Internet Association And Rep. Gaetz Meet With Small Businesses In Pensacola, Florida To Discuss The Value Of The Internet To Main Street

CARROLL: “The internet means a better economy and a stronger community on main street in Pensacola.”

Pensacola, FL – Internet Association and Rep. Matthew Gaetz will tour with small businesses in Pensacola today as part of an “Internet Community Crawl” to hear about how main street businesses use the internet to grow, succeed, and thrive.

“The internet means a better economy and a stronger community on main street in Pensacola,” said Melika Carroll, IA Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs. “Online platforms help small businesses all across Florida – and the country – to create jobs and reach new customers. They also create a place for the community to come together and celebrate local artists, music, and more. The internet sector thanks Rep. Gaetz for joining us in Pensacola and for his hard work and leadership in Congress on policies that will enable further growth and innovation.”

Internet Association, IA member companies, and Rep. Gaetz will visit with four main street businesses in downtown Pensacola that use the internet to do businesses and grow their customer base.

The internet economy contributes almost $98 billion to Florida’s economy, and employs more than 188,000 Floridians, according to Internet Association research.

First at BlueJay’s Bakery, owner Justine Gudmundson-McCain will explain how social media engagement helped BlueJay’s grow from a table at the local market to a full storefront. Next, Joe and Alicia Sinkovich, owners of The Armored Frog furniture company, will describe their internet-reliant approach to furniture retail. At the third stop, Blue Morning Gallery, President Jim Sweida will detail how he uses social platforms to showcase local artists. At The Bodacious Family of Shops, General Manager Alan Bates will outline how the internet enabled the growth of the Palafox Place as a whole.

Escambia County Commission Chairman Jeff Bergosh and representatives from Internet Association companies, including Amazon, Google, and Facebook, will also attend.

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