It takes a lot of public/private partnerships to bring economic stability and growth to a community. Arlington strives to share these partnerships with small businesses that may not otherwise get access to big opportunities. For the second year, Arlington’s BizLaunch team is working with Hyatt Crystal City on a Minority Vendor Showcase that takes a partnership to a new level. I’m Susan Soroko, Director of Creative Economy at Arlington Economic Development in Arlington, Virginia. The role of Economic Development is to retain and attract businesses where workers can live and thrive in a great community even when the work world is changing. We support (small) business through programs like BizLaunch and value the importance of placemaking and a sector devoted to creative economy and the arts.

Today we’re going to talk about a special partnership with Hyatt Crystal City and what it’s like to bring your A game to an event.   To help me discuss this, I’d like to welcome Tiffany Hamilton, Co- Founder of Victor Wear.

Did you know 85% of people with autism are unemployed or underemployed? People like our Co-Founder, Isaiah—a straight-A student, video game developer, swimmer, and competitive bowler—face challenges in the job market, despite their many abilities. That's why we launched Victor Wear, an award-winning activewear brand dedicated to inspiring resilience and empowering and employing the autism community. We aim to have our company primarily run by neurodivergent individuals to create jobs while changing the disability narrative and creating a more inclusive world.

At the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, our commitment to the community, connection, and care is at the heart of everything we do. We strive to create meaningful opportunities and foster an environment where all individuals feel valued and supported. Building strong relationships and opening doors for our diverse neighbors is our passion, especially within our National Landing community. That is the spark and core to the Minority Vendor Showcase that we aim to host each year.

Resources Victor Wear: https://victorwear.com/ Arlington Economic Development BizLaunch Division: https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/Small-Business

FOX FIVE SPOTLIGHTS THE 2ND ANNUAL MINORITY VENDOR SHOWCASE. THE EVENT PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR UNDERREPRESENTED BUSINESSES TO GROW THEIR NETWORK, VISIBILITY, AND COLLABORATION: https://www.fox5dc.com/video/1620248  General information about the Small Business Administration (SBA): https://www.sba.gov/ SBA resources locally: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance SCORE Counseling and other resources: https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/Small-Business/Small-Business-Programs/One-on-One-Counseling Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2024 The Innovation Economy Website: https://www.innovationeconomy.show Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://agilebrandguide.com/ Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/innovationeconomy/ Listen to our other podcast, The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström: https://www.theagilebrand.show The Innovation Economy podcast is brought to you by Arlington Economic Development: https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com The Innovation Economy is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company