Small Business Development Center hosts Small Business Symposium in Port Arthur

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) announced Sept. 29 that it plans to host the first annual Small Business Symposium at the Robert “Bob” Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 13.

LSPCA’s SBDC is a business advising and training center of the University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network serving 32 counties in Southeast Texas. The SBDC program is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). LSCPA SBDC coverage area includes Port Arthur, Groves, Nederland, Port Neches, Bridge City, Orange and Vidor municipalities.

All Southeast Texas-area small businesses are invited to the symposium and welcome to register at: https://bit.ly/3UGlv9G. Advanced registration is required at $30 per person, the cost of which includes lunch. Participants are encouraged to complete all registrations by Friday, Oct. 7. Businesses that provide services to small business owners are also invited to participate as exhibitors. Contact LSCPA’s SBDC at (409) 984-6530 for more information on how to participate as an exhibitor.

The symposium will feature morning and afternoon breakout sessions with topics including Small Business TOOL BOX Ready Disaster Planning; How to Do Business with Government Entities, presented by the Procurement Technical Assistance Center – PTAC; How to Secure SBA Guaranteed Loans – presented by the SBA; Business Plan Basics; Cybersecurity for Small Businesses; Insurance Requirements for Small Businesses; Marketing 101; and many others. Some breakout sessions will be conducted in Spanish and Vietnamese languages.

A keynote speaker will take the stage at lunch as Jenn Gregory discusses “Retail Update: How consumer shifts have created a new playing field for small businesses and cities.” In addition to an exhibitor area will be open throughout the day showcasing businesses that provide products and/or services to small businesses. “It’s an opportunity to find resources and assist you in developing B2B relationships,” indicated Dana Espinal, Executive Director of the SBDC at Lamar State College Port Arthur.

“We are excited to host this event to help local, small businesses develop their skills and grow their business at an affordable cost,” said Dana Espinal, executive director of the SBDC at Lamar State College Port Arthur. “I am thrilled we will have presentations in Spanish and Vietnamese to welcome a diverse business owners and managers.”

Local, small business owners and managers are invited to attend the symposium for half-day or all-day sessions. Organizations that serve small businesses such as banks, lenders and office supply companies are welcome to attend as exhibitors.

“The SBDC would like to thank the keynote lunch sponsor: Motiva Enterprises and Golden Pass LNG for their continued support of LSCPA SBDC,” the center stated.

Learn more about SBDC at www.sbdc.uh.edu/sbdc/Lamar_State_SBDC.asp.