Louis Barton has spent a lot of time learning how to protect himself from “the bad guy,” and that was before he became a leader in cyber safety at Frost Bank. At a forum on cyber security, Barton discussed ways hackers can find their way into anyone’s bank account, credit card, phone or computer and steal their identity. Many in attendance were wide-eyed during some of his examples, like…
It takes more than great coffee to make a coffeehouse successful: comfortable, neighborhood vibes, an unrushed atmosphere, the chance to run into old friends and meet new ones, and of course, Wi-Fi. But step one in the coffeehouse seduction is the tantalizing smell of fresh roasted, fresh brewed coffee as soon as the door opens. A knowledgeable barista who cares about preparing you a coffee you will enjoy is step…
Learning communication skills is at the heart of a fast-growing business venture in north Edinburg. RGV K9 Training Centre owners Marty and Leslie Vielma share a passion to help canines and humans learn how to communicate with each other. “People love their dogs so much but sometimes they just can’t figure out how to communicate with them,” Leslie said. “They just don’t understand how to talk to their dogs.”…
Jackelyn Llanas had doubts about the daunting task ahead of her. The 23-year-old Brownsville native had been selected for the first cohort to undergo an intense 12-week coding boot camp in Full Stack Web Development. “I thought I couldn’t do it. I was overwhelmed and scared,” said the UTRGV mechanical engineering student. “I thought about quitting but decided to stick this out.” By early August, 10 weeks into the program,…
At Bahama Bucks, people walk with cups overflowing with thin-shaved ice in deep, rich colors. The ice, piled much higher than the edge of the cup, reminded one of an iceberg – what is seen is just a small preview of what’s below. One girl held a cucumber-flavored treat, another had cherry-red flavor seeping deep into the ice. One dad sipped a frozen lemonade, while a young customer bit into…
When you’re outside in the summer, a shady tree is the next best thing to an icy drink. Temperature in the shade runs about 15 degrees lower than adjacent unshaded areas. Shade trees near your business and home cast the same umbrella of cooler temperatures on the buildings. The result is less strain on your air conditioner (meaning lower bills) and less sun beating on the windows. Late fall is…
Marty Medina found that one problem with giving your book store in McAllen a French name is that people don’t know what you are selling. Her shop J’aime Les Livres, which is French for “I Love Books,” does attract customers who are fluent in French, as well as others who think her name is Jaime or that she sells only books in French. “I loved the way the name sounds,”…
For Mario Dominguez, his entire life seemed to lay the foundation for running a barbecue restaurant. He recalled childhood afternoons watching cooking shows on PBS. When he was in college, his father and brother would join him on road trips to Texas barbecue joints. After years of talking about opening a restaurant, Dominguez and his brother Santana Dominguez opened The Smoking Oak in January 2015 in Mercedes. It has a…
Tina and Eric Hoff wanted to run a business together, applying experience gained managing and working for different companies. “We selected five businesses that we had been in and that looked like, with a few great improvements, could turn around,” Eric said. Then the couple dropped in cold-turkey to see if the owners were interested in selling. The owner of one of those, the Village Bottle Shop in La Feria,…
“You have to spend money to make money,” said Vicky Rodriguez, owner of Tip O’ Texas Geckos. What started off as hobby four years ago to keep her calm has evolved into a business that breeds and sells crested geckos, a popular terrarium pet originally from New Caledonia. “I learned more about crested gecko colors and that the market fluctuates depending on lineage, which wasn’t important 20 years ago.”…