Montgomery County Celebrates National Small Business Week

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Montgomery County is participating in National Small Business Week, April 29 - May 5, to highlight the programs and services available to entrepreneurs locally and to promote several upcoming business events.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” said County Executive Ike Leggett. “The Small Business Plus and MOVE programs are two examples of how we support them, in addition to the business incubator network and other services and incentives that can be accessed via the Montgomery County Business Portal.”

When it comes to starting, growing or managing a business, the Montgomery County Business Portal is designed to provide instant and integrated access to information about County-government services and resources related to starting, growing and managing a business in the County.  The portal includes business starter kits, a “frequently asked questions” queue, and it can be translated in several different languages, including Spanish. 

The Montgomery County Business Portal is managed by the County’s Business Solutions Team, which is comprised of Small Business Navigator Judy Stephenson and Business Liaison Officer Daniel Koroma. They are responsible for outreach to the business community and serve as a point of contact for navigating rules, regulations, licensing, permitting, procurement and communication with County government departments and agencies.   

“There are more than 30,000 businesses in Montgomery County,” said Stephenson. “We want small business owners to know we are here to answer their questions to help them stay connected and succeed.”

 “The Small Business Navigator is a tremendous asset to my company, pointing me in the right direction to answer my time-sensitive, business questions,” said Kelly Leonard, CEO of Taylor-Leonard Corporation.

“There is no office like it, a wealth of information in one place,” said Laura Rhode, CEO of brandmarket, who noted that the County’s outreach has helped her company make connections and learn about opportunities.

“The Business Portal is a gateway when it comes to accessing information for the business community,” said Koroma.

A business coach at the Latino Economic Development Center, Maria Jimenez said the portal has helped her business better serve its clients. “The fact that the information is distributed by business stages (start up and existing business) makes things easier for us to get all the information in one place.”

On Saturday, May 5, Montgomery County is hosting two events that will feature dozens of local businesses:

• Design for Life Showcase, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring.
• Greenfest, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Jesup Blair Local Park, 900 Jesup Blair Drive, Silver Spring.

For more information about what it takes to start a business, visit the Montgomery County Business Portal website  and for more business resources, visit the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) website.

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Release ID: 18-539
Media Contact: Sonya Burke 240-777-6531, Daniel Koroma 240-777-2584