Read more Listening First: Supporting Small Businesses Across Miami-Dade
Most of those conversations are with small and micro-businesses. In fact, 88% of the companies we’ve worked with are small businesses, and nearly two-thirds have fewer than 10 employees. These are family businesses, first-time founders, and local operators trying to make payroll, grow carefully, and stay rooted in Miami-Dade.
When we listen, the message is consistent. Small business owners tell us that a welcoming business climate, access to customers, and integration into the broader business community matter deeply. They’re also clear about the obstacles they face such as high real estate costs and access to capital.
That’s why small businesses don’t need more complicated programs, they need help finding the right door to knock on. Through Strive305, the Beacon Council works with trusted partners such as Ascendus, Miami Bayside Foundation, and the Dade County Federal Credit Union (DCFCU) to connect entrepreneurs with financing options that match their stage and reality.
Our role isn’t to steer business owners toward a single solution. It’s to help them understand their choices and connect with partners who can meet them where they are, whether that means getting started, expanding carefully, or stabilizing cash flow.
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Just as important, Strive305 is about sharing knowledge, not just resources. We’ll continue working with the Community newspapers through the podcasts, and media partners like MegaTV to share real stories and practical lessons from small business owners themselves, so entrepreneurs can learn from one another, not just from institutions.
We also encourage the community to recognize outstanding local entrepreneurs through the 2026 Beacon Awards Small Business Award, which honors a Miami-Dade company with fewer than 50 employees that demonstrates exceptional innovation, resilience, and community impact. Applications are open through August 1, and the winner will be recognized at the 2026 Beacon Awards on October 26 at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami from 5:00–9:00 p.m. Learn more and submit a nomination at https://www.beaconcouncilawards.com/#awards.
Strive305 gives this work the scale a small, hands-on team can’t achieve alone. It turns years of direct engagement into a countywide platform, without losing the real-world insight that shaped it. That’s what economic development looks like when it listens first, and it’s how the Beacon Council Foundation continues to support small businesses across Miami-Dade.
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