Category Archives: Business Advice

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month

Business Advice Featured News Comments
hurricane-disaster

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. With the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Ida, I felt compelled to share information and encourage small business preparedness. First and foremost, every business has unique vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Knowing which disasters are most likely to affect your business can thus help you return to operations faster. In addition, a back-to-business self-assessment can help you gauge your risks for common hazards. This includes hurricanes,…

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SBA Hosts Small Business Week Virtual Summit

Business Advice Featured News Comments
Small Business Week Virtual Summit

The U.S. Small Business Administration hosts its National Small Business Week Virtual Summit Sept. 13-15. The event honors the nation’s 31 million small businesses for their perseverance, ingenuity, triumphs and creativity. The free, three-day conference takes place in a virtual atrium, showcasing a series of educational panels on best practices for small businesses to pivot and recover in a changing economy. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Resilience and Renewal,” spotlighting…

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Edinburg Launches Stimulus Recovery Program

Business Advice e-Brief Features News Comments
loan, grant money ,funding

The City of Edinburg is now accepting applications for its third round of funding for SPARC 3.0. The Stimulus Program Aimed at Recovery from COVID19 assists locally-owned businesses with economic recovery. In 2020, more than 500 locally-owned businesses joined the SPARC network and received grants in the SPARC 1.0 and SPARC 2.0 rounds. Home-based businesses are eligible if they pay sales tax to the State of Texas or pay property…

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TWC Ends COVID-19 Related Work Refusal Guidance

Business Advice Featured Government News Comments
job refusal guidance, interview

Following the continued economic recovery in Texas and the announcement of Texas opting out of certain Federal Pandemic Unemployment benefits, the Texas Workforce Commission is ending job refusal guidance associated with the COVID-19 emergency orders. The guidance for individuals at high risk from COVID-19 were put in place a year ago. The decline in COVID cases in Texas, widespread availability of vaccines, and greater availability of services such as child…

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Success Overcomes Fear

Business Advice News Comments
success road

Several of the most dangerous words known to man are:  “Let’s continue because we’ve always done it that way.” Many times, the wheel needs to be broken. A paradigm shift is necessary. Choosing an alternate route from point A to point B is the only way. We must never let uncertainty, even fear of failure, prevent us from exploring different options which may lead to greater production with fewer expenses…

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Edinburg Chamber Hosts Member Orientation

Business Advice Events Featured News Comments

The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce invites the community to an interactive orientation on how to get the most value of a chamber membership. The event takes place in a choice of two sessions April 29  at the chamber office. The sessions are at 8:30-10 a.m. and noon to 1:30 p.m. at 602 W. University Drive. The orientation will provide new members and prospective members a brief introduction on the Edinburg…

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Investor Group Boosts RGV Entrepreneurship

Business Advice News Comments
An employee at Composite Access Products oversees a step in the making of a manhole cover, which in part, is made possible by capital provided by a Valley investment group.

In his days as a business school professor in Brownsville, John Martin had a key piece of advice for his students. “If you want to be a high salaried employee, leave the Valley, but if you want to be an entrepreneur, stay here,” Martin said. Martin is a member of the Rio Grande Valley Angel Network. The investor group provides seed money for aspiring entrepreneurs in return for equity in their…

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SBA Offers Assistance After Winter Storms

Business Advice Featured News Comments
Winter storm

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Texas businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration. The declaration covers 77 Texas counties as a result of the severe winter storms that began on Feb. 11. Lower Rio Grande Valley District counties included in declaration are Aransas, Cameron, Hidalgo, Nueces and San Patricio. “SBA is strongly committed to providing Texas with the most effective and customer-focused…

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McAllen Grants Advance Business Ideas

Business Advice Community e-Brief Features Featured News Comments

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for its Innovation Grant Awards. The awards’ grant funding of $50,000 annually encourages product innovation and business creation in the McAllen area. Past winners have been able to take their idea from the drawing board to the marketplace due to the grants. An applicant may request up to $10,000 to establish, expand, develop or advance a new product/service idea. The new…

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 Is Your Heart In It?

Business Advice News Comments

The expression “love what you do, and do what you love” is a powerful lesson. What is really satisfying is the enjoyment of our careers. Personal reward should be equivalent to earning a living. Does our job truly make us happy? It is truly important that teachers and counselors advise students to pursue an education toward a career best suited to their liking. By junior high, students are thinking of…

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