TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - According to the National Small Business Administration, only 66 percent of small businesses survive their first 2 years of operation.
That's why Tuesday night in the capital city, Tallahassee Community College and the Downtown Improvement Authority are joining forces, to help make the dreams of local entrepreneurs a little more feasible.
What's really unique about the program is that it provides start up businesses with a rent free location to operate out of right in the center of Tallahassee.
After three months of participating in business workshops in the Tallahassee downtown marketplace, the Achieving the Dream Business Program judges the participant' business plans and then selects a winner.
That winner then gets the chance to operate out of the TCC Capitol Center for 6 months free of charge.
The winner of this round of participants was Jasmine Jackson, and her business, Distress by Jazz.
Project organizers said that they're excited for these entrepreneurs to get the chance to house their business in such a great location.
"It's a great downtown, the fact that its continuing to grow and it certainly will with some of the other activities we have this year," said Kimberly Moore, TCC vice president for workforce development. "The fact that you have the capital, you have the city, Florida State right down the road, lots of great traffic moving around. To know that you'll have a business located there and the fact that we were able to spark that interest if you will...it's exciting."
Six startup business participated in this group and now organizers are preparing for the next set of business hopefuls.
The deadline to submit an application for the next Achieving the Dream Business Incubator is Nov. 15th. If you'd like to apply, contact TCC's Division of Workforce Development here.
