Small businesses are having issues in Miami. This event can be a lifeline
If you thought the rise in trade tariffs didn’t affect your neighborhood hair salon, think again. That was the conversation Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins heard when a stylist complained about how much the cost of hair extensions has increased.
“It’s just one example of something we’re seeing across many sectors: geopolitical issues that end up directly affecting our local small businesses,” said Higgins, commissioner for District 5, which covers south Miami Beach, downtown Miami, Brickell, Little Havana, The Roads, Shenandoah and Silver Bluff, among other neighborhoods where businesses are navigating a range of challenges.
“Some businesses are struggling to finance their operations and don’t know where to access funds or support programs. Others need help with marketing and communications to attract new customers. There are also those that need to improve internal organization and find tools to make day-to-day management easier,” the commissioner told el Nuevo Herald.
A conference for Miami businesses
The commissioner’s office is organizing the Elevate Small Business Conference, derived from the Elevate District 5 program, which since its launch in 2022 has helped 1,000 businesses with 50 workshops and trainings, and has awarded 750 grants.
A full day for Miami businesses to “connect, grow and lead” is the opportunity presented on Friday, Oct. 24, at Elevate Small Business, a free event open to all Miami entrepreneurs and business leaders from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the downtown Wolfson campus of Miami Dade College.
“It’s an initiative that connects small business owners with the tools, partners and resources they need for their businesses to run better and grow,” Higgins says.
To attend you must register at ElevateSmall.biz, where you’ll also find the day’s agenda with times for panels, workshops and local and international experts. Topics include loans and grants, obtaining and renewing permits, growth strategies, opportunities to win government contracts, and the use of AI.
These are key issues for Miami-Dade entrepreneurs, home to 80,000 businesses with fewer than 10 employees. It’s now a challenge to retain staff or hire new employees amid a difficult climate related to immigration laws.
“Many businesses are having trouble hiring staff,” the commissioner said. “That directly impacts the workforce. Many workers, especially in sectors like construction, hospitality and services, are afraid to look for work or to take on new jobs.”
In her conversations with small-business owners, Higgins learned that some have been forced to reduce staff or lay off employees because several of their workers were TPS beneficiaries or were in the process of regularizing their paperwork.
“This situation has left vacancies that are hard to fill and has affected the operational stability of many local businesses,” she noted.
Training in AI, Canva and Google
The sessions, in English with Spanish and Creole translation, will feature local and international experts offering business strategies and practical advice so entrepreneurs can build connections to follow up on that translate into profits or opportunities for their businesses.
Facilitator and speaker Marly Q Casanova, the conference emcee, will moderate two sessions, one of them dedicated to networking.
“My intention is that you leave with 10 people you haven’t just contacted, but connected with,” Casanova told el Nuevo Herald. “I want you to walk away feeling like you made progress — not just that you learned something, but that you met someone new who can help you.”
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“Speed Coaching for Business Capital” is a cornerstone session that kicks off the day at 8 a.m.
“Need capital to grow but don’t know how to get it? Under that premise, entrepreneurs will have direct access to South Florida financial leaders who will guide them on obtaining loans like RISE, which can lend up to $75,000 to small businesses that have been in the county for at least two years.
It’s like a “speed dating” session designed to give access to actionable ideas and resources, according to the event information. Each participant will have short, direct conversations with representatives from Miami Bayside Foundation, Partners for Self-Employment, Ascendus and Dade County Federal Credit Union to learn about available financing options, get answers to their questions and connect with other business owners.
Experts participating in the conference
- Alejandra Castillo, former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce, will join Inés Hernández for a conversation on how small businesses can find new growth opportunities amid economic and technological changes.
- Vicente Pimienta, digital trainer for Grow with Google in Florida, will lead a workshop on how to use YouTube to expand audiences and boost brand visibility.
- Monique Salomon, founder of AI training firm Alma Operations AI, will teach entrepreneurs how to build and implement AI tools for marketing, content creation and daily efficiency — with workshops in English and Spanish.
- Victoria Angulo Springer (CodePath) and Terri-Ann Brown (Miami Tech Works) will guide business owners in the Small Team, Big Hire session on how to recruit and structure internship roles that strengthen local talent programs.
- Luly B. Carreras, business strategist, author and speaker, will share practical techniques to turn conversations into growth opportunities.
- Brittany Morgan, senior director of Economic Resilience at The Miami Foundation, will lead Making the Money Work with María Coto, Jennifer Gerson and Francisco Torres, focusing on real financial strategies and funding opportunities.
- Michaeljohn “MJ” Green, director of Economic Development and Strategy at Miami DDA, will moderate Unlocking Government Opportunities, a session that will explain how to qualify for and compete for government contracts.
Other workshops and sessions
Casanova highlights one of the key sessions for Miami entrepreneurs, “Digging into AI for Business,” which will be offered in Spanish (1:25 p.m., Building 2, AI Center). Led by Iselma Wells, the session will walk participants step-by-step through practical exercises using real tools. Beginners are welcome; bring your laptop.
Also in Spanish is “Create a Landing Page for Your Brand in Canva Using AI,” a hands-on workshop to learn how to use the design tool Canva, in Building 2, first floor, at 11:15 a.m.
There will also be a workshop on how to get permits to open new businesses in downtown Miami and streamline processes for existing ones with the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), at the Idea Center, Building 8, fifth floor, at 11 a.m.
A small Miami business fair will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Wolfson campus Pedestrian Plaza (Plaza Kyriakides, between Buildings 1 and 2), and of course there will be a short coffee and pastry break at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapman auditorium reception area.
“We want entrepreneurs to feel it was a productive day on multiple levels, that they learned things they can use immediately to improve their business,” Casanova said.
If you go
What: Elevate Small Business
When: Friday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m.
Where: Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, 254 NE Fourth St., Chapman Conference Center, Building 3, second floor
Register: ElevateSmall.biz
