WE TAKE PRIDE IN BUSINESS.

MISSION

We will accomplish this through...

... building our small businesses,

... working with professionals in corporations,

... supporting our non-profits and

... encouraging the general community to support those that support their rights.

To lead the way for development, advocacy and growth of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender business community and its allies.

Establish and nurture a network of business and professional resources for LGBT & Allied communities.

Encourage fellowship & support among member businesses, professionals, individuals, and charitable pursuits.

Oppose prejudice in society at large and within the LGBT and Allied communities on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Foster communication, acceptance and mutual support among LGBT persons and the Allied communities.

To provide positive role models in the LGBT and Allied communities.

1992 ... Greater Orlando’s only LGBT Chamber of Commerce is founded by President Debbie Simmons.

1993 ... Attend LGBT march on Washington.

2000 ... MBA Orlando & OADO lobby City of Orlando to pass Chapter 57, which protected 3,200 employees from discrimination based upon sexual orientation.

2000 ... Attend LGBT march on Washington.

2005 ... Acquire Come Out With Pride.

2010 ... Launch RED Group & Converge Orlando.

HISTORY

* much more to come as we prepare for 20 years in business in 2012.

OUR CHAMBER

501(c)(6) LGBT chamber of commerce

501(c)(3) Pride Parade with

70,000 attendees every Columbus

Day weekend

Category exclusive

networking group -

$930K in sales

501(c)(6) LGBT Convention &

Travel organization

PRIDE INBUSINESSAWARDS

(MARCH 2, 2012)

LGBTVISITORCENTER

MBA’s Business Awards

recognizing the community’s

strongest business allies.

Officially opened

April 28, 2011.

CONVERGEORLANDO

NURTUREBUSINESS

‣ 500+ members by the end of 2012.

‣ Increase attendance and involvement at monthly events.

‣ Redevelopment of web site to provide more tools for members.

✓ 250 members.

✓ Online directory of members.

✓ Monthly Networking Socials - averaging 80 people since Sept. 2010.

MOVINGFORWARD

NURTUREBUSINESS

‣ Develop Employee Resource Group (ERG) seminars.

‣ Develop area-wide Think Tank roundtables to expand opportunities.

‣ Continue Business Series Workshops, more frequently, to help owners and professionals tackle the toughest parts of their job.

✓ Provide small business support and opportunities for business growth.

✓ Establish a LGBT Visitor Center with virtual office solutions for members to act as a hub of activity.

MOVINGFORWARD

‣ Develop 15 or more leadership positions.

‣ $2,000,000+ in RED Group sales.

‣ Reach optimal membership levels in all three groups before expanding elsewhere.

✓ RED Group - $930,000+ in sales since Jan. 2010.

✓ Many RED Group members have said they have made more than business acquaintances, they’ve made good friends.

NURTUREBUSINESS

MOVINGFORWARD

‣ Sponsor more local events & organizations.

‣ Be a resource to create awareness for many LGBT & Allied charitable events.

✓ Sponsor of Equality Florida Gala

✓ AIDS Walk Sponsor

FELLOWSHIP MOVINGFORWARD

‣ Support City of Orlando HRO amendment to cover gender identity.

‣ Support County creation of a domestic partner registry.

‣ Encourage local corporations to provide domestic partner benefits.

‣ Begin a Supplier Diversity Initiative at the City & County level measures to include LGBT owned business as minority businesses.

Partnered with Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (OADO) Committee on the following causes:

✓ Supported the Orange County Human Rights Ordinance amendment to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity.

✓ Supported domestic partner benefits for City of Orlando employees.

✓ Supported City of Orlando’s non-discrimination legislation on the basis of sexual orientation.

OPPOSEPREJUDICE

MOVINGFORWARD

MOVINGFORWARD

FOSTERACCEPTANCE

‣ Continue to allow all LGBT & Allied business owners, professionals and individuals to participate, lead and enjoy the benefits of membership.

‣ Develop stronger relations with city & county governments.

‣ Work with other area and minority chambers of commerce.

✓ Joint Networking Socials with HRC & ACLU.

✓ Biannual Candidates Forum on LGBT issues.

✓ Attended Orange County Mayor’s Jobs Summit.

✓ Outreach to the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, the City of Orlando & Orange County.

‣ Provide opportunities for business leaders to grow through service in our community.

‣ Build community support for the Pride in Business Awards Gala.

‣ Develop internship opportunities for LGBT & Allied students within MBA Orlando & Come Out With Pride.

‣ Support and promote local LGBT & Allied non-profit groups.

✓ More than 36 leadership opportunities between the boards of MBA Orlando, Come Out With Pride & Converge.

✓ Announce the Debbie Simmons Community Service Award each year.

SET THE EXAMPLE

MOVINGFORWARD

‣ Reach 100,000 Come Out With Pride attendees.‣ Continue to be a premier destination to celebrate Pride.‣ Become the largest Pride parade in Florida, eventually the U.S.‣ Donate $6,000 to local charities through Pride Gives Back.‣ Hold quarterly symposiums with parents, kids and schools about the

real meaning of “Come Out With Pride”.‣ Provide educational grants to local LGBT college bound students.

MOVINGFORWARD

✓ MBA Orlando acquired Come Out With Pride in 2005. At the time, the June event attracted approximately 25,000 people each year for a one day event.

✓ Since moving the event to October, we have grown Come Out With Pride’s attendance to more than 70,000 and expanded to a week’s worth of activities.

The Orlando CVB estimate for tourism to Orlando in 2009 was $41.5 billion.

The average representation of the LGBT community in any metro area is approximately 7.7%.

Community Marketing estimates that LGBTs represent 11.1% of all travel to Orlando. Approximately $4.57 billion.

But the Orlando CVB is not interested in spending money on attracting more LGBT travelers to the market.

We need an organization that will act as a LGBT Convention & Visitors Bureau and convince our community to CONVERGE ON ORLANDO!

to begin Fall 2011.

CONVERGEORLANDO

Encourage the development of LGBT tourism and conventions in Central Florida.

Promote the existing tourism structure to a broader LGBT audience, nationwide & internationally.

Provide the LGBT community a voice in the Central Florida convention business.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

CONVERGEORLANDOto begin Fall 2011.

Foster communication, tolerance, and mutual support among LGBT businesses and allied communities.

To represent Orlando and its surrounding counties through the building of LGBT conferences and conventions in partnership with other organizations.

To assist in the bidding of large LGBT conventions or events in the name of Orlando and its surrounding counties.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

CONVERGEORLANDOto begin Fall 2011.

CONVERGEORLANDO

MOVINGFORWARD

• Improve Orlando’s “gay-friendly” impression among travelers and convention goers.

• Generate incremental LGBT visitation to Greater Orlando.• Establish authentic, gay, non-commercial web presence that is up-to-date,

inclusive and non-biased.• Drive business to LGBT & Allied businesses.• Develop co-op LGBT advertising opportunities to promote Orlando

visitation and increase national visibility.• Represent Orlando at important business-generating conferences and

forums

✓ MBA Orlando formed Converge and adopted bylaws.

✓ Board of Directors has been appointed.

to begin Fall 2011.

• Provide information to the community.

• Pass leads to our member businesses.

• Provide virtual office solutions for our small business entrepreneurs.

• Host meetings & workshops.

• Be a visible center to the Greater Orlando community.

BUSINESS HOME

LGBT VISITOR CENTER

What we are trying to accomplish is no small feat. Already there are 70,000+ PRIDE attendees, hundreds of LGBT Chamber of Commerce members and a thirst for businesses to market themselves as a LGBT-friendly destination.

We are looking to add staff, develop internship positions and provide this community more than we ever have before.

The best way we can possibly provide these services to our community is for our entities to have a home and for our community to have a LGBT Visitor Center!

LGBT VISITOR CENTER

We think it is far more important to act as a lightning rod to attract attention for businesses who support our community than call for boycotts of those who do not.

We want to recognize great business leaders and individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty for the LGBT community whether they be...... small business or big corporations ... employer or employee,... profit or non-profit ... LGBT or Allied.

The most critical factor is that they demonstrate their

PRIDE IN BUSINESS! PRIDE INBUSINESSAWARDSto be held March 2, 2011

• Debbie Simmons Community Service Award

• Small Business of the Year

• Corporation of the Year

• New Member of the Year

• New Member Business of the Year

• Businessman & Businesswoman of the Year

• Non-Profit Organization of the Year

RECOGNIZE GREAT!

PRIDE INBUSINESSAWARDSto be held March 2, 2011

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

‣ Involvement with our LGBT Employee Resource Group (ERG) Council

‣ Involvement with our LGBT Supplier Diversity Council

‣ Hire a diverse workforce

‣ Increase sales

‣ Develop brand loyalty within Orlando’s LGBT community

‣ Develop a LGBT Employee Resource Group

‣ Our leaders will work with you to put the necessary tools in place to develop a LGBT ERG for your company

‣ Share best practices with other LGBT ERG leaders

‣ Network with counterparts at quarterly events

‣ Involvement with PRIDE in Business Awards Gala

ERGYLGBT

EN

LGBT ERG Council

‣ Include LGBT Business Enterprises in you supply chain

‣ MBA Orlando is a NGLCC affiliate chamber of commerce.

‣ We can work with your supplier diversity leaders to include certified LGBTBE’s locally and around the country.

‣ Expand use of LGBTBE’s in your supply chain

‣ Use locally-owned LGBTBE’s to diversify your supply chain

Supplier Diversity Council

ERGYLGBT

EN

‣ Hire a diverse workforce

‣ The MBA Orlando career web page will link to your business page to help drive qualified candidates to apply for positions

‣ Increase sales

‣ Monthly Mixer

‣ RED Group

‣ Quarterly ERG events

‣ Develop brand loyalty within Orlando’s LGBT community

‣ 88% of gay consumers and 91% of lesbian consumers prefer to use companies that market to their community.

OTHER BENEFITS

ERGYLGBT

EN

‣ Creating an environment for your business to attract the most talented individuals to recruit.

‣ City of Orlando HRO

‣ City of Orlando LGBT Employee DP Benefits

‣ Orange County HRO

‣ Orange County LGBT Employee DP Benefits

To Do List

‣ City & County Domestic Partner Registry

‣ City & County LGBT Supplier Diversity program

‣ City & County Equal Benefits Ordinance

BUILD A BETTER ORLANDO

In order to achieve the milestones that we have set forth for our COMMUNITY, our BUSINESSES &our CHAMBER, we need your help to make it all happen...

No matter what your business needs are, there is a membership level and an involvement opportunity for you.

MORE INFO

$24,000 per year for 3 years

E-mail Jason@MBAOrlando.org or call 407-949-2111.

CONVERGEORLANDO

PRIDE INBUSINESSAWARDS

MBA ORLANDO

HQ

Visit 23 S Osceola Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801

Go to MBAOrlando.org.