Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) recently launched Uptown Forward, a new program providing education and assistance for small businesses located in Uptown. The program focuses on helping small businesses build their digital presence, especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has limited in-person options for businesses of all types.
Using funding from a PNC grant, UCI partnered with Pixels & Dots, a digital marketing and design company, and Reverb, a social innovation hub, to offer a free two-hour workshop covering brand development, messaging, community engagement, social media, digital advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and e-commerce. Monte Davis, Vice President at Pixels & Dots, Leo D'Cruz, Co-Founder and Chief Strategic Officer at Reverb, and Michelle D’Cruz, Co-Founder and CEO at Reverb, led the workshop to share their expertise and answer attendees’ questions.
“Small businesses are essential for the livability of neighborhoods, providing jobs and access to goods and services,” said Beth Robinson, President and CEO of UCI. “Supporting the businesses in our communities is one of our top priorities, especially as many local businesses face new challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In addition to the virtual workshop, UCI and its partners are offering one-on-one consulting sessions for up to 20 businesses, including an audit of current business practices and recommended solutions to improve market presence. Currently, 12 businesses and nonprofit organizations are participating in the program. Each business faces its own unique challenges, so the consulting sessions provide personalized recommendations to fit their needs.
UCI’s goal for the Uptown Forward program is to provide the necessary support to retain businesses in the Uptown neighborhoods and help create an injection of cash flow into the neighborhoods as businesses develop a stronger online presence, which will better position the businesses into the future as well. There are approximately 200+ small businesses within the five Uptown neighborhoods, of which an estimated 50+ are minority- and/or women-owned.
The Uptown Forward program is part of UCI’s larger efforts to support Uptown small businesses. In addition to Uptown Forward, UCI also connects Uptown businesses with coaching services through its ongoing partnership with HCDC, Inc. When the pandemic hit in spring 2020, UCI launched a series of virtual panels to support local businesses and community members, which UCI plans to expand in 2021.
Businesses interested in registering for one of the remaining one-on-one consulting sessions for 2020 can register here. The full two-hour workshop is also available to view on YouTube.