1. WE TAKE PRIDE IN BUSINESS.

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

3. GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
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.

4. 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.

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

6. OUR CHAMBER
501(c)(6) LGBT chamber of commerce
PRIDE IN LGBT CONVERGE
BUSINESS VISITOR ORLANDO
AWARDS
(MARCH 2, 2012)
CENTER
Category MBA’s Business
501(c)(3) Pride
exclusive Awards 501(c)(6) LGBT
Officially Parade with
networking recognizing the Convention &
opened 70,000 attendees
group - community’s Travel
April 28, 2011. every Columbus
$930K in strongest organization
Day weekend
sales business allies.

7. NURTURE MOVING
BUSINESS FORWARD
✓ 250 members.
✓ Online directory of members.
✓ Monthly Networking Socials - averaging 80 people since Sept. 2010.
‣ 500+ members by the end of 2012.
‣ Increase attendance and involvement at monthly events.
‣ Redevelopment of web site to provide more tools for members.

8. NURTURE MOVING
BUSINESS FORWARD
✓ 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.
‣ 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.

9. NURTURE MOVING
BUSINESS FORWARD
✓ 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.
‣ Develop 15 or more leadership positions.
‣ $2,000,000+ in RED Group sales.
‣ Reach optimal membership levels in all three groups before expanding
elsewhere.

10. FELLOWSHIP MOVING
FORWARD
✓ Sponsor of Equality Florida Gala
✓ AIDS Walk Sponsor
‣ Sponsor more local events & organizations.
‣ Be a resource to create awareness for many LGBT & Allied charitable
events.

11. OPPOSE MOVING
PREJUDICE FORWARD
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.
‣ 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.

12. FOSTER MOVING
ACCEPTANCE FORWARD
✓ 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.
‣ 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.

13. SET THE MOVING
EXAMPLE FORWARD
✓ 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.
‣ 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.

14. MOVING
FORWARD
✓ 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.
‣ 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.

15. 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!
CONVERGE
to begin Fall 2011. ORLANDO

16. GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
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.
CONVERGE
to begin Fall 2011. ORLANDO

17. GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
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.
CONVERGE
to begin Fall 2011. ORLANDO

18. CONVERGE MOVING
ORLANDO FORWARD
✓ MBA Orlando formed Converge and adopted bylaws.
✓ Board of Directors has been appointed.
• 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
to begin Fall 2011.

19. BUSINESS
HOME
• 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.
LGBT
VISITOR
CENTER

20. 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

21. 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 IN
BUSINESS
to be held March 2, 2011 AWARDS

22. RECOGNIZE
GREAT!
• 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
PRIDE IN
BUSINESS
to be held March 2, 2011 AWARDS

23. 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

24. LGBT ERG Council
‣ 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
LGBT
EN ERGY

25. Supplier Diversity 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
LGBT
EN ERGY

26. OTHER BENEFITS
‣ 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.
LGBT
EN ERGY

27. BUILD A BETTER ORLANDO
‣ 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

28. 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...

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

30. MORE INFO
E-mail Jason@MBAOrlando.org or call
407-949-2111.
Visit 23 S Osceola Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801
Go to MBAOrlando.org.
CONVERGE PRIDE IN MBA
ORLANDO AWARDS
$24,000 per year for 3 years
BUSINESS ORLANDO
HQ