Leesburg EDC interns present business 'rack card,' one‑stop resource and Lafayette tour work

The Leesburg Economic Development Commission on Aug. 6 heard a presentation from two summer interns who created materials to guide prospective business owners, and staff reported recent ribbon cuttings and events tied to Taste Leesburg and Lafayette's bicentennial.

The interns, Pragya (intern) and Medha (intern), described a two‑sided printed “rack card” that outlines step‑by‑step actions for starting a business in Leesburg and a downloadable one‑stop PDF consolidating links and contacts for downtown entrepreneurs. Pragya introduced the team and the materials, saying, “I’m Pragya and this is Medha,” and outlined the rack card's front side with startup steps and the reverse side with quick decision bubbles for owners who have or do not have a location. The interns said they also proposed QR‑code forms for event registration and demonstrated use of HubSpot for tracking contacts and outreach.

Economic development staff member Melanie Scroggins reported business activity in town: Paris Baguette has opened and held a ribbon cutting; Hotel Berg held a ribbon cutting on July 29 and opened Aug. 1; the Shutters restaurant completed a soft opening and began taking reservations; and a ribbon cutting for Custom Floor and Design is scheduled for Aug. 14. Scroggins also said the department's internship program wrapped up its six‑week term the week following the meeting.

Allison (staff) summarized a July promotional “blitz” at the Fredericksburg Welcome Center that generated strong in‑person interest and material requests; she said Clearbrook Welcome Center invited Leesburg to run a similar display in the future. Allison and staff also described a Lafayette and Leesburg tour built for the TourLeesburg app that follows Lafayette’s 1825 visit and will coincide with the Taste Leesburg festival; a reenactor is scheduled to appear in town on Aug. 9.

The interns said their projects included: the business rack card, a one‑stop PDF resource for downtown business links, photography and content for the Lafayette tour, a draft blog series on local global cuisines, HubSpot contact management with segmentation for entrepreneurs and developers, and proposed QR‑enabled registration forms. They described field tours they took to municipal facilities — including the wastewater and water treatment plants, Leesburg Airport and the police department — as part of their learning.

Commissioners praised the interns’ work and asked staff to make the materials available digitally. Commissioners suggested placing a clickable version on the ChooseLeesburg/economic development web pages and distributing printed copies at partner visitor centers. The commission asked staff to confirm budget availability for continued outreach materials and promotional blitzes.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt the meeting agenda for Aug. 6, 2025 — moved by Commissioner Tony Talent; second not specified in the record; outcome: adopted (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to approve minutes of July 2, 2025 meeting — moved by Kathy Gilman; seconded by Lindsay Potter; outcome: approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to adjourn the meeting — moved and adopted (voice vote: "Aye").

Why it matters: The materials aim to reduce friction for entrepreneurs by consolidating steps, contacts and digital links into a single package and by proposing CRM and QR workflows to improve data capture and follow up. The Lafayette tour and Taste Leesburg activities are timed to attract visitors and showcase downtown businesses.

Meeting context and next steps: Staff said the internship program concluded in early August and that the rack card and one‑stop PDF can be posted and distributed; commissioners asked staff to return with a plan for web placement and print distribution. The commission also discussed adding an event entry for Lafayette on the TourLeesburg app and continuing regional promotional blitzes next year.