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Center for Entrepreneurship - West Houston
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2020 HCC Business Plan Competition
Progress Update
92% Competition Graduation Rate!
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We Went Virtual - Yet Remained Interactive!
Six Training Sessions Completed
Plans, Slides and Videos Submitted
Plans Under Review at Present
92 % Competition Graduation Rate!
Finalists Announced June 4!
Congratulations to the 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition teams, advisors, trainers, competition leaders and sponsors for your awe-inspiring dedication and ability to pivot your personal lives and your business endeavors to work together in the midst of this pandemic!
Together, we have accomplished an impressive 92% graduation rate for our 2020 HCC Business Plan Competition, in spite of the pandemic!
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Training Sessions 1 and 2 Were Onsite at HCC Alief Hayes.
Dr. Zachary Hodges, President HCC Northwest, and
David Regenbaum - HCC Lead Entrepreneur in Residence
addressed Contestants & Advisors.
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We would not have achieved this without such prolific dedication and resilience from so many of you throughout this monumental effort! You stayed with us as we evolved our competition training from onsite to virtual; pivoting often, as needed to make it all happen!
Thanks to all of our sponsors as well!
A few words about some of our top sponsors:
Profound thanks to our lending sponsors
Wallis Bank, LiftFund and Allegiance Bank
for the tremendous hours you have been dedicating
to assist small business owners throughout Houston since the pandemic hit our area.
Enormous thanks to
Houston Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (HAGGL)
for your sponsorship of our new competition management system. We've used it throughout the 2020 Competition, from applications in January through all six spring training sessions, and now as we have our plans reviewed electronically!
More about our other sponsors in upcoming news!
Here's a Brief Competition Recap:
- Training Sessions 1-2 were on site in February & March
- Training Sessions 3-6 were virtual March thru May
- Written Plans were submitted May 18
- Presentation Slides and 1-Minute Videos were Submitted May 26
- Plans are currently under review.
- Finalists Announced June 4
- Finalists Present Live (Virtually) to Judges June 10 and June 11.
- Awards Ceremony Being Planned - Tentatively on June 18.
Special thanks to our competition management team, including David Regenbaum, Rene Blake, Flora Renteria and Faten Al-Ani. What a wonderful collaborative effort, both on campus and as we've worked remotely through our internal and external virtual meetings!
Thanks too to all our internal partners throughout HCC; especially Dr. Maya Durnovo and all in the Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives, all our other internal partners at HCC District, and, of course, our President, Dr. Zachary Hodges and our other internal partners at HCC Northwest!
There is so much more to tell you with great stories unfolding with our contestants and the pivoting they have done personally and with their businesses in light of COVID19. Next, we move on to our coordination with our judges for our virtual live finalist presentations and coordination with our sponsors to award prizes: cash prizes to our finalist teams and in-kind prizes to all graduating teams.
Look for more news from us as we move toward our finals, more about our sponsors & awards and, of course, story telling galore!
It has been a profound honor to be in touch with our contestant teams and advisors individually throughout the competition and to hear from you as your individual journeys unfold. We are up to our ears in dealing with what has happened and what lies before us. As for me, I see we are profoundly better off because we are moving through this all together, inspiring and supporting each other through the ups and downs. I am honored to be a part of the Houston entrepreneurial ecosystem. This synergy unfolding is ongoing reassurance we will come out better because we are so united in our efforts!
Sandra Louvier
Director, Center for Entrepreneurship - HCC Northwest
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Pivoting Past Crisis
Join Us Saturday Morning, May 30
Virtual Small Business Summit by HCC
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Pre-Event Roundtables 8:00 am - 8:55 am
Main Agenda - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: Free!
Deep Thanks to our
HCC Entrepreneurs in Residence
for their dedication to HCC and
the entrepreneurs we empower together!
Unending Thanks as well to our
partners in the Houston Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
for being ready and willing to join us
in so many of our entrepreneurial offerings!
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The COVID-19 Community Action Relief Effort
Created to provide financial assistance to economically-challenged, Harris County residents who are Self-Employed, Certified/Licensed Professionals and Technicians whose personal income has been impacted due to COVID-19 extended closure of their businesses.
As a Community Action Agency, Gulf Coast Community Services Association Inc. will address the hardships experienced by families with direct financial assistance for business purposes aimed at re-launching business amidst COVID.
Please complete the survey to start the assessment process. Thank you for participating in our survey. Your feedback is important.
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Free Monthly Digital Marketing Clinics From HCC
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Digital Marketing Clinic
Save the Date! Wednesday
June 27, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Building a Website From the Ground Up
Ask Questions & Get Answers in Real Time!
This is a Live Virtual Zoom Webinar
Other Clinic Topics:
- Social Media,
- Web Design,
- Videos, Local Search Engine Optimization,
- Convertible Key Words - How to Make Sales, Analytics and Conversion Management.
Scroll Down for More on our Free Monthly Clinics:
Save the Date - Registration to Open Soon!
Our Free Monthly Clinics started last August - We went Virtual in April!
Demand for our virtual evening clinic was so strong,
we've responded to your requests by delivering not one, but
two Wednesday evening clinics in April, May.
Just one in June, so save the date!
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More About our Digital Marketing Clinic Topic(s), Format and our Expert Facilitator
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Beth Guide onsite at HCC, August - March. She's direct, funny and knows what she's talking about!
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Our Format
Open Discussion - Ask questions of our expert relating to your business about various digital marketing topics focusing on our special topic of the evening.
We will also
allow for questions on
Other 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 provider of Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing services,including organic results as well as social media and ppc options.
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Beth's April and May virtual evening clinics have also been a bit hit, drawing from 70 to over 100 attendees every time!
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Cost
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Free to all thanks to our sponsors, SEO411, SCORE and our Center for Entrepreneurship at HCC Northwest.
Registration for June 27 Opening Soon!
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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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