by Sean McManus
Staff Writer
Tim Rose, president of the Chamber’s Northwest Area Council, outlined his strategic plan recently for a neighborhood where continued blight and subsequent government convergence is fueling a new wave of community spirit, volunteerism and entrepreneurship.
Over 60 people attended the hour-long program last week at the Small Business Center on Norwood Avenue where Rose introduced speakers whose messages revolved around a common theme: Jacksonville is growing, opportunity abounds and the Northwest needs to create an infrastructure that will put itself in a position to reap the rewards.
Rose, a personal image consultant and retail clothing store owner, succeeded Mia Jones as area president. Jones, who spoke at the meeting, works in the Minority Business Affairs office of the Duval County School Board and supervises all the Area Councils as a Chamber volunteer. Rose admitted his 11-point plan was ambitious, but said the high turnout at the meeting signals optimism for its eventual success.
The 2002 Strategic Plan centers on enhanced communication, increased involvement and attendance at Area Council meetings, education, heightened contact among members, promoting business acumen and volunteerism. Rose wants to increase overall involvement by 45 percent and establish a code of ethics so that the Northwest Area Council can emerge as one of the premier councils in the Chamber.
Lew Belkin, the first speaker at the meeting, is the manager of the Core Business Initiative at the Small Business Center, whose public-funded mission is to provide entrepreneurs with the tools they need to build and sustain viable corporations.
Because the Northwest is part of what is now a City Enterprise Zone, and also a Federal Empowerment Zone, Belkin said that his team can help burgeoning companies navigate through the myriad tax breaks and economic incentives the City, State, and Federal governments have implemented to encourage the area’s growth.
“Marketing analysis in the form of a recent feasibility study is coming out soon,” Belkin told the audience of business people and community activists. “This will tell us the viability of building more retail shops in the area or whether we should focus our growth in different directions.”
Belkin said that during his tenure at the Small Business Center he’s noticed that the real problem lies not in a lack of interest or ambition by area business but rather in a lack of technical expertise. This encouraged Belkin and others to institute a program in which businesses will be identified for potential strategic partnerships and joint ventures.
“This will allow us to pair complimentary skill sets and encourage collaboration,” said Belkin. “If we all can learn from each other then the likelihood for success increases exponentially.”
Belkin said the new 25,000 square-foot shopping center slated for Moncrief Road is evidence of the beginning of a major revitalization of the area.
Local consultant John Singleton reinforced how remarkable the incentives are in Jacksonville right now. Singleton, who has spent time in the Middle East and most recently in Washington, D.C. before moving back to Jacksonville to start a management consulting firm with his father, said that the grants in place for urban revitalization are too good to pass up.
“It’s important to sit down, take a look at what you want to build, create a vision, and grow,” said Singleton. “We can help put together an implementation plan.”
But Rose reminded the audience that there are still fundamental issues working against the area that need to be overcome in tandem with strategic growth.
“We have a 47 percent adult illiteracy rate in the Northwest Quadrant,” said Rose. “We’ve got to get volunteers to help teach people to read before they can start companies.”
Annette Paulson of the U.S. Small Business Administration gave a demonstration on writing a business plan. She reminded the audience that to attract investment money, it was important to constantly be updating goals.
“Goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound,” she said “And always revised.”
Paulson said entrepreneurs need to evaluate risks and opportunities and present a comprehensive picture of the market before they can expect to be taken seriously.
Dennis Wade, a local entrepreneur in the hospitality industry, said that a conference in Orlando a few years ago changed the way he did business.
“The speaker told us that if what we’re doing every day isn’t producing tentatives or definites, then don’t do it,” said Wade. “I came back to Jacksonville with that small nugget and now I’m successful.”
Rose also wants the Northwest Council to raise money to institute effective programs to better achieve his goals. His strategic plan calls for two social events and an annual golf tournament, starting this year, in addition to ongoing corporate fundraising.
But Rose is calling “the most prolific part of our 2002 Strategic Plan,” the programming efforts. Rose wants to analyze every one of the 11 bullet points every month to ensure that progress is being made. “If we work together, we’ll get it done.”