Yesterday’s Conversation with County Leaders was a reminder of why Space Connect continues creating these spaces.
We opened the evening by sharing a video with Mayor Sara Baxter and Administrator Joseph Abruzzo featuring many of the certified and certification-pending businesses in our community, business owners working hard every day to grow, compete, and be truly included in local opportunities.
Our CEO, Estrella Parada, spoke about the importance of creating real connections between small businesses and county leadership, helping close a gap that for many years has made access feel out of reach for many entrepreneurs.
Mayor Baxter shared the personal calling that led her into public service and her desire to help make processes easier and more accessible for business owners, instead of becoming another obstacle.
One of the most valuable parts of the conversation was the openness around the realities of the certification process. Important questions were asked, honest answers were given, and Administrator Abruzzo showed genuine willingness to continue conversations around specific cases and concerns brought forward by attendees.
And that’s exactly why these events matter. This is more than networking. It’s access. It’s the opportunity for business owners to be in the room, ask questions directly, build relationships, and be part of conversations that can help open doors to real opportunities and county projects.
To our members: THANK YOU. Your support, presence, and belief in what we’re building are what make these conversations possible. Space Connect may help create the bridge, but it’s our community that gives it strength and purpose.
If you believe local businesses deserve a stronger voice and a real seat at the table, we invite you to become part of our community.
Because when local businesses grow, local dollars stay local.