US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association

Helping Businesses Grow and Succeed
Small Biz Newsletter
2020 Holiday Recess
Find us on Google Maps
Talk about a fresh start! The VI SBDC District offices have changed location. Both offices are equipped with training rooms and private offices for counseling appointments.
Our St. Croix office can be found at Perter’s Rest, Suite 4 (next to T-Mobile). More recently, the St. Thomas/St. John office moved near the University Campus in the former West Bay Supermarket and Census 2020 building.
Stay tuned for Grand Opening details. Until then, we work remotely and will resume operations starting January 4th, 2021 at the end of holiday recess.

New Website Launch
Along with the many good things we have in store for the USVI small business community, we are redesigning our website. During our absence for the holiday recess, make use of the online resources available. We hope you find it more attractive and easy to navigate.
Training and Education
Here a few of our key focus areas this coming year.
Be sure to sign up on our website at www.visbdc.org.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Start up Space – USVI Business Hub
Find the VI SBDC and all of the local agencies that play a role in maintaining a business in the USVI. Although these resources help you start your business, this hub supports the life of your business. Get access to the small business community calendar for business events listed all within the same platform. Network with other entrepreneurs and small business owners as they create profiles and share their experiences.
We look forward to your attendance in January 2021 when we resume our business education training webinars. This past year we were able to carry out multiple series on scheduled weekdays. Please note that not all of these webinars will stream live. Our training department knows that it is hard to run a business and participate at the same time. This is why we upload our webinars to our YouTube channel. Watch at your leisure and reach out to us for training materials if the need be. We are happy to assist.
USVI Small Business Success Story
Mutiny Island Vodka
Conceived on the island of St. Croix in 2017, Mutiny Island Vodka was unleashed with unforgettable taste and luxurious smoothness. This project provides value-added agricultural products for the Virgin Islands and has assisted in the relief from the devastation of two hurricanes in 2017. Built at the Sion Farm Distillery, Mutiny Island Vodka in historic Sion Farm on St. Croix and has created new jobs for locals.
Mutiny Island Vodka is distilled in St. Croix, USVI. It is sold throughout retail stores in the US Virgin Islands and can be found in almost every restaurant, hotel, and bar in the territory. Most recently, Mutiny Vodka in the process of exporting Mutiny Island Vodka to other islands in the Caribbean and the British Virgin Islands. Soon, they hope to export to all the Caribbean, Bahamas, and eventually throughout South America and Europe.  The distillery creates many small-batch flavors in limited amounts such as Mango, Passion Fruit, Guavaberry, and Coquito.
This small business was able to pivot its business strategy to reduce the economic impact due to COVID-19. In addition, their strategy assisted the community with increased safety measures. The micro-distillery began producing hand sanitizer utilizing their equipment, materials, and other resources. As a result, the company continues to operate within a reasonably projected loss margin. When COVID19 begins to dissipate, the company will continue to keep this product line.
The VI SBDC is proud to be a partner with Mutiny Island Vodka.
VIPD Holiday Safety Tips
Enjoy the holidays and small business on!
The VI SBDC is a Partnership Program with the SBA, hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.