After being without a coalition of businesses for many years, the launch meeting for the Preston Area Business Alliance saw a great turnout Thursday.More than a dozen local leaders, elected officials, and new and veteran Preston Highway business owners came together to create a business community that will support one another and have a unified voice to problem solve.”They all shared concerns about safety, beautification and built environment,” said Jennifer Rubenstein, executive director of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance. “These are all things we can come together and say yes, there’s room for improvement and how can we work together to make that happen.”Tasked with incubating the coalition, Rubenstein surveyed business owners to see if this initiative would garner any interest. The diverse group of attendees, from tattoo parlor owners to architect firms, shows they’re on board for the positive change and prosperity she sees for the Preston Corridor.”We felt like there was a huge opportunity, especially as the Preston Corridor plans come about,” Rubenstein said. “We want to plug people into the wonderful ecosystem of help that Louisville has to offer.”Nagely Duarte, who has owned her bakery business “La Morena” along Preston Highway for three years, is one of those people.Joining the alliance is a way for Duarte and her husband to not only grow their restaurant, but to expand those resources to the Hispanic community that exists in Okolona.”I kind of wanted to bring more of the Latino community up, have more businesses get well known and have the community more heard,” she said.Duarte says this alliance is a way to bridge the cultural and success gaps among local businesses, which benefits the area and will allow business owners to flourish in their professional and personal lives.”It’ll help us take our daughters to college,” Duarte said. “It’s not just us getting money for us, it’s for the future of our kids.”Organizers say 13 businesses have already joined the alliance and they’re expecting 30 by the end of the month.Yearly membership rates range from $75 to $750.More information about how to join and attend upcoming meetings can be found here.
After being without a coalition of businesses for many years, the launch meeting for the Preston Area Business Alliance saw a great turnout Thursday.
More than a dozen local leaders, elected officials, and new and veteran Preston Highway business owners came together to create a business community that will support one another and have a unified voice to problem solve.
“They all shared concerns about safety, beautification and built environment,” said Jennifer Rubenstein, executive director of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance. “These are all things we can come together and say yes, there’s room for improvement and how can we work together to make that happen.”
Tasked with incubating the coalition, Rubenstein surveyed business owners to see if this initiative would garner any interest. The diverse group of attendees, from tattoo parlor owners to architect firms, shows they’re on board for the positive change and prosperity she sees for the Preston Corridor.
“We felt like there was a huge opportunity, especially as the Preston Corridor plans come about,” Rubenstein said. “We want to plug people into the wonderful ecosystem of help that Louisville has to offer.”
Nagely Duarte, who has owned her bakery business “La Morena” along Preston Highway for three years, is one of those people.
Joining the alliance is a way for Duarte and her husband to not only grow their restaurant, but to expand those resources to the Hispanic community that exists in Okolona.
“I kind of wanted to bring more of the Latino community up, have more businesses get well known and have the community more heard,” she said.
Duarte says this alliance is a way to bridge the cultural and success gaps among local businesses, which benefits the area and will allow business owners to flourish in their professional and personal lives.
“It’ll help us take our daughters to college,” Duarte said. “It’s not just us getting money for us, it’s for the future of our kids.”
Organizers say 13 businesses have already joined the alliance and they’re expecting 30 by the end of the month.
Yearly membership rates range from $75 to $750.
More information about how to join and attend upcoming meetings can be found here.