Beyond Big Business: How Small Businesses Can Benefit from Economic Development

Beloit Economic Development Master Class: Site Selection, Small Business Resources & Opportunity Zones (with Drew) About a week before Pitch Night, Jocelyn welcomes Drew, Beloit’s economic development director, to explain what the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation (GBEDC) is and how it supports growth across the Beloit area, including work in Gateway Business Park through marketing, RFP responses, and referrals. Drew describes GBEDC’s “Greater Beloit Huddles,” which convene partners like the health department, city clerk, zoning staff, SCORE, and organizations such as the Downtown Beloit Association, Chamber, and Visit Beloit to help businesses avoid costly mistakes and navigate licensing, space, and planning. He outlines opportunity zones and related downtown grants, discusses upcoming small-business grant activity tied to Prairie Avenue and TIF districts, and shares site-selection tools and data available at greaterbeloitworks.com. The episode ends with ways to connect and a reminder about Pitch Night. 00:00 Welcome and Pitch Night 01:09 What GBEDC Does 02:33 Marketing and RFPs 05:04 Small Business Help Huddles 09:29 Opportunity Zones Explained 12:31 Choosing Locations and Incentives 16:26 Finding Properties and Data Tools 18:49 Planning Background Advantage 19:43 Housing Meets Econ Dev 20:58 Why Location Wins 22:40 What To Bring First 25:26 Networking That Pays 27:44 Prosperity For All 30:37 Finding Grants And RFPs 31:53 Passion Before Plans 35:05 Wrap Up And Contact