As I write this, it is hard for me to believe that we are over halfway through June and summer is just around the corner.
Despite the State of California “reopening” last week, I think I have accepted the fact that things will not truly be back to normal for a very long time; yet at the same time, we see signs all around us that the way of life we all knew before the pandemic is starting to resume. In the months ahead, Team EDC will begin returning to the office much more regularly. We are starting to attend more and more in-person meetings, although the outdoor variety remains the standard. We have even put a date on the calendar for our 2022 Annual Dinner—hopeful that the year ahead continues to bring us all closer to where we once were.
While numerous things have changed about our work at EDC, the goals that we set for 2030 remain unwavering. The need to develop more quality jobs within our small businesses, more skilled workers, and more thriving households across San Diego has only become more prominent. Now more than ever, these goals must be our guideposts in re-establishing San Diego’s economic resiliency, growth, and well-being.
Committed to getting this recovery right, we have recently teamed up with local tech startup GoSite to offer up to 100 small businesses with the digital tools needed to weather future economic shocks—at no cost to them.
We know the pandemic spurred the closure of nearly 40 percent of San Diego’s small businesses—which can largely be attributed to businesses’ inability to quickly pivot online, depriving them of access to customers and key markets. We also know those hardest hit by the pandemic have been communities of color who are being left further behind. The San Diego Business Hub is one step toward ensuring San Diego businesses most impacted* by COVID-19 have the tools necessary to recover, grow, and thrive.
We feel certain that if we can support 100 more small businesses in developing the online presence they need for resiliency and growth, it will support our broader effort of increasing the number of quality jobs and thriving households within the region. And everything we do in the months ahead must ensure we are continuously taking steps in this direction. Learn more about the program at SDbizhub.com, made possible by grants from The San Diego Foundation and Union Bank.
With respect and gratitude,
Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty
President & CEO
*Priority applicants include women, minorities, veterans, and other economically under-resourced groups.