Article submitted by City of Sedona AZ
Sedona AZ (July 12, 2017) – Small businesses are at the root of our local economies because they promote growth, innovation and jobs in the community and region. The provide opportunities for people to achieve financial success and independence. Nationally, there are more than 27 million small businesses, and they make up almost 50 percent of our gross domestic product. Small businesses tend to attract the talent needed to invent new products/services and solutions for existing ideas.
Small businesses that grow into large businesses often remain in the community in which they were first established. Having a large corporation headquartered in a community can further help provide employment and stimulate the local economy. Many large industry leaders started off as a small business – they tinkered on machines in their garages. Both Apple and Hewlett Packard started in someone’s garage.
What do small businesses need to thrive? They need funding, a business strategy and planning, a skilled workforce, marketing and social media, networking, financial acumen, market data, a good quality of life, and a supportive community. The city of Sedona helps small business development through our Economic Development Department by being a resource to existing businesses, new businesses and individuals who dream of starting a business.
Molly Spangler
Recently, the city hosted a one day business startup seminar. New business owners learned how start a business, get financing, and pick the proper legal structure. This month and again in August, the city will host a two and a half day LaunchPad business planning and marketing course for new and expanding businesses. LaunchPad is a business basics boot camp to prepare those seriously considering starting a business. By the end of the program, these business owners will have a fully vetted business plan. They will be a step ahead for success thanks to the expertise of our LaunchPad partners, the U.S. Small Business Development Center, Yavapai College, and the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization. The July course filled up just a few weeks after being announced, demonstrating demand for more business resources and education in Sedona.
The business owners who will join our upcoming LaunchPad sessions include professionals in Information Technology, hospitality, clothing design and wellness. These businesses are an asset to the city and business community. It’s rewarding for me to watch people build the future and live out their passion through their new and expanding businesses.
If business development and investment is your passion, too, and you have expertise and skills to share I invite you contact me. New business owners rely on the experiences of others to brainstorm and grow. One of my personal goals for the city’s Economic Development Department is to build upon my own business network to help growing businesses gain access to capital and expand their customer base.
The Sedona Economic Development Department exists to help businesses create and keep jobs and opportunities in our community. For information on revolving loans, business education and other business support resources, please contact mspangler@sedonaaz.gov.
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The unanswered question still remains just that – unanswered. Why, oh why, does this City of Sedona only promote chamber of commerce MEMBERS at the city financed but OFFICIAL Visitors Center of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. This makes no sense. Use the money given to support the Chamber Visitors Center to promote legitimate, licensed, tax collecting city of Sedona businesses. The Chamber Visitors Center will continue to function without city financial support as it did before Sedona incorporated. Put your money where it’s needed and NOT in the pockets of those that operate a special interest, member driven organization. PLEASE!
This is just to let Sedona know how much some of us appreciate all that you do for Camp Verde. We do not have a Chamber of Commerce here anymore which never did receive money from the incorporated town. However our Town of Camp Verde Visitors Center serves us well. And those businesses here that are members of your regional Chamber of Commerce in Sedona enjoy referrals from your unofficial Sedona visitors center. Thank you for that.
But especially we enjoy that you share your C of C President & CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff with us as the Chairman of the Board of the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization. And that you hired Ms. Molly Spangler as an Economic Development Advisor to serve as the Chair of the VV Revolving Loan Committee is really terrific. The generosity displayed by City of Sedona to financially support the entire region is, indeed, special. And if you are so inclined to move ahead and provide workforce housing, we on the other side of I-17 will benefit from that as well because rentals here are also scarce.
Oh yes, one last thing. We are looking forward to the next Community Town Hall at Sedona in your City Council Chambers where we in the region will again have the opportunity to meet with Arizona State Senator Allen and Reps. Thorpe and Barton. Please keep us posted as to when that event is scheduled.
Sedona – big brother and big sister to all. Hugs!
@Rosalie in Camp Verde / Just be happy you are a resident of Camp Verde. Believe me you’re treated with far more respect than those of us who live in Sedona. Because of the exorbitant amount of money this city gives to a chamber of commerce that only represents their members, our sales tax is soon to increase which means those outside Sedona city limits will benefit even more. Why wouldn’t people shop in Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Clarkdale & Jerome for no other reason than to avoid paying the high tax in Sedona. Same with hotels outside city limits. Stay there with no Sedona sales OR bed tax. You are very lucky.
Get the facts correct….Not one dime of your money goes to the Chamber!….If it does why are you spending your hard earned money getting hotel rooms? No other way one penny of your money goes there…
And of course you can’t see that someone was paying a complement to the Chamber, because there is no good in your outlook, just rag,rag,rag!
Frommer’s popular travel guides tell people to stay OUTSIDE Sedona, saying “You can save a little bit on your hotel bill by staying in the the Village of Oak Creek rather than in Sedona proper.”
In checking the internet, I found where Chicago has the top combined state and local sales tax – 10.25 percent. This rate came from a midyear 2016 ranking.
If the 1 percent sales tax increase gets approved by the City Council, Yavapai County Sedona’s tax rate will be 10.35 percent while Coconino County Sedona’s tax rate [Uptown] will be 10.9 percent. This is nuts.
The return given to the chamber because of the bed tax increase would be better spent on infrastructure than frittered away on wasted advertising and now the unknown commodity of “product development.” As for paying bed tax – no I do not. However what about tourists? Better to stay outside city limits and if necessary cruise through Sedona as day trippers on your way to Oak Creek or Grand Canyons. Why shop in Sedona when same products are available in Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Jerome & Clarkdale.
And bed tax is “city revenue” which certainly does belong to the residents of Sedona. What is it you don’t understand about that? Public money is being spent to promote ONLY Chamber Members – kicking to the curb those tax collecting establishments within city limits who refuse to be coerced into joining what even appears might be a fraudulent organization. How long has it been since the Chamber has been audited by a reliable source? Too fishy for words IMO.
It IS the residents property owner voters MONEY not the chamber. Those that voted on incorporation had the bed tax to fund infrastructure!!!!! not a regional club
Just reading the truth about Sedona confirms how smart I was to relocate my business elsewhere. Not a member of the phony chamber of commerce but my business is thriving just outside City Limits. The best of all worlds – and no affiliation with city mafia and an “alleged” non-profit that’s never even been audited? Way, way overdue. And how does Sedona get away with spending millions of $$$$ outside their jurisdiction? Where’t the justice? What about ethics? Clearly both are MIA.
Agreeing with @Rosalie in Camp Verde, love, love, love it that Sedona so generously contributes money to every cause that crosses their path. But most of all can hardly wait for workforce housing to become a reality. Many workers outside Sedona city limits won’t have a problem at all renting your properties and commuting to their jobs elsewhere. Best of all worlds. Thank you so once again for helping to solve OUR problem as you continue to worsen you own. OMG how stupid can you guys get?
We work at Cliff Castle and just heard Sedona plans to provide rental apartments for working people!! We’re thrilled!! What an honor it will be to have a Sedona address allowing us to register to vote there and at the same time keep the jobs we love at the Casino!!! No we will NOT mind commuting. The drive is BEAUTIFUL (another bonus.) THANK YOU Sedona City Council and others involved in promoting this wonderful opportunity.
Thanks for info, I’ll share. LR, West Palm Beach FL
http://www.nocelltowerat1095channing.com/
As you can see in this recently NY Times article, Palo Alto residents really don’t like having cell towers in their community (even though they are the cradle of wireless technology). What do these tech people know that the rest of the population doesn’t?