When you think of artificial intelligence, your mind might conjure images of futuristic robots or computers that are able to act as humans do. But AI isn’t just an idea for the future. It’s making a real impact on businesses today and could factor even larger in the years to come. An Accenture Research study found that AI has the potential to boost profitability by an average of 38 percent across select…
Editor’s Note: Leadership can mean different things to different people. The Valley Business Report turned to experienced business leaders in the Rio Grande Valley to learn more about their views on leadership in their own words. Through a question-and-answer format, Leadership Matters presents comments on leadership from Valley CEOs and other business leaders. Frank Fernandez has been plant manager for Duro Bag at the Port of Brownsville since 2015. With…
Do you empower the people in your organization? It’s a straightforward question. I suspect many of you believe that you do, and I would certainly hope you are right. Others of you will qualify your affirmative statement with exceptions to the practice. Still others will offer a variety of anecdotal reasons (bad experiences) why empowerment is an overrated practice. We each view empowerment differently, and because we tend to do…
Are you interested in owning your own business or improving your existing venture but are not willing to take the risk because of financial roadblocks or other uncertainties? A San Antonio-based company with two offices in the Rio Grande Valley can offer advice for start-ups and existing businesses, and loans of anywhere from $500 to $50,000. Called LiftFund, the company makes loans at interest rates ranging from 9 percent to…
The City of Alamo will host its biannual Small Business Workshop Sept. 19 to educate business owners on ways to get financial assistance as well as help bring ideas to fruition. Alamo EDC Director Rafael Tapia will discuss Alamo programs as well as available opportunities such as the Revolving Loan Program and Micro-Loan Program. These programs assist small businesses and start-ups by providing a low-cost alternative financing option. Information on Texas…
Over the past year, the U.S. Small Business Administration has helped thousands of residents and entrepreneurs in Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico rebuild their homes and businesses damaged by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Many are still recovering from the storms that caused unprecedented physical and economic devastation. After Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on Aug. 26, 2017, the SBA quickly ramped…
The Women’s Business Center of Cameron County and the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce are currently accepting applications for DreamBuilder Academy. The 12-module program is a step-by-step framework for starting a business. Throughout the program, participants learn if they should start a business and what a business plan is as well as how much it costs to start a business. Facilitated by small business consultant Luis Urquieta, DreamBuilder is designed specifically…
We often see leaders as people who take action, and that is certainly part of leadership. But, action in and of itself is not leadership. Real leadership comes when someone offers a real solution. Anyone can take action at any time. Worse, people often act out of a need to do something, anything. This is just reflexive action, something done without much thought. Reflexive action is done out of frustration.…
When Build-A-Bear launched its “Pay Your Age” customer loyalty promotion for its Bonus Club members in July it turned out to be too big. Offering loyal customers a one-day opportunity to make their own stuffed toy and pay only the price of the child’s age, the company created chaos. Parents with their children formed huge lines at stores, with some customers having to wait for four hours or more to…
Editor’s Note: Leadership can mean different things to different people. The Valley Business Report turned to experienced business leaders in the Rio Grande Valley to learn more about their views on leadership in their own words. Through a question-and-answer format, Leadership Matters presents comments on leadership from Valley CEOs and other business leaders. Michael Blum has resided in the Rio Grande Valley since 1972 and has for more than four…