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
You can’t plan for this: ‘Mr K’ finalists wary of another ‘wrench into the face’ from Washington
An upended national political and economic climate has rippled down to Main Street, acknowledged leaders of this year’s Top 10 Small Businesses, bringing concerns about racism, DEI backlash, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions to Kansas City’s front door. “We’ve had people come into the shop and harass our employees, our customers,” explained Dulcinea Herrera —…
Hyde Park coffee space reopens with family vibe fitting historic neighborhood’s roots, owners say
A newly opened neighborhood coffee shop in Hyde Park hopes to bring a fresh, family-friendly vibe to Kansas City’s bustling coffee scene, its owners said. “We created 1888 Coffee to be something different — not just another café, but a welcoming hub for our community,” said Christine Kehoe, co-owner and operator of 1888 Coffee with…
Topeka recruited dozens of Filipino teachers for local classrooms; at year’s end, the district hopes they’ll stay
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. TOPEKA — Although international educators are not new to the state’s capital city, Topeka welcomed about 50 teachers from the Philippines this past school year to address shortages within the…
KCMO awards another $100K to help businesses boost outdoor dining ahead of World Cup
A fresh round of funding for upgraded outdoor dining experiences at small businesses across Kansas City, Missouri, will put entrepreneurs ahead of the game when World Cup revelers arrive in 2026, city officials said Thursday. Twelve recipients were chosen this week to receive their slice of $100,000 from KCMO’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant Program —…