Being an entrepreneur and starting your own business is a rewarding venture, but like anything there are some risks involved. As a fledgling entrepreneur, chances are you’ve heard the oft repeated statistic: more than half of new businesses fail in their first year. While you shouldn’t let these numbers intimidate you and scare you away from pursuing your dream, it is worth reviewing some of the common mistakes new entrepreneurs…
The Texas Department of Agriculture is the recipient of a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration to support export growth among small businesses. The funds come through SBA’s competitive State Trade Expansion Program. “STEP is a great example of a true export development and promotion tool for preparing U.S. small businesses for international opportunities,” said District Director Angela Burton. “STEP grant awardees will offer the resources to help small businesses…
If you are starting a small business, there is no shortage of advice on the steps you should take: registering your business name, getting a Tax ID, deciding on a business structure and applying for the needed permits and licenses. While these are all very important steps to take, a business plan will be central to how you start, grow and develop your business. Here are five reasons why you…
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…
Good software can enable your small business to increase sales by saving time and money while expanding capacity. But you must choose wisely — because the wrong software can be an expensive mistake. Here is my tried-and-true checklist for choosing software to support your business operations: Testimonials from Businesses Like Mine Find vendors with a meaningful number of testimonials from other small business owners. Look for testimonials from businesses like…
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…
Local assistance for small businesses It is exciting when a new business opens in the Rio Grande Valley, and we LOVE it because it strengthens both the community and the economy. The latest U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy stats show small firm openings have accounted for 40 percent of the “new” American jobs over the last two decades. During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, SBA approved 31…