Growing a small business in The Bronx takes dedication and perseverance. Although The Bronx is considered the poorest borough in New York, It has two decades of economic growth and has shown an increase in private sector jobs by 20%, according to NYC Borough Trends & Insights.
"The Bronx is now open for business," and The South Bronx Overall Economic Corporation (SoBRO) organized The Bronx Business Expo with City Of New York organizations, local business, banks, and the Metropolitan College of New York, to promote their mission.
Their goal is to reverse the fight of businesses and jobs from the south Bronx and recognize that rebuilding a community has to be a multifaceted effort including replacing vacant lots with businesses and housing, addressing poverty by creating jobs, and training people for those jobs. Their longterm mission is to ensure a brighter future for the community’s young people.
Famous moments in Bronx history
SoBRO aims to help Bronx businesses by organizing community programs that include adult education, workforce training, real estate and community development, technical and financial assistance for businesses, along with programs for youths and adults.
Starting a business in The Bronx or any borough in New York is tough. However, each organization in attendance knows which steps will ease the process of growing and developing business for prospective business owners.
Health startup Mymee was excited to share how they are changing the lives of people who suffer from autoimmune diseases. Mymee Founder Mette Dyhrberg is a digital health innovator who had fallen ill in her twenties and wasn't able to continue to do the things that she loved. Out of frustration she took matters into her own hands and began to develop a way for people to find the root source of their illnesses.
Mymee monitors the ebb and flow of the user's symptoms over a period. With that data, it delivers a personalized data by tracking symptoms and factors. The app focuses on how the food we eat treats out bodies; modern medicine wants to treat patients with medicine and overlooks more holistic treatment options like altering diets to treat diseases. Mymee seeks to change the way alternative health care is perceived by all.
New York City organizations, e.g., The small business services, Americas SBAC, The MTA, NYC department of education's, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), SoBro PTAC (procurement assistance), NYC LGBTQs, and the Bronx chamber of commerce. Help small business like Mymee finds permits, make financial decisions, and create meaningful, long-lasting relationships.
New York City MBDA Business Center
The MBDA Business Center supports and uplifts small and minority owned businesses. Through their business outreach center network, this center is a part of a national network of funded centers located in New York and other major cities throughout the US. The center works with minority businesses to generate and increase financing and contract opportunities and create and retain jobs.
SoBRO PTAC:
The Procurement Technical Assistance center (PTAC) is a branch of SoBro that helps local businesses find opportunities to bid on government contracting work, and provides assistance throughout the process. Government contacts work supports both the contracted workers and the small business. There can be a lot of money saved and important relationships created by accepting a government contracts. Companies also know that through these contracts these partnerships have their best interest in mind.
Bronx Chamber Of Commerce:
The Bronx Chamber is dedicated to increasing the efforts of its members through the chamber programs available in the inter-government relations. The exchange of information helps small businesses in the Bronx connect with the resources they need to excel. The Bronx Chamber also deeply committed to improving the quality of life for Bronx residents. They have done this by organizing efforts to deter crime, help senior citizens, and educate children in The Bronx.
Organizations like all of these are helping make the Bronx a better place to live, work, and start a business. Creating a large sense of community is what The Bronx Business Expo is all about.