The purpose of the CEP is to be the One-Stop Shop and Voice of the Business Community. We are the designated economic development organization for all of the Ocala Metro. While many focus on our Business Attraction successes (bringing in new major employers like Amazon, Dollar Tree, and FedEx) or our Business Services programs (such as Business After Hours, TuesdayTalks, and Leadership Ocala Marion), it is our Business Retention and Business Creation efforts that really have the ability to impact the business community. This is especially true as we continue to go through a difficult crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Business Retention efforts are focused on assisting existing businesses throughout the community with a particular focus on primary employers (manufacturing, distribution, and large office). We work with approximately 200 businesses every year REGARDLESS of their partnership with the CEP. In other words, a business does not have to be a CEP partner to receive assistance. Much of this work is focused on removing barriers to their growth. Sometimes this means connecting them existing resources on the local, state, and federal level. Other times it means we are connecting them with other businesses to the benefit of both.
Business Creation coordinates all of the CEP’s entrepreneurship efforts. Assisting would be entrepreneurs and small business owners is an important part of both the CEP’s mission and the growth of our community. While these efforts are most often associated with the Power Plant Business Incubator, the Business Creation team works with more than 400 entrepreneurs a year the majority of which will never by incubator residents.
Our newest effort in this area is our IMPACT initiative sponsored by Ausley Construction. IMPACT focuses on expanding access to entrepreneurship in West Ocala, Silver Springs Shores, and Marion Oaks. We run multiple cohorts of the nationally recognized FastTrac program to provide 8-weeks of entrepreneurship training. Successfully completing these programs hosted with the City of Ocala qualifies a business as a Diverse Small Business Enterprise. Additionally, we recently completed a Microenterprise Loan Program targeting businesses in these areas with the County and we are preparing to kick-off a similar program with the City this month.
We continue to be incredibly bullish on the economic outlook for our area. Despite all of the challenges, we continue to see new businesses locating here, existing businesses expanding, and entrepreneurs staring new businesses. Our population growth continues to expand and we were recently named again to UHaul’s Top 25 Cities for Growth this time at #6 in the nation. By working together, we can ensure that we keep the Ocala Metro Moving Forward!
