The hustle and bustle of St. Petersburg wouldn’t be the same without its many entrepreneurs, small businesses, and the support system to bring them to life. The Greenhouse is St. Pete’s front door to business growth, providing education, resources, and direct mentorship assistance for local business owners to thrive.
Go Green
The Greenhouse is an experienced collaborative team of City of St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce team members, as well as a local network of professional partners who offer a multitude of well-rounded services to business owners by prioritizing five strategic objectives: navigation, coordination, connection, capacity building, and awareness.
“What matters most is serving entrepreneurs in a way that provides meaningful and equitable access so all of St. Pete’s businesses can have the opportunity to thrive,” co-manager Tracey Smith said. “As the business community continues to grow, we are aware of the successes and challenges business owners encounter, and through it all, the Greenhouse stays poised to provide support through the ups and downs to help them achieve their goals.”
The staff are trained to deliver professional services such as mentoring, relationship building, and access to local resources to help businesses grow. They specialize in foundational workshops that aid in the growth of small businesses, such as “How to Write Your Business Plan,” “10 Tips For Advertising Your Business,” “Preparing to Finance Your Business,” and “Doing Business with the City,” to name a few.
“These workshops give people the tools needed to be successful in their business endeavors,” said Alexis Garcia, the Greenhouse’s economic development specialist. “We offer services that all entail one-on-one support. With our Business Navigation Program, an entrepreneur comes in to meet with a Greenhouse navigator to go over their business ideas, and from there we get them connected with a service that best suits their specific needs. Usually, mentorships through Florida SBDC or Pinellas County SCORE are recommended to help them accomplish their goals.”
Here We Grow!
Signature programs include the Goal Achievement Program (GAP), the Entrepreneurial Academy, and the Successful Women’s Advisory Group (SWAG), a support system where women small-business owners work together to achieve their goals, create and build multimillion-dollar businesses, and contribute to local job creation.
Their current spotlight, the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) program, provides learning opportunities for participants to build key networking relationships. It also promotes reinvestment in the neighborhoods and businesses in southern St. Pete.
Tracey Smith spoke about the Greenhouse’s goals: “As we wrap up 2023, we’re leaning into our business navigation and preparing for the launch of our second CRA Microfund Cohort,” she said..”In addition to our quarterly Greenhouse pop-ups around the city, soon our business navigators will begin to visit businesses in all eight council districts, so we may continue to be intentional with the delivery of Greenhouse services.”
One of the most successful ongoing events is 1 Million Cups, a free networking event every Wednesday morning from 9 to 10 a.m., hosted at the Greenhouse headquarters. Presenters can apply to pitch their business ideas for six minutes, followed by a 20-minute Q&A, giving them eligibility to apply for a biannual St. Pete Pitch Night.
Local Prosperity
If you’re an active member of the local business community, keep an eye out for the many events, programs, pop-ups, and workshops offered by the Greenhouse, and reach out to one of their navigators to get started on making your entrepreneurial dreams come true! With over 2,400 entrepreneurs served in the community this year, be on the lookout for more inevitable big waves from the Greenhouse. Get connected at: StPeteGreenHouse.com, or submit your information here to stay in touch with Greenhouse updates and opportunities to help your business thrive.
