While the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement, waits for ratification by all three countries involved, indications are that the new trade deal will be good for the South Texas economy, and all along the U.S.-Mexico border. “What was happening under NAFTA, and this was a problem with NAFTA, it opened up plants being able to move to Mexico without any type of restriction…
Some businesses come and go like the wind. Others not only survive but stay alive and prosper despite enduring one obstacle after another. Barbara, an upscale boutique on South Padre Island, falls in the latter category. The shop, owned by Remedios Villarreal, has been in business for nearly half a century and has been doing remarkably well after all those years. “I am still running Barbara,” she said. “It was…
Dark chocolate, rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, can have positive health benefits, according to numerous studies. After his physician recommended eating dark chocolate, Rio Grande Valley entrepreneur Anthony Matulewicz started experimented with making it in his home kitchen. Today, he is three years into a journey to turn a private passion into a viable business with Mozna Chocolate, a small but growing dark chocolate factory in the border town…
Inspired by a lifelong love of photography, and using creative computer software designed by her husband, Elisa Baker has embarked on a path to turn her personal passion into a business venture. Baker concentrates her photography on capturing images of Rio Grande Valley flora and fauna. Her husband developed the software that processes photos to create a sfumato effect. A style of painting associated with Italian Renaissance artists like Leonardo…
In each and every organization, you will find problems. Sometimes big, sometimes small. There’s no getting around it. Like everything else, how an organization responds to problems comes from the top. This a lesson I learned from my wife, but it really came from her principal. As a teacher, my wife would often find she had trouble dealing with some issue that had come up. The first time she approached…
There are two forms of employee motivation at work. Extrinsic motivation is external: pay, bonuses, overtime, commissions, rewards and other similar recognitions for hard work and attained organizational goals. Intrinsic motivation is internal: the desire to be the best at one’s job, to achieve or fulfill a purpose, to master a skill or technique, and other similar intellectual stimulations. Most managers focus on offering the proper extrinsic motivators to their…
The scorching South Texas sun holds virtually unlimited potential to generate electricity, and consumer demand for solar power is on the rise. And while at one time about seven solar companies operated in the Rio Grande Valley, today there is only a handful, and only one of those is locally owned and operated. American Made Solar and Wind Technologies, based in Weslaco, specializes in meeting the demand for both commercial…
The spent remains of a Russian mortar lay quietly on a glass display at the Weslaco business of Adam Shidler. It was on a typical day in Iraq during a nine-year tenure in the Air Force that Shidler had a close encounter with the mortar now on display. He recalls stopping to answer what he called “a stupid question” before he would go on to his next task of day.…
The Texas Workforce Commission has a new website, TexasLMI.com, that makes accessing the agency’s statistics easier. The new site allows business and workers to monitor staffing trends and annual growth rate. Latest economic indicators for the state are also accessible. “Our new LMI website ensures the most up-to-date labor market data is readily available to employers throughout the state, and creates a simplified platform to find this information,” said TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing…
South Texas small businesses are now eligible for the SBA’s 2019 Emerging Leaders Initiative. The program provides “no cost” intensive entrepreneurship education as well as training to those who want to elevate their businesses to the next level. As an offering from the Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office, the course includes nearly 100 hours of classroom time. Participants also have opportunities to work with experienced coaches and mentors. Additionally, small business owners and…