Description: Sustain a unique and thriving downtown by choosing to invest in our local economy, cultivate consumer choice, and encourage cultural diversity by nurturing small, locally owned businesses.  We need to cultivate a deepened culture of community or collective voice within the different interested parties.  Currently there are “silos” of community, but a framework is needed to serve as a way to bring these groups together and facilitate honest conversation and feedback.  We need to develop a representative document to serve as a collective voice listing the major issues facing local businesses and providing suggested solutions to decision-makers

Top Three Challenges

1. Difficulty in working with the City of Phoenix Development Services Department
2. Lack of connected community among local business owners
3. Lack of economic assistance for locally owned businesses

Possible Solutions

• Hold annual conference to support advocacy and development
• Either serve as or find a point person to go out to all community groups to identify and compile common issues; report back to all
• Write an annual report of issues facing local businesses to present to decision-makers
• Have a team of volunteers canvas local businesses to solicit feedback and educate them of available resources

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Review 2004 Locally-Owned Businesses background information

Review 2004 Locally-Owned Businesses challenges and solutions (including 2010 analysis of progress)