“Even the most ambitious entrepreneurs with big ideas cannot go it alone,” said Mayor Andre Dickens as he announced the opening of five small business resource centers in Atlanta. The centers are part of Invest Atlanta‘s ATLinBusiness program offering no-cost, one-on-one business consulting and coaching, including sales, web development, HR, and more. Joining us today to discuss the program in more detail is Jeff Morris, Small Business Technical Assistance Program Manager with ATLinBusiness.
Transcription:
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Welcome, and thank you so much for joining us on the show.
Jeff Morris:
Thanks for having me, Jim.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Sure. So there’s a lot of people that are saying, “Okay, what is this program all about? What do you mean no cost and you’re going to help me grow my small business?”: So we want to know all about the program, but before we dive into that, tell us a bit about yourself.
Jeff Morris:
Well, I’ve been in Atlanta since the early ’90s and started in small business because I had a small men’s tie store on Auburn Avenue.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Back in the early ’90s.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow. That’s great.
Jeff Morris:
So we come full circle with this right now.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. So you know what small business owners are going through each and every day, right?
Jeff Morris:
I do.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. That’s fantastic. So, for those entrepreneurs that are out there, that are hearing about the program for the first time, tell us about ATLinBusiness and why the program was started.
Jeff Morris:
Well, ATLinBusiness came out of the American Rescue Plan.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And we heard our clients, and it was to serve our clients in their communities to meet them where they are.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
They said they have challenges with COVID-19.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
And the pandemic and financially having a hard time getting back up. So we created this program to help them and to go into communities and bring them the services that they needed.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
That’s fantastic. So I would imagine you’ve got a lot of happy people to see you coming in with your cape on, and saying, “We are here to help in a very big way.” And so many people in Atlanta, we’ve spoken to a number of them here at the show, and there’s some people that are hurting out there and they need a program like this. And it’s no cost to them.
Jeff Morris:
No cost. Atlanta, ATLinBusiness, is here to provide equitable access and a pathway for wealth creation for the business owners within the city of Atlanta.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
That’s Invest Atlanta’s driving force.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
So we are here to make sure that we can help these community members that have businesses within the city.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Sure. That’s fantastic. So can you expand on the types of services that are offered?
Jeff Morris:
Yeah, absolutely. We can help with anything from marketing, social media, web development, HR, legal services.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow.
Jeff Morris:
All the services that a business needs to be successful.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
And to really understand where they need to go, are the services that we provide through the ATLinBusiness portal.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
That’s fantastic. So who are the business experts that help these small business owners?
Jeff Morris:
We went through an RFP process at the end of last year to acquire 13 different Technical Assistance Providers to help these small businesses.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
With the needs that they have.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow. That’s fantastic. So for the people that made it through this type of, I guess you could say application process, right? They’re kind of the creme de la creme of what’s out there in Atlanta business leaders, right?
Jeff Morris:
Yes. They specialize in serving the businesses, they understand business, they understand small business especially.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Sure.
Jeff Morris:
So helping them get to those points that they need to be successful and recover from the pandemic was something that they understood because they were working with clients like that already.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. That’s a real world so that’s fantastic. What’s the difference between the portal and the resource centers?
Jeff Morris:
So the portal is the online access where a business owner can go.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And register to work with a Technical Assistance Provider.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
They go, they select the service that they would like, “Hey, I want to work on marketing.” They select marketing. And about three or four different Technical Assistance will drop down.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Then they can set up a 15 minute no cost consultation. And then from there, it’s almost like an interviewing process. The business owner interviews the Technical Assistance Provider.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And they see if they have grounds to work.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
And from there they schedule a consulting session.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay. Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Now the resource centers are, we have five within the city, and they’re located so that we can have businesses meet in those areas. And they can set up time, they can do virtually, they can do it on the phone, or they can meet in our virtual business centers.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow. That’s fantastic. Now in the business centers, this is in a center where somebody can set up their company though, right? It’s not like a co-working space or anything, right?
Jeff Morris:
No.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
This is just for your program?
Jeff Morris:
Correct.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. That’s pretty cool. So what are the eligibility requirements of being involved in the program?
Jeff Morris:
You need to be a city of Atlanta business.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Have less than 250 employees.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Sign off on a hardship letter that you went through during the pandemic.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
And when you say a hardship letter, who does that come from? From the business owner or?
Jeff Morris:
It’s something that Invest Atlanta requires them to sign off on.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And we keep that on their file.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay. Okay. And that simply states that the business owner went through a hardship, maybe they own a small restaurant or something and they had to close or they couldn’t keep up, right?
Jeff Morris:
Correct.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And it’s also for nonprofits and for profit business.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Really?
Jeff Morris:
Within the city, yes.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Oh, that’s fantastic. So could I be a resident of, let’s say Alpharetta and have my business in Atlanta? Or do I need to reside in Atlanta as well?
Jeff Morris:
No. If your business is located within Atlanta.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
You can live in a different-
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Decatur, wherever.
Jeff Morris:
Yes.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. Well, that’s great. That’s great. So it really is to promote Atlanta business. That’s the whole idea behind it.
Jeff Morris:
Exactly.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Fantastic. So what impact do programs and services like this have on the city?
Jeff Morris:
It gives them the ability to have equitable access, to create wealth.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
That’s the driving force because that’s what we want people to understand.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
And take away from this, that we’re giving you chances, we’re giving you opportunities, to provide those things for yourself and your family.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Sure. And is there any financial assistance in a program like this or is it just from the consultant standpoint of the experts?
Jeff Morris:
It’s from the consultant standpoint.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Because Invest Atlanta was tasked to distribute these funds and the business owners are taken care of by the business consultants and then they’re paid by Invest Atlanta.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay. That’s great. So for a small business owner that has seen some rough times here in the last couple of years due to COVID, they’ve got just this plethora of, or should say so many experts to choose from.
Jeff Morris:
Right.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
That can help them find their way back on track.
Jeff Morris:
And they are very grateful. We started the program in March and we’ve had over close to 200 businesses come through the portal already.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
And we’re now starting to engage them even more because people are picking up on the ATLinBusiness.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
And this is something that happens pretty quickly once somebody does go on to the portal to match up with what services they need?
Jeff Morris:
Yes.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
So if a business owner goes to ATLinBusiness.com and they’ve registered to have a consulting session, within 24 to 48 hours they’ll get a response back from the Technical Assistance Provider.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And they will come and they will meet either on phone, they can meet at their office.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow.
Jeff Morris:
Or they can meet at one of our hubs.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow. That’s great. So this isn’t something that happens 30 days down the road or 60 days down the road. This is help just when you need it, right?
Jeff Morris:
Correct. We’re making it happen as the business owners engage, and we move and the business, the Technical Assistance Providers, they move as fast as the business owner can move.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
So, if you want to really move your program along and get this training and get this consulting.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
The Technical Assistance Providers are there to help you move along that quickly as well.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
So talk to me about the business resource centers. I know it’s a big part of the program.
Jeff Morris:
Yes, Jim. We have them located strategically within the city. So they’re close to where our clients are.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And where our business partners can help them.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Right.
Jeff Morris:
First one is located at the RICE Center, which is off of Fair Street, which is the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship. The second one is located at iVillage at MLK. We have Pittsburgh Yards off of University Avenue, Goodwill of North Georgia off of Metropolitan Avenue, and Mary Parker Foundation of off Campbellton Road.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Fantastic. That covers all of Atlanta then.
Jeff Morris:
Pretty much.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
We may have new ones coming on.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Really?
Jeff Morris:
But stay tuned.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. Stay tuned. That’s fantastic. I mean, they’re so close to everybody that’s in the Atlanta area, so no reason not to get involved and ask for the help that you might need, right?
Jeff Morris:
No.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Absolutely.
Jeff Morris:
And what I would like to leave with you, Jim, is that our guiding principle is to make sure we are creating wealth and giving the business owners a pathway to wealth. That is one thing that I would definitely like to leave with your listeners and your viewers.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Sure.
Jeff Morris:
Is to make sure they understand that we’re here to help. And there’s not a bigger fan of small businesses than Invest Atlanta.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
We’re here. We’ve been here for a long time.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yep.
Jeff Morris:
And we want the business owners to win.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. That’s great. Talk to us about some of the experts that are involved in the program.
Jeff Morris:
We have some great experts, Jim. We have Atlanta Black Chamber. We have Georgia Tech. We have IP Comm, Operation Hope. So that’s just a few.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Wow. Yes.
Jeff Morris:
Of the Technical Assistance Providers that we have that are helping these businesses achieve their goals.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yes. So how can viewers that are listening to us right now have this discussion? How can they learn more about the program?
Jeff Morris:
They can simply go to InvestAtlanta.com.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And then they can jump onto the ATLinBusiness.com.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
Or they can go straight to ATLinBusiness.com and schedule at time to meet with the Technical Assistance Providers that can help them.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
That’s fantastic. How long will the program be around for? Is there a set time period that that you’ve been granted or?
Jeff Morris:
We’ve been granted for two years.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
But we’re going to help as long as we can.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Okay.
Jeff Morris:
And as long as the funds are here.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah.
Jeff Morris:
We’re here to help.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Yeah. That’s fantastic. For people that are listening to us have this discussion, if you fall into this category, do yourself a favor. This is a program that is free. It’s actually paid for through probably your federal tax dollars. That would be safe to say, right? But it’s already paid for. It costs you nothing. They’ve got the leading experts in their field to help you on your small business. To not take advantage of this is really a huge mistake.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
As you know, I speak to a lot of small business owners, and have throughout the pandemic, and many people that I’ve spoken to would’ve loved to have a program like this available to them just to say, “What do we do next? Here’s where we are. We’re kind of in a hole right now. We got to get out of the hole, as many entrepreneurs will. And as you know, we’re kind of a resilient group out there of individuals.” But they need that helping hand. And this program right here is fantastic. I’m so glad, Jeff, that you came in to talk to us. We really appreciate it because it’s solutions like this that we want to bring to Atlanta entrepreneurs and small business owners. These programs are so vitally important to the fabric of Atlanta. They really are. So Jeff Morris, Small Business Technical Assistance Program Manager of ATLinBusiness, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.
Jeff Morris:
—Jim. Appreciate it.
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Great, thanks.
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