Local businesses considering an expansion, or even long-term growth opportunities, are reminded that the Economic Development Group at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce is a one-stop shop for your business needs.
The Chamber’s ED team is dedicated to helping businesses maximize their potential by being your biggest business advocate.
“Retention services is our primary to help businesses. It’s our staple program,” said Justin Sprague, Director of Business Development at the Flint & Genesee Chamber. “By retention, we mean our aim to help keep businesses strong and to keep them here.”
The work usually begins with, what Sprague likes to call, an annual check-up with an area organization. The check-up entails assessing a firm’s fiscal health, client base, employment levels, and long- and short-term growth plans.
“We use this information to develop strategies to help a business with future growth,” he said.
Sprague said there are “three buckets” of services available:
- Financial packaging, which focuses on securing access to money in which to grow.
- This may include introducing a company to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation business development program to secure tax incentives and identifying real estate options.
- Talent, with a focus on training programs and accessing resources, such as training funds.
- It also involves coordinating available resources from local and state partners around hiring needs and talent development.
- New markets, which focuses on helping businesses expand their customer bases.
- Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) provides companies with the requirements and the know-how to obtain government contracts at the local, state and federal level.
- STEP – State Trade Expansion Program – helps companies learn how to export goods, and provide a pool of funding for exporting services.
Many of the services are available at no-cost to businesses. For more information about the Chamber’s retention and expansion services, contact Justin Sprague at (810) 600-1433 or jsprague@flintandgenesee.org.