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Florida Association of Veteran-Owned Businesses

News

  • 03/31/2021 8:42 AM | Stuart Smith (Administrator)

    As part of our SBA Strategic Alliance Memorandum, we invite all FAVOB members to leverage the services offered by the SBA.  

    Webinars are offered every month.  Topics include - financing, marketing and social media, cybersecurity, importing and exporting, starting, buying, growing and selling a business, doing business with the federal government and small business certification assistance.  

    Webinars are listed on the South Florida District Office website https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/fl/miami  and Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/o/lonnie-koyama-9878643818

    In addition, there are several SCORE offerings:

    Your Money. Your Business. Your Life. - Funding and Financing Your Black-Owned Business - 1430700 (webcasts.com)

    7 Steps to Build Your Platform and Stand Out in a Noisy World - 1437284 (webcasts.com)

    For more information or assistance, please contact Lonnie Koyama, our SBA representative.  

    Lonnie Koyama, Lead Economic Development Specialist

    South Florida District Office U.S. Small Business Administration

    505 South 2nd Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34950

    Office: 772- 466-3176

    Cell: 772-332-7311

    leon.koyama@sba.gov


  • 03/27/2021 1:15 PM | Barron Mills

    Bravo Zulu to Blue Cord DevGroup, LLC and their Holland & Knight representatives for recently getting an important legal ruling on behalf of all veteran owned businesses.

    It is essential to keep Government contracting as fair as possible at all levels (local, state, Federal) and it becomes unfair when any businesses represent themselves as disadvantaged small businesses (e.g. minority, woman, veteran) but do not actually meet those standards. We have to collectively hold the system accountable.

    Here is the summary from the link below: On Oct. 6, 2020, Blue Cord protested Purple Heart Heroes LLC's Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) status after it was awarded an SDVOSB set-aside lease by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). OHA determined a service-disabled veteran did not control Purple Heart Heroes and therefore the company is not an eligible SDVOSB. As a result of OHA's decision, the lease is deemed void ab initio, meaning it never existed, and the VA has removed Purple Heart Heroes as a SDVOSB from its Vendor Information Page (VIP), making the concern ineligible for future set-aside lease awards.

    https://www.hklaw.com/.../holland-and-knight-represents...


  • 03/04/2021 11:26 AM | Barron Mills

    Action Zone, the exclusive military community entrepreneur support organization in Tampa, has opened registration for the next business startup program to begin 27 March and run through 26 June 2021.

    "We are happy to announce that Veterans Florida has sponsored an additional cohort for 2021," says Rosie Lee, co-founder and Executive Director of Action Zone. "We have been a network partner with Veterans Florida for three years, and we couldn't be more thrilled to host another class of veterans seeking to start or grow their business."

    The Action Zone business startup program is a 12-week program that guides participants as they develop or grow their business. As a virtually provided program, it is open to any veteran across Florida. The program gives new entrepreneurs the foundational knowledge they need to develop a concept into a viable, sustainable business. Existing business owners gain insights into their business to grow a more profitable business.

    Sponsored by Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program, ActionZone provides the curriculum, materials and resources to approximately 20 new Veteran entrepreneurs in the program that has been going strong since 2018. Registration is open and can be completed online .

    Contact Rosie at rosie@actionzonetampa.com for more information.


  • 02/26/2021 10:31 AM | Stuart Smith (Administrator)

    SBA Veterans Small Business Advisory Committees to Host Virtual Public Meetings March 3 and 4

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration's Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development (IATF) and Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs (ACVBA) will hold virtual public meetings on March 3 and 4, respectively, via Microsoft Teams.

    "Our advisory committees are dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by the military and veteran small business community, especially as businesses work to recover and rebuild in the wake of the pandemic," said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for the SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development. "The continued collaboration between federal agencies, veteran service organizations, and veteran-owned small businesses during these quarterly meetings provides a critical opportunity to further support and advocate for veteran small business owners nationwide.”

    The IATF will meet on Wednesday, March 3, from 1 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EST) via this Microsoft Teams link. To join the meeting by phone instead, use (202) 765-1264 and Conference ID: 422 331 000#.

    The ACVBA will meet on Thursday, March 4, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST) via this Microsoft Teams link. To join by phone instead, dial (202) 765-1264 and enter the Conference ID: 422 462 191#.

    The IATF meeting will include committee member updates from the Departments of Defense, Labor, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs; General Services Administration; Office of Management and Budget; North Carolina Military Business Center; Student Veterans of America; and American Legion. Committee members will also receive the latest updates on veteran-owned small business access to federal surplus property.

    The ACVBA meeting will include opening remarks from the SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development's Associate Administrator and ACVBA Chairwoman, followed by guest speakers' briefings. The presentations will include briefings from the SBA on veteran's business development, veteran-owned small business access to federal surplus property, rural and underserved veteran-owned small business populations, and access to capital. The meeting will also include a VA small business update from the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as updates on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) CVE transfer from VA to SBA.

    Public comments and questions are strongly encouraged to be submitted in advance by March 1 via email to veteransbusiness@sba.gov or by phone at (202) 205-6773. For technical support, please visit the Microsoft Teams support page. Meeting presentations and minutes will be available after both meetings at www.sba.gov/ovbd, under the "Federal Advisory Committees" section.

    NOTE: Building on a month of strong results, the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration are taking steps with the Paycheck Protection Program to further promote equitable relief for America’s mom-and-pop businesses. Recently reported data illustrates the agency is making real strides in ensuring these funds are reaching underserved communities, and continues to be a focus in the Veteran-Owned Small Business community.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.


  • 02/08/2021 4:19 PM | Stuart Smith (Administrator)

    OWNING A SMALL BUSINESS

    Veterans have the character, discipline and skills needed to succeed as small business owners and entrepreneurs. Wondering what it takes and how you can prepare? Boots to Business can help.

    ABOUT BOOTS TO BUSINESS

    Boots to Business (B2B) is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the DOD’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The course provides an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable business ownership fundamentals. Active Duty Service members (including National Guard and Reserve), Veterans of all eras, and spouses are eligible to participate.

    During B2B, participants are introduced to the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to launch a business, including steps for developing business concepts, how to develop a business plan, and information on SBA resources available to help. This two-day in-person program is facilitated by subject matter experts from the SBA and their extensive network of skilled business advisors.

    Participants that complete an in-person B2B course can elect to further their study through one of many B2B online courses, offered at no cost to Service members, Veterans and military spouses. If you’ve already attended a B2B in-person course, visit https://sbavets.force.com/ to sign up for one of the online B2B follow-on courses.

    B2B ONLINE for PATRICK AFB, FL 24-25 FEBRUARY 2021 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Eastern

    ADVANCE APPROVAL REQUIRED PLEASE CONTACT: Patrick AFB Airman & Family Readiness Center POC: Sal Noto at 321-494-5676 salvatore.noto@us.af.mil

  • 01/27/2021 9:12 AM | Stuart Smith (Administrator)

    As part of our SBA Strategic Alliance Memorandum, we invite all FAVOB members to leverage the services offered by the SBA.  

    Webinars are offered every month.  Topics include - financing, marketing and social media, cybersecurity, importing and exporting, starting, buying, growing and selling a business, doing business with the federal government and small business certification assistance.  

    Webinars are listed on the South Florida District Office website https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/fl/miami  and Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/o/lonnie-koyama-9878643818

    For more information or assistance, please contact Lonnie Koyama, our SBA representative.  

    Lonnie Koyama, Lead Economic Development Specialist

    South Florida District Office U.S. Small Business Administration

    505 South 2nd Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34950

    Office: 772- 466-3176

    Cell: 772-332-7311

    leon.koyama@sba.gov

  • 12/10/2020 11:05 AM | Barron Mills

    The annual City of Jacksonville's Vetrepreneur Summit is on Friday, 11 December, from 10 am - 12 pm EST. A virtual event this year, the event focus is How to Startup or Pivot Your Business During COVID

    This event is hosted by the City of Jacksonville’s Military Affairs and Veterans Department in partnership with the Florida SBDC at University of North Florida. FAVOB member Karen Barnes-Rivera will be one of the panelists. Hear from her and other Jacksonville business owners on surviving and thriving during COVID-19. Learn about their successes and mistakes followed by a panel of local resource providers ready to assist you and your business. Candid discussion and interaction are encouraged! For more information, please call (904) 255-5550 and register via this link Pay for Workshop (unf.edu) - there is no cost for this event.


  • 12/06/2020 12:55 PM | Barron Mills

    On 17 February 2021, the University of Central Florida will hold their inaugural UCF Technology Venture Symposium (UTVS). The fundamental objective of this symposium is to showcase the little known HIDDEN GEMS within UCF research, faculty and alumni for advancement and potential investment.

    UCF alumni, faculty, and students are welcomed to attend this free virtual symposium along with interested industry and government stakeholders, entrepreneurs, investors, and community leaders. Ideas and inspiration will be provided in heavy doses. Participation is available via Zoom from 8 am - 4:30 pm (EST). To see the agenda and register for the Zoom link, please go here.

  • 11/30/2020 2:40 PM | Anonymous


    State of FL B2B Reboot Flyer 12-16-2020.pdf

    Register Here:

    https://sbavets.force.com/ (Choose Florida location then Online, Miami)

    What is REBOOT?

    Reboot is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The course provides an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable business ownership fundamentals. Veterans of all eras, Active Duty Service members (including National Guard and Reserve), and spouses are eligible to participate.

    For additional questions please contact Lonnie Koyama at leon.koyama@sba.gov

  • 11/30/2020 2:09 PM | Anonymous

    Take a look at our upcoming webinars for the month of December!

    • Introduction to QuickBooks

    Thursday, December 3, 2020 from 10:30am to 12:30pm EST

    Creating invoices, writing checks and managing customers, QuickBooks makes it all easier. This introductory class takes you through the basics of the software program. This course gets you started on making your company’s bookkeeping simpler.

    https://ic.eshcfl.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=675400143

    • Reach Customers Online with Google

    Tuesday, December 8, 2020 from 10am to 11am EST

    Learn how customers find your business online and how to promote your business using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Smart Campaigns in Google Ads. In this workshop you will learn how to: Improve your website’s visibility in Google’s organic search results, on all devices Maximize SEO strategies that are most important in 2020 Attract new prospects with low-cost advertising.

    https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4504281734895212556

    • The 5 Step Marketing Strategy During a Pandemic

    Tuesday, December 8, 2020 from 1pm to 2pm EST

    Marketing is a process. It’s circular, cyclical, top-down, bottom-up, and hierarchical. As with most processes, if one of the steps fails, the entire outcome falls short. You can follow five straightforward steps to make certain your marketing efforts are executing at the highest return on investment (ROI). To do this, Certified SCORE Mentor and Marketing Chair Cheri Bales will show you how to tackle each of these steps with your own small businesses and give you some tools to look at marketing in a whole new, manageable way in today’s pandemic times.

    https://readytalk.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1391325&tp_key=51c0ed69e3&sti=scoreeventpage

    • Sales Training – Learn to Sell

    Wednesday, December 9, 2020 from 11am to 12:30pm EST

    Learn about the sales process. Help customers choose your products and services. How much is a customer worth? Why do you lose customers? How do we get more sales per transaction? You will learn these things and more. This class is taught by a business professional with many years of coaching and sales experience. Most of the sales knowledge passed on in this class applies regardless of your products or services.

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/webinar-sales-training-learn-to-sell-tickets-127991791895

    • Small Business Certifications Managed by SBA

    Wednesday, December 9, 2020 from 1pm to 4pm EST

    In order to take advantage of business opportunities, such as government contracts, you may need to obtain some certifications. Federal, state and local governments offer businesses opportunities to sell billions of dollars worth of products and services. Many government agencies require that some percentage of the procurements be set aside for small businesses. Certifying your business can definitely help you successfully compete for government contracts. Certification covered included 8a, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) and HUBZone.

    https://clients.floridasbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=500390134

    • Credit Card Processing Secrets that will Save Your Small Business BIG Money

    Thursday, December 10, 2020 from 1pm to 2pm EST

    Do you know how much you pay in credit card processing fees per month? If not, do you know how to find this information? Most business owners don’t, which ultimately results in losing a lot of money you don’t even realize you’re losing. This insightful webinar, presented by CEO and Co-Founder of Delta Payment Solutions Irwin Grossman, will share some key steps you can take to lower your costs and pair with the right processor for your business.

    https://readytalk.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1393460&tp_key=efebe8a1ca&sti=scoreeventpage

    • Grow Your Small Business with Financial Forecasts and Projections

    Tuesday, December 15, 2020 from 3pm to 4:30pm EST

    Financial forecasting for the future of you small business is not easy. It is even more more difficult in a Covid-19 economy. However, the basics of financial forecasting remains a key piece of your company's financial success. Small-business owners must develop the talent to financially plan ahead. In order to do a good job of financial forecasting for your small-business, your company should be able to develop a comprehensive set of projected financial statements. This webinar will guide you in understanding how to develop and evaluate financial forecasts and projections for your small business.

    https://clients.floridasbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=100400033

    • Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Certification

    Wednesday, December 16, 2020 from 11m to 12pm EST

    The Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) program is designed to help more women owned small businesses to win federal contracts by providing a level playing field for WOSBs to compete. This class provides an overview of the WOSB and EDWOSB Federal Contracting Program as well as eligibility requirements. All small businesses that are interested in submitting an offer on a solicitation that has been set aside for WOSBs under the WOSB Program must complete this certification prior to submitting the offer. This class also covers recent regulatory changes regarding sole source authority and self-certification.

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/federal-contracting-certification-woman-owned-small-business-wosb-tickets-127205193157


    NEW – SCORE Small Business Resilience Resource Portal https://www.score.org/recovery/small-business-resilience-resource-portal

    Blogs and Recorded Business Training Videos
    • SBA Learning Center - https://www.sba.gov/learning-center
    • Recorded webinars from SCORE - https://www.score.org/recorded-webinars
    • Training Videos from the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network - http://floridasbdc.org/training-videos/
    • Sign up to get SBA E-Newletter and updates -https://www.sba.gov/updates






FAVOB

Creating opportunities for Veteran Business Owners to THRIVE.

CONTACTS

Email: ceo@favob.org
Physical Address: 835 Bennett Rd. 
Orlando, FL 32803

Mailing Address: PO Box 540447 
Orlando, FL 32854-0447

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