CEO Message: Regional Small Business Resource Marketplace

During this year unlike any other Round Rock has found innovative ways to rally to help our friends and neighbors. When the county and state implemented, “stay home, stay safe” orders in March – putting our thriving economy on pause to mitigate the spread of coronavirus – our community built Round Rock Cares through generous donations to help our small business community recover.

I am writing today to share an exciting regional program being organized through the Austin Chamber of Commerce called the Small Business Resource Marketplace. Round Rock has been invited to participate.

The Small Business Resource Marketplace is an initiative intended to connect small businesses and nonprofits with expert assistance at no cost. Even in the best of times, small business owners need a good team of advisors including an attorney, accountant, insurance agent, marketing firm, human resources experts, and other business owners. For many, this extended group of advisors is out of reach simply because of cost or time. On top of those difficulties, now we have experienced unprecedented levels of temporary closures or drastic reduction in sales.

As these valued economic drivers of the local economy begin to emerge from the coronavirus shutdown, they are going to need some advice from experts. Experts like you. But first, we need to build a stable of service providers and business leaders to offer guidance.

Do you have expertise that you are willing to share with small business and nonprofits who need help right now more than ever? If so, please register here.

Your information will be shared publicly on the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s website so businesses and nonprofits can contact you directly. Those seeking help will be able to find advisors at austinchamber.com. This will be a self-service directory so a business seeking advice can most directly find the kind of advisor they are looking for as quickly as possible.

Yes – Round Rock businesses are eligible to participate, either as advisors or as those seeking advice.

This program is one component of a larger regional initiative we have been working on this year. Our Chamber has been fortunate to participate in a series of discussions with regional business leaders in the Opening Central Texas for Business Task Force, a collaborative of businesses and government leadership organized by the Austin Chamber of Commerce. The recommendations of this group have addressed issues ranging from early childcare access for workforce, to broadband cost, access to coronavirus testing, mask requirement ordinances, and financial business support programs implemented at several levels of government.

It has been extremely innovative and impactful as guidelines have been developed and implemented since April of this year. We thank the Austin Chamber for their strong sense of regionalism in this effort, and the many others we engage in with them.

So please, if you have a heart for small business; if you love helping people build their dreams and future; if you can offer a new perspective and insight, please register. The greater Austin region has long been a leader in business and innovation, recognized the world over. For decades, we set the pace, and now you can help our economy return to full speed like the leader it is. Thank you!

#TomorrowTogether

Jason