A Dothan Black-owned business and wellness center, Jus Relax, has been selected among the first round of Comcast RISE award recipients. Comcast RISE will help thousands of small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic over the next three years.
Jus Relax is among more than 700 first round recipients from around the country that will receive consulting, media and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on their specific needs.
Jus Relax is receiving a technology makeover. Founder and owner Allen Forrest had just opened the business when the pandemic hit in March 2020.
“Creating the only minority-owned co-working business center in Southeast Alabama to help women, minorities and LGBTQ entrepreneurs succeed has always been a dream of mine,” Forrest said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented difficulties for us since opening Jus Relax – but there’s an old saying: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ At Jus Relax, we are committed to having a positive impact on the Dothan community and supporting local economic development. With the new resources from the Comcast RISE technology makeover, we can continue to offer entrepreneur training, workforce development, computer programing, and free computer access to underserved areas.”
Jus Relax is located at 200 N. Saint Andrew Street, Suite 2 in downtown Dothan.
In addition, applications are now being accepted for the second phase of Comcast RISE. Eligibility has expanded to include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses, including Hispanic-owned small businesses. They can apply at www.ComcastRISE.com.
The first phase of Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” focused on U.S. Black-owned, small businesses, those hit hardest by the pandemic according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Comcast RISE brings together two of the company’s brands —Comcast Business and Effectv, both with expertise in the small business space — to empower business owners with the expertise and resources needed to navigate the economic effects of the pandemic.
Comcast RISE consists of the following main components:
- A media and technology resources program: This pillar combines Effectv’s renowned media platform and marketing expertise, its award-winning creative agency, Mnemonic, and state-of-the-art technical support from Comcast Business to help small businesses foster and elevate growth. Recipients will receive help with their marketing, media campaigns and creation of 30-second commercials, as well as equipment and technology upgrades, including:
- Consulting:Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to grow your business.
- Media:A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period.
- Creative Production:Turnkey :30 TV commercial production for their businesses.
- Technology Makeovers:Computer equipment and Internet, Voice and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.)
- Business resources to help with curated content: Comcast has launched the Comcast RISE destination complete with aggregated small business news, tips, insights and more on the X1 platform. The destination is designed to help businesses grow by empowering them through education, inspiration and entertainment. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote.
- Grants: In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three to five years.
Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate $75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability.
Visit www.ComcastRISE.com for more information and to apply.
