Empower Your Business Survey
1.
Contact email (Optional):
2.
Is your business currently operating?
(Required.)
Yes
No, business is not yet started.
No, business is temporarily closed
No, business has permanently closed or been sold/transferred
3.
In what year was your business established? (YYYY)
(Required.)
4.
How many years have you been in operation?
(Required.)
5.
Is your business for-profit or not-for-profit?
(Required.)
For Profit
Non-Profit / Not-For-Profit
6.
What is your primary business? (Please describe)
(Required.)
7.
Does your business qualify as a Federal Minority or Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) or Miami-Dade County Disadvantaged Enterprise (DBE)?
(Required.)
Yes — MWBE
Yes — DBE
No
Don't Know
8.
Where is your business headquarters?
(Required.)
Miami Beach
Outside Miami Beach, but in Miami-Dade County
Outside Miami-Dade County, but in Florida
Outside Florida
9.
Where do you operate your business from?
(Required.)
Home
Storefront Retail / Restaurant
Office
Factory or Warehouse
Co-Working or Shared Office
10.
Why did the owner(s) start or purchase this business? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
To generate income
Good/ service to bring to market
Start or continue family business
Flexible work arrangement/ preferred to be my own boss
No other employment options
Other (please specify):
11.
Select all that apply:
(Required.)
Accommodation and Food Services
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
Arts, Culture, Entertainment, and Recreation
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
Educational Services
Finance and Insurance
Health Care and Social Assistance
Management of Companies and Enterprises or Administrative, Support, Waste Management or Remediation Services
Manufacturing
Other Information Technology
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing
Software Publishers
Transportation and Warehousing
Utilities or Construction
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services
Wholesale or Retail Trade
Other Services (except Public Administration):
12.
How many full-time (30 hours or more) employees did you have in December 2023?
(Required.)
0 — I am a Sole Proprietor
1-4
5-9
10-19
20+
13.
How many part-time employees (less than 30 hours per week, or for less than the full year), including contractors, did you use in 2023?
(Required.)
0
1-4
5-9
10+
14.
What share of your employees identify as minorities (non-white), women, or LGBTQ+?
(Required.)
None
1-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
Unsure / Decline to Answer
15.
What percentage of your employees are residents of Miami Beach?
(Required.)
0%
1-10%
11-50%
+50%
16.
What percentage of your sales come from outside Miami-Dade County?
(Required.)
0%
25% or less
25-49%
50% or more
17.
What traits help make your business more competitive than your competitors? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Our hours
Our location
Our marketing is better
Our price is lower
Our product quality is better
Our service and customer support are better
Our social media and digital engagement are better
18.
Did your business earn a profit in 2022?
(Required.)
Yes
No
19.
Did your business earn a profit in 2023?
(Required.)
Yes
No
20.
What percentage did your sales grow from 2022 to 2023?
(Required.)
Did not grow
1-3%
4-6%
More than 6%
Not in business in 2022
21.
What was your gross sales or gross revenues in 2023?
(Required.)
$50,000 or less
$50,001-$100,000
$100,001-$500,000
$500,001-$1,000,000
More than $1,000,00
Unsure or decline to answer
22.
Has your business experienced any of the following
operational challenges
during the past 12 months? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Complying with, or restrictive government regulations
Ensuring health/safety of customers or employees
Expensive employee wages or benefits
Expensive or unavailable utilities
Expensive rent
Expensive shipping or transportation
Hiring or retaining qualified staff
In-town competition
Insufficient parking
Language barriers
Out-of-town competition
Poor building condition
Reaching customers/ growing sales
Shoplifting or theft
Supply chain issues
Utilizing technology (e.g., Web-Based, website, social media, ecommerce, cybersecurity, Robotics, AI, Computers, etc.)
Vandalism
Other operational challenge (please specify):
23.
Has your business experienced any of the following
financial challenges
during the past 12 months? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Increased cost of goods, services, and/or wages
Making payments on debt/ interest rates
Obtaining capital, credit, or funding
Paying business expenses (including wages, rent, inventory costs)
Uneven cash flow (including collecting on receivables)
Weak sales
Other financial challenge (please specify):
None of these challenges
24.
Did you apply to obtain funding for your business in the last 5 years?
(Required.)
No — did not apply to obtain any funds from outside the business.
Yes — obtained funding for the business
Tried to obtain funding, but was not successful
Applied for funding and funding is pending
25.
What purpose(s) was/is your business seeking financing? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Expand business, pursue new opportunity, or acquire business assets
Meet operating expenses (including wages, rent, etc.)
Refinance or pay down debt
Replace capital assets or make repairs
Utilizing technology (e.g., web-based, website, social media, ecommerce, cybersecurity, robotics, AI, computers, etc.)
Other (please specify):
Not applicable
26.
How much
total
financing was/is your business
seeking
in the 5 years?
(Required.)
$25,000 or less
$25,001-$100,000
$100,001-$1,000,000
More than $1,000,000
Not applicable
27.
How would you rate Miami Beach as a place to start or grow a business?
(Required.)
Not a good place to grow or start a business
A somewhat good place to grow or start a business
A very good place to grow or start a business
An excellent place to grow or start a business
Not a good place to grow or start a business
A somewhat good place to grow or start a business
A very good place to grow or start a business
An excellent place to grow or start a business
28.
Do you have a detailed strategic plan for your business?
(Required.)
Yes
No
29.
What would you say is the is the value of your business today? ($)
(Required.)
30.
What are your business goals? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Apply new technology to my business (e.g., Web-Based, website, social media, ecommerce, cybersecurity, Robotics, AI, Computers, etc.)
Change my business model
Develop and/or launch new product(s) or services
Expand into new markets
Expand sales internationally
Expand sales nationally
Expand sales within the region
Grow into a nation leading company in my market
Grow into a region leading company in my market
Hire new employees
Improve my business strategic planning
Improve the quality of my products and/or services
Keep the company long-term
Keep up with my competition
Sell the company at a profit to investors, or take it to a public offering
Strategic Planning
Sustain my business at the current level, I have no plans to expand
Other (please specify):
31.
How optimistic are you about the future of your business?
(Required.)
Not optimistic
Mildly optimistic
Optimistic
Very optimistic
Not optimistic
Mildly optimistic
Optimistic
Very optimistic
32.
In the next 5 years, do you plan to keep your business in Miami Beach?
(Required.)
Yes
No (please explain why):
33.
The City is evaluating the services most needed by small businesses, and how they can be best delivered. What support services would be most valuable to your business? Please choose one from the dropdown below.
(Required.)
Applying new technology to my business (e.g., Web-Based, website, social media, ecommerce, cybersecurity, Robotics, AI, Computers, etc.)
Bringing new products and services to market faster
Coaching on sourcing and closing skilled and talented employees
Enhancing customer experience and services
Expanding my business network and contacts
Finding cost savings
Finding new revenue streams
Growing a Neighborhood Business Association
Help acquiring investors to grow my business
Help leveraging City and County contracts, services, programs, funding and grants
Help with fundraising and closing funding in less time
How to scale my business into a national-scale business
Improving marketing, including social media and digital engagement
Improving our supply chain
Improving profitability and operational efficiency
Improving the quality of my products and/or services
Increasing employee productivity
Mentoring or coaching for my employees and leadership
Networking with other businesses, customers and/or investors
Rapidly expanding my marketing and sales
Strategic Planning
Other (please specify):
34.
Would you be willing to pay for the services, in the previous question, if the services provided clear value for your business?
(Required.)
Yes
No — I only want free services
Maybe — if the cost is nominal
35.
Which type of training do you prefer?
(Required.)
In person
Virtual
One on One
Combination
36.
What Type of Program(s) Interests You Most, and Works for Your Business and Personal Situation?
(Required.)
Not Interested
Somewhat Interested
Very Interested
Business Consulting Services
: Several universities and institutions provide intensive business consulting services to small businesses to help businesses grow and secure financing from a variety of sources including government, grants, banks, and other lenders. Businesses work with a business consulting team, usually for3-5 weeks, at time convenient for the business.
Mentoring and/or Coaching Services
: Regularly scheduled 1:1 advice with experienced business experts/counselors to explore and how to navigate business problem solving, and/ or how to strategically plan to grow your business, access funding/capital, and network with service providers, customers, or investors
Business Boot Camp
: Intensive multi-day learning experiences where experts, in a very specific business, are leveraged to provide instructional sessions with entrepreneurs and business owners to focus on specific subject matters, such as applying new technology and strategic planning. Networking and pitch sessions, where business practice presenting business ideas to investors, is typically included with financial awards.
Business Plan Competition
: Business plan competitions are a popular way to compete for cash investments in small businesses. Owners present their business plan to a panel of judges. Awards vary in Miami—from $10,000 to $250,000.
Co-Working Space
: Co-working spaces provide affordable, flexible space for entrepreneurs and small teams, when traditional office space is not available, or cost prohibited. Co-Working spaces provide a range of on-site amenities, including networking events, shared conference rooms, administrative support, business development training, and occasional pitch competitions.
Business Incubator
: Incubators provide low-cost long-term leases for qualifying businesses, mentoring, networking, and/or consulting services to grow your business. The goal of most incubators is to provide low-cost space and capacity building resources to support new businesses in early stages development.
Business Accelerator
: Accelerators provide intensive 6–12-week capacity building services for established businesses ready to move to the next level of growth. Services include mentoring from professional consultants/business experts and investors to perfect your business model, and how to strategically plan to scale up business. Businesses in an accelerator meet 3-7 times per week, and collaborate with small businesses, share and explore best practices, network and engage in a Co-Working space. The program concludes with opportunities to present business ideas to potential investors and funders. Some accelerator programs require a sharing of a small percentage of ownership (4%-6%) in the business.
37.
Have you participated in any of the programs listed in question 33 before? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
No
Business Consulting Services
Mentoring and/or Coaching Services
Business Boot Camp
Business Plan Competition
Co-Working Space
Business Incubator
Business Accelerator
Other (please specify):
100%