FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT IRSC
SBDC, RUBIO TO HOST VIRTUAL CONFERENCE TO
HELP OWNERS NAVIGATE PANDEMIC CHALLENGES
24
TCBusiness.com
Florida’s small businesses are invited
to register for the Virtual Small Business
Resiliency Conference: Sustain the Pivot, a
no-cost event hosted by the Florida Small
Business Development Center SBDC Network
and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. The event
will take place May 18-19.
This multiday virtual conference will
equip Florida’s small businesses with the
strategies and resources needed to navigate
the ongoing challenges of COVID-19
and connect them with resource providers
who can aid in their long-term recovery.
The event will feature presentations
from Florida SBDC Network business
consultants on topics including marketing,
cybersecurity, capital access and human
resources. Consultants will share business
insights and discuss how attendees can
leverage the network’s service offering of
no-cost consulting, training and resources.
Each half-day session will conclude with a
post-event presentation in Spanish.
“We are thrilled to partner with the office
of Sen. Marco Rubio on this important
event,” said Cheryl Kirby, interim CEO of
the Florida SBDC Network. “Small businesses
need help now more than ever.
The event will offer a dynamic lineup of
speakers and resources to help business
owners navigate the long-term challenges
of COVID-19 and jumpstart their recovery.”
Rubio will deliver a welcome address
emphasizing the importance of small
businesses to the state’s economy. There
will also be keynote presentations by
Emily Ley, CEO of Simplified, and John
Gilmore, former tight end for the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers and president and CEO of
Brandthumb. During these presentations,
attendees will learn additional skills and
knowledge to help their businesses succeed
despite difficult circumstances.
As a member of the Senate Committee
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship,
Rubio has made it his priority to ensure
America’s 30 million small businesses
have access to the resources and capital
they need to compete in the 21st century
global economy.
“This past year has been incredibly
hard for all of us, and small businesses
were no exception,” Rubio said. “They
form the backbone of our communities,
drive innovation and create good jobs,
but many were uniquely vulnerable to the
economic fallout from the pandemic and
public health lockdowns. The Paycheck
“THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN
INCREDIBLY HARD FOR ALL OF
US, AND SMALL BUSINESSES
WERE NO EXCEPTION. THEY
FORM THE BACKBONE OF
OUR COMMUNITIES, DRIVE
INNOVATION AND CREATE
GOOD JOBS, BUT MANY WERE
UNIQUELY VULNERABLE TO THE
ECONOMIC FALLOUT FROM THE
PANDEMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH
LOCKDOWNS. THE PAYCHECK
PROTECTION PROGRAM WAS
DESIGNED TO HELP BOTH SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR
EMPLOYEES SURVIVE THIS CRISIS.
NOW, AS WE LOOK TOWARD FULLY
REOPENING OUR ECONOMY,
WE MUST PIVOT TO ENSURING
THESE SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE
ACCESS TO THE TOOLS THEY NEED
TO THRIVE.”
— Sen. Marco Rubio
Protection Program was designed to help
both small business owners and their
employees survive this crisis. Now, as we
look toward fully reopening our economy,
we must pivot to ensuring these small
businesses have access to the tools they
need to thrive.”
For more information and to register, go
to www.sustainthepivot.eventbrite.com.
Deadline to register is May 13. Contact Allison
Romer at Allison.Romer@FloridaSBDC.
org for additional information. v
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio R-FL
“WE ARE THRILLED TO PARTNER
WITH THE OFFICE OF SEN.
MARCO RUBIO ON THIS
IMPORTANT EVENT. SMALL
BUSINESSES NEED HELP NOW
MORE THAN EVER. THE EVENT
WILL OFFER A DYNAMIC LINEUP
OF SPEAKERS AND RESOURCES
TO HELP BUSINESS OWNERS
NAVIGATE THE LONG-TERM
CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 AND
JUMPSTART THEIR RECOVERY.”
— Cheryl Kirby, interim CEO
of the Florida SBDC Network
/TCBusiness.com
/www.sustainthepivot.eventbrite.com
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