New Phoenix Small Business Toolbox Helps Connect Small Business To Resources

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

March 2, 2021

Solid support helping small businesses and fledgling entrepreneurs transition from the Covid economy to resurgent opportunities are now accessed through the Phoenix Small Business Toolbox. Companies with challenges, questions or needing help will find solutions at the site, Phoenix.gov/SmallBusinessToolbox.

By Eric Jay Toll for PHXNewsroom

Several city departments have resources for small businesses which can now be reached directly from the Small Business Toolbox. Bolstering city resources, the site links dozens of partner organizations offering assistance. All of the city resources in the Toolbox are provided by Phoenix at no cost to a business, as are most partner programs.

“Phoenix cares about its small businesses. When we saw this opportunity to create a social media platform to provide more resources for our businesses, we jumped at the chance to bring them PHXbizConnect,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Small businesses are so important to the economic success of our families and our city. With this Phoenix-centered social media platform, it’s one more chance for businesses to know there are all kinds of help available for them.”

Phoenix routinely helps small businesses with human resource challenges, operational and marketing technical assistance, growth and expansion. TeamPHX, based in Community and Economic Development, serves as the single point of contact, direct business traffic to the responsible departments within City Hall. TeamPHX brings together the city's resources and all its partners and the challenge facing a business.

“Economists are saying that Phoenix is going to experience a rapid recovery from the pandemic economy. We focused on helping small businesses find opportunities for economic resurgence,” said Christine Mackay, director, Phoenix Community and Economic Development. “The Phoenix Small Business Toolbox brings together resources. PHXbizConnect brings together businesses to share ideas.”

PHXbizConnect by HUUB from Co+Hoots

PHXbizConnect by HUUB is a versatile digital entrepreneur platform created by a Co+Hoots brand extension.

“We created HUUB in the middle of the pandemic to address the incredible need to better support business owners,” said Jenny Poon, CEO and founder of Co+Hoots. “PHXbizConnect is the version just for Phoenix-based businesses. Other cities, including Mesa and Gilbert, also run HUUB for their businesses.”

Poon said that it became apparent that small businesses, especially underrepresented and underestimated entrepreneurs, were lacking proper access to all the available resources in their city. They were missing out on funds specifically set aside for them and lacking access to networks of talented experts that could propel their business forward.

As part of the Phoenix Small Business Toolbox, PHXbizConnect provides another way of connecting with TeamPHX for ideas, tips and solutions to pandemic-generated and general business challenges.

myBizPHX by SizeUp

Businesses thrive when decisions are backed by a good gut feeling and supported with hard data. Quality information comes with high price tags, which is why myBizPHX is part of the Small Business Toolbox. myBizPHX is a no-cost-to-business portal giving access to the kind of data that support business plans, bolster loan applications or polish investor prospectuses.

“Our Small Business Toolbox has multiple tools helping small businesses,” Mackay said. “One challenge businesses face is finding the competitive and customer data needed to support decisions for expansion, marketing and growth. It’s one reason why we added myBizPHX to the Toolbox.”

myBizPHX is a data portal allowing a business to break down comparable operating costs by other firms in the same business NAICS code at a zip code, city, county, state and regional level. Businesses can compare their salaries and labor costs with their Greater Phoenix competitors and national averages.

The data are used for defining competition, looking for new locations and finding customers. Download tables, maps and charts into spreadsheets for more personal analysis.

“It’s like having a research department at your fingertips,” Mackay said. “The data are available 24/7, and during city business hours, there is live technical support from TeamPHX.”

TeamPHX

More than 94 percent of all Phoenix businesses have fewer than 100 employees. That statistic is why the Mayor and City Council placed a top priority for on helping small companies and entrepreneurs. Economists say that Greater Phoenix could be looking at a considerable economic comeback by the third quarter of 2021.

“We want our small businesses to have a seat when the economic growth train leaves the station,” said Mackay. “It’s why we’re investing in their success with the dedicated TeamPHX.”

When major global and national companies pick Phoenix for expansion, it’s all over the news. Quietly, the city of Phoenix invests big and helps many more small businesses and fledgling entrepreneurs find traction in the local economy.

Linking this vital sector of the Phoenix economy to the right people for growth and expansion, the city created TeamPHX. These are the experienced professionals on city staff with the skills and knowledge to get a business over the challenge and to a solution.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.