[LAUDERHILL] – Lauderhill Commissioner Melissa P. Dunn has been consistent with her efforts to help start and grow small businesses since being elected in November 2020. Commissioner Dunn is a small business owner herself and longtime community activist who has devoted her career to promoting economic development, health and wellness and quality of life issues in the City of Lauderhill and South Florida.
Pitch Competition
Starting June 2021, Commissioner Dunn will recognize a talented group of business owners and entrepreneurs who participated in the City’s first and second Graduating Classes of the Lauderhill Shines Business Program. In addition to the Graduation Ceremony, she will hold a Pitch Competition amongst the graduates. The Pitch Competition will be like the hit-TV series Shark Tank, in which program participants have the chance to show what they learned by pitching their products. Winners of each category to include Services and Products will receive $500.
Representatives from TD Bank, the Broward Office of Small Business Development, WZOP Radio, the Black Business Directory, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance will judge this competition.
Online Business Course
The Lauderhill Shines Program began this year as a self-paced online business course for Lauderhill business owners. Topics included how to get access to capital, business planning, how to give great customer service, doing business with government agencies, marketing your business, sales and public relations. Participants learned from Business Experts and City staff. With all they learned, they were also able to access and work with partner organizations for ongoing support.
Help for Small Businesses
Lauderhill Shines graduates boast this class helped small businesses better understand the process and benefits of government procurement. “The City of Lauderhill is serious about its business community. In addition, it supports up-and-coming entrepreneurs,” said Commissioner Dunn said. “We believe in our city’s potential as a business hub and in Lauderhill Shines’ ability to help our city’s businesses become more prosperous.”
Graduation Ceremony
The Graduation Ceremony takes place on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Being held at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center at 3800 NW 11 Place. It will also be live-streamed on Facebook @cityoflauderhill. A reception following the program is limited to 50 persons and will be based on first-come, first-serve registrations.
