St. Johns County hosts free small business resource fair September 23

St. Johns County Economic Development will host a free Small Business Resource Event from 10 a. m. to noon Wednesday, September 23, at The Waterworks in downtown St. Augustine, connecting local entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners with more than a dozen agencies that offer programs, capital, training, and services to help businesses start and grow.

The event at 184 San Marco Ave. is open to anyone exploring a new business idea, launching a startup, or looking to expand an established company. Doors open at 9:30 a. m., with the program beginning at 10 a. m. and featuring agency spotlights and networking sessions.

What's happening

St. Johns County Economic Development is bringing together representatives from local, regional, state, and federal business-support organizations for a half-day resource fair. According to the county's August 25 announcement, participating agencies include the Small Business Development Center at UNF, the U. S. Small Business Administration, JAXPORT, SCORE, CareerSource North Florida, the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, the St. Johns County Public Library, First Coast Technical College, Jacksonville Women's Business Center, and SelectFlorida.

The event format includes registration and networking time, spotlight presentations from each agency, and additional networking opportunities. Attendees will be able to ask questions and learn about programs specific to their business stage and needs, from ideation through mature-company expansion.

Monica Dominguez, Senior Project Manager for St. Johns County Economic Development, said in the announcement that the event supports the county's Strategic Plan priority for Economic Prosperity. "Small businesses are the heart of St. Johns County. When entrepreneurs take a risk, create jobs, and serve our community, they don't just build successful businesses; they strengthen our local economy and help build a stronger, more vibrant community for everyone," Dominguez said.

The county's economic development efforts focus on expanding business opportunities, developing local talent, and fostering a competitive, resilient economy, according to the announcement.

Why small-business access to resources matters in a fast-growth county

St. Johns County is one of Florida's fastest-growing counties, adding thousands of new residents each year drawn by top-rated schools and relative affordability. That growth brings both opportunity and challenge for local entrepreneurs: a larger customer base, but also stiffer competition, rising commercial rents, and the need to scale up quickly to capture market share.

Small businesses—defined federally as firms with fewer than 500 employees, though most are far smaller—account for the majority of private-sector jobs in Florida and are a significant share of the tax base. In fast-growth suburban counties, local businesses often struggle to compete with national chains for talent, capital, and visibility. Access to low-cost or free technical assistance, financing programs, and professional networks can be the difference between a startup that survives its first two years and one that closes.

Programs offered by the agencies on the September 23 roster typically include one-on-one business counseling, workshops on topics from bookkeeping to digital marketing, connections to lenders and grant programs, workforce training and hiring assistance, export assistance for companies looking to ship goods through JAXPORT, and certification programs for women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned businesses that can unlock contracting opportunities with governments and large corporations.

The Small Business Development Center at UNF, for example, provides no-cost consulting to small businesses across Northeast Florida, helping clients refine business plans, secure financing, and navigate regulatory requirements. SCORE is a national nonprofit of volunteer business mentors. The U. S. Small Business Administration backs loan programs—including the widely used 7(a) and 504 loan products—that reduce lender risk and make capital accessible to businesses that might not qualify for conventional bank loans. CareerSource North Florida administers federal and state workforce funds that can subsidize employee training costs.

For entrepreneurs in St. Johns County specifically, understanding which agencies serve which needs—and how to access their programs—can be opaque. Events like the September 23 fair lower that barrier by putting representatives in one room and giving business owners a chance to ask questions face-to-face.

How the event fits the county's economic-development strategy

The announcement ties the resource fair to the St. Johns County Strategic Plan's Economic Prosperity priority, which calls for strengthening the local business community and expanding access to resources. Economic development offices in fast-growth Florida counties typically balance two mandates: recruiting outside companies to bring jobs and investment, and supporting the growth of existing local businesses.

Retention and expansion of local firms—often called "economic gardening"—has gained emphasis in recent years as counties recognize that homegrown businesses are less likely to relocate and often have deeper ties to the community. Small-business support events are a low-cost, high-visibility way for counties to deliver on that mandate without writing checks or offering tax incentives.

St. Johns County Economic Development, part of the county's administrative structure, focuses on business attraction, retention, workforce development, and fostering a competitive business climate. The office works closely with the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 1,000 member businesses, and with regional partners such as JAXUSA Partnership, the economic development arm of the greater Jacksonville region.

By convening state and federal agencies—many of which have regional offices in Jacksonville—alongside local organizations, the county is effectively acting as a broker, making it easier for entrepreneurs to navigate a fragmented ecosystem of support. For the agencies, the event offers a chance to reach potential clients who might not otherwise know their services exist.

What entrepreneurs can expect and how to participate

The Waterworks, a historic venue in downtown St. Augustine near the San Sebastian River, is centrally located and accessible. Attendees should expect a mix of informal networking—exchanging business cards, asking quick questions—and short presentations from each agency explaining what they offer and how to apply or enroll.

Because the event is free and requires no advance registration (based on the announcement's open invitation), business owners can drop in during the two-hour window. However, those looking to make the most of the time may want to prepare by identifying their most pressing business challenges—whether that's accessing startup capital, finding qualified employees, understanding export procedures, or getting help with a business plan—and targeting the agencies best positioned to help.

The event is designed for entrepreneurs at any stage. Aspiring business owners exploring an idea can connect with SBDC counselors and SCORE mentors for guidance on feasibility and planning. Startups navigating their first year can learn about SBA loan programs, library resources for market research, and workforce training grants. Established businesses looking to grow can explore JAXPORT's export programs, chamber membership benefits, and SelectFlorida's incentives for expansion projects.

Questions about the event can be directed to St. Johns County Economic Development through the county's Economic Development website. The county encourages interested entrepreneurs to subscribe to its e-newsletters for updates on future events and resources.

The broader small-business landscape in Northeast Florida

The September 23 event reflects a regional recognition that small-business vitality is foundational to Northeast Florida's growth strategy. Across the seven-county First Coast, economic development organizations are investing in entrepreneurship support as the region competes for talent and tries to diversify its economy beyond its traditional anchors of military, logistics, healthcare, and tourism.

St. Johns County's small-business ecosystem benefits from proximity to Jacksonville's larger professional-services and financial sectors while offering lower costs and access to affluent residential markets along the SR 16, CR 210, and A1A corridors. Nocatee, SilverLeaf, and other master-planned communities have drawn tens of thousands of new households in the past decade, creating demand for local services—from lawn care and home renovation to tutoring, fitness studios, and restaurants—that franchises and national chains cannot fully satisfy.

At the same time, the county's growth has strained infrastructure and driven up commercial real-estate costs, particularly in St. Augustine's historic downtown and along US 1. Entrepreneurs face the challenge of capturing growth without overextending, and many need guidance on cash-flow management, hiring, and scaling operations—exactly the kind of help the agencies at the September 23 event are designed to provide.

As Northeast Florida continues to add jobs and residents, the ability of local small businesses to grow alongside the region's population will shape the character of its commercial corridors, the resilience of its economy, and the opportunities available to its workforce. Events that connect entrepreneurs with the resources they need are a small but meaningful part of that larger story.