August 1,2023 Tampa, FL – When Avril Stinson stepped onto the stage of the International Chambers of Commerce World Chambers Competition in Geneva, Switzerland, her heart was pounding extra hard with a combination of gratitude and jitters. The Vice President of Economic Inclusion and Leadership Development at the Tampa Bay Chamber was there to explain how the Minority Business Accelerator is a game changer for minority owned businesses in our region. Watching her every move was a panel of judges from around the world. In the audience, an even larger crowd was listening and watching - all guests at the World Chambers Congress.
“It was a surreal experience. Describing our accelerator to that audience of people from around the world was an incredible moment made possible by the support we have back home,” explained Stinson. “Our MBA sponsors, mentors and advisors helped us grow this accelerator to reach the global stage. It’s just incredible!” Stinson may have been the lone Tampa Bay representative on the stage, but cohort participants like Tony Selvaggio, Damaris Ortega, Lennise Germany, Ashley Butler and Raoul Thomas were with her in spirit. Their lived experiences in the accelerator are part of the data, photos and success stories that have been shared since the Chamber was named one of only 2 U.S. finalists for the global competition.
Tony Selvaggio, founder of eSmart Recycling, was part of the MBA 2022 Cohort and watched his company grow from $500,000 in annual revenue to $1.2 Million. His clients nearly doubled. He grew the company by 6 new employees and says the quality of his networking contacts improved exponentially. “Two years make a world of difference when you are part of a program like this. When you are a business on growth mode, the right perspective on a certain process, the right connection or the right mentor can become lifechanging,” said Selvaggio, “The Chamber is creating an incredible ecosystem for businesses to scale in our bay area, and more importantly, through equity and inclusion.”
For Raoul Thomas, founder of Milena International, Inc., the accelerator journey is only halfway through, and he says he’s already seeing a big difference. Thomas is part of MBA 2024 Cohort. “I learn new things to help scale my business every time,” says Thomas, referring to each workshop of his MBA 2024 Cohort. Thomas points to a recent hire as proof the cohort is helping grow his business. “That new employee does a lot of the things that I used to do, like deliveries. We love our clients, and our clients love us. They know that we are the company to call when they need something right away that might be part of a critical system at a hospital, for example. We have to continue to be very responsive and we always will, but Milena International can’t do that and grow if I’m always in the truck delivering things and picking things up. As of three weeks ago, there’s someone else doing that. That means I’m doing more business-building, growing our business, and learning things like this – how to do media interviews and public speaking about my company,” said Thomas after the education session on networking and public relations.
Measurable outcomes of the Minority Business Accelerator span five cohorts since inception. Small business owners participating in the 2-year program say the mentor-mentee component is among the transformational aspects of the accelerator. The Chamber has recruited 66+ professionals from various industries to serve as advisors and community liaisons. Last year alone, mentors & mentees invested 720 hours. Each mentee is paired with 2 experts on finances and business strategy to address the needs of scaling operations, sustainability, attracting capital and improving credit worthiness.
The deadline to apply for the next MBA Cohort is September 18th. It’s open to small business owners from Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk or Manatee counties. To learn more about MBA or the Minority Empowerment Program, visit https://www.tampabaychamber.com/pages/mba/
