Business leaders attended training program in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Business leaders and Mayor Domenic Sarno attended the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) Western MA Program at the MassMutual Center on Tuesday.

The ICCC is a tuition-free leadership training program that helps owners of small businesses build capacity for long-term growth, according to the City of Springfield. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC).

Mayor Domenic Sarno states, “I want to thank ICIC CEO and former State Treasurer Steve Grossman for hosting this ICCC Western MA Program here in downtown Springfield, and for his continued belief and investment in our Springfield and the Commonwealth, especially supporting small businesses.  This small business leadership training program follows up on my meeting with him back in May with Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan about bringing his organization and the resources he has on the state level to Springfield to help support our local small businesses.  Steve, always the gentleman, is a very smart and humble individual who always remembered where his family got their start in business, from a loan from a Boston bank and credit from the U.S. Envelope Co. right here in Springfield.  Always in his DNA, has been helping small businesses thrive.”

Over the last 9 years, they have helped businesses in Springfield increase their capital. This two-day program is being offered in-person this year with the Opening Seminar taking place Tuesday morning with over 50 local businesses.

“For the small business owners that are here, we are giving them a two-day education in strategy marketing talent management finance access to capital and networking, which is critical for the people who come here looking for new business opportunities and new customers and hopefully they’ll find them,” said Steve Grossman, ICIC CEO, and Former state treasurer.

Western Massachusetts is home to hundreds of IC-C alumni and since their participation, they have averaged 144 percent growth in revenue and raised $18.4 million in capital.