The MSR is one of six selected for this season
Deluxe Company has announced the six businesses that will be featured in season six of its acclaimed television series “Small Business Revolution,” available at www.sbr.org, on Hulu and Prime Video. The businesses selected for this season are all Black-owned and based in Minneapolis and St. Paul. All will receive business advice and financial guidance plus marketing and renovation updates from Deluxe.
Deluxe helps with websites, payment solutions, online reviews and anything needed to promote the actual business. They even help with packaging and branding.
For more than 100 years, Deluxe has been a champion of small business. Over the past five years, Deluxe has chosen a community to spotlight through the Small Business Revolution program, helping the community succeed through its small businesses. This year, community leaders from Minneapolis and St. Paul helped nominate nearly 100 small businesses from six distinct neighborhoods—Rondo, East St. Paul, Frogtown/Midway, South Minneapolis, Lake Street and West Broadway—to be part of the Small Business Revolution television program.
“It’s a passion project we love doing this,” explained Amanda Brinkman, Deluxe chief brand and content officer and the creator and co-host of the series. “The message is look how vital these small businesses are to their communities. The more we support small businesses the ripple effect is felt within the neighborhoods and the community. It’s really a celebration of how important small businesses are to our country to our economy and our neighborhoods”
Business owners had two weeks to submit applications, answer questions about what inspired them to start their businesses, what they love most about their neighborhoods, and where they experience challenges running the business.
“This was a difficult challenge to select from so many outstanding nominations,” said Brinkman. “We are very pleased with the collection of businesses to be highlighted this year representing these unique neighborhoods.”
“We’re always looking for how the impact carries beyond just the success of that business,” Brinkman said. “The program reaches millions of small businesses facing similar challenges across the country. In this way we can support not just a local community, but also have national impact.”
After careful deliberation and a round of video interviews, Deluxe selected the following six businesses:
Elsa’s House of Sleep (Midway/Frogtown, St. Paul), Gentlemen Cuts (East St. Paul), Lip Esteem (Lake Street, Minneapolis), Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (South Minneapolis), Sammy’s Avenue Eatery (West Broadway Ave., Minneapolis), Taste of Rondo (Rondo, St. Paul)
“We are proud to bring our company’s expertise to support small business and local communities, consistent with our purpose to champion business so communities thrive,” said Barry McCarthy, Deluxe president and CEO.
In addition to Deluxe experts, Baron Davis will join Brinkman as co-host. Davis is a retired NBA star, TNT commentator and entrepreneur. Cheryl Mayberry-McKissick, Deluxe board chair and one of only a handful of Black female chairs of a Fortune 1000 company, will also join the program, providing seasoned business advice. Filming will begin later this month.
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