Back everyone, it is Tuesday morning,
746 on the clock,
and the San Diego Tourism Authority
is accepting applications for the
2023 Tourism Accelerator program
now through January 6th of 2023.
Applicants must be people of color,
LGBTQ plus women,
or veteran owned tourism and hospitality
businesses based in the San Diego region.
And this morning we have a couple
guests with us to talk a little
bit more about the program.
There was a lot of words that I had there,
but I want you to break it down for us.
Julie Coker from the San Diego tourism.
Authority, thank you for being with us.
Also, Nita, thank you for being with us.
You're, you own one of the businesses that's
been a part of this accelerator program.
So we're gonna talk to you in a bit
about just your your business and
what the experience has been like.
But Julie,
I want you to start off by just telling
us about what the accelerator program is.
Sure. So this is our second consecutive
year we have a cohort of 10 and
they're actually graduating tomorrow.
We're very excited. Congratulations.
So as you know, you know,
tourism started coming back here in San
Diego and we wanted to make sure that.
People of color mine,
LGBTQ women owned businesses were able to
take part in the tourism recovery right.
And so we did that by offering
an opportunity for them to have
membership and SDT A but also be able
to tap into the resources that we
have whether it be for advertising,
education, mentorship.
And so it's been a year long journey
and really a labor of love to work with
the 10 businesses and to see them grow
for people who aren't business owners.
I was looking at the.
Resources that you provide,
it reminds you how much goes into
running a business beyond just
being say out of storefront or the
actual day-to-day business aspects
you're providing like you said
advertising opportunities or at
least information related to it.
What other examples
are the coaching and education
around finance, right,
legal advice also certification
programs for business owners and
and really just a support system and
we certainly know the number of.
Small businesses that we have here
in San Diego and being able to level
the playing field and give them an
opportunity to prosper and grow was
definitely the priority of the program.
Yeah. And Nita, tell us about your
business and how you got involved.
So my business is it's corporate gifting.
So we put a fancy kind of like kind
of quality and style to corporate
gifting and we make it hassle free.
So just make a selection and
it's all about the gifting.
Cool. I love that they're
these are three different
examples, right?
Examples that I have here.
I actually offer five different
base boxes and they're all
around based around celebratory
and celebration and cheers.
Well, what's it been like being
part of this accelerator program?
It's been an amazing opportunity for me,
a small business owner as myself,
and having the opportunity to really be get
out in front of some of the stakeholders
and businesses that I would never have.
An opportunity to to reach and they've
allowed that to happen and it's been amazing.
It's been really just something
that I will treasure forever.
Thank you, Julie.
And I'm looking forward to
the graduation and just the
resources that they've provided.
Were you open during the pandemic?
I was, which is actually
how I pivoted to the boxes,
right being that there was no
face to face and a lot of things
were being done via zoom and so
you had to kind of come up with
a different. This model, yeah,
should be creative and pivot
and and transition over to
what was happening at the time.
So it worked out very well for me.
Julie, when we were talking a little
bit earlier, I did wanna just bring
attention to the reason why it's
important to focus on specific
groups in San Diego. Absolutely.
So San Diego is known to be a very
diverse and inclusive community.
And so we wanted to make sure that we have
products and businesses and services so
as diverse visitors come to San Diego.
The taste of exactly what our community
is and neither represents our community
and so this gives us an opportunity
to showcase the great work that
she's done. Thank you.
I and and on that note, I mean you're
you're one of the people selected.
You're graduating from this program.
I mean what are you taking
with you as you move forward.
Ohh boy I I just feel so
honored to be a part of it.
Just to the people I've met
the other members of the
cohort have been amazing.
We've done foreign partnerships
and yeah it's.
And just something that I will take
away everything that I've learned.
Yeah. And if anything, of course,
I didn't even think about that.
You also get connected with other
minority owned businesses that can
you can work with in the future.
This is all culminating to you are
graduating and you truly are welcoming
a new class of of businesses.
So tell us about the application process.
Absolutely. So the application
process can be found on our website,
visit San Diego and so you
have the opportunity to apply.
It's very simple.
And then we go through a process
and look through the applications
because we want to make sure that the
products and services that are being
put forward is something that visitors
would definitely take an interest in.
And obviously you know the classes
or the cohort that we have this
year has done extremely well.
The beauty of this program is
that you're always alumni, yes.
So you continue to be under the
umbrella and we continue to offer
support and you continue to give us
ideas to continue to improve San Diego
and that application is open now.
People can go online, right,
and submit through when?
Through January 6.
OK and then when do you guys select your.
We'll select by the end of the month.
Cool. OK, very quickly remind
people where they can go For more
information on your business.
For me, if you would like to see what
I do and none more about the service,
maybe get a corporate gift basket.
But holidays are coming up,
right? Absolutely. Definitely. So.
So my website is event details with
nita.com. Please take a look, visit
and make your selections.
And we're waiting. It's
in the details as you said.
Details for sure you need and Julie,
remind us your website as
well visit sandiego.org.
Alright. Thank you both for
being with us this morning.
We really appreciate it and
good luck to the new class.
Congratulations on finishing the program.
Alright, I'll send things back to you, Neta.