Early Risers Academy is a free, 10-week, pre-accelerator program designed to take participants from business idea to business launch.
You’ll meet:
• NaAsiaha Simon & NaAsiaha Simon & Associates (NSA) , where creativity meets innovation! A Public Relations and Planning Firm that represents businesses and organizations, using strategy and innovation to promote and protect each client’s brand and reputation.
• Dana Dane & Scripted in Black , an exclusive multi-disciplinary arts collective currently serving the Dayton area. We center the work + collaboration of unconventional creatives of color through the curation of experiential installments a year.
• Joanna McGuffey & Unconventional Works, a boutique consulting firm serving bold leaders and teams who desire meaningful impact and change for workplace wellness through custom plans and intensive workshops.
• Sonya Ware & The Ware Consulting Group, LLC (WCG) , an educational consulting, training, and coaching firm that provides entertaining educational workshops to educators in various fields within Ohio and the surrounding areas.
Early Risers Academy is designed for aspiring founders in any industry. We’re particularly excited to work with more women and minority founders.
Participants complete Kauffman FastTrac coursework from the nationally-renowned Kauffman Foundation, receive pitch coaching and hands-on mentoring, weekly discussions with successful entrepreneurs and experts, & access to Dayton’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
These workshops can also be valuable for founders early in their small business journey, or who jumped right into their business without formally developing the plans behind it and are now discovering they need some of that paperwork in place to grow.
Learn more & apply for an upcoming Early Risers Academy cohort here.
The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Dayton Partnership have partnered to launch REOPEN Downtown Dayton, a grant program designed to provide immediate relief to downtown Dayton businesses harmed by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many of the businesses in the core of our region have been forced to close their doors to customers as we take the steps necessary to combat the COVID-19 health crisis. It’s vital that we do what we can to help them reopen responsibly and bring vibrancy back to our city. That’s what this grant program aims to do,” said Chris Kershner, executive vice president, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Downtown’s $1.55 billion revitalization is thanks, in part, to the success of our community of small businesses,” said Sandra Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “Our service industry businesses alone represent thousands of jobs, not to mention the fact that having such a unique collection of locally owned businesses makes downtown Dayton a desirable place to live and work. These small businesses are crucial to the long-term success of our city.”
The grant program will award between $2,000 and $10,000 to downtown Dayton businesses as a form of gap funding. The awards are intended to help businesses keep their doors open and lights on until their revenue sources recover.
The CareSource Foundation kick-started the REOPEN Downtown Dayton Grant program this week with a generous donation of $500,000. The Downtown Dayton Partnership has also contributed $200,000 to the fund.
CareSource’s corporate headquarters is located in the heart of downtown Dayton, and the healthcare company reinforced its dedication to the area in 2019 with the opening of its second downtown office building, the Pamela Morris Center. The company also has employees working in three additional downtown buildings.
“Dayton is CareSource’s hometown and it’s difficult to see our local businesses hurting right now. Many of our members are employed in the service industry and we see this investment in the community as an extension of our mission to provide a safety net for our members and for those in need,” said Erhardt Preitauer, president & chief executive officer, CareSource.
Erhardt said he intends to extend a challenge to CareSource leadership to further support the REOPEN Downtown Dayton effort. He also encourages other companies who are in a position to donate to the fund to do so.
“Dayton is an ecosystem and we need to work together to help businesses get back on their feet,” said Preitauer. “Dayton has always been there for CareSource, and as we grow we will continue to be there for Dayton.”
The application for the REOPEN Downtown Dayton Grant program is simple and streamlined, keeping the needs of business owners in mind. The turnaround on requests and approvals will be quick, with a goal of awarding and distributing funds within a few weeks of the closure of the application window.
“Our goal is to put cash in the hands of our local business owners to get them to the other side of this crisis. We’re talking about our neighbors – the people who provide a unique flavor to our local economy. We’re honored to do what we can to help them get through,” Kershner said.
Applications can be submitted at ReOpenDayton.com starting Thursday, May 14. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 22 at 5pm EST.
REOPEN Downtown Dayton Grant applications will be considered by a panel of Dayton area business leaders, and the number of grants awarded will be based on the number of applications received. Award decisions will be made based on the merit of the applicant. It is not a first-come, first-served process.
REOPEN Dayton is still looking for additional funders. If you’d like to contribute to the REOPEN Dayton Grant Program, visit ReopenDayton.com or contact the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dayton Driven is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting small business owners to pro-bono consultants and microloans while providing volunteer opportunities for young professionals seeking to make a difference in their community.
Founder Vishal Dasari was inspired to start Dayton Driven by the residents of struggling Dayton neighborhoods who he met as a medical student.
“Dayton has neighborhoods that are struggling to catch up with others. If we can support the small businesses in those communities, we can help the community as well,” he said. “A lot of good can be done through microfinance in the city.”
Vishal reached out to Jake Current, Mike Brill & Josh Sprague, friends he knew through Generation Dayton and Greater Dayton Young Democrats. They launched the 501(c)3 in January 2019.
“It was an opportunity to impact those small businesses that have been neglected in Dayton,” Jake Current recalled. “It was a cool, different idea, to help those mom&pop shops who are trying to better their community, not just by giving someone ideas, but by helping them through operation.”
The team pulled knowledge from diverse day jobs — healthcare, finance, government, marketing & process improvement — with the goal to create a sustainable organization through which 90 percent or more of funding goes directly to clients.
The archetypal client is a small business owner who has been operating a few years and is either struggling to take the next step or has hit economic difficulty, Vishal said. The clients’ industries so far have varied, from a restaurant to a thrift store to a graphic designer.
When a client approaches Dayton Driven, the board discusses the case and pairs the business owner with a volunteer consultant — either a board member, or a young professional or graduate student with expertise in a field who is looking to flex their consulting muscles.
“Hearing the stories is my favorite part,” Jake said. “The clients are diverse, but the stories have a common theme of looking for opportunity to take control of their lives and prosperity. People are trying to create things their community can be proud of.”
“You can have an economic impact fast,” Vishal said. “The more you put in, the more you get out.”
Vishal is currently stepping down from his Executive Director role as he plans the move for his impending residency. Stay tuned for updates on leadership changes and find ways you can get involved with Dayton Driven here. You can also connect on Facebook, Linked In and at [email protected].
Looking for an easy way to #ShopLocal & #SupportLocal? Attend the Launch Dayton community’s virtual Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob on Thursday, May 28!
Launch Dayton is a community of regional entrepreneurial support organizations that exists to support all Daytonians building businesses. The Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob event will feature more than a dozen small, local businesses with products or services available online.
Continuing the local biz support, the Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob will be immediately followed by a virtual Music Bingo event in collaboration with Liftoff Entertainment, Sportcial and several area young professional orgs — all the prizes will be purchased from area small businesses.
“Our goal is to directly connect our small businesses to paying customers,” said John Owen, Wright State Applied Research Corporation program manager.
In a traditional cash mob, a group of people visit a designated store on a specified date & time, committing to spend a minimum dollar amount in the store. For the virtual Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob, business owners will give short pitches about their companies via Zoom between 4 & 5p on Thursday, May 28; virtual attendees are asked to commit to purchase at least one item from one of the featured businesses’ e-commerce websites during the event.
Applications are open for small businesses who want to participate in the Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob event. Participating businesses are required to:
• be physically located in the greater Dayton region;
• be 3 years old or less;
• have at least one product/service/gift card that costs $25 or less.
The application is open until FRIDAY, MAY 15 at https://bit.ly/DaytonCashMobApp. Participating businesses will be announced the following week.
“It’s been a challenging few months for many of downtown’s small businesses,” Downtown Dayton Partnership Economic Development Project Manager AJ Ferguson said. “This is a fun way for them, especially the new businesses, to share their stories and find a few new customers.”
To apply, founders must provide a company logo, founder headshot and a slide that includes social media handles and e-commerce websites. Launch Dayton partners will use these materials to promote all qualifying businesses across the Launch Dayton social media platforms, even if there isn’t time for all applying businesses to pitch on May 28. If the event is a success, partners will look at repeating the event in the future to support additional businesses.
The Launch Dayton partners collaborating to produce this virtual cash mob event include Wright State Applied Research Corporation, Downtown Dayton Partnership, The Entrepreneurs Center, the Miami Valley Small Business Development Center & The Entrepreneurs Marketplace.
Immediately following the virtual Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob, Launch Dayton partners are joining forces with area young professional organizations including Generation Dayton, the South Dayton Young Professionals, the Springboro Young Professionals, the Dayton Young Black Professionals & Sportcial to host a virtual Music Bingo event produced by Liftoff Entertainment. Attendees will have a chance to network with young professionals across the region & win prizes purchased from local, small businesses.
There are two tickets available for the Music Bingo event:
• Attendees can snag a free ticket (the Launch Dayton partnership believes everyone, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to determine their own economic prosperity, and one way the partners act out this mission is to keep programming free whenever possible) or
• Attendees can snag a $10 ticket if they want to contribute $10 to the pool of prize money that will be spent with area businesses.
The Thirsty Thursday Cash Mob will run from 4-5p on Thursday, May 28. Music Bingo will kick off immediately after at 5p.
Better Business Bureau serving Dayton and Miami Valley will present its second annual Spark Awards at the Eclipse Integrity Awards on July 28 at the David H. Ponitz Sinclair Center.
The Spark Awards, an award for entrepreneurship, recognizes business owners 35 and younger or business owners of any age operating for less than three years who demonstrate a higher level of character, generating a culture that is authentic about its mission and connect with community. The Class of 2020 honorees are Butler Heating And Air Conditioning, Fox In Socks Soapery and Wilderness Agency.
The Class of 2020 honorees will not only be spotlighted at the event before Miami Valley business leaders, they also will be involved with telling their stories at BBB events throughout the year. Thanks to Sinclair College, they also will receive a $500 scholarship for continued professional development.
Butler Heating and Air Conditioning is a residential and light commercial heating, cooling and plumbing company.
“When all three components – character, culture and community – are connected, the success for a business is long term,” said Nick Lamb, Butler Heating & Air Conditioning president and CEO, who’s recently acquired the business. “A company can only advertise ‘community’ for so long until they’re figured out. It’s the businesses with leadership who make character a priority that naturally build a company culture that relates to and includes community – our clients, the geographical area around us, other local businesses and our industry. It’s an honor to be noticed for that and to receive BBB’s 2020 Spark Award. My hope is that this recognition is a spark for Butler Heating & Air Conditioning to experience another 70 years of success and amazing support from the Greater Dayton community.”
Fox in Socks Soapery is a one-woman organization started in the founder’s kitchen. It launched its own children’s line of specialty soaps in late 2019 with 25 percent of the proceeds going to Dayton Children’s Hospital.
“I have been given a gift, and that gift is my business and the opportunity to use it to do good,” Katie Hall, owner artisan, said.
“When I started Fox in Socks Soapery, I knew that I didn’t want to be just another soapery; I wanted my small business to have an impact. Winning this award has shown me that even a small business can promote big changes. My passion for community drives my business and my product lines. As my small business grows, I intend to stay true to my mission to support and change the community one bar at a time. I am so honored to win this award and want to thank all of my local partners that have helped me achieve my dreams. This award is more fuel for my passion and makes me even more excited to support local businesses.”
Wilderness Agency is a hybrid agency that works with a virtual team of creatives to produce customer solutions that drive top line revenue for clients across the country in a multitude of industries.
“Business moves at the speed of trust,” Richard Kaiser, Wilderness Agency founder, said. “It is my belief that trust is the most valuable currency in the business world. It opens doors, attracts best in class talent and ensures long term success. This award is a reflection of the culture that we have created at Wilderness Agency. The foundation of that culture is rooted in an ethos of trust, fellowship and servitude for our clients and our teammates.”
The Eclipse Integrity Awards reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. The dinner and awards presentation will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $99 per person, or a table of eight can be sponsored for $999. Reservations can be made by calling 937-610-2277.
“This Class of 2020 BBB Spark Award winners are remarkable,” John North, president and CEO of the BBB serving Dayton and the Miami Valley, said. “The diversity among these businesses demonstrates that all businesses can excel, whether the leader takes over an existing business, develops a second business or starts from scratch. We are so excited to honor them at the awards dinner and hope you’ll join us in recognizing marketplace leaders like these. Their actions kindle the spark that builds into a fire for many to become successful entrepreneurs.”
Launch Dayton partner The Entrepreneurs Center invites all of you to play Support Small Business Bingo this week for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Speakeasy Ramen!
The bingo card has squares for activities including purchasing merch from a local business, ordering local takeout, local coffee, doing an online workout with a local fitness studio, order local beer and more.
To play, post a photo of the card and the activity you’re completing to your Instagram story or Facebook feed. Tag the small business & @tecdayton & use the hashtag #TECDaytonSupportSmallBiz.
Post by 11:59 p.m. this Friday, May 8. Completing any five tasks on the bingo card gets you one entry into the contest, completing five tasks in a row gets you two entries, completing all the tasks on the card gets you five entries.
“To reduce transmission of the Covid-19 virus, social distancing and heightened hygiene practices will remain with us for the foreseeable future,” Kim Woodbury writes. “The good news is that Ohio is striving to get our economy started again by incrementally opening businesses.”
Below is the general information about reopening, but you can find industry specific requirements here.
“I want to reiterate that if you need help with your business or are struggling please reach out to us,” she continues. “We can help you with the difficult decisions, help you navigate cash flow challenges, and generally assist you as you work through an uncertain future.
Contact an SBDC rep:
Kim: [email protected]
Cindi: [email protected]
Mark: [email protected]
LeKeisha: [email protected]
Current Timeline
• May 1, all health procedures and operations that do not require overnight stay in a hospital can continue to move forward
• May 4- general offices and manufacturing, distribution and construction companies will be allowed to reopen
• May 12 -retail, service and consumer businesses will be allowed to reopen
• Schools/daycares, bars/restaurants, personal beauty services, & entertainment/recreation/gyms are among industries that are not yet allowed to reopen. Find more info here.
5 Protocols for all Businesses
• Require face coverings for employees (multiple exemptions from this requirement exist) and recommend them for clients/customers at all times.
• Conduct daily health assessments by employers and employees (self-evaluation) to determine if “fit for duty.”
• Maintain good hygiene at all times – hand washing, sanitizing and social distancing.
• Clean and sanitize workplaces throughout workday and at the close of business or between shifts.
• Limit capacity to meet social distancing guidelines.
• Establish maximum capacity at 50% of fire code.
• And, use appointment setting where possible to limit congestion.
Actions when a COVID-19 Infection is Identified
• Immediately report employee or customer infections to the local health district.
• Work with local health department to identify potentially exposed individuals to help facilitate appropriate communication/contact tracing.
• Shutdown shop/floor for deep sanitation if possible.
• Professionally clean and sanitize site/location.
• Reopen in consultation with the local health department.
Vaniti Byrd kicked off 2020 with ambitious goals for her plant-based beauty co Baba Love Organics, and the COVID19 pandemic hasn’t slowed her down.
Vaniti is currently renovating her new downtown Dayton storefront, which will be located at 116 W. 5th St. The space formerly housed LORE and Beaute Box, both other woman-owned businesses.
“Everybody who has been dying to come in and shop in person, it’ll be time,” she said.
We met Vaniti about a year ago when she pitched at our April 2019 Early Risers. A few months later, she won first place in the non-tech category of our Techstars Startup Week Dayton Early Risers Pitch Competition.
As she prepares for the storefront, she has been smashing sales goals. In April alone, she doubled her goal, and so far has more than tripled her sales from last quarter, she shared last week.
When she launched her new Green Beauty Box on Earth Day, it sold out in 22 minutes.
Last week, she launched her Kiva campaign to continue to scale through COVID19. It was funded in five days.
“I don’t talk about money a lot, I’m driven by passion, but you have to money to run a business,” she said.
Vaniti worked with her financial advisor and her accountant to set her 2020 goals, and when she first saw the numbers, she thought they were bigger than her, she recalled. Now, goals is a key word.
“They don’t have to be financial. My first quarter goal was to establish a production schedule to better balance home life and business. That foundation prepared me for the increase in my sales,” she said. “Make sure you’re setting goals, that you have people around you who genuinely support your growth and have good energy.”
For now, Vaniti is still manufacturing all of her products herself out of her home. The pandemic has presented challenges — she’s facing a shortage on bottle closures for one of her most popular products, and the mother of two has had to return to her teaching roots as Ohioans have moved to homeschooling for the spring.
“I am providing essential products for people, and that is a blessing,” she said. “They use it daily, and when they run out, my DMs fill up. My physical product isn’t out of stock, but if I can’t package it — that’s really, really scary.”
But there have also been opportunities, she said — she’s had time to do live videos to educate customers on the power of plant-based beauty, and society has gotten a deeper glimpse of life as an entrepreneur.
“Everybody is getting a feel for what it feels like to be an entrepreneur, even thought they’re not,” she said. “There is uncertainty often, we just roll with the flow.”
Vaniti is shooting for an early July opening for Baba Love Organic’s new retail space.
“I’ve gotten so much love from everyone who supports my business, they’re excited about the store,” she said. “Everything is moving, so we’re doing good.”
A local real estate investment firm has committed $1 million to help struggling small businesses survive the coronavirus outbreak.
The Connor Group this week launched a loan program specifically dedicated to businesses with between five and 50 employees. Minority-owned small businesses and small businesses that were unable to receive federal stimulus funds will be given special consideration. Loans will range from $25,000 to $150,000.
“I can relate to what small business owners are facing right now,” said company founder Larry Connor, who started his first of several entrepreneurial ventures when he was just a teenager. “I’ve faced those situations when you’re scrambling and doing everything you can to make payroll. We want to be a lifeline to those businesses.”
Some of the money will be paid in the form of no-interest loans payable over 24 months. Some of the loans will be forgiven.
Small business owners can apply by filling out a simple form at www.connorgroup.com/kids-and-community/local-small-business-loan-program/.
After reviewing the list of applicants, the loan program’s committee then will review additional financial data and meet with companies that best meet the criteria. The committee – consisting of Connor Group partner Mike McQuiston, former Emerson Climate Technologies CEO Tom Bettcher and UD Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Director Vince Lewis – expect to have all loans made by May 15.
The loan program is The Connor Group’s latest community endeavor in the midst of the coronavirus. It’s also funded and helped organize a food drive at Dayton Early College Academy schools and provided in-home WiFi for Dayton Public Schools high school students. It’s worked with a number of other community-based programs through its non-profit arm, The Connor Group Kids & Community Partners, earmarking as much as $750,000 for such endeavors.
“Leadership matters in times like these, and we believe in leading from the front,” said Connor. “Small businesses are the backbone of this country and they’re struggling. That’s why we’d encourage other businesses in the area to join in our efforts.”
Businesses interested in joining the loan fund, can contact Mike McQuiston at [email protected].
Pitches will start promptly at 8a. You’ll meet:
• Maria & Santiago Perez & Factory View Online, installing sensor systems to monitor and improve manufacturing processes;
• Rex Alexandre & Alex Steinberg & Stinger Advanced Manufacturing Co, breaking down entry barriers for 3D printing with their innovative additive metal wire process;
• & Alan Livingston & iCobotics, a collaborative robotics co with a pivot to meet needs of the COVID19 crisis!
Early Risers is a morning pitch series that connects entrepreneurs to the things they need most, like first customers, key employees, mentors, funding, and more. Each startup gets 10 minutes to pitch, then the audience gets 5 minutes for Q&A.
In the last two years, 90% of startups have gotten their ask granted through a connection made at Early Risers. So pop online and find a place you can plug into Dayton’s startup community!
Let us know you’re coming! Register here.
Want to pitch? Click here: http://bit.ly/pitchEarlyRisers
Want to sponsor (and get two minutes in front of the audience)? Click here: http://bit.ly/sponsorEarlyRisers
Hope to “see” you Friday!
31 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402
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