SAN BENITO — The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley is opening up shop here to help develop small businesses in town.
As part of a partnership with the San Benito Economic Development Corporation, the university’s Office of Workforce and Economic Development is opening a satellite office in the EDC’s building to help entrepreneurs launch businesses while working with merchants to develop and expand their shops.
“It’s a good idea to help out and encourage business owners or those who want to start a new business,” Mayor Rick Guerra said.
On Thursday, Ramiro Aleman, the EDC’s executive director, met here with university officials to launch the program.
“I think it’s going to be a success,” he said before announcing the program at EDC offices. “Economic development is not just brick and mortar. It’s also educational development. There’s a lot of potential in the people of San Benito. Sometimes they need a little assistance. If we can provide that assistance, that’s what we’re here for. We have to assist small businesses.”
University reaching out
The program gives the university a chance to reach out into the community, Ron Garza, an associate vice president for workforce and economic development, said.
“We’re really excited about this partnership,” he said. “This partnership gives us a front door to provide opportunity in San Benito. It allows us to be more accessible to the community.”
Staffing office
As part of the program, the university will begin staffing the EDC’s office with a business counselor offering entrepreneurs and merchants help in developing their business plans, working with financials and even providing patenting information, Aleman said, adding the program is set to open in about two months.
“The program will operate with individual business counseling,” he said. “To start, it will be on an as-needed and appointment basis. As we gain traction and demand increases, we’ll have someone here full-time.”
Through the program, the university will also offer classes, Garza said.
“We’re going to be doing continuing education classes,” he said. “It’s designed to grow small businesses that exist and work with those interested in starting new businesses.”
As part a recruitment program, the university’s staff will also help EDC officials draw new business to town, Garza said.
Offering scholarships
Under the partnership, officials will offer San Benito entrepreneurs and small business owners a chance to apply for 10 scholarships allowing them to take part in the university’s Kauffman FastTrac New Venture Entrepreneurship Program, Aleman said.
A committee made up of university and EDC officials will select applicants based on criteria including business experience, education and types of prospective businesses, he said.
‘Pillar program’
At EDC offices, the university’s staff will hold classes teaching the seven-week entrepreneurship program aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners open and expand businesses, Aleman said.
“That’s one of our pillar programs,” Garza said. “It’s a very intensive, capacity-building program.”
On the Kauffman company website, the program is described as “a global provider of education courses that equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the business skills and insights, tools, resources and networks to start and grow successful businesses.”
“Each FastTrac course is guided by certified program directors, course facilitators, subject matter experts and mentors,” the website states. “At the core of each FastTrac course is a community of peers — classmates to support and encourage one another to pursue their start-ups or strategic business plans.”
The program’s aimed at helping entrepreneurs and merchants “discover how your business concept matches your personal vision, align your business concept with a real market opportunity, learn how to set realistic financial goals for your business, determine the unique features and benefits of your product (or) service, find your target market, discover your competitive advantage, define your company’s brand, learn how to manage business functions, develop an organizational culture, determine the steps to profitability, identify potential sources of funding for your business and find the available resources in your community for ongoing business planning.”
Through the program, the course is aimed at helping residents open and expand businesses in town, Aleman said.
“The best-case scenario is we have 10 new businesses open or expand in San Benito,” he said.
