An ethnic expo this weekend will help level the playing field for many businesses too small for mass-market advertising.
By LOGAN NEILL, Times Correspondent
Published November 18, 2005
BROOKSVILLE - The way Spring Hill businesswoman Jerone Philbert sees it, many minority-owned small businesses in Hernando County have a tough time knowing just where to target their marketing efforts.
Many don't have the financial means to do mass-market advertising, especially the kind that would attract customers from across the county.
"For many businesses, finding customers has always been pretty much a word-of-mouth type situation," Philbert said. "Some of them don't even have storefronts."
All of which gave Philbert the idea to create the first Hernando Ethnic Expo, which will be Saturday and Sunday at the Jerome Brown Community Center in Brooksville.
The event, sponsored by the nonprofit community organization that Philbert and her husband, Shawn, created, Project Neighborhood Inc., is offering about two dozen Hernando small businesses an opportunity to do some chamber of commerce-style networking.
Participating businesses include hair salons, massage therapists, restaurants and fashion merchants, all of which will have booths at the expo.
Entertainment will be provided throughout the day and will feature nationally known poet and singer Q, a gospel choir showcase, a talent show, plus a variety of kids activities.
In addition to local businesses, community groups will be on hand with informational displays, and the Hernando County Health Department will administer flu shots.
"The idea was to make it a fun day in the park for families," Philbert said. "There will be plenty of things to do for everyone."
Philbert, who works as a loan officer for Mortgage Security Network, has long been a believer of community-based business gatherings. She has attended minority business expos in other cities and saw how successful they have been in expanding business opportunities for small merchants and celebrating the diversity of those cities.
"I just felt it was time that Hernando County's small businesses needed something like this," Philbert said.
"It's a fast-growing community, and there are new minority businesses starting up all the time.
"Unfortunately, they don't always have the financial means to advertise in the Yellow Pages or take out ads in newspapers. They end up getting lost in the shuffle."
WHAT: Hernando Ethnic Expo. About two dozen small businesses will be represented. Activities include live entertainment, beauty and fashion exhibits, a health fair, kids games, raffles, and food and beverage vendors.
WHEN: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: Jerome Brown Community Center, Darby Lane adjacent to Tom Varn Park, Brooksville.
