Phoenix Coqui helped by NFL's Business Connect program
An NFL program that boosts diverse local businesses has been a huge boon to Phoenix Coqui, a Puerto Rican restaurant. The NFL's Business Connect program aims to uplift diverse local businesses and provide them with valuable resources and professional connections. The program licenses out the NFL program to other national events, in an effort to provide growth opportunities for local businesses. Businesses involved in the program are required to be certified as minority, women, veteran or LGBTQ-owned businesses and must have established business offices in Arizona for over three years. The main aim of the program is to help local business owners benefit from the influx of sports tourism that comes from major Valley events. The Business Connect initiative also supports minority and women, LGBQT+ and veteran-owned business through professional development, workshops, networking, and contract opportunities for major sporting events such as Super Bowl LVII and the 2024 NCAA Men's Final Four.
Опубликовано : 4 недели назад от Serena O'Sullivan в Sports
PHOENIX — Phoenix Coqui, a Phoenix Puerto Rican restaurant, will continue its partnership with the NFL through the Business Connect program ahead of the Final Four in early April.
The program seeks to uplift diverse local businesses and set them up with valuable resources and professional connections. The events host committee licenses out the NFL program to other national events. It’s an effort to bolster diverse local businesses by providing various growth opportunities.
That means local business owners like Alex Carbajal can benefit from the influx of sports tourism that comes from various big events.
“The fact that the Valley has this attention placed on it and that there are local businesses that can participate and service suppliers for these events is just amazing in and of itself,” Carbajal told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
Carbajal, who co-owns Phoenix Coqui with partner Juan Ayala, first connected with the program during last year’s Super Bowl.
“That was great for us, and having, now, this exciting event, the Final Four, come to Phoenix, we’re looking forward to just being able to make some connections here that allow us to make the most of that experience as well,” Carbajal said.
The Business Connect program’s head of marketing, Meredith Painter, said the initiative connects diverse businesses with equitable and inclusive partnerships.
The main point of the program is to help business owners take advantage of the influx of sports tourism that comes along with major Valley events, she added.
“It supports minority, women, LGBQT+ and veteran-owned businesses through professional development, workshops, networking and contract opportunities for major sporting events such as Super Bowl LVII and the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four,” Painter said in a release.
All businesses involved in the program are required to be certified as minority, women, veteran or LGBTQ-owned businesses.
Additionally, they must have an established business office in Arizona for more than three years.
Carbajal initially started the business as a food truck in 2017.
“We are the Valley’s No. 1 Puerto Rican restaurant, so your source of everything from mofongo to empanadillas,” he said.
The restaurant is at 4041 N. 15th Ave. in Phoenix. It is open from Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11 a.m.-6:45 p.m. as well as Fridays to Saturdays from 11 a.m.-8:45 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
“The vibe is very tropical, very lively, music, salsa, good food, great conversations,” Carbajal said. “I’m very thankful for the fact that small businesses are being asked to be participants in this kind of event.”
Темы: Football, NFL