COVID is hurting small biz — but how to help? AltCap, KCBizCare launch listening tour to find best strategy
November 12, 2020 | Startland Staff
To help Kansas City’s small business community, leaders first must know what entrepreneurs actually need, said Ruben Alonso, announcing the launch of a KCMO-backed, city-wide listening tour.
Ruben Alonso, AltCap
“As we look to recover from the economic disruption caused by COVID-19, it is critical we hear from small businesses, the lifeblood of our communities so that we can rebuild our local economy in a way that unleashes the full potential of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial spirit,” said Alonso, president of AltCap, a local small business lender on the front lines of relief efforts in the city.
Since April, AltCap has deployed more than $5 million to hundreds of small businesses and saw first-hand the challenges entrepreneurs face.
The Small Business Big Voice listening tour is a collaboration between AltCap and KC BizCare, a free business resource, advocacy and information center for new and existing businesses operating within the city.
City council members Eric Bunch, 4th District; Ryana Parks-Shaw, 5th District; and Andrea Bough, 6th District, joined in announcing the effort Thursday. Virtual listening sessions on Zoom are set for each of the council members’ districts. Dates include:
- 6 p.m. Nov. 18 (5th District)
- 6 p.m. Dec. 2 (4th District)
- 10:30 a.m. Jan. 9 (6th District)
Click here to learn more about the planned sessions.
More information about potential virtual meetups hosted by council members in other districts is set to be released later.
“As a former small business owner, I understand firsthand the struggles that small businesses can face with access to capital, navigating the regulatory structure of government and managing operations,” said Bough. “The goal of our listening tour is to better understand the needs of local small businesses and to ensure that we are providing the support that they need to succeed.”
Nia Richardson, KC Bizcare
The listening tour is expected to help inform the best strategy to deploy city resources to increase profitability and sustainability for Kansas Citians, Bunch added.
In addition to the Small Business Big Voice initiative, KC BizCare Office is deploying its new “virtual one-stop-shop” that includes a Small Business Big Voice Online Survey to better assess the current state and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to local small businesses.
The new website is a centralized communication model for businesses to access immediate resources. The mobile-friendly website and survey enables ease-of-use from anywhere for small business owners who don’t operate their business from a desk.
“We are working to get our businesses capital and contract ready so that they can be resilient in COVID-19,” said Nia Richardson, director of KC BizCare. “We are asking business owners to take the survey and sign up for a listening session in their district so we can begin to build a small business agenda to help our Kansas City businesses be more resilient, pivot, or start new in COVID-19.”
Click here to take the Small Business Big Voice Online Survey.
Featured Business
2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Yardball Kickstarter ends with six-figure funding (and rapid hiring for production)
When Sandlot Goods took to Kickstarter to crowdfund what it called “the perfect ball for the game of catch,” the world listened. More than 2,200 backers from across the globe pledged funds to secure their own Yardball — lighter than a baseball and sewn by hand with soft, premium leather. “We are absolutely thrilled with…
Allyship means mistakes plus action: New project draws parallels between innovation, DEIB
It’s time for coworkers to move beyond best intentions, said Ghadeer Garcia and Mark Logan, announcing the launch of a new project aimed at pushing allies in the workplace to action. The co-founders created the Ally Lab project through Idealect, an equity-centered social innovation company in Kansas City. The Ally Lab will offer knowledge and…
Where’s the beef? Coming soon to this famed Kansas fried chicken spot? A sixth-generation cattle family’s prize-winning steaks
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. This…
Veteran podcast creator finds inspiration at the crossroads of hip-hop, health; now launching digital magazine
Jessica Dalby might be the name and face of her business, but her brands are all about lifting up others, she said. “My mission statement is: everyone can shine and succeed together,” detailed the founder of Jessica Dalby Brand Media. Under the company’s umbrella are four brands: “Diggie A-2: The Progression of Hip-Hop” video/audio podcast,…