New MyBiz.am Features
Are Customer Driven

MERIDIAN – Niche enterprise opportunities, important news for entrepreneurs, interactive blog discussion forums, an improved registration process, and enhanced infrastructure and database systems highlight upgrades to the innovative MyBiz.am website. 

“We want MyBiz to be the preferred web source for Mississippi and Alabama Entrepreneurs,” said Bill Crawford, director of the West Alabama – East Mississippi Regional Initiative (WAEM).  “We plan to keep adding and upgrading to make the site more useful.”

MyBiz was developed by WAEM and The Montgomery Institute through a U.S. Department of Labor WIRED grant.  Additional resources have expanded its reach to all of Mississippi and much of Alabama. 

“In the past, we were the keepers of MyBiz.am, adding all content,” said Hank Garner, IT Administrator for The Montgomery Institute.  “The new features allow for collaboration between us, our resource partners, and our customers.”

The ultimate goal of the website is to help entrepreneurs become informed, reduce time wasted searching for information, and achieve early success in starting up their enterprise. 

“We received a large amount of feedback over the past two years regarding the functionality and content of the website,” said Chris Reed, Director of Entrepreneur Programs at The Montgomery Institute.  “Guided by this input, we are raising the bar to make MyBiz more helpful and interactive.”

The website provides assistance to entrepreneurs at every stage, whether it is dreaming of starting a business, the process of actually starting a business, or growing an existing business.  The website also has a function called the “Resource Navigator” that goes far beyond a basic resource directory.  The Resource Navigator, a tool developed by KC Sourcelink, can provide an individual a report customized for his or her particular situation in just a few seconds.

“I particularly like the niche enterprise information,” said Crawford.  “Helping potential entrepreneurs identify opportunities – and how to take advantage of those opportunities – will be a growing focus of MyBiz.  With over 100,000 unique hits to the website every quarter, we expect to get and add more and more opportunity information to pass along.”

Specialists, such as accountants, small business consultants, and attorneys, will address specific topics for potential entrepreneurs in the blog section.  MyBiz.am customers can read about and learn from real life experiences.

“Entrepreneurs tend to learn best from their peers, mentors, and coaches,” said Reed.  “To a large degree they learn more from the experience of others.  At MyBiz, we are trying to offer these experiences through tools, resources, and information that are richer and more impactful to our customers.”

According to Garner, the blog helps both resource partners and customers gain valuable information.  “We are giving our resource partners a direct voice to speak on topics that are valuable to potential entrepreneurs,” said Garner.  “In turn, MyBiz.am customers can begin a dialogue with those resource partners, providing them with feedback.  This conversation will assist resource partners to better serve the customers.”

To explore the new MyBiz, please visit www.mybiz.am