By Emilio Gonzalez
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is an online curriculum designed to give small businesses the personalized tools to succeed in today’s digital world. It is part of Citizen Verizon, Verizon’s responsible business plan with the goal of providing one million businesses with the tools and resources needed to help them thrive in the digital economy by 2030.
Developed by small businesses and created in partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and NextStreet, the online portal is open to any business for free and fosters a personalized experience for all users by providing educational resources, peer networking and tailored coaching for a variety of enterprises. Small businesses will find a unique, customized experience focused on their needs depending on industry, size and interests.
Participants who register for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and complete two courses or mentoring events will even be eligible to apply for a $10,000 grant to move their ideas forward.
Digital readiness is about making sure businesses have all the tools and resources they need to thrive in today’s economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unforeseen challenges on entrepreneurs and further accelerated a shift to digital ways of working. More than 75 percent of small businesses pivoted their operations due to the crisis and more than 50 percent of small and midsize businesses say their
online interactions with customers have increased. To stay competitive in the new economic environment, small businesses must be agile and able to adapt to shifting consumer preferences.
More than 100,000 small businesses closed due to the pandemic, with a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx-owned small businesses. Latinos are starting businesses at a faster rate than the national average, growing 34 percent over the last 10 years. In 2018, the U.S. Small Business Administration reported that Latino entrepreneurs contributed more than $62.5 billion to the U.S. economy.
Moving forward, a strong economy needs a force of diverse, digitalready small business owners. Small businesses deserve a partner that can help navigate the future, and Verizon Business is providing tailored expertise, solutions, connectivity and security necessary to help them achieve success.
To learn more about the program, visit https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-training
About Emilio Gonzalez
Emilio Gonzalez is the Executive Director for Public Policy & Strategic Initiatives at Verizon.
Emilio joined Verizon in 2004 as director for Hispanic and Asian American Affairs.
Prior to joining Verizon, Emilio was an appointee in the Clinton Administration focusing
on technology and internet policy issues. As Technology Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of
Education, Emilio helped design, develop, and implement the E-rate program which is the
single largest federal investment in educational technology to date.
Before joining the Administration, Emilio served as senior analyst at the U.S. Congress
Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) where he advised standing committees of
Congress on tech issues and co-authored Making Government Work.
Emilio is a member of the executive committee of the Mexican American Legal and
Education Fund (MALDEF) board of directors. He is also the secretary of the board of
directors for the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI). Emilio was recently
elected to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
board of directors and to the board of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC). Emilio is
also on the Bi-national Board of Directors of the USMCOC.
