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Center helps launch small businesses: UTPB offers free seminars and career counseling
(Odessa American (Texas) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 6--Ever since Todd Brown learned how to cook at 14, he dreamed of opening a barbecue joint.
"Cooking is my No. 1 passion," he said.
Brown's very own father mastered the art and spent years teaching his secrets to his son. It proved to be a challenge, one that Brown needed help with. He soon looked to the free workshops offered by UTPB for help to build his dream.
With the growing economy in the Odessa area, and booming population, it's no wonder that business seminars are in demand.
UTPB will offer free business seminars Tuesdays and Thursdays for two weeks this month.
In fact, UTPB offers free seminars all year around.
How is this made possible? The federal government funds half the cost through the Small Business Administration to help the growing economy at a national level. The other half comes from the state government through the University of Texas.
People hoping to learn how to write effective business plans, market their personal business or improve customer service can walk into any of the given seminars for free. After they're intrigued by the initial influx of information, they may schedule an appointment with any of UTPB's professional staff for one-on-one counseling.
The counseling is confidential, and all professional counselors all have Masters of Business Administration degrees.
Free? Yes. This, too, is government funded.
Why business-oriented? The university decides what seminars to hold based off of a survey response from the public.
The goal of the government is to diversify the economy, said Tommy Baker, director of the Small Business Development Center.
Serving 16 counties in West Texas, SBDC's services help hundreds of people walk away with success stories like local business owner, Todd Brown.
Six years ago Brown's father became ill and passed away. On his deathbed, Brown promised his father he would open his own barbecue business.
"I promised him that I would carry on this legend," Brown said.
At one time he worked as a waiter at Red Lobster in Odessa. When he wasn't working, he was cooking barbecue at home, taking barbecue sandwiches to work and selling them to other employees. He shortly obtained a barbecue pit and a trailer and sold his tasty barbecue sandwiches on the street.
"I make my own spices, seasoning and sauce," said Brown with the confidence in his own product it takes to get a business off the ground.
After three months, the city shut down his barbecue pit on wheels, but that didn't stop Brown.
All Brown needed was a business loan, but in order to get approved he needed a business plan. He sought help offered by UTPB's economic development services.
When he arrived for vis-à-vis counseling at the Center of Energy and Economic Diversification, all he had was an idea and a dream, Brown said.
SBDC helped make those dreams become a reality. He successfully wrote two business plans, and has had a profitable barbecue catering business for three years.
He speaks about his restaurant dreams with child-like enthusiasm -- as a man who hasn't been tainted by the difficulty of owning a restaurant. He says this is because the business services provided guided him to make prudent decisions, which was to start small, make a profit, pay off initial loans and make plans for growth.
"I was impressed with them from day one," Brown said. "They're good out there -- I love those people."
His near future plans: "I want to gut an Amtrak train car and serve barbecue out of it," Brown said.
This would allow him to turn his catering business into a tiny restaurant.
After that, who knows? Brown doesn't plan to give up anytime soon, and he continues to seek business advice and counseling offered by UTPB.
If you go
--What: Small Business Seminars.
--When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 15, 17, 22 and 24.
--Where: CEED Building, 1400 North F.M. 1788, at FM 1788 & Highway 191, Midland, TX 79706.
--Cost: Free.
--Call: 552-2806.
To see more of the Odessa American, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.oaoa.com.
Copyright (c) 2008, Odessa American, Texas
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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