Brooklyn Council Member Mathieu Eugene, in partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, last Thursday hosted a free small business workshop at his 40th District Office.
Eugene said the workshop provided information and resources for local business owners who are interested in applying for Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification.
He said the workshop was part of his ongoing commitment to providing free strategic growth resources for small business owners.
“To all of our business owners, thank you for what you are doing for our city, because small businesses do so much to support our economy,” Eugene told participants. “I believe that, as a government, we should do much more for our small business owners, because you have all worked very hard and you have a vision on how to make a difference and to have an impact on the local economy.
“Maintaining a small business is not easy,” he added. “We have seen many people over the years who have worked hard and have still been forced to close their doors.
“I believe that the government needs to help these business owners and provide guidance on how they can resolve the issues they are facing,” continued Eugene, stating that one of the issues he is working on with city agencies is to help business owners deal with the summonses they receive from the city.
“I want to help business owners understand them so that they can be resolved,” he said. “My question for city agencies has always been, ‘How many members of the minority community get access to resources available through the NYC Department of Small Business Services and through EDC?’”
Eugene said resources are available, adding: “That’s the reason why I am partnering with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.”
He said the MWBE Certification Workshop provided guidance on how to expand opportunities for minority and women entrepreneurs to access government contracts to grow their business.
“When eligible businesses are certified with the city, they become more visible to prospective buyers, including city agencies, and private contractors seeking to purchase goods and services,” Eugene said.
