Small Businesses Receive Extended Support During COVID-19

While many businesses are pivoting or pausing to address the many challenges of COVID-19, Beaver Street Enterprise Center (BSEC) has  launched the Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunity to offer extended professional support and resources to help business owners to best manage through crises and beyond. 

Through a partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Ally Bank, the center offers 12 months of financial counseling, business coaching, and technical assistance workshops to 17 BSEC resident business owners and partner businesses.  The program is designed to improve business owners’ management skills, financial position, and revenue.

“During this time of high anxiety and uncertainty, we are grateful for the support and partnership of LISC and Ally Bank. BSEC business owners are high performing businesses who need customized, capacity-building resources to address their unique challenges. This program is designed to help them to overcome those challenges and continue to grow their businesses,” says Theresa Johnson, BSEC Executive Director.

Beaver Street Enterprise Center is Northeast Florida’s premiere business incubator. Since 2003, it has helped launch more than 100 new businesses, created more than 2000 new jobs, generated more than $300 million in economic impact, earned acclaim at Business Incubator of the Year by the National Business Incubator Association in 2010, and produced companies that are included on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest growing businesses in America. 

Businesses interested in signing up for the next cohort may apply at this link.

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More than 75 percent of the companies and organizations at Beaver Street Enterprise Center are owned or managed by black entrepreneurs. They include:

1. All Care Home Health – Home healthcare provider. Owner is Nicole Watson
2. APEL Health Services – Non-profit organization that provides health education and HIV/Aids and STD testing on site. http://apelhealth.com/services/. Director is Ken Stokes.
3. Annie Wilson Homecare – Provides companion services, light housekeeping and meals to homebound clients. https://www.anniewilsonhomecare.net/. Owner is Annie Brown.
4. Barb’s Business – Tax preparation service. Owner is Barbara Henry.
5. Best Value Management – provides consulting services to roofing companies to help them qualify for government contracts. A Venture Out company. http://best-value-management-llc.business.site/. Owner is Brenda Campbell.
6. Center for Confidence – Business and professional consulting service. Owner is Dr. V. Brooks Dunbar. http://www.thecenterforconfidence.com/home.html
7. EmployTech – A non-profit employment agency that provides full service employment placement and recruitment services for individuals,non-profit agencies and community active employers. http://employtechjax.com .Director is Michael McNeal.
8. Eriden Images – North Florida photography and videography services. Owner is Will Darden.
9. Erika Griffin –  Licensed independent insurance agent through World Financial Group, Mary Kay Consultant and Certified Nursing Assistant. 
10. Florida Care Assurance Group – Full-service insurance professionals who specialize in Florida Blue insurance products and services. Owner is Mincy Pollock. http://www.floridacareassurancegroup.com/.
11. Freddie Richardson Cleaning Service – A commercial janitorial company. Has a number of city contracts. Owner is Freddie Richardson.
12. Health Care Consulting & Solution Services – Provides consulting services to healthcare providers. Owner is Charita Bryant. 
13. Helping Hands Inspire Happy Hearts – Provides mental health care counseling services to adults and children. Owner is Rachel Shaw-Wilson. https://www.helpinghandsinspirehappyhearts.com/
14. IMDC, Inc. – provides construction management services; develops and produces engineering projects in the realms of mechanical, electrical, civil and architectural support services. Owner is Gregory Mundy. http://imdc-inc.com/
15. Institute of Daily Communications – Specializes in life coaching and coaching clients in communications, notably public speaking. Owner is Debra Jones-Lewis.
16. Law Office of Christine Michel – Attorney Christine Michel focuses her practice in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, family law and immigration. http://cmichellaw.com/
17. Lionel Smith & Associates – Primerica – Provides financial services through Primerica, Inc., a multi-level marketing company. http://www.primerica.com/ljsmith.
18. Medic, Inc.—Provides vending machines to locations throughout Jacksonville, supplying over-the-counter medications and health products. The machines are also programmed to provide advertising and promotional information. Owned by three pharmacists, Joel Rivera, Garlene Atcherson and Michelle Birt. http://www.medicinc247.com/
19. NAACP – Jacksonville Branch – Beaver Street Enterprise Center is home to the Jacksonville office of the NAACP. http://www.jaxnaacp.org/
20. Network For Strengthening Families and Temple of Praise – Temple of Praise church group meets at BSEC on Sunday mornings in our Event Hall. Michelle Hughes is pastor. She has an office at Beaver Street and also manages the Network For Strengthening Families, a network of organizations and agencies that provide social services and outreach in Duval County. http://networkforstrengtheningfamilies.org/
21. North Florida Care Services – Provides home health care and companion services to the elderly and individuals with disabilities. Owner is Felicity Herring. http://www.northflcareservices.com
22. Pollock Group – Provides marketing, advertising and communications services to a variety of clients. Owned by Mincy Pollock. http://www.pollockgroup.solutions/
23. The Posh Factory – Provides dance instruction for youth. Owner is Sherrod Brown. https://www.facebook.com/theposhfactory/
24. RCS Advertising – Advertising and media services. Owner is Robert Coffee. http://therobertcoffeeshow.com/
25. The SOL Connection – The Strength Outreach and Leadership Connection Inc. (SOL Connection) is a non-profit serving at-risk youth through leadership seminars, etiquette training, relationship building, and health & wellness programs. Executive Director is Lashan Washington. http://thesolconnectioninc.org
26. Thaise Educational and Exposure Tours – A non-profit organization working with youth to provide counseling, mentoring, enrichment classes, tutoring, college visits and exposure tours. Director is Teresa Clove. http://www.thaise.org.
27. The 3G’s Grilled and Soul Food Catering – Catering company owned by Lee Livingston. https://www.the

Jacksonville, FL: October 10, 2018 – Beaver Street Enterprise Center is proud to announce a new partnership with The Brenau University Jacksonville campus to provide Professional Development Workshops to resident business owners. The first workshop, Business Communication Essential Skills, will be held November 1, from noon to 1 p.m. following a tenant meet and greet with Brenau personnel. Lunch will be provided.

“This is a first for Beaver Street Enterprise Center,” says Theresa Johnson, Director. “Brenau is focused on graduate level business expertise and we are so grateful that they are willing to share that expertise to help our companies succeed.”

Alecia Webb, director of Brenau’s Jacksonville campus, says it’s an opportunity to increase Brenau’s community footprint in Jacksonville and to align with what they see as one of their primary student markets, working adults and those seeking business education and knowledge.   

All sessions will be held at the Beaver Street Enterprise Center, a nonprofit business incubator that has helped launch more than 100 new businesses, created more than 2000 new jobs, generated more than $300 million in economic impact, earned acclaim as Business Incubator of the Year by the National Business Incubator Association in 2010, and produced companies that are included on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest growing businesses in America.

Brenau offers master and bachelor level Business programs with a variety of concentrations, as well as Organizational Leadership and an AALS. Brenau University has been serving the Jacksonville, Florida, community for three years and providing quality education for over 140 years in traditional and non-traditional formats. Brenau is a private, nonprofit university based in Gainesville, Georgia, with five campuses in Florida and Georgia. For more information, visit www.brenau.edu/campus/jacksonville/

For more information contact:
Theresa Johnson at 904-265-4710
Email: Theresa.johnson@bsecenter.net

1. • 
     Jaye Andone, SCIF Global Technologies
   • 
     Karen Landry, The War on Poverty, Florida
   • 
     Rachel Shaw-Wilson, Helping Hands Inspire Happy Hearts
   • 
     Mincy Pollock, Pollock Group & Florida Assurance Group, LLC
   • 
     Hanan Furqan, THREEZ Company
   
   Beaver Street Enterprise Center Resident Companies and Organizations (as of January 2020)
   1. AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) – Jacksonville office. Provides employment training, internship opportunities and job placement assistance to low-income seniors.
   2. Adaptive Consulting Services – Specializes in road construction. http://www.adaptivece.com/
   3. All Care Home Health – Home healthcare provider. Owner is Nicole Watson
   4. All for Financial Services – Financial services provider (insurance and financial planning). Owner is Julio Gonzales.
   5. APEL Health Services – Non-profit organization that provides health education and HIV/Aids and STD testing on site. http://apelhealth.com/services/. Director is Ken Stokes.
   6. Arrow Security of North Florida – Provides armed security and monitoring services to clients throughout Northeast Florida. http://www.arrowsecurity.net/. Arrow also provides training toward certification for individuals who wish to provide armed security services. Owner is Sean Bundy.
   7. Annie Wilson Homecare – Provides companion services, light housekeeping and meals to homebound clients. https://www.anniewilsonhomecare.net/. Owner is Annie Brown.
   8. Barb’s Business – Tax preparation service. Owner is Barbara Henry.
   9. Best Value Management – provides consulting services to roofing companies to help them qualify for government contracts. A Venture Out company. http://best-value-management-llc.business.site/. Owner is Brenda Campbell.
   10. Center for Confidence – Business and professional consulting service. Owner is Dr. V. Brooks Dunbar. http://www.thecenterforconfidence.com/home.html
   11. Compassionate Alternative Care — Provides on-site physician services to qualify patients for Amendment 2 cards. https://www.compaltcare.com/. Owner is Daniel Locke.
   12. Daniel Memorial – A non-profit organization providing mental-health counseling for adults at this location. A division of Daniel Kids. https://www.danielkids.org/.
   13. EmployTech – A non-profit employment agency that provides full service employment placement and recruitment services for individuals,non-profit agencies and community active employers. http://employtechjax.com .Director is Michael McNeal.
   14. Eriden Images – North Florida photography and videography services. Owner is Will Darden.
   15. Florida Care Assurance Group – Full-service insurance professionals who specialize in Florida Blue insurance products and services. Owner is Mincy Pollock. http://www.floridacareassurancegroup.com/.
   16. Freddie Richardson Cleaning Service – A commercial janitorial company. Has a number of city contracts. Owner is Freddie Richardson.
   17. Hart SEO – Provides online marketing and search engine optimization services and Web site development. Owner is Jon Hart. http://hartseo.com/.
   18. Health Care Consulting & Solution Services – Provides consulting services to healthcare providers. Owner is Charita Bryant. 
   19. Helping Hands Inspire Happy Hearts – Provides mental health care counseling services to adults and children. Owner is Rachel Shaw-Wilson. https://www.helpinghandsinspirehappyhearts.com/
   20. IMDC, Inc. – provides construction management services; develops and produces engineering projects in the realms of mechanical, electrical, civil and architectural support services. Owner is Gregory Mundy. http://imdc-inc.com/
   21. Institute of Daily Communications – Specializes in life coaching and coaching clients in communications, notably public speaking. Owner is Debra Jones-Lewis.
   22. ISS Facility Services – Provides cleaning and janitorial services to a variety of clients, including a number of government agencies. Beaver Street is Jacksonville location of this national company. https://www.us.issworld.com/. Local manager is Rene Bartlett.
   23. Law Office of Christine Michel – Attorney Christine Michel focuses her practice in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, family law and immigration. http://cmichellaw.com/
   24. Lionel Smith & Associates – Primerica – Provides financial services through Primerica, Inc., a multi-level marketing company. http://www.primerica.com/ljsmith.
   25. Medic, Inc.—Provides vending machines to locations throughout Jacksonville, supplying over-the-counter medications and health products. The machines are also programmed to provide advertising and promotional information. Owned by three pharmacists, Joel Rivera, Garlene Atcherson and Michelle Birt. http://www.medicinc247.com/
   26. NAACP – Jacksonville Branch – Beaver Street Enterprise Center is home to the Jacksonville office of the NAACP. http://www.jaxnaacp.org/
   27. Network For Strengthening Families and Temple of Praise – Temple of Praise church group meets at BSEC on Sunday mornings in our Event Hall. Michelle Hughes is pastor. She has an office at Beaver Street and also manages the Network For Strengthening Families, a network of organizations and agencies that provide social services and outreach in Duval County. http://networkforstrengtheningfamilies.org/
   28. North Florida Care Services – Provides home health care and companion services to the elderly and individuals with disabilities. Owner is Felicity Herring. http://www.northflcareservices.com
   29. Pollock Group – Provides marketing, advertising and communications services to a variety of clients. Owned by Mincy Pollock. http://www.pollockgroup.solutions/
   30. The Posh Factory – Provides dance instruction for youth. Owner is Sherrod Brown. https://www.facebook.com/theposhfactory/
   31. RCS Advertising – Advertising and media services. Owner is Robert Coffee. http://therobertcoffeeshow.com/
   32. SCIF Global Technologies — Provides Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and Special Access Programs (SAP) to deny foreign intelligence services and other unauthorized personnel the opportunity for undetected entry into their clients’ facilities and exploitation of sensitive activities. SCIF works on projects nationwide. Owned by Jaye Andone. https://scifglobal.com/
   33. Southern Aire Contracting (SAC Services) — A construction company that provides maintenance, repair and service contract support, energy management and conservation, utility metering and management, design build, general contracting, construction management, mechanical and electrical service and construction, concrete, roofing, mold remediation, and spray foam insulation to the federal government as well as local and state agencies. Owner is Angela Wilson. http://www.sacservicescorp.com
   34. Small Business Development Center/UNF (SBDC) –Provides comprehensive consulting services to small businesses. Maintains a satellite office and presents frequent workshops at Beaver Street Enterprise Center.
   35. The SOL Connection – The Strength Outreach and Leadership Connection Inc. (SOL Connection) is a non-profit serving at-risk youth through leadership seminars, etiquette training, relationship building, and health & wellness programs. Executive Director is Lashan Washington. http://thesolconnectioninc.org
   36. Spur Success – Provides business coaching and consulting services. Owner is Michelle Belloit. http://spursuccess.com/
   37. Thaise Educational and Exposure Tours – A non-profit organization working with youth to provide counseling, mentoring, enrichment classes, tutoring, college visits and exposure tours. Director is Teresa Clove. http://www.thaise.org.
   38. The 3G’s Grilled and Soul Food Catering – Catering company owned by Lee Livingston. https://www.the3ggrill.com/

Hanan Hamed- Furqan, whose business ThreeZ Company LLC is located at Beaver Street Enterprise Center, will be named North Florida District and State of Florida Minority Small Business Person of the Year at the SBA’s award luncheon on May 4, 2017.

“Thanks to BSEC for all your love, encouragement and support!” Hanan wrote to our staff when she learned about her award.

ThreeZ Company sells paper products and cleaning supplies to both retail and wholesale customers.

The awards luncheon is scheduled as part of SBA’s 25^th Annual Small Business Week Celebration on Thursday, May 4^th from 11:30 am-1:30 pm at the Adam W. Herbert University Center at the University of North Florida. Tickets are available here.

Another entrepreneur to be recognized at the luncheon is Andy Harold with Florida 8(a) Alliance, who also launched his company, A. Harold & Associates, at Beaver Street Enterprise Center. He will be named North Florida  State of Florida and Region IV 8(a) Graduate of the Year.