CIEDA Launches Connect Program to Support Small Business

July 17, 2020

Story originally published by CIEDA

Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority is launching Connect Claremore led by Program Manager, Kara Lenard. The program kicked off yesterday at North Block Common in Claremore with a Launch Party where attendees previewed the SizeUp data platform. The platform can be accessed via CIEDA’s website, making powerful market research and business intelligence available to local businesses to help level the competitive playing field by providing similar market research that typically only large corporations can afford to access.

Local businesses can now access industry-specific and hyperlocal information to help them grow and make smarter decisions using Big Data analysis. The research is individually customized for each company. By using the website service local businesses are able to:

Rank their business performance compared to industry competitors
Discover potential customer, suppliers, and better understand their competitive landscape
Optimize advertising to target ideal customer segments
Analyze local demographics, consumer spending, and labor force
In the USA, over 99% of all companies are small businesses and small businesses create the majority of all net new private-sector jobs (Source: US Small Business Administration and US Bureau of Labor Statistics). From 1993 to 2015 small businesses created 425% more net new jobs than large companies (Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics). In addition, locally-owned businesses create a larger economic impact on the local economy because more money spent with them is re-spent locally. “CIEDA is committed to helping our local businesses succeed. They are the foundation of our local economy, employ our residents, create new jobs, and make our community a more prosperous place. Providing SizeUp LBI business assistance service on our website is another way in which we are partnering with our local businesses for their success,” Ryan Neely, CIEDA Chairman.

Program Manager, Kara Lenard shared, “As a former start up and small business owner, I have faced many of the same challenges and celebrated successes similar to those faced by our area companies. We look forward to this program, as well as the SizeUp data platform.” Connect Claremore will consist of one-on-one meetings with local business owners to get insight into issues businesses are facing on a local level, as well as monthly roundtable discussions held at North Block Common in conjunction with the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce and Northeast Tech to discuss local issues in a group setting. CIEDA has formed an advisory council comprised of local organizational leaders and small business owners to oversee the program and to provide accountability and advocacy.

For more information on the program, or to access the free SizeUp data tool

Visit the Connect page here.