“Small Business Connections: Marketing Meets Microfinancing” Workshop Tour Stopping Next in Memphis Accion, NYSE Euronext, and Yelp Bring The Big StartUp to Local Entrepreneurs

On October 9, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: NYX), Accion, and Yelp will bring the NYSE Big StartUp “Small Business Connections: Marketing Meets Microfinancing” nationwide workshop tour to Memphis. The seventh stop on the Small Business Connections tour, the event will provide local small business owners with social media marketing know-how and access to capital.

Yelp’s Manager of Local Business Outreach, Darnell Holloway, will explain how entrepreneurs can work with major social media platforms such as Yelp, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to both engage with customers online and navigate the world of online reviews. Additionally, Regional Market Manager Nathanial Owen of small business lender Accion, which has provided over $2.6 million in loans in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee since 2011, will discuss how to access capital and finance marketing costs with an Accion microloan. Both Yelp business outreach staff and Accion loan officers will be present to answer questions and offer personalized consultations to participants.

Additionally, Accion client Daniel Watson of Visions Enterprise, LLC will describe how his $5,000 microloan helped shape his business. The owner of a B2B dry seasonings and breaders business, Daniel used his capital to purchase inventory and develop e-commerce on his website, bringing in more sales. “This Small Business Connections workshop addresses the specific issues and needs of business owners in a fast-paced digital world,” Daniel testifies. “I’m excited to learn more about new ways to integrate my business strategy within an online customer market. Through programs like this, hopefully we can turn this economy around one small business at a time.”

“Small Business Connections” is the first small business event tour from the NYSE Big StartUp, a nationwide job creation and business growth initiative that connects small businesses with established corporations, such as Yelp. Launched in March 2012, the NYSE Big StartUp program also integrates the Accion-NYSE Job Growth Fund. This program was started with a $1.5 million commitment by NYSE Euronext, which will provide small businesses and startups with the capital and support they need to grow.

The Small Business Connections tour has proven to be a high-impact resource for local small business owners. Attendees from previous tour events report learning an average of three new marketing techniques. Participants met an average of three other small business entrepreneurs who could help them expand through new channels.