Help is available for small-town entrepreneurs
Area residents looking to start or grow a business can now find expert help closer to where they live.
The University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center has its satellite system in full swing to bring services to people more conveniently in an 11-county area, Director Joe Harper said.
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Joe Harper |
"Our certified business advisers now keep regular office hours in the surrounding communities we serve," Harper said. "We’re bringing the SBDC to rural Texas and reducing the travel burdens for existing and potential business owners."
Anyone interested in new business opportunities can make an appointment to receive free one-on-one business counseling at an area location, Harper said.
All counselors are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The schedule is as follows:
|
City |
Day |
Location |
Counselor |
|
Beeville |
Every Wednesday |
Beeville Chamber of Commerce, 1705 N. St. Mary’s St. |
Joe Humphreys |
|
Cuero |
First Friday & last Tuesday |
Cuero Chamber of Commerce,124 E. Church St. |
Lisa Barr |
|
Edna |
Third Tuesday |
Edna Chamber of Commerce, 317 W. Main St. |
Lisa Barr |
|
Goliad |
First Monday |
Goliad County Chamber of Commerce, 231 S. Market St. |
Joe Humphreys |
|
Gonzales |
Third Thursday |
Gonzales Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, 414 St. Lawrence St. |
Lisa Barr |
|
Hallettsville |
First & third Wednesday |
Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce, 1614 N. Texana St. |
Lisa Barr |
|
Kenedy/Karnes City |
Third Friday |
Karnes County Economic Development, 491 N. Sunset Strip |
Joe Humphreys |
|
Port Lavaca |
Second Wednesday |
Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce, 2300 Highway 35 N. |
Lisa Barr |
|
Refugio |
Second & fourth Thursday |
Refugio Chamber of Commerce, 301 N. Alamo St. |
Joe Humphreys |
|
Rockport |
Every Tuesday |
Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce, 404 Broadway St. |
Joe Harper |
"None of this would be possible without the support of our community hosts who provide office space and resources for us to service our clients," Harper said.
The schedule may change in the future depending on how much demand for services each location receives, he said.
"Our goal is to provide the SBDC’s services where it’s most convenient for entrepreneurs to receive them, and that’s in their own communities," he said. "Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and it is our job to strengthen that backbone."
The SBDC serves an 11-county area made up of Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Dewitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria counties.
For more information or to schedule a session with a business adviser, contact the SBDC at 361-575-8944 or toll free at 877-895-SBDC.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
