Downtown Wilmington, Delaware Merchant Meeting Recap

For those that were not able to attend our last merchant meeting here is what you missed.  We hope you can join us at our next meeting on Monday, October 22, 2018 at 9AM - The Living Room, (previously Jerry’s Artarama) 706 N. Market Street.

Speaker:

Denita L. Thomas: SBDC, Associate State Director

dlthomas@udel.edu 
302-831-077

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) https://delawaresbdc.org/

• SBDC is an organization that helps small businesses do an anything they need to grow and succeed.

• All services are FREE

• Goal is to promote job growth

• 500 employees or less is considered a small business

  • Only small businesses are eligible to use their resources

• Free 1 on 1 advising and technical assistance

• Provide loan packaging

• Provide help with business planning and help researching the market

  • Link to planning: https://delawaresbdc.org/resources/planning-and-financing/

• SBDC has access to data bases that most small business do not have that can be used in market research

  • Link to research: https://delawaresbdc.org/resources/business-info-and-research/

• Provide information and programs on cyber security  for small business

  • make sure business is prepared/map out a strategy

• Grow Delaware Fund is partnership organization that allows for business who use SBDC  programs to have longer loan terms, lower interest rates

  • https://growdelawarefund.org/

• Horn program- focused on staff and faculty

  • https://www.udel.edu/research-innovation/horn/

• SCORE- managing to succeed program(for established businesses)

  • Link to SCORE: https://www.score.org/

  • Fanatical analysis and review

  • Benchmark ratings

  • Key performance incentives

  • Idea is that SCORE is a launch pad for new business and new concepts

• Free resources available: SBDC, Women’s Business Center, SCORE 

  • https://www.score.org/

  • https://delawaresbdc.org/resources/business-info-and-research/

  • https://delawaresbdc.org/resources/planning-and-financing/

  • http://firststateloan.org/womens-business-center/

• Applications are now being accepted for Delaware Startup Launchpad 2018 

  • the four-week, four-session mini accelerator from the Delaware Founders Initiative, Delaware Small Business Development Center and the University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship program — returns for the second time this October, and applications are now open.

  • https://www.tfaforms.com/4686422

Small Business Saturday: November 24, 2018

• https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/

• National Effort to promote Small Business Saturday and shopping small

• Learn about Small business Saturday: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/about?linknav=us-open-shopsmall-home-nationallanding-sbshistory

• You can connect directly to  Amex to help attract customers all year long

  • Marketing Materials: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/promote

• Send your Small Business Saturday deals & promotions to lschweiger@downtownvisions.org

Did you know? Downtown Wilmington Offers Free Safety Ambassador Services!

Whether you need directions on where to go, are curious about the local history of the beautiful buildings that surround you on Market Street or would like someone to walk you to your vehicle late at night, the Downtown Visions Safety Ambassadors are here to serve you. 

Did you know the friendly folks in the bright yellow along the Market Street corridor receive over 80 hours of training on topics such as crime prevention, customer service, local history and local attractions? These individuals serve the community daily at no cost to the public and have increased their service hours recently to Monday through Thursday starting at 6 AM until 11:45 PM and weekend hours are 9 AM thru 1:45 AM. 

Simply call (302) 425-4200 x1 to request a free Safety Escort anywhere within the neighborhood.

Interested in joining the team and serving the local community? Click here for current career opportunities.

Dave Loves Giving Back to the Community as a Downtown Visions Safety Ambassador

Meet our ambassadors who make Downtown Wilmington, Delaware a better place to live, work and play! 

Dave, a safety ambassador for Downtown Wilmington decided to move to the area and make his daily life about making a difference in the local community. He loves his work and is proud to be able to support the Downtown Development District. 

Feel free to ask Dave or any of our safety ambassadors for information about downtown. They can give you directions, information on restaurants, hotels and local shops as well as help you get where you need to go.

If you are in need of a safety escort, one of our friendly ambassadors would be happy to help. Call (302) 425-4200 x1 to request a free Safety Escort anywhere within the neighborhood, seven days a week; Monday – Friday 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; weekends 9:15 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. 

Supporting Downtown Visions and their mission is simple, click here to make a donation.

Interested in making a difference each day while working? Check out Downtown Visions' current opportunities here. 

Downtown Visions Celebrates The Holidays and The Creative Class at The Mill

On Monday, December 11th, creatives, visionaries and entrepreneurs gathered at The Mill in Downtown Wilmington, DE to celebrate not only the Holiday Season, but also to learn more about how creativity and the arts are helping to transform the commercial district.

Speakers included Mayor Michael S. Purzycki, Martin Hageman, Executive Director of Downtown Visions, Mark Fields, Executive Director of The Grand Opera House, Wilmington DE and The Playhouse on Rodney Square and Robert Herrera, Founder of the creative co-working space The Mill Space.

Guests not only enjoyed the beautifully decorated modern space and light refreshments, but an insightful conversation on the progression of the district thanks to creative endeavors. 

For more information on Downtown Vision's initiatives, click here. 

We hope to see you back at The Mill next week for INtheSpirit: A Holiday Party for Wilmington Families in Need.

Martin Hageman, Executive Director of Downtown Visions Sees Progress and Hope in The City of Wilmington

Curious what "The Vision" is in Downtown Visions? Downtown Visions is proud to devote an overwhelming share of its resources to highly visible and effective on-street programs such as the following:

• Business Marketing and Education
• Historic Building Preservation
• The Wilmington Farmer's Market
• Signage and Facade Improvement Programs 
• Security Gate Removal
• Cleaning Ambassadors
• Safety Ambassadors
• Small Business Saturday
• & Much More! 

Downtown Visions is a private, non-profit organization that manages the Business Improvement District in Wilmington. Our Main Street® program not only saves historic buildings, but also focuses on small business recruitment, business marketing and promotion, all of which work towards the greater effort of creating new jobs.

To support Downtown Visions fiscally or through volunteering, click here. 

 Video Directed and Produced by www.mosaiceaststudios.com

Post by Julia Mason of Enthusiasm Lab