Friends,

We all know how important small businesses is to the culture, feel, and success of Little Rock and all its residents. Whether someone is looking for an electrician to light their dream home, enjoying a lunch at their favorite food truck, or hiring hospitality staff to celebrate a special occasion, small businesses answer the call.

We want to support small business creation in Little Rock, and that’s why I want to invite you to apply for selection to our third cohort of BUILD Academy. 

We know that starting a small business is not easy, especially for minority entrepreneurs who live in underserved areas in our community. As a former banker, I’ve seen firsthand some of the obstacles entrepreneurs face. Credit issues can make it hard to qualify for a loan. Learning and targeting your ideal customer isn’t always intuitive. Differentiating your business from your competitors can be difficult.

Helping entrepreneurs overcome these obstacles led to the creation of BUILD Academy in 2021. BUILD stands for Businesses United in Leadership Development, and I see BUILD as the City's overall small business development and support strategy. We must be united as we work together to support entrepreneurship and economic growth throughout Little Rock. 

BUILD Academy is a 12-week incubator that walks local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs through topics pertaining to business essentials. Each week covers a different topic like defining your company, conducting market and industry analysis, operations, and finance.

The curriculum culminates with a pitch competition with startup funding going to the winners. By the time graduation rolls around, participants graduate with all the elements of a business plan and connections with local professionals to help get their business off the ground. Also included upon graduation is a business essentials package with perks like a fee-free business bank account.

Our vision is that BUILD Academy acts as a front door to entrepreneurship in Little Rock. It’s the first step in starting a small business, not the final chapter. BUILD Academy graduates have gone on to compete and win pitch competitions and participate in other business development programs. In this way, we seek to be collaborative and unite the business development behind entrepreneurs in Little Rock.

Applications are open until tomorrow, Tuesday, January 31 for our cohort starting in March. You can apply here. If you have an idea to start a business or are looking to grow your side hustle into a full time job, please join the movement and help us BUILD together!

Equity Labs Neighborhood Mixer

Our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an integral part of my administration, whether through championing our robust Municipal ID program, facilitating meetings on targeted community development or finding innovative ways to make our city more inclusive.

One way ODEI brought residents together in 2022 was through Equity Labs -- visits to all seven wards to meet with community members about the most pressing needs of the City. On Saturday, we celebrated the work of Equity Labs and continued the progress with our citywide Equity Labs Neighborhood Mixer. The program featured panels on youth perspectives and initiatives, information about the City’s minority business development programs, and dialogue with community members from neighborhoods across the city.

This important time of fellowship and engagement will help us as we plan for 2023 and how we can continue to offer quality and effective programming and assistance to all of our residents.

Chief Sworn In

Last week, the Little Rock Police Department held the ceremonial swearing-in of Little Rock's 39th police chief, Heath Helton.

It was my privilege to attend the event where Chief Helton was joined by family, friends and LRPD colleagues, and to affirm my support of the Chief I selected in December to lead our police force. Chief Helton brings decades of experience within LRPD to the role, and his appointment offers some much needed stability for the department. He knows my expectations are for him to continue the positive progress we've seen with reductions in violent crime. 

There are some important new initiatives that Chief Helton is expected to launch soon as we continue to expand the capabilities of our state-of-the-art Real Time Crime Center. In addition, the City Board late last year committed to the purchase of 100 new patrol cars and adopted pay increases that make LRPD the highest-paid police force in the state.

The Week Ahead

-The Little Rock Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 4 p.m. has been cancelled due to inclement weather. The next Board Meeting will be on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock Facebook and YouTube pages. To view the agenda, click here. 

-A public meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m., to discuss planned improvements to Zion Street in Ward 6. The meeting is at the West Central Community Center, 8616 Col. Glenn Road.

-Residents may receive a Municipal ID on Friday, Feb. 3, from 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Chicot Elementary School. No appointments are necessary. To qualify for a municipal ID, you must be a Little Rock resident 14 or older with at least two forms of identification. The cost is $10. Chicot Elementary School is located at 11100 Chicot Rd, Mabelvale, AR 72103. 

As always, stay up to date with what's happening in the City on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram via @citylittlerock. You can also email me at [email protected] or call my office at 501.371.4744.

I appreciate you!