Shaping New Programs to Meet Emerging Business Needs

Volusia Business Resources (VBR), facilitated by the Volusia County Division of Economic Development, is a collaboration of local economic development practitioners, chambers of commerce, workforce organizations, post-secondary education institutions, and business counseling and mentoring partners.

VBR came about as a result of collaborative efforts achieved in 2020 during the pandemic. As the pandemic began loosening its grip, VBR partners recognized the need to respond to the emerging needs of the post-Covid business environment. To provide solutions that would support countywide economic recovery and strengthen future economic resiliency, these resources needed to unite and be engaged. The collective intelligence realized by aligning these public and private business assistance providers with each other and with county businesses ignited creativity with focused workshop discussions.

More than 40 business service provider partners have committed to the program, hundreds of businesses have been engaged through shared outreach, and multiple potential business solutions are being discussed for implementation.

One of the collaboration’s initiatives was the successful launch of an annual countywide business survey in 2021. Data collected from that survey helped direct workshop discussion to three main issues for improvement:

• Improving awareness of and access to funding resources
• Enhancing the availability and skill of the area workforce
• Increasing the awareness of available resources and connection to business service providers

The VolusiaBusinessResources.com website launch is an example of the team’s success derived from input provided by businesses via the survey. The site provides a clear path to navigate available resources, a calendar of events and comprehensive step-by-step business guides for starting a new business, creating a business plan and licensing, to name a few.

Because strong, healthy businesses are critical components of a thriving community, VBR strives to continue responding to the needs and hurdles businesses may face.

As an integral part of the local economy, VBR encourages the business community to participate in the 2023 VBR Annual Business Survey, which is currently available. Providing input via the survey will help ensure that emerging business needs are recognized and that business assistance resources have the right focus.

The survey has only 10 questions and is available at https://www.volusiabusinessresources.com/2023-VBR-Annual-Survey-1-17144.html.

Results will be shared by VBR later in 2023. To receive notification of survey results, sign up for the Volusia County Economic Development Economic Scene newsletter at https://secure.campaigner.com/CSB/Public/Form.aspx?fid=1541975.