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Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston
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What a November! More Coming-Lots Happening!
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For Startup and Existing Entrepreneurs, HCC Faculty, Staff & Students
In this Issue:
Upcoming Opportunities from HCC Northwest:
- December 11 - Free Digital Marketing Clinic
- December 11 - Creating a Successful Business Plan Class - Online, 6 weeks - Starts 12/11
- December 19 - January 1 - Winter Break - All HCC Facilities Campuses Closed
- January 1 - Application Period Opens - for 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition
- January 7 - Reception & Showcase Celebrating the 2020 HCC Business Plan
- Competition & Application Period - Meet our 2020 BPC Alumni, Sponsors, Leaders, Trainers and Advisors signing on for the 2020 BPC Advisor Cohort. It's a celebration of all involved to say welcome to those applying and considering to apply for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition. Applications Accepted January 1-30.
- Financial Workshops for Small Business Launch and Growth - Choose One Date & Location:
- Tuesday January 14 - Eastside Campus
- Saturday January 25 - West Loop Campus
- Saturday February 1 - HCC Alief Hayes Campus
- This workshop is stand alone excellent. It is also a prerequisite for proposed, startup and existing small business owners/teams applying for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition! Sign up for a workshop before you apply!
- More Upcoming Around HCC
- December 6 - Ascend Houston Info Session - A Two-Year Program About Contracting in the Construction Industry
- December 10 - Your Business Plan - SCORE
- 11 de diciembre - Gestión Empresarial: La Consolidación y Crecimiento
Recent News From HCC Northwest
- Partner News and Activity
- Liftoff Houston Startup Business Plan Competition Announces 2019 Winners
- Houston Area Urban League Pitch Competition Saturday December 7
- City of Houston Meet the Buyers Purchasing Forum - December 11
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More Upcoming From HCC Northwest
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Free Monthly Digital Marketing Clinics
Wednesday, December 11,
6:30 pm- 8:30 pm
HCC Alief Hayes, Main Building, 3rd Floor, Room A319
Focus on continuous improvement of your company's digital marketing effectiveness. Choose one date or come every month. Workshops are scheduled for every second Wednesday:
Spring Dates: January 8, February 12, March 11, April 8 and May 13.
Our Format:
Open Discussion - Ask questions of our expert relating to your business about various digital marketing topics, including but not limited to those listed below.
Each clinic will focus on learning a bit more about one topic, but also allow for questions on the other topics.
Clinic Topics: Social Media, Web Design, Videos, Local Search Engine Optimization, Convertible Key Words - How to Make Sales, Analytics & Conversion Management.
Clinic Expert & Facilitator:
Beth Guide President, SEO411
SEO 411 is a leading provide of Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing services,including organic results as well as social media and ppc options.
Cost
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Free to all, thanks to our sponsors, SEO411 and our Center for Entrepreneurship.
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Creating a Successful Business Plan - 6 Week Online Class
Take a 24-hour, Six-Week Online Continuing Education Class
Turn your business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. C
ommitting your idea to paper in the form of a business plan not only increases your chances of obtain
ing
financing, but also in keeping your business strategically focused. With the support of your instructor and a network of like-minded students, you'll work through all of the major comp
onents of writing a business plan and emerge with your first draft in hand. Most importantly, yo
u will have completed the first--and most difficult--step on the path to small business success.
This class also helps proposed and Startup Business owners prepare to Apply for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition (BPC)
- Your chance to refine your plan and win prize money! The 2020 BPC Application period opens in January, so prepare now to submit solid application!
How to Sign Up
- Start Date: December 11
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12 lessons over six weeks - takes 24 hours of your time. We recommend you do two lessons per week as they are released. It's also ok if you get a bit behind and finish lessons from the prior week. Just finish all 12 lessons in six weeks and take the online final at the end. Fee: $119. No Textbook! All lessons are online and included in fee. Sign up online in less than three minutes!
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For questions regarding enrolling in these online classes: call 713-718-5149 or email
[email protected]
For More & To Register Now for December 11
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Mix & Mingle Reception To Celebrate Incoming January Applications for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition (BPC)
Tuesday, January 7, 2020, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm,
HCC Alief Hayes, Main Building, 3rd Floor, Room A319
Who is invited?
Proposed, startup and existing entrepreneurs who are interested in applying for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition; competition leaders, trainers, sponsors, judges, advisors, community supporters and past HCC BPC winners, finalists and graduates!
Come join us to mix, mingle and learn more from all parties involved! Meet past competition graduates, winners, our ecosystem partners, and competition leaders, trainers and advisors signing on for the 2020 HCC BPC Advisor Cohort.
It's a celebration of all involved to showcase our past competition alumni and introduce all who make this outstanding competition possible.
Welcome to those applying and to those considering applying for the 2020 HCC BPC during the January 1-30 Application period!
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Financing Workshop for Small Business Launch and Growth
Choose One Date & Location: 1/14-HCC SE, 1/25 HCC W Loop or 2/1-HCC Alief Hayes
 For proposed startup and existing business owners.
An all-day workshop that sets you up for success. Know your numbers and plan right for 2020!
Thinking of applying for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition? This workshop prepares you to go for it!
Featured Topics
- Understanding Cash Needs - Understanding how much money you need; Negotiating to save money - a framework; Collecting money and making a profit; and Forecasting for success.
- Loans - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Understand how much you should borrow; What loan type is best for you; Loan sharks, and How to avoid predatory lenders.
- Are You Doing a Good Job? - The basics for measuring your hard work; Importance of understanding your financials; Building a real asset; and Connections.
- Financing Panel - Relationships for success. Representatives from Houston's financial entrepreneurial eco-system.
Free to HCC Faculty, Staff, Students and Veterans! Also offered at a reduced cost of $25 to our external community, thanks to our sponsor Wells Fargo Bank.
Choose One of the Following Workshop Dates and Register Now:
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Ascend Houston - Info Sessions
December 6, 30-minute Info Sessions - Between 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, HCC Central
Ascend Houston is a two-year program designed to help Houston's minority and women-owned construction firms navigate public and private contracting. Through this program, we will help you grow your business and contribute to the economic development, job creation and the rehabilitation of our Houston community.
Sign up for a 30 minute info session on Friday, December 6th, during which you will learn more about the program and have someone to help you one-on-one with the application.
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Your Business Plan - SCORE Workshop
December 10, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm, HCC Southeast
A solid business plan is essential to gaining access to capital and to truly understanding your business today and in the future.
This Business Plan workshop will walk you through the steps needed for most business plans. It will help remove the confusion and fear and allow you to get started on your business plan today by providing sample questions to answer about your business.
The workshop will give you valuable and powerful tools to help guide you.
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Gestión Empresarial: La Consolidación y Crecimiento
11 de diciembre, ecember 10, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, HCC Southeast
 Los empresarios en sus inicios, pretenden hacer todo y terminan haciéndolo porque no se rodean de personas especialistas que asesoren en aspectos que el empresario no domina y además no dispone de tiempo.
Los empresarios exitosos se rodean de especialistas (Abogados, Contadores, Mercadeo, Comunicación), en las diferentes temáticas que no dominan, bajo análisis de factores de costo de oportunidad y costo-beneficio.
En consecuencia, los empresarios consideran el pago de tales asesorías como una INVERSIÓN de retorno asegurada.
Venga y reg
í
strese a nuestro evento el proximo miércoles para aprender de estrategias que le pueda ayudar como planear, analizar, y delegar estos trabajos dentro de su negocio.
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Recent News from HCC Northwest
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HAGGL Presents $6,000 Sponsorship Check to HCC for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition at Christmas Luncheon
The Houston Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (HAGGL) Donated a Portion of their Annual Golf Tournament Proceeds to HCC
 This is the 3rd year HAGGL has been involved in our competition. HCC deeply thanks HAGGL for their recurring and growing support. We thank Linda Amador-Stephens for serving as a judge in our 2019 competition. Thanks to the HAGGL officers and golf committee for raising awareness of our HCC Business Plan Competition at the quarterly luncheons and at the hugely successful 2019 HAGGL Golf tournament! And, HCC deeply thanks HAGGL for sponsoring the 2020 competition and our new business plan competition management software system!
 Dennis David, Incoming HAGGL President, and Linda Amador-Stephens, Outgoing HAGGL President, presented the check to competition leaders David Regenbaum and Sandra Louver. Next, all lenders in the room learned more about the competition, were introduced to two of our competition alumni and then they saw two brief HCC TV produced HCC Business Plan Competition Alumni Success Story videos featuring Helen Callier, Permit Us Now, and Tiffany Williams, Twice Media Productions!
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Junior Achievement Company Program Update
Fall Business Plans Nearing Completion - Spring Launch Scheduled!
Alief Early College High School Team Pitched at JA Day at Rice University
 Our Alief Early College High School Teams are primarily Freshman and Sophomores, led by instructor Brian Stephenson and mentors, through the Center for Entrepreneurship at HCC Alief Hayes. Our Center has collaborated with Mr. Stephenson to provide mentors and to deliver five JA training sessions called: Startup and Launch, Fill a Need, Vet the Venture,Create a Structure and Launch the Business. It's also been a pleasure to include some volunteer mentors from Centerpoint Energy.
HCC kicked off the year long J.A. Company program by hosting all 27 high schools on September 21 at our "Ignite the Spark" event in HCC's West Houston Institute. Rice University invited all teams to a training and pitch practice day on November 16.
Next up, business plans are due. Going forward, students take charge and lead their weekly planning meetings, with mentors providing coaching. Companies launch and sales begin in February, leading to another pitch day at the University of Houston in March.
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Inaugural Annual West Houston Leadership Institute Alumni Breakfast Held at Center for Entrepreneurship
Ed Emmett Was Honored and Rusty Graham Moderated a Panel with City of Houston Council Member Brenda Stardig and Rep. Jim Murphy
 On November 14, 2019, the West Houston Leadership Institute held their Inaugural Annual Alumni Breakfast at HCC Alief Hayes. Founded in 2004, the
West Houston Leadership Institute
is an experiential learning program designed to provide participants with a breadth of knowledge concerning healthcare, transportation, education, diversity, government, business and many areas of life in West Houston.
WHLI Alumni Roster
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Executive Director, Nicole Harris opened the breakfast and Mary Grace Landrum honored Ed Emmett with the Freddy Hurst Commitment to Leadership Award.
 A
panel moderated by Rusty Graham featured a discussion of the latest key issues effecting West Houston with
Rep. Jim Murphy and
City of Houston Council Member Brenda Stardig; who also announced that she had filed that morning to run for the Precinct 3 seat on the Harris County Commissioners Court.
 Dr. Zachary Hodges, President HCC Northwest, wrapped up the event with some closing remarks.
HCC is honored to host the WHLI Breakfast, and has sent HCC leaders through all 15 past annual WHLI classes, alongside a wide array of current leaders from varying public and private entities throughout our community.
The synergy from these leaders' individual efforts combined, and the momentum from the interactive alumni activity takes us all to a greater level of making a positive difference in West Houston!
Congratulations WHLI and we look forward to a great 2020!
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Federal Grants to Fund Your Innovations Event Paired Inventive Entrepreneurs with Opportunities for Grant Funding
Did you know $3.04B was granted to small businesses in FY2017 to support innovation? This seminar was all about accessing that funding.
Thanks to the SBA and our panel for a great event!
Mark Winchester and Debra Mansfield covered the basics of the SBIR/STTR programs and the process for developing a competitive proposal. Funding and assistance provided through these programs has enabled thousands of businesses to compete for non-dilutive funding to develop and commercialize new technologies.
Small business owners who were awarded grants shared and answered questions.
Thanks to our panelists: Michael Heffernan, PHD, PE, Fannin Innovation Studio, Yuequin Huang, PhD, President & Chief Research Scientist, Cyentech Consulting; and thanks to our panel moderator, Valerie Maher, Lead Economic Development Specialist, Houston District SBA.
Missed our seminar? For more information go to SBIR.gov
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"Get More Contracts" Connected Entrepreneurs with Procurement Opportunities through Panels, Presentations, Exhibitors and Networking
 Thanks to all who joined HCC Procurement, SCORE and our HCC Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston on November 5 for our Fifth Annual Get More Contracts Panel & Expo!
We heard from the City of Houston's Porscha Jackson, the Port Authority of Houston's Pedro Garcia, HCC Procurement's Veronica Douglas and METRO's Shurronda Murray through presentations and a panel moderated by Gaye Spears-Madison from the Houston District SBA.
 Our Entrepreneur Panel
f
eatured entrepreneurs who have grown through contracting. They shared successes and obstacles overcome and answered questions from the crowd.
Thanks to Yolanda Henry "Chef Yo", from Nuksy's Fine Catering,
Maria Rios, Nation's Waste and Julie Irvin Hartman, Certified Proposal Manager & Speaker.
The EXPO was all about f
inding opportunities - Making Connections! - Thanks to the
City of Houston (COH),
Mayors Office of Business Opportunity,
Port of Houston Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority,
Houston Community College Small Business Development Procurement,
City of Houston Housing and Community Development,
Texas Department of Criminal Justice,
Houston Minority Supplier Development Council,
Houston Independent School District (ISD), Spring Branch ISD, Fort Bend ISD,
HCC Minority Business Development Agency Business Center,
Houston First, Centerpoint Energy, LiftFund,
Wallis Bank, SCORE, HCC Centers for Entrepreneurship,
Nation Waste, SMR Business Service, University of Houston Procurement & Technical Assistance Center & National Association of Minority Contractors.
Save the Date for an
HCC Procurement Expo at
HCC Alief Hayes in our
West Houston Institute
on March 10, 2020!
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Certificates of Completion Awarded to Inaugural Grads of the Small Business Success Series by HCC©
Five Saturdays for "Roll Up Your Sleeves" Workshops
We had a great launch and completion of our new Small Business Success Series by HCC© program at HCC Alief Hayes this Fall 2019. Proposed, startup and existing micropreneurs and solopreneurs moved through the series to focus on furthering their plans to launch and grow their businesses. Entrepreneurs in Residence and trainers delivered compelling, interactive content with outstanding partners from our Houston entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Thea Goldin Smith and Ned Mueller helped entrepreneurs delve into their own personality traits and understand other personality types & work styles to build solid teams and pursue entrepreneurial success.
Austin Tenette and Ned Mueller spent a whole day on: helping entrepreneurs know their industries and competitive market; and on product and service differentiation and positioning. This is crucial in carving out market share and communicating to their teams, funders and customers a strong case that they are well-positioned to achieve their sales and income projections. Worksheets and exercises helped each entrepreneur gather their thoughts and develop a strategy specific to their own business assumptions for launch and growth. Next, we proceeded to a day of understanding and generating solid financials.
Rebeca Schultz covered this tough topic, including startup costs, balance sheets, income statements, cash flow and more, breaking it down in simple progressive steps. They learned and practiced in group exercises throughout the morning. We even found entrepreneurs voluntarily discussing numbers over lunch! The panel of funders in the afternoon let entrepreneurs know what they are looking for in a solid plan and the Q&A was excellent!
Ashely Small and Austin Tenette handled Sales and Marketing with Ashley focused on all things digital. Austin covered essential sales strategy and techniques. Worksheet exercises throughout the day allowed entrepreneurs to work on their own specific plans. A solid, well-articulated sales and marketing plan with the right people in place to achieve it, goes a long way in raising funding and meeting sales projections!
Entrepreneur in Residence, David Regenbaum's "Minimizing Risk" workshop topics prove understandably daunting at first; but then David moves it to actionable as he covers manageable risks in the areas of business structure, insurance, taxes, cyber-security and more.
David calls it "the legal mumbo jumbo," yet he stresses how important it is to pay attention in all these areas and assemble the right team to protect your business, your assets and your future.
Our panelists were experts in insurance, taxes and law. Thanks to: Taylor Bacot, Area Vice President, Commercial Insurance Broker, Arthur J. Gallagher; Dr. Mohammad Tehrani, CPA and owner of multiple businesses; and Joseph Tung, Founder, Tung Law Firm, PLLC.
Congratulations to our Small Business Success Series Graduates!
Completion of this series is one way for proposed and startup entrepreneurs to pre-qualify to apply for the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition! We look forward to seeing our Small Business Success Series graduates' applications come through during the application period, which is January 1 through 30, 2020!
Thanks to our Small Business Success Series trainers for sharing your dedication, and practical expertise with our entrepreneurs! Thanks to our Center for Entrepreneurship team for outstanding
event logistics and dedication to delivering a comfortable & productive environment for our presenters, partners and entrepreneurs!
Special thanks to Wells Fargo Bank for sponsoring our Small Business Success Series by HCC©. More is coming in 2020. Stay tuned for dates and opportunities to sign up!
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Gow Media, The Cannon and HCC NW Pursuing Collaboration
Dr. Zachary Hodges, President, HCC Northwest, welcomed David Gow, CEO, Gow Media to HCC Alief Hayes on November 1 to tour our beautiful facilities at the West Houston Institute and Center for Entrepreneurship as a pathway to more collaboration.
Gow Media
, headquartered in Houston, is the largest privately owned media company in T
exas. Gow content outlets specialize in sports and lifestyle with: Culturemap, Sportsmap, Innovationmap, Automotivemap.com, ESPN975.FM and SBNation Radio Network. The Houston Innovation Map identifies programs, organizations, companies and events supporting Hosuton's Entrepreneurial ecosystem.
L to R: Dr. Zachary Hodges, David Gow and assistant, Trustee,
Dr. John T. Hansen, HCC, Board of Trustees, District VI,
Jill Assir, Development Director, HCC Foundation, David Regenbaum, President, HCC Foundation, Sandra Louvier, Director, Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston, HCC NW, Dr. Kimberly Burroughs, Executive Director, HCC Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Small Businesses.
 HCC Northwest Leadership Tours The Cannon - HCC Northwest Leadership is also engaged with an outstanding startup community in West Houston, The Cannon. From early on, The Cannon's Founder and President, Lawson Gow (David Gow's son), connected with HCC and The Cannon became a recurring in-kind sponsor of the annual HCC Business Plan Competition. Dr. Zachary Hodges and Sandra Louvier joined the celebration at the the recent grand opening of the Cannon's 120,000 square foot facility. With booming activity and more development to come, HCC NW leadership toured the Cannon on November 7 to further our brainstorming about numerous opportunities to collaborate. See the leaders who participated below and consider the possibilities for cross collaboration given the innovative programs and facilities at our HCC NW campuses; including those at the West Houston Institute and Center for Entrepreneurship and our activities in entrepreneurship from high school, to college students to multiple generations coming from our community to HCC to pursue startup and growth of their businesses. We look forward to more to come with Gow Media and The Cannon!
L to R: Dr. Lana Pigao, Director, District Communications, HCC NW, Susan Thompson, Program Director, HCC Engineering & STEM Initiatives, Jordan Carswell, Director, IDEAS Academy (Makerspace), HCC West Houston Institute (WHI)
Remington Tonar, Managing Director, The Cannon, Taylor Anne Adams, Director of Strategy & Business Development, The Cannon, Hilary Zanoni, Director of Partnerships, The Cannon,
Dr. Laura Williamson, Program Director, Collaboratorium, HCC WHI, Sandra Louvier, Director, Ctr. for Entrepreneurship - West Houston, Dr. Rima Adil, Interim Dean of Student Services, HCC NW, Dr. Butch Herod, Director, HCC WHI, Faten Al Ani, HCC Work Study Student, Asst. to Dir. Ctr. for Ent., Brian Stephenson, Instructor, Alief Early College High School and Dr. John Swann, Manager, HCC WHI.
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Partner News & Opportunities
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Liftoff Houston Startup Competition Announces 2019 Winners
The City of Houston and Capital One Bank Award $10,000 To Each Winner
November 9 was Pitch Day!
Liftoff Houston is a competition that engages and empowers Houstonians seeking to start a new business in Houston by providing them with access to essential information, resources and the support necessary to develop a sound business plan toward realizing their goal. The competition is designed to encourage
Houstonians to achieve the goal of business ownership while contributing to the local growth and sustainability of the Houston economy.
2019 Liftoff Winners:
- Chrishaunta Joseph, founder of Hello PCOS - This is a monthly subscription box for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Hello PCOS is designed to be a guide to PCOS, in a box.
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Sherhara Downing, founder of Level Comm -
This is a public speaking coaching program that goes directly to the homes of women entrepreneurs and professionals.
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Day Edwards, founder of Church Space -
This is a mobile app and website that connects churches with unused space to event professionals, small business owners and mobile ministries who need space.
 HCC supports Liftoff Houston by providing three pitch training sessions delivered by David Regenbaum and Sandra Louvier. Ms. Louvier also served as a judge at the finals.
Student Volunteers from the Honors College at HCC Northwest also helped
on Pitch Day and they are pictured in the photo dressed in black, on the front row.
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Small Business Exchange & HAUL Pitch Competition
December 7, Houston Area Urban League, Applications Open to the Public!
 The Houston Small Business Exchange is an annual One Day Entrepreneurship Summit presented by the Urban League Entrepreneurship Center.
The Small Business Exchange offers countless opportunities to network with local community entrepreneurs, Urban League Small Business University Alumni and learn from experienced industry leaders. Registration will include access to interactive workshops, presentations, the Pitch Competition, and vendor opportunities that will allow entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and achieve the returns need to grow or expand their business to the next level.
Apply for the pitch competition and a chance to win $10,000!
For more information or to apply for the community pitch,
contact Phillip Yates at pyates@haul.org or call 713.393.8700.
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Meet the Buyer Purchasing Forum -
By the City of Houston - Mayor's Office of Business Opportunity
December 12, 9:00- am - 12:00 pm, George R. Brown Convention Center
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Thanks Again to our 2019
HCC Business Plan Competition Sponsors!
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We so appreciate our 2019 HCC Business Plan Competition and Center for Entrepreneurship Cash Sponsors: Amegy Bank, Wallis Bank, Houston Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (HAGGL), ProVideo Systems, Origin Bank, and HCC Business Plan Competition Alumni Circle Sponsors: CRES Real Estate, PermitUsNow, HD2Menus and Texas Security Shredding.
We also thank our In-Kind Prize Sponsors: Houston West Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Today, True Color Graphics, The Cannon and LetsLaunch.
Thanks to our In-Kind Reception Sponsors: True Color Graphics, Three Brothers Bakery and Tea in Texas.
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Dear HCC Business Plan Competition Alumni,
Let's Tell The World About Your Successes!
To share an alumni success update,
email us at [email protected] or call 713-718-6650.
Sincerely,
Sandra Louvier
Director
Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston
Houston Community College - Northwest
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About the HCC Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston
 OUR MISSION: To help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
We do this by offering workshops, seminars, summits, classes and competitive training and advising, while also providing practical knowledge, resources and connections.
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