Full disclosure upfront: I am an unabashed fan of the Rio Grande Valley and our neighboring communities on the southern bank of the Rio Grande. Even more disclosure: As the executive director serving the members of the Rio South Texas Economic Council, I get paid to be a cheerleader for our region. Yet those who’ve known me for a while can attest that my enthusiasm for our sunny corner of…
One of the least favorite aspects of a supervisor’s job is having to discipline, and possibly terminate, an employee. It can be fraught with emotion and legal pitfalls if not done correctly. But there are ways to minimize the unpleasant and sometimes risky task. Former corporate human resources manager Marco E. Garza, who today serves as assistant chair and faculty with the Department of Management at the University of Texas…
You can find important lessons in the smallest things. You just have to pay attention and look underneath the surface. One of the activities I usually start my seminars with is a game where the group tosses a ball around while calling out their names. There are several challenges along the way, and the group has to respond to those challenges. Throughout the game, I stop every so often to…
When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with a member of your staff? A healthy rapport with staff is critical to good leadership and good workplace outcomes. Building good rapport from day one provides the foundation necessary when critical conversations are necessary to launch a product, address a concern or clarify an objective. When employees walk into your office or meeting area knowing you are invested in the relationship…
The Women’s Business Center of Cameron County and the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce are now accepting applications from those interested in starting a business for its DreamBuilder Academy. The 12-module course is designed specifically for women (although anyone can participate) and creates a step-by-step framework for starting a business. The DreamBuilder format helps participants realize if they should start a business, as well as understand a business plan. Costs with…
There are certain pages every website can’t be without. A small business’s site needs to give visitors what they are most likely to be looking for. If you’re getting a website together for your small business or reinventing an existing site, take a look at the five essential pages every small business website needs. We include three other recommended pages as well. Homepage Your homepage is the virtual lobby of…
The Alamo Economic Development Corporation is now offering a new Micro-Loan Program that will help small business owners expand their efforts in the city. The Micro-Loan Program works by lending money to local businesses, with the funds being paid back with the interest. The funds are then reused. The loans are possible with assistance from USDA – Rural Development. Qualified applicants must be located in Alamo and have a minimum…
Editor’s Note: Leadership can mean different things to different people. The Valley Business Report wanted to learn more about the views on leadership through the words of experienced business leaders in the Rio Grande Valley. Starting with this month’s edition, VBR introduces Leadership Matters, a new question-and-answer feature that poses questions on leadership to Valley CEOs and other business leaders. Manny Vela CEO, Valley Baptist Health System What are…
April is National Stress Awareness Month. Work-related stress is by far the most common and costly form of stress in the United States. Stress and its associated impact on our physical and mental health account for the majority of sick days taken each year. The cost to U.S. employers is now estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Stress and mental health are highly correlated. Helping our employees…
In my 40-plus years of work, I have had five female bosses. They were all good supervisors; two were excellent. Looking back over all of my supervisors, I think they were better overall than the male supervisors. I answered to a female on my very first major professional position. She was the mayor. I was the city administrator. She was a long-time community activist and businesswoman before she was mayor.…