A dozen Anne Arundel County-based small businesses can take advantage of out-of-state sales opportunities and employee training events due to a program, an initiative of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. (AAEDC) and Southwest Airlines, that provides a round-trip flight e-pass to qualified companies wishing to have employees travel outside of Maryland to enhance their marketing and sales or provide for workforce training. The awardees include the following.
• BAON Enterprises, Annapolis
• Cheaper Than a Geek, Crofton
• Diverse Concepts Inc., Millersville
• Elevate Life, Annapolis
• Glacier Security, Odenton
• Herrington on the Bay, Rose Haven
• Paradise Donuts, Linthicum
• Partners in Care, Pasadena
• ServPro of Annapolis/Severna Park, Arnold
• Spatial GIS, Odenton
• SpinSheet Publishing, Annapolis
• TargetGov, Linthicum
The program was launched last October. The initiative targets businesses with fewer than 100 employees that generate annual revenue of less than $10 million. Through a first-come, first-served application process, companies were required to detail their marketing goals, travel plans and staff assignments.
As an added value, companies also could use Runway to Success with SWABIZ, Southwest Airlines’ corporate booking tool. The application allows businesses to manage and track its travel program. Runway to Success also may be used in conjunction with the AAEDC’s Workforce Training Grant program. Qualified businesses located in the county can be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost per employee to cover on-the-job training, classroom/offsite training, purchasing training software, and train-the-trainer scenarios to benefit new and incumbent workers.