an alternate location
- Assemble insurance policies, financial records, inventories, and other important documents. Make duplicates and store in alternate safe places
- Move files and equipment to higher elevations
- Shutter windows, sandbag doors, and cover sensitive equipment
- Have a generator ready as a backup until power is restored
- Encourage your employees to create a family emergency plan - the sooner they take care of their personal preparations, the quicker they can help prepare your business
- Create a Crisis Communication plan to communicate with customers, suppliers and employees
- Develop an employee alert roster to notify employees during nonworking hours the status of business operations
- Protect employees and only schedule essential personnel during the storm
- Arrange alternate payroll methods for your employees with your banking institution after the disaster
- Retain a list of emergency support phone numbers for various needs and distribute to your employees
- Know the community’s evacuation plan and evacuation routes
- Update your plan quarterly and be sure all existing employees and new hires understand the plan
BOOKMARK, DOWNLOAD, REGISTER, FOLLOW, CONTACT
BOOKMARK
- Volusia County PIN Network - works to ensure public information officers collaborate and coordinate public information before, during and after disasters.
- FloridaDisaster.biz - developed to provide businesses, small and large, easy access to critical information before, during and after a disaster.
- National Weather Service Melbourne - for current local weather information
DOWNLOAD
- Volusia County Emergency Management App - contains advanced features that strive to help keep the citizens of Volusia County prepared and informed about any emergency at hand.
REGISTER
- CodeRED – register to be notified by your local emergency response team in the event of emergency situations or critical community alerts.
FOLLOW
CONTACT
- Citizens Information Center (activated only during disasters) – Retain this phone number, 1-866-345-0345, for shelter information, sand bag locations, and other disaster updates; Telecommunication Device for the Deaf 386-248-1792
NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Heather Edwards.