1 of 2 Metrorail offers a tangible example of how the county’s initiative is connecting small businesses with thousands of potential customers.Easy Perks puts businesses in front of Metrorail riders Manny CidEasy Perks puts businesses in front of Metrorail riders An opportunity that once might have been financially out of reach for Miami-Dade small business owner Gasline Dessources now is becoming a reality. During a recent trip aboard the Miami-Dade Metrorail, a familiar local business logo appeared on one of the LED screens inside the train. It was the logo of Lavish Touches Hair and Spa Inc., Dessources’ business, which months earlier had enrolled in Miami-Dade County’s Easy Perks program. Seeing her business advertised inside the Metrorail offered a tangible example of how the county’s initiative is connecting small businesses with thousands of potential customers while providing benefits to transit riders. Through Easy Perks, participating businesses can receive advertising exposure on Miami-Dade transit in exchange for offering discounts to transit riders. For small business owners who may not have the resources to purchase advertising on a public transportation system, the program provides an alternative way to reach consumers throughout the county. Dessources, who also is a Strive305 ambassador, is among the local entrepreneurs benefiting from the initiative. Her experience demonstrates the potential of a program designed to create a two-way benefit: small businesses gain valuable marketing exposure, while transit riders receive discounts and incentives at local establishments. The concept represents what supporters describe as a win-win for the community. The program also reflects Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s broader vision of building a Miami-Dade economy that works for everyone. By helping small businesses overcome some of the costs associated with marketing and customer acquisition, county initiatives such as Easy Perks seek to create additional pathways for entrepreneurs to grow. Small businesses remain a critical part of Miami-Dade’s economic and community landscape. From neighborhood salons and restaurants to professional services and retailers, these businesses provide jobs, serve local residents and contribute to the character of communities across the county. Miami-Dade also has seen significant entrepreneurial activity, ranking among the nation’s leaders in new small-business applications. County officials say initiatives such as Easy Perks are part of a larger effort to make government a partner in small-business success. That effort extends beyond marketing. Entrepreneurs frequently identify permitting, access to capital and finding customers as major challenges to starting and growing a business. The county is working to address those hurdles through a range of programs and services. The Strategic Procurement Department also is developing an SMB Hub designed to bring information about county small-business initiatives together in one place. The effort follows the mayor’s “no wrong door” approach, intended to make it easier for business owners to find the assistance and resources available to them without having to navigate multiple county departments independently. For entrepreneurs like Dessources, the impact of these programs can be seen in a simple but powerful moment: stepping onto a Metrorail train and seeing a local business promoted to the public. Easy Perks demonstrates how public resources can create opportunities for both businesses and residents — and how supporting Miami-Dade’s small-business community can help keep the county moving forward. Businesses interested in learning more about the Easy Perks program can contact Phillip Wells at [email protected]. Manny Cid is Assistant Director, Miami-Dade County Strategic Procurement Department.     ABOUT US: For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area. This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. 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