Youngstown, OH
Youngstown needed small business support during the pandemic.
Challenge
Located in the northeastern part of the state, Youngstown is equidistant from Cleveland and Pittsburg. Once a thriving steel industry town, Youngstown has lost 60% of its population since the 1970’s. These days, the city is focused on leveraging its assets: the downtown riverfront, local university and hospitals, industrial employers, and local entrepreneurs.
The city of Youngstown is a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds recipient. Through this program, they have utilized a portion of their funds to serve and support small businesses within low to moderate income neighborhoods. In partnering with Retail Strategies, our team has provided Small Business Support services to local business owners through one-on-one consulting, industry-specific resources, tutorials, market data, and webinars.
When the Pandemic Hit
When the pandemic hit, 59.8% of Ohio small businesses did not have an online presence. This eliminated the opportunity for them to engage and sell products with their customers during shutdowns. Through our webinar training, “E-tail Strategies: Get Your Business Online!”, local entrepreneurs and business owners in Youngstown received training and resources to help do just that – get their business online!
Through additional small business support training, our team has provided one-on-one coaching and consulting to selected businesses. These sessions empowered business owners with additional resources for funding and tips for marketing and branding.
Business Types
- Beauty Salon
- Restaurant
- Lawn & Garden
- Entertainment Venues
Small Business Support
We offer a suite of tools and data to get your local community businesses thriving.
Getting online is just one step that helps diversify income stream and boost marketing and retention.
