Venturize

After more than 45 years of business, Dante Hamilton, owner of Internet Webpages Newspaper Inc., has found himself in a resource renaissance thanks to the newly prevalent online tools that have been available since the beginning of the pandemic. 

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we co-hosted a Twitter chat with Women's Business Development Center (WBDC), Support Latino Businesses and America’s Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) to share opportunities and challenges facing Hispanic and Latino small business owners. 

Below is a brief recap of the questions and a sample of the great tips and information shared during the chat. 

This year, we continued to educate small business owners and entrepreneurs about important resources, funding options, policy updates and more that could help their businesses recover from the ongoing pandemic and become more resilient. Over the course of the year, we hosted and participated in more than 430 events, partnering with more than 300 organizations and stakeholders. These events garnered more than 20,000 event registrants  and indirectly reached 150,000 individuals.

From September 15 to October 15, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing resources for Hispanic and Latino small business owners. This year, we asked Small Business Majority network member Jaqueline Vrba and National Latino Outreach Manager Latavia Pineda about their work with the Hispanic community and their favorite resources.

As the owner of a catering company, Nicole Jordan has seen an extreme decline in contracts and income since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately for this Illinois-based small business owner, as a former banker she is well connected to the financial resources in her community.

This year we’ve seen how important it is for small business owners, their employees and their families to have access to health coverage. If you or your employees need to enroll in or renew your health insurance plans for 2021 through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual marketplace, your time is here. This open enrollment season is taking place from November 1 to December 15, and many will be eligible for premium assistance to help offset the cost of coverage.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind as you consider shopping for coverage:

This blog originally appeared on the blog of our partner CO-STARTERS.

Although some businesses have seen the relief offered by the CARES Act—particularly the Paycheck Protection Program SBA loans—many small businesses have been left wondering if their application is even being considered. 

In celebration of Black History Month, we hosted a Twitter chat during which we asked partners like Accion, CAMEO, Working Solutions, Illinois SBDC and Main Street Launch to share resources and advice with black small business owners and entrepreneurs. 

Below is a brief recap of the questions and a sample of the great tips and information shared during the chat. For more resources and advice, visit our online portal Venturize.org.

As any small business owner knows, the holiday season is the perfect time to boost your bottom line. But figuring out the best way to market your business or product and how to stand out from the crowd can feel overwhelming. But, there's no need to get your stockings in a twist. Whether you’re an online vendor, a restauranteur or even an accounting firm, there are some easy ways that you can connect with your community and your clients during this busy time of the year.

Open enrollment to purchase health insurance plans for 2020 through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual marketplaces is in full swing. This open enrollment season, we’re excited to partner with Airbnb to get the word out about open enrollment and share important resources to help entrepreneurs, small businesses and Airbnb hosts get covered. As part of this effort, we’re hosting two webinars to help you navigate enrollment and share important deadlines and resources so you can find the best healthcare option for you.