As more and more individuals make preparation for their “golden years”, entrepreneurship has become a viable option for many older citizens. To assure the success of newly launched businesses by mature entrepreneurs, SCORE and ARRP have partnered to provide workshops and resources to assist business owners.
Tuesday’s event, which attracted nearly 100 business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, included a workshop on “how to market your business” presented by Mr. Joe Polichino, a SCORE counselor and marketing expert with over 30 years of successful experience in operating small businesses. The marketing workshop was followed by a lively panel discussion on “How to Access Capital for Your Business”. Moderated by Beth Shapiro of SCORE, the panel discussion addressed perhaps the most pressing concern facing small, growing businesses: Where do I get financing?
From Left, Manuel Gonzales - SBA, District Director; Paul Cheong - SVP, Golden Bank; Elfis Cottingham - SVP, Texan Bank; and Marlon Mitchell - President, HBDi
The panel was comprised of representatives from the SBA – District Director, Manuel Gonzalez; Golden Bank – SVP Small Business Lending, Paul Cheong; Texan Bank – SVP SBA Relationship Manager, Elfis Cottingham; and HBDi – President/CEO, Marlon Mitchell. Some of the topics addressed included: financing for start-up businesses, small business investment companies, what a lender needs to make a favorable lending decision, where to go when the bank says no, SBA 7a and 504 loan products, and HBDi micro-enterprise loans.
For more information about available resources to help you grow and expand your businesses, contact an HBDi representative at (713) 845-2400 or visit www.hbdi.org.