MIAMI-DADE – Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, District 5, is partnering with Miami-based BizHack Academy for the third edition of “How to Find Customers Online”, an innovative digital marketing training program for small businesses in District 5. The course is designed to give business owners the knowledge, tools, and mindset to market themselves effectively online. This course is a part of Elevate District 5, a small business recovery and growth program created by Commissioner Higgins that utilizes data and feedback to create, leverage, and expand programs and tools to support and strengthen small businesses in District 5. It is funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), President Biden’s plan to provide direct relief to Americans, contain COVID-19, and rescue the economy. “I am delighted to see how much participants in the Elevate D5 program have improved their digital marketing capability as a result of this course,” said Commissioner Higgins. “Through our long-standing partnership with BizHack Academy, we have been able to create a program that is both practical and tailored to the specific needs of small businesses operating in today’s challenging climate. This third cohort will offer the businesses the tools they need to reach new customers and grow their businesses.” “How to Find Customers Online” is an introductory 7-week course in online lead generation specifically for small businesses. Participating business owners work with expert instructors and peers to learn the BizHack Lead Building System™ methodology, create a Business Directory Listing, and develop a personalized Growth Roadmap, that helps them identify and acquire new customers. The course was created by BizHack Founder and CEO Dan Grech, a former NPR and PBS correspondent, and is taught by top small business digital marketing experts. “Small businesses are at the heart of the economy but are the most at risk. Twenty percent of new businesses fail within two years of opening, 45% within five years, and 65% within 10 years,” said BizHack’s Dan Grech. “We want small businesses to thrive and are providing the tools and training they need to avoid being a part of these statistics.” Over 35 businesses have graduated from “How to Find Customers Online”, including companies such as MiamiEcoClean, Sin Rival Cutlery, and Jaxson Maximus. One business is selected at the end of the course to be the recipient of the BizHack Award, a prize given to the most outstanding student from every cohort which includes a full scholarship to BizHack’s signature “The Digital Marketer’s Edge” course. All graduates are eligible to receive a grant to fund marketing expenses. “As a small business owner, we’re always running around the clock and doing a lot of extra work,” said Bruno Peres Rigotti from Purple Orchid, a graduate of Cohort 2. “The idea of this course is to put a step-by-step way to create a marketing strategy for my business. Instead of working for marketing, I want to have the marketing work for me.” Classes start January 19. Interested business owners may apply here.

About Bizhack Academy

BizHack Academy is a certified minority-owned Florida business with a mission to give 10,000 under-served small businesses the digital tools they need to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. Over the past two years, BizHack has given out more than $250,000 in scholarships to 123 BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, and it has hosted nearly 100 free live webinars attended by thousands of small businesses impacted by COVID.