Think outside the box to attract employees, customers

With summer looming, Michelle Harris didn’t offer members of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce any magic solutions for finding employees to fill vacant job openings. However, she said, doing nothing is not the answer. 

“As we all scramble, we need to think outside of the box,” said Harris, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware office. “Everybody is looking at a dwindling labor pool. How does your business stand out?”

Harris was invited to speak during the chamber’s monthly luncheon March 15. Finding employees was one of a few topics she briefly touched on during her presentation.

Harris said the SBA’s services can help businesses with fewer than 500 employees. That’s the bulk of the businesses in Delaware, she said.

Harris said the SBA offers resources for assistance to small businesses, including providing counseling, avenues to capital, contractors and who to call when an emergency strikes. There are grants available, but they are competitive and hard to get, she said.

The SBA also has a line-of-credit program, said Harris. Pending certain qualifications, it’s a much smoother process and there’s been a tremendous decrease in paperwork, she said.

Among the things Harris recommended was for businesses to update their marketing plans, especially if it was put in place prior to the pandemic. 

Harris also encouraged businesses to look outside of social media to promote themselves. Social media is one avenue, but how does a business make sure they reach the most customers possible, she asked.

For more information on the Small Business Administration’s Delaware office, go to sba.gov/district/delaware or call 302-300-1935. Harris can be reached directly at michelle.harris@sba.gov.

Harris said if someone reaches out to her and another person from SBA responds, it’s because that other person will be best suited to help.

Chamber against recreational marijuana

Following Harris’ presentation, chamber President Carol Everhart gave a brief update on legislative issues the chamber is following.

Everhart said the chamber has submitted a letter in opposition to the legalization of recreational marijuana. Basically, she said, there’s no good way to test employees and there’s a liability concern associated with that.

Additionally, Everhart said the chamber and the surrounding area promote a family-friendly environment. The passage of recreational marijuana has the potential to taint that image, she said.

Everhart said the chamber is continuing to monitor legislation related to paid family leave, and while there are some concerns, the chamber has no position at this point.