The Miami Lakes Economic Development Committee hosted its 2nd Annual Business Boot Camp at Ana G. Méndez University.
About 60 entrepreneurs and prospective business owners heard from experts on Sept. 20 describe the town’s welcoming business climate, ways to finance an enterprise, promote it on social media, how to comply with tax laws and protect a company from labor lawsuits.
Matthew Casamayor, chair of the Economic Development Committee, introduced each mini seminar that answered many questions a business owner might have, and it was all provided for free.
“We noticed it was very theoretical,” Pego Remoir said about last year’s Boot Camp. “So the theme this year was practical.”
Patrick Eloi, an IT executive, shared his rags to riches story and the skills – education, perseverance and having a business that pays him even when he’s not working -- that helped him find success.
Pego Remior, principal at BBW Consulting, presented tips for navigating personnel compliance issues. Attorney Suhaill Machado Morales discussed how to hire legal employees, ways to establish rules for employees and the importance of having a handbook as a guide for staff.
Ray Palacios, owner of First Origin Mortgage Lenders, presented with Andrea Graham Rechichi, vice president of corporate relations for The Graham Companies.
Palacios’ firm recently moved into a new office in Miami Lakes and relied on municipal government.
“It’s very easy to grow within this town,” Palacios said. “Since we purchased our new suite, I had to get a new certificate of use. I called them up two days ago, they answered the phone and even helped me find it on the website.”
Unlike other municipalities where he has done business, he said the process in Miami Lakes has been the easiest and fastest.
Palacios also described support he received from the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce and how it promotes members to members.
A free resource available to business owners is miamilakesbiz.net.
“We have [a section called] Local Intel on that,” said Andrea Graham Rechichi, vice president of Corporate Relations for The Graham Companies. “We have different little sections where you can go and see, ‘Hey is my business a good fit here?’”
Graham Rechichi presented the history of Miami Lakes, and how commerce has grown from its beginnings in the 1960s as her grandfather William A. Graham developed a dairy farm into a town.
Angel Leon of Prospera, Jose Llano of First Citizens Bank and Jessica Medina of U.S. Century Bank described lending programs from the government and non-profits, how to be a good candidate for loans and took questions about working capital from Carlos Padilla, owner of Chela’s Cocteleria Restaurant.
And to promote businesses on social media, Tico Casamayor, president of AC Graphics and Manny Janero of Click Elements, talked about the various platforms and importance of having a free Google business listing.
Café Mi Vitrola in the Park Centre Shopping Center hosted a networking event and provided a light lunch.
Chef Veronica and Ernie’s Açaí Bowls served breakfast.
Sponsors included Memorial Healthcare System; Chef Veronica; Complete Care IT; SMM Law; AC Graphics Digital; First Citizens Bank; The Graham Companies; Ana G. Méndez University; Click Elements; First Capital Finance; Ernie’s Açaí Bowls; First Origin Mortgage Lenders; BBW Consulting; Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Prospera.
To learn more about the Committee, visit https://bit.ly/3MRyti6.
For the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce go to www.miamilakeschamber.com.