CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Small businesses have long been vital to the Texas economy and helping them grow only strengthens a community. That has certainly been the case in Corpus Christi and is why the city is now partnering with the state to give small business a big boost.
Each month, Gov. Greg Abbott selects a region of the state to work with his office and the Texas Workforce Commission in holding a Small Business Summit.
Corpus Christi gets the nod on April 18.
Joe Escobar, Senior Management Analyst with the Corpus Christi Office of Economic Development, told 3NEWS the number of small business has grown locally.
"That’s the new trend, and something that we’re starting to see in Corpus Christi is more of the entrepreneurial spirit, people wanting to start their own companies," Escobar said.
For just $20, attendees of the one-day event will not only get access to resource providers, but they will also get lunch and complimentary headshots.
"There are panel sessions you can be a part of and Q&A," Escobar said. "It’s a full-day event, so 20 bucks gets you a long way."
Most importantly, though, it will allow participants to hear from experts.
Assistant City Manager Heather Hurlbert told the City Council at their weekly meeting that the topics are some of those that are critical to starting and running a strong small business, including 'Strategies for Starting and Growing a Small Business,' 'Access to Finance and Funding,' 'What’s Hot in Small Business Marketing,' and 'Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Company in a Digital Economy.'
It’s that last panel on cybersecurity that the Better Business Bureau will be highlighting.
Katie Galan, Director of Education & Community Engagement with the BBB, said that no matter how hard you work, what happens online can be critical to keeping or losing customers.
"This really goes back to maintaining your reputation and making sure that you continue to be viewed as a trusted business so that consumers can provide you their information and know that it’s not going to get into the wrong hands," Galan said.
The summit starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. at the American Bank Center.
Those interested in attending may register ahead of time online, where there is also a link to the day’s agenda.
You can also sign up at the American Bank Center located at 1901 N. Shoreline Blvd. beginning at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Water Garden A.