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I am beyond impressed by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ Elevate District 5 event — not just for its polish or presentation, but for what it represents. The program brought together agencies, partners, and small business owners under one roof to share tools, resources, and success stories that prove local entrepreneurship can thrive when given the right support.
Anyone who has followed my columns over the years knows where I stand on this issue: small business is everything. Forget the idea that economic growth comes from chasing giant corporations with tax breaks and ribbon-cuttings. The real backbone of our economy — especially here in Miami-Dade — is the small business owner working seven days a week, balancing rent, payroll, family and dreams.
Commissioner Higgins seems to understand that better than most. Her Elevate District 5 initiative, launched in 2022, shows what can happen when public leadership focuses on empowerment instead of recruitment. Funded by the American Rescue Plan, the program has provided more than $3.215 million in programs that include Mom & Pop grants, $466,000 in microloans and training for entrepreneurs.
The numbers tell a powerful story:
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1,088 small businesses graduated from Elevate’s training programs.
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75% of participants are minority-owned and more than half are women-owned.
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And in one standout example, businesses that learned to use AI for marketing and sales saw a $13 return for every $1 invested.
These aren’t just statistics – they’re proof that small-scale investments can create lasting change. They mean more families able to stay in their homes, more neighborhood storefronts reopening, more young entrepreneurs finding mentorship and stability.
What I find particularly encouraging is that Higgins’ approach goes beyond one-off grants. She’s building a network of mentorship, education, and accountability – teaching business owners how to use QuickBooks, Canva, AI tools, and how to navigate government contracts. That’s how you make growth sustainable.
Miami doesn’t need more subsidies for companies that will move on when the next incentive package comes along. We need this kind of bottom-up economics – training our own people, funding our own ideas and believing in the talent that’s already here.
So, when I see Eileen Higgins holding an Elevate event, I see a model that every district in Miami-Dade should be following. Programs like this don’t just boost business, they strengthen neighborhoods, families and confidence.
