Pasadena Loves Local Connects with Businesses

Pasadena Loves Local was an opportunity to provide support for small businesses in the Pasadena area during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the fall of 2020, the program supplied close to 200 businesses with critical grant funding. Today, the Pasadena Economic Development Corporation (EDC), and the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce seeks to build on that effort and extend the Pasadena Loves Local Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) Program to an even larger group of businesses, promoting economic development and delivering success for all Pasdaena’s businesses and citizens. 

“Our number one priority is to connect the businesses to resources that are available to them,” said Suzette McDowell, Pasadena EDC marketing manager. “We want to ensure we hear from them on their needs and wants.” 

The Pasadena Loves Local campaign began in October 2020 as a way to help those area businesses suffering most from the pandemic. Today, organizers wish to continue to raise awareness about the importance of investing in the local community, as well as serve as an opportunity to aid in the promotion and marketability of local businesses. 

Why BR&E?

Pasadena Loves Local is an example of a classic Business Retention and Expansion Program (BR&E), an economic development strategy of connecting with existing businesses within a community. A BR&E helps to understand business needs and determine actions to promote their success, thereby facilitating the community’s success. The best economic development strategy for any community incorporates a focus on sustainability and growth. A well-defined BR&E is critical to the development of the relationships and connections that will lead to consistent economic success. Ambivalence to BR&E as a key foundational step to an effective local business community is a significant misstep, as investing time and resources into recruiting new businesses while losing existing ones is an inefficient and, ultimately, a failing business model. 

Pasadena Connects Now

A healthy and vibrant local economy depends on the well-being of a community’s existing businesses and industry. Thus, efforts to help local businesses survive and grow in the local community are key to successful economic development. The Pasadena Loves Local Program seeks to accomplish several goals from solving immediate business concerns and linking community support with local businesses, to increasing the ability of Pasadena businesses to compete in the global economy and building a capacity for sustainable community growth and development.

The process initiates with an engagement visit to a business from the Pasadena Loves Local taskforce. The meeting is critical for the taskforce to learn more about each business and address any urgent needs or concerns. Second, businesses will be asked to take a BR&E survey with more in-depth questions detailing the business. From there, the taskforce can work with each business on how best to meet their needs. 

Connections to Resources

Pasadena Loves Local can improve the business operating climate of Pasadena by ensuring healthy competition, providing quality employment opportunities and stabilizing local economic development. That dedication will, in turn, allow businesses to stay, thrive and demonstrate their commitment to the community. Multi-directional engagement amplifies the ability of economic development entities and local businesses to assess opportunities and understand available resources to address future issues that may impact their economies. 

Together with the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and the City of Pasadena, the Pasadena EDC is committed to connect the businesses to resources they want and need to help them achieve their development goals. Please contact us to discuss how we can help today!