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What is the Business First Program?
Research has shown that over 80% of new job creation and new business investment comes from the expansion of existing business.
In June of 2004, Miami County created a new department to support industrial and business growth throughout all of Miami County.
An early goal for the department and our economic development partners was to establish a comprehensive Business Retention and Expansion, BRE, program. Our team researched several BRE programs and chose to partner with 21 communities in the Dayton region in a nationally recognized program called Business First!
Business First! was born out of a collaborative effort spearheaded by Montgomery County and Executive Pulse of Erie Pennsylvania. Executive Pulse is recognized as a global leader in business retention software and systems development.
Business First!, with it’s powerful software and communications systems, brings business retention and expansion to a whole new level.
For the participating businesses, the program can help connect them with important resources that can help your business grow. Our team of more than 80 Resource Partners are equipped to promptly respond to the specific needs of your business. Resource Partners cover a vast range of expertise from the Edison Materials Technology Center to the Miami County Job Center. At your request, our Resource Partners will work directly with your business to create viable solutions.
Participation in Business First! also helps us to improve the business climate in Miami County. By collecting uniform information at the local community level, we can identify common problems. Next, we can work to find solutions that will improve the overall business climate. Business First! will help us keep track of changing environments, identify potential opportunities or problems, plan for the future, and keep lines of communication open with business and industry
The ultimate result and benefit of the Business First! program is job growth and investment in Miami County. This will further enhance the quality of life for all county residents.
How does the Business First Program Work?
Initially, a community or business leader contacts the business to schedule the interview. The Business First! program is a community partnership, so the person calling on you may be a leader in the local chamber of commerce or economic development association. In Business First! we call these people Outreach Specialists. We believe it is important to engage people who understand business and industry in the interview process.
 During and after the interview, the Outreach Specialist will consider if there are any opportunities to assist your company in some way. If so, we will contact the business to discuss a referral to one of our Resource Partners. With the company’s permission we will make a referral to that organization, who will, in turn contact the company directly.
Later, our Outreach Specialist will follow up with you again to see if the Resource Partner has been able to assist the business.
What does the Business First Interview Cover?
- COMPANY INFORMATION
- WORKFORCE
- SALES
- E-COMMERCE
- FACILITY / EQUIPMENT
- COMMUNITY INFASTRUCTURE
- BUSINESS CLIMATE
Why is the Business First Program Important to Miami County?
Business First! offers communities in Miami County the opportunity to meet with business and industry and thank them for their contribution to the local economy. Conducting a face-to-face survey also creates opportunities to identify obstacles to future growth and development. Business First! also provides our community leaders with valuable information that will assist us in improving the overall business climate in Miami County.
Miami County Business First Resource Partners
(partial listing)
Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Center
Center for Entrepreneurial Education
County Corp.
Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute (DAGSI)
Dayton Development Coalition
Dayton Tooling & Machining Assoc.
Dayton Power & Light
Edison Community College
Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC)
The Entrepreneur Center
Greater Dayton Foreign Trade Zone, Inc.
Greater Dayton IT Alliance
Hobart Institute of Welding
I-Zone
Miami County: City, Villages & Townships
Miami County Chambers of Commerce: Covington, Piqua, Troy, Tipp City & West Milton
Miami County Job Center
Miami Valley CTC
Miami Valley International Trade Assoc.
Minority Contractors/Business Center (MCBAP)
NCIC Fund
Ohio Aerospace Institute
Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Comp.
Ohio Department of Development
Ohio Manufacturing SBDC
Pioneer Electric Cooperative
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
Sinclair Community College
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
South Central OH Minority Business Council
State of Ohio
TechSolve
Time Warner Cable
University of Dayton
U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. Dept. of Commerce
Upper Valley Medical Center
Upper Valley JVS
Vectren
Verizon
Wright State University
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