N.Y.C. Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce Announces Groundbreaking Soft Launch 9.1.2026 in N.Y.C.

NEW YORK, NY — August 24, 2026 — In case you missed it, the New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (NYCMSBCC) is preparing for a groundbreaking soft launch on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, 92-50 59th Avenue, Elmhurst, Queens.

EVENT INFORMATION: Click on link here to register: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/o/fundraising/campaigns/hub?formId=51c1671f-919b-44a7-8574-096780f7c48b&tab=overview&showSurvey=paymentsMonitoring

New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Groundbreaking Soft Launch

Tuesday, September 1, 2026
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
92-50 59th Avenue
Elmhurst, Queens, NY 11373

Entrepreneurs, corporations, government representatives, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, business professionals and supporters are encouraged to attend and become part of the next chapter of minority small-business development in New York City.

The soft launch represents more than the introduction of another business organization. It marks the emergence of a new citywide institution designed to strengthen the economic ecosystem for minority and small businesses throughout New York City while building stronger connections between entrepreneurs, corporations, government, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, chambers of commerce and community stakeholders.

The Chamber was established to foster trade, commerce and sustainable economic growth throughout all five boroughs, with an explicit commitment to supporting Black, Latino, Asian, immigrant, women and veteran-owned businesses. Its mission is built around helping entrepreneurs overcome barriers involving access to capital, procurement opportunities, business education, certification, technology, strategic relationships and public-policy advocacy.

To become a member today visit: zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/new-york-city-minority-small-business-chamber-of-commerce-inc-membership-dues

A NEW VOICE FOR NEW YORK CITY'S MINORITY SMALL BUSINESSES - New York City is one of the world's most important commercial centers and one of America's most diverse business communities. Yet many small and minority-owned businesses continue to face barriers to capital, contracts, technical assistance, visibility and opportunities to scale.

The NYCMSBCC is being created to help close those gaps.

The Chamber envisions a connected ecosystem in which an entrepreneur in Queens can build a relationship with a corporation in Manhattan, access resources through government agencies, develop partnerships with businesses in Brooklyn or the Bronx, connect with suppliers and professional-service providers in Staten Island, and expand into regional and national markets.

That regional connectivity is particularly important because New York City and Long Island operate as an interconnected economic marketplace. The Chamber's leadership believes that stronger relationships between the two markets can create new procurement opportunities, expand business networks, increase access to capital and help minority-owned businesses grow beyond traditional geographic boundaries.

"We are not just creating another professional network. We are building a citywide economic platform that gives minority small businesses a stronger voice, greater visibility and greater access to opportunity," said Phil Andrews, Founding President of the New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

WHY THIS CHAMBER MATTERS TO NEW YORK CITY

The NYCMSBCC is designed to strengthen the ecosystem rather than operate in isolation.

Its approach is centered on connecting entrepreneurs with:

• Corporate procurement and supplier-diversity opportunities
• Government contracting and business-development resources
• Access-to-capital and financial resources
• Business education and technical assistance
• Certification assistance
• Strategic networking and referrals
• Marketing and promotional opportunities
• Professional-service providers
• Workforce-development resources
• Legislative advocacy and public-policy engagement
• Regional, national and cross-sector partnerships

The Chamber's goal is not simply to help businesses survive. It is to help businesses start, sustain, scale and compete.

The organization also intends to create stronger bridges among existing business organizations rather than compete with them. By bringing chambers, corporations, government, nonprofits and entrepreneurs to the same table, NYCMSBCC can help create a more coordinated and effective small-business ecosystem.

A LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH A PROVEN RECORD OF IMPACT - At the center of the Chamber's founding vision is Phil Andrews, a longtime New York business advocate and economic-empowerment leader.

Andrews currently serves as President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (LIAACC) and is the Founding President of the African American Small Business Foundation, Inc. and 100 Black Men of Eastern New York, Inc.

His leadership record demonstrates a longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, mentorship and community development.

Under Andrews' leadership, LIAACC has grown from a relatively small organization into a major regional African American chamber. A 2025 profile noted that the organization had grown from approximately 20 members to about 400 members, while more recent 2026 reporting placed membership at more than 500.

Andrews' accomplishments include receiving the 2019 U.S. Small Business Administration New York Metro District Small Business Champion Award, national recognition as a Black Enterprise BE Modern Man 100 Honoree, and recognition associated with LIAACC's emergence as a 2025 U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Chamber of the Year finalist.

His work also extends beyond chamber leadership. Through the African American Small Business Foundation, Andrews has advanced efforts to expand access to financial literacy, entrepreneurial training, workforce development and capital for minority and small businesses.

BUILDING ON A REGIONAL MODEL - The NYCMSBCC is not being built from theory. Its founding leadership is bringing decades of experience from business advocacy, economic development, community organizations and regional partnerships.

Rose Ward, Vice President of LIAACC and owner of NFocus Management Group, LLC, has been an important partner in the regional business-development model connecting entrepreneurs, corporations, community organizations and resource providers. Ward has emphasized the importance of creating environments where entrepreneurs can build meaningful relationships that translate into practical opportunities for growth.

Ann Dumay, Nassau County Director of LIAACC, has likewise emphasized the importance of strengthening connections between New York City and Long Island entrepreneurs so businesses can expand their reach, create jobs and contribute to a stronger regional economy.

Together with a growing network of entrepreneurs, community leaders, corporate partners and business-development professionals, this leadership model brings local experience and regional perspective to the creation of a citywide chamber.

FROM LOCAL IMPACT TO REGIONAL AND NATIONAL REACH - The Chamber's launch comes at a time when its founding leadership is already helping create platforms designed to connect entrepreneurs beyond traditional boundaries.

In June 2026, NYCMSBCC participated as an organizational partner in the inaugural National Entrepreneur Summit and Expo – New York Edition in Queens. The event brought together entrepreneurs, small-business owners, corporate representatives, nonprofit leaders, government agencies and community stakeholders from New York City, Long Island and the broader metropolitan region.

The Summit demonstrated the kind of ecosystem the new Chamber seeks to build: entrepreneurs meeting corporations, business owners connecting with resource providers, and local organizations creating relationships that can lead to regional and national opportunities.

The organizers are already planning an expanded 2027 edition, with an emphasis on access to capital, entrepreneurship education, corporate procurement, certification, technology, marketing, business planning and long-term economic empowerment.

WHY NEW YORK CITY CAN BECOME A NATIONAL MODEL - The founders believe New York City has an opportunity to demonstrate what happens when minority business development is treated as an integral component of overall economic development.

The NYCMSBCC can become a national example by demonstrating how a citywide chamber can:

Connect rather than divide. Bring diverse business communities together around common economic interests.

Build bridges across regions. Connect New York City's five boroughs with Long Island and the broader metropolitan economy.

Move beyond networking. Turn relationships into procurement, financing, partnerships, education and measurable business growth.

Strengthen supplier diversity. Create stronger connections between minority-owned businesses and corporations seeking qualified vendors.

Develop the next generation. Provide emerging entrepreneurs and young professionals with access to experienced business leaders and opportunities.

Advocate with one voice. Elevate the issues affecting minority and small businesses before government, corporations and economic-development institutions.

Create scalable models. Develop programs and partnerships that can ultimately be replicated by chambers and business organizations throughout the country.

The opportunity is significant: if a city as diverse, complex and economically influential as New York can build a stronger interconnected minority-business ecosystem, the model can provide lessons for other metropolitan areas across America.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE SEPTEMBER 1 SOFT LAUNCH?

The groundbreaking soft launch is designed for anyone who believes that the future of New York City's economy depends on strong, competitive and connected small businesses.

The Chamber is particularly inviting:

• Minority-owned small-business owners and entrepreneurs
• Black, Latino, Asian, immigrant, women and veteran entrepreneurs
• Startups and emerging businesses
• Corporate executives and supplier-diversity professionals
• Government officials and economic-development leaders
• Banks, lenders and financial institutions
• MWBE professionals and certification specialists
• Chambers of commerce and business associations
• Nonprofit and community organizations
• Professional-service providers
• Investors and business-development professionals
• Workforce-development organizations
• Young professionals and emerging leaders
• Media and business journalists
• Community stakeholders and supporters of minority entrepreneurship

For entrepreneurs, the evening is an opportunity to learn about membership, meet potential partners and discover resources.

For corporations, it is an opportunity to identify diverse suppliers, strengthen community relationships and expand supplier-diversity efforts.

For government and economic-development leaders, it is an opportunity to connect directly with the businesses driving neighborhood-level economic activity.

For chambers and community organizations, it is an opportunity to build partnerships and strengthen the overall business-support network.

A MOMENT TO BUILD SOMETHING BIGGER

The September 1 soft launch is intended to be the beginning of a movement—not the conclusion of one.The New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce believes the next generation of economic growth will depend on whether entrepreneurs have access to the relationships, resources, capital, knowledge and markets necessary to compete.

The Chamber's vision is therefore straightforward but ambitious:

Empower businesses. Build relationships. Expand opportunity. Strengthen communities.

Andrews believes the creation of the NYCMSBCC is part of a larger responsibility to ensure that minority entrepreneurs have a meaningful seat at the economic table.

"New York City is one of the greatest business markets in the world. Our entrepreneurs should have every opportunity to compete in it, grow in it and help shape its future," Andrews said. "This Chamber is about creating the connections and infrastructure that can turn that opportunity into economic power."

ABOUT THE NEW YORK CITY MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INC.

The New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a nonprofit business advocacy organization dedicated to fostering trade and commerce, promoting entrepreneurship, supporting economic development and advancing opportunities for minority-owned and small businesses throughout New York City's five boroughs.

The Chamber works to promote equitable access to opportunities, support supplier diversity, provide educational resources, facilitate business connections, advocate for small businesses and connect entrepreneurs with corporations, government agencies, lenders and community partners.

The Chamber's vision is to build a stronger, more connected and more competitive minority small-business ecosystem in New York City that can serve as a model for communities throughout the United States.

Media Contact:
New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Email: NYCMSBCC@gmail.com