DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL \u2014 The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce is developing a new online portal to help local businesses find resources and attract new businesses to the area.<\/p>\n
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Upcoming Chamber of Commerce portal aims to connect Tallahassee businesses with funding, resources<\/p>\n
The portal would function as a one-stop hub, directing businesses to funding opportunities, office space, mentors, and other resources based on their needs.<\/p>\n
Eddie Gonzalez Loumiet, the chair of the chamber, described what the tool could look like.<\/p>\n
“Imagine a portal that you go to that has a navigation system. I’m a startup. I’m looking for funding. I’m looking for office space. It may point you to Domi Station. It may point you to OEV,” Gonzalez Loumiet said.<\/p>\n
Gonzalez Loumiet says the portal is also intended to serve as a recruitment tool for bringing new businesses to Tallahassee.<\/p>\n
“I believe, we believe through strong economic development, that marketing, that storytelling, we can move the needle in those areas as well. And so I’m confident that the portal and the technology are the first step, but that symbolism that we need to do it together as a unified community,” Gonzalez Loumiet said.<\/p>\n
The need for a centralized resource hub is something local business owners say they feel firsthand. <\/p>\n
Lachanthia Hall runs a business helping families of students with learning disabilities navigate the school system. She said expanding her business and reaching her goal of opening a group home requires connections and funding she has struggled to find on her own.<\/p>\n
“Whether it’s writing business plans, obtaining funding, getting mentors, that’s important. So we just need that one-stop hub. It’s important here in Tallahassee,” Hall said.<\/p>\n
Ken Boutwell, with Choose Tallahassee \u2014 a group working to bring more people to the area \u2014 says job creation is a central focus.<\/p>\n
“So our goal is to get more people to move here. About every two people who move here creates a job. It’s between two and three creates a job,” Boutwell said.<\/p>\n
Gonzalez Loumiet says the portal is expected to officially launch later this year.<\/p>\n
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/p>\n
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