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WELCOME TO THE 2023, UM, LIFTOFF, HOUSTON BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
UM, THIS IS OUR 11TH YEAR DOING LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
UM, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS YEAR.
HOPEFULLY IT'S ANOTHER GREAT YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, UM, WITH OUR LIFT OFF TEAM.
SO I AM JESSICA DEL GRECO, I'M THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, AND I'M WITH THE, UM, OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
IN THIS MEETING AS WELL, WE HAVE NELLY PENA.
SHE IS THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, AND SHE IS ALSO WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE OPHELIA GOMES.
SHE IS PROGRAM SUPPORT WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, BELINDA COX, PROGRAM SUPPORT, HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND THEN WE HAVE KENNETH THOMAS, AND HE'S OUR IT SUPPORT, AND HE IS ALSO WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BELINDA NELLY AND KENNETH ARE ALL IN THIS MEETING.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU MIGHT SEE THEM ANSWERED IN THE CHAT.
UM, IT QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY, YOU'LL HAVE KENNETH, UM, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE FOR THAT.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A COUPLE WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, VERIFY YOUR ATTENDANCE FOR ORIENTATION TODAY.
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST VERIFICATION, SO PLEASE BE SURE, UM, THAT YOU SCAN THE QR CODE OR YOU CLICK THE LINK IN THE CHAT.
SO THE QR CODE AND THE LINK IN THE CHAT ARE GONNA TAKE YOU TO THE, UM, TO THE SAME PLACE.
JUST IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SCAN THE QR CODE, UM, BE SURE TO CLICK THE LINK.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE OUR FIRST ATTENDANCE CHECK-IN LATER ON.
UM, AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER CHECK-IN THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
UM, IT'S JUST GONNA BE THE CHECKOUT, SO BE SURE TO COMPLETE THE CHECK-IN THE CHECKOUT.
UM, AND THEN AT THE END, YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING A PASSCODE.
AND THEN THAT PASSCODE, YOU'RE GONNA INPUT INTO THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
SO IF YOU CHECK THE CHAT, THERE SHOULD BE, UM, THE LINK IN THERE.
AND THEN YOU CAN EITHER SCAN THE QR CODE, YOU'RE GONNA SCAN THE QR CODE, UM, JUST BY, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR, YOUR CELL PHONE, YOUR SMARTPHONE, AND OPEN UP YOUR CAMERA AND KIND OF JUST HOVER IT OVER THE QR CODE, NOT ACTUALLY TAKE A PICTURE, BUT IF YOU HOVER IT, UM, A LINK SHOULD POP UP AND YOU CAN CLICK THAT LINK TO FOLLOW IT.
SO AGAIN, JUST BE SURE TO SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE CAMERA, OR YOU CAN CLICK THE LINK IN THE CHAT TO DO, UM, THE CHECK-IN.
AND IF YOU'RE HAVING A HARD TIME VIEWING THE CHAT, UM, IT SOME, THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS THAT COULD BE HAPPENING.
UM, ONE, IF THE INTERNET CONNECTION IS NOT, UM, A VERY STRONG, WHAT TEAMS IS GONNA DO IS KIND OF DROP OFF SOME OF THE FEATURES.
UM, SO YOU COULD TRY TO CHANGE OVER YOUR, YOUR NETWORK OR, UM, SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT DEVICE AND SEE IF THAT HELPS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH, UM, A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I, SOME QUESTIONS WILL PROBABLY POP UP IN THE CHAT.
UM, AND WE, WE WILL ANSWER THEM AS WE GO, HOPEFULLY.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER AT THE VERY END.
SO ANY SPECIFICS, UM, WE'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE END.
SO AGAIN, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JUST STARTING TO COME IN, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU EITHER SCAN THE QR CODE OR FOLLOW THE LINK IN THE CHAT TO DO THE FIRST ATTENDANCE CHECK-IN.
SO THIS IS OUR ORIENTATION AGENDA FOR TODAY.
SO THE OVERVIEW IS, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE OVERVIEW, WHICH IS INITIATIVE STAGES, INCENTIVES, AND RESOURCES.
AND THEN WE, UM, ARE GONNA GO OVER THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PORTAL AND WEBSITE.
THEN WE'RE GONNA BE GOING OVER THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM.
THEN WE'RE GONNA GO OVER MENTORING, JUDGING AND REVIEW PROCESS AND BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT.
SO THIS IS KIND OF THE INITIATIVE, UM, FOR, FOR LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
SO WE ARE THE CITY OF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, AND WE AIM TO ENGAGE AND EMPOWER HOUSTONIANS SEEKING TO START A NEW BUSINESS.
HOUSTON IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
AND CAPITAL ONE IS THE SPONSOR
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FOR THIS COMPETITION.ADDITIONAL KEY PARTNERS ARE THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, HTV, AND SCORE HOUSTON.
THE GOAL OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON IS TO INCREASE NEW BUSINESS OWNERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE HOUSTON ECONOMY.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF OUR IMPORTANT PARTNERS, UM, AND OUR KEY PARTNERS FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE HBDI PEOPLE FUND, LIFT FUND, THE CHIRA COMPANY, H-C-C-S-B-A AND SCORE.
AND WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF OTHER, UM, PARTNERS AS WELL THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WINNING BUSINESSES.
UM, SO IN THE PAST, UM, NOW 10 YEARS, UM, LIFT OFF USE HAS AWARDED OVER $310,000 IN CASH PRICES TO WINNERS AND FINALISTS.
THERE'S BEEN OVER 30 BUSINESSES FUNDED AND WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT BUSINESS CATEGORIES THAT INCLUDE RETAIL, MERCHANDISE, CONSULTING, HOSPITALITY, LOGISTICS, HEALTH AND FITNESS, EDUCATION, FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
SO THESE ARE LAST YEAR'S WINNERS.
SO WE HAVE HANNAH LEE WITH RESTATEMENT.
SHE WAS OUR 2022 PRODUCT CATEGORY WINNER.
NATASHA ROBERTS JOHNSON WITH ACTIVATE DRIP SPA, OUR 2022 SERVICE CATEGORY WINNER.
WE HAVE ADI AGARWAL, OUR MAR WITH MARITIME XR, OUR 2022 INNOVATION CATEGORY WINNER.
SO THESE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE WINNERS PANEL, THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THURSDAY FROM SIX TO SEVEN 30.
THIS IS NOT A REQUIRED WORKSHOP, AND WE'LL GO OVER THE CALENDAR A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UM, THIS IS NOT A REQUIRED WORKSHOP, BUT IT IS, UM, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH, UM, PREVIOUS LIFTOFF WINNERS AND GET SOME REALLY GOOD GUIDANCE ON, UM, THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT WORKS AND TIPS FOR IT.
WE HAVE LIVE STREAMING OF WORKSHOPS IN PITCH DAY, BUSINESS PLAN SUPPORT, PITCH COACHING, SO YOU'RE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH PREVIOUS WINNERS AND, UM, PITCH INSTRUCTORS, FAN FAVORITES.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE FOR PITCH DAY WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN VOTE AND THEY VOTE ON A FAN FAVORITE FOR EACH CATEGORY.
THIS IS GONNA BE, UM, OTHER OPTIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR YOU.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ATTEND IF YOU ARE ABLE, WE HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, AND THIS CONCLUDE INCLUDES ALL OF THE, UM, ACCESS TO THE COMPETITION, UM, COMPONENTS, EXCEPT YOU JUST DON'T PITCH YOUR BUSINESS AND COMPETE FOR THE $10,000.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS WHERE A HYBRID FORMAT.
SO ALL REQUIRED WORKSHOPS ARE GOING TO BE IN PER, UM, I'M SORRY, ARE GOING TO BE VIRTUAL OVER TEAMS, BUT THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FEW, UM, IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS AND THEN POST COMPETITION SUPPORT FROM O-B-O-H-P-O AND THE VARIOUS PARTNERS.
SO THESE ARE GONNA BE THE FIVE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED TO START YOUR BUSINESS, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU CAN GAIN, UM, THESE SKILLS THROUGHOUT THE, THE PROGRAM COMMITMENT, CAPITAL DRIVE, KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE.
UM, SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE ORIENTATION THAT YOU ALL ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S GOING TO BE THREE WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR EACH SERIES.
YOU ONLY NEED TO ATTEND ONE OF EACH WORKSHOP.
AND THIS PROGRAM SCHEDULE IS GOING TO BE, UM, ON THE HOMEPAGE OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON.COM.
AND IT'S ALSO GONNA BE WITHIN THE RESOURCES PAGE.
SO AFTER YOU ATTEND, UM, THIS ORIENTATION TODAY, YOU DON'T, YOU DO NOT NEED TO ATTEND WEDNESDAYS.
UM, SO AGAIN, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE STARTING A BUSINESS, BUSINESS, MARKETING, BUSINESS, FINANCIALS, PERSONAL AND BUSINESS CREDIT, ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND PITCHING THE BUSINESS.
THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE SIX REQUIRED WORKSHOPS, AND YOU'RE JUST PICKING ONE FROM EACH SERIES.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR NEXT STEP AFTER ORIENTATION TODAY.
IT'S JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER FOR ONE OF THESE STARTING A BUSINESS WORKSHOPS.
AND AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM SCHEDULE, UM, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMAILED TO YOU.
UM, WE DO SEND OUT AUTOMATIC EMAILS THAT ARE GONNA BE FROM THE SURVEYMONKEY WEBSITE, UH, WHICH IT HOSTS THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
SO YOU'RE, YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING EMAILS, UM, WITH LINKS TO THE CALENDAR.
AND IF YOU AREN'T RECEIVING THOSE OR YOU DON'T SEE IT, UM, JUST GO INTO THE LIFTOFF PORTAL AND THERE'S GONNA BE A RESOURCES PAGE, AND YOU SHOULD FIND THE CALENDAR THERE.
AND EACH CALENDAR IS GONNA HAVE
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A DIRECT HYPERLINK THAT SAYS, CLICK TO REGISTER, WHERE IT'LL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO GO TO REGISTER FOR EACH WORKSHOP.AND EACH WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE, UM, OVER THIS TEAM'S PLATFORM.
SO AGAIN, THESE COLORED ARE THE ONLY SIX THAT ARE REQUIRED, BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE WE HAVE THINGS LIKE SPECIALIZED WORKSHOP, WE HAVE SERVICE INNOVATION AND PRODUCT.
THOSE ARE ALL OPTIONAL WINNERS.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN WRITING WORKSHOP AND A BUSINESS PLAN PITCH WORKSHOP THAT IS ALSO OPTIONAL.
AND JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO ARE COMING IN, UM, A LITTLE BIT LATE, BE SURE TO CLICK THE LINK THAT KENNETH IS SENDING IN THE CHAT TO DO YOUR CHECK-IN ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE AND KIND OF WHAT TO EXPECT GOING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS MORE A DEEPER BREAKDOWN OF THE STAGES OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WE LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM ON JULY 12TH, AND THAT'S WHEN THE MAYOR DID HIS PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT.
APPLICATIONS WERE DUE AUGUST 4TH AT 1159.
SO OUR APPLICATION PERIOD HAS CLOSED, AND NOW WE ARE IN THE SECOND, UM, ORIENTATION SESSION.
SO TODAY IS AUGUST 7TH, THE LAST ORIENTATION WILL BE AUGUST 9TH.
AND THEN AFTER ORIENTATION, YOU'RE GONNA ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, MEET WITH YOUR BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL MENTORS.
THERE'S DEADLINES FOR EACH OF THOSE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE DEADLINES ON HERE.
FEEL FREE TO SCREENSHOT, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THIS SLIDE TO KIND OF SEE, UM, THE DEADLINES FOR THAT.
BUT THOSE DEADLINES ARE ALSO GOING TO BE, UM, ON THE CALENDAR AS WELL.
YOU'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLICK THE LINK, UM, IN THE CHAT.
AND FOR ANYONE WHO'S UNABLE TO, TO SEE THE CHAT AND, UM, CLICK THE LINK OR YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO SCAN THE QR CODE, JUST GO AHEAD AND EMAIL, UM, LIFT OFFHOUSTON@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND JUST, UM, YOU CAN JUST SEND A VERY BRIEF EMAIL SAYING THAT YOU'RE DOING YOUR CHECK-IN IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO, UM, CHECK IN USING THE QR CODE OR THE LINK.
SO AFTER THE, UM, BUSINESS OF FINANCIAL MENTORS, YOU'RE GOING TO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
BUSINESS PLANS ARE DUE OCTOBER 13TH AT 4:00 PM AND THERE IS NO, UM, WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY LATE SUBMISSIONS OF BUSINESS PLANS.
SO YOUR BUSINESS PLAN MUST BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 13TH AT 4:00 PM AND THEN WE HAVE FINALISTS SELECTED AND NOTIFIED OCTOBER 30TH.
AND THEN PITCH DAY IS GOING TO BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH AT 10:00 AM.
SO THESE ARE GONNA BE THE THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND PRIZES.
SO WE HAVE PRODUCT, SERVICE, AND INNOVATION.
AND ON YOUR APPLICATION, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PICK ONE CATEGORY THAT YOU WERE GOING TO COMPETE IN.
SO EACH WINNER IS GOING TO WIN $10,000.
SO WE HAVE A $10,000 PRICE FOR PRODUCT, 10,000 FOR SERVICE, AND 10,000 FOR INNOVATION.
SO THESE ARE THE INCENTIVES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO YOU HAVE A MENTOR, A BUSINESS MENTOR THROUGH SCORE, AND A FINANCIAL ADVISOR THROUGH CAPITAL ONE BANK.
SO YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE FREE ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS COUNSELING WITH EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS SPECIALIZING IN THE AREA OF NEW AND FIRST STAGE BUSINESSES.
SO HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, HERE'S A SHORT LITTLE GLANCE AT WHO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IS A GREAT, GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THEY TOUCH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THEY REALLY OFFER SOME IMPORTANT INCENTIVES, UM, AND RESOURCES.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HPO IS THEY OFFER BUSINESS LINK PROGRAM SERIES.
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS A BUSINESS AND EDUCATION CENTER.
THEY HAVE ASKED HPO APPOINTMENTS AND THEY HAVE TECH LINK AND YOU CAN VIEW SOME MORE OF THE HPO BUSINESS RESOURCES AT THIS LINK RIGHT HERE.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT LIFT OFF HOUSTON PARTICIPANTS, UM, USE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM IS GONNA BE THE DEMOGRAPHICS.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO, UM,
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IN THE PAST HAVE LOOKED UP DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THEIR AREA AT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHICH HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY WITH THEIR MARKETING PLAN.SO, UM, I REALLY SUGGEST THAT YOU FOLLOW THIS LINK, UM, OR GO AND VISIT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER AND CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND THROUGHOUT WINTER'S PANEL AS WELL.
UM, SOME OF THE, THE PAST WINNERS ARE PROBABLY ALSO GOING TO DISCUSS, UM, HOW THE RESOURCES THAT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY HAVE TREMENDOUSLY HELPED THEM, UM, BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS COMMITTED TO CULTIVATING AN INCLUSIVE AND COMPETITIVE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BY PROMOTING THE SUCCESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPING HOUSTON'S WORKFORCE WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES AND DISENFRANCHISED INDIVIDUALS.
OBOS VISION IS TO ELIMINATE SYSTEMATIC BARRIERS TO PROSPERITY AND E ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION.
SO THESE ARE SOME VARIOUS RESOURCES THAT THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OFFERS.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN VISIT, UM, THIS WEBSITE SIMILAR TO HPO.
YOU CAN VISIT THIS WEBSITE AND VIEW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, UM, OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES RESOURCES, BUT WE OFFER CITY OF HOUSTON CERTIFICATIONS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, UM, AND LIFTOFF HOUSTON IS ONE OF THOSE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. FREE HOUSTON SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CONSULTATIONS, PROCUREMENT 1 0 1 ON-DEMAND TRAINING TOOL AND ANNUAL MEET THE BUYER PROCUREMENT FORUM.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OBO SOLUTION CENTER.
IT ASSISTS BOTH ESTABLISHED AND ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS AND PROVIDES INFORMATION ON CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS AFFECTING THE OPERATION OF HOUSTON AREA BUSINESSES.
THE SOLUTIONS CENTER PROVIDES NO COST PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THRIVE IN TODAY'S COMPETITIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
SO TO ACCESS SOLUTIONS CENTER, YOU CAN CALL THIS NUMBER OR EMAIL THIS BELOW.
SO IF YOU CALL OR EMAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH, UM, NELLY, WHO ALSO WORKS ON, UM, IS ALSO A PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR FOR LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? SHE'S GONNA REALLY TRY HER HARDEST TO GET YOU AN ANSWER.
UM, SO PLEASE, UM, GIVE US A CALL OR EMAIL US WITH, UM, ANYTHING REGARDING YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU MAY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT.
AND IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE LIFT OFF FOR RELATED EITHER.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE, THE TWO PROGRAM OPTIONS, UM, SINCE SOME OF YOU IN HERE MIGHT BE WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE WITH THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, WE'RE KIND OF GONNA GO OVER THE TWO.
UM, AND THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY AND THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES.
SO AS YOU ALL PROBABLY NOTICE, WE USE THE LIFTOFF-HOUSTON.COM PORTAL.
THAT IS WHERE YOU APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF GONNA DO TO, THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO TRACK YOUR PROCESS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS OUR COMPETITION WEBSITE AND IT'S AN INTERACTIVE PLATFORM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE MAIN FORM THAT WE USE.
SO, UM, MOST OF YOU PROBABLY CLICK THIS REGISTER BUTTON.
YOU ARE GONNA BE CLICKING SIGN IN NOW, UM, THE LOGIN BUTTON TO ACCESS ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE, UM, ACCESSING YOUR ACCOUNT OR ANYTHING, GO AHEAD AND SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO ASSIST YOU.
AND SO ALL LIFT OFF HOUSTON DOCUMENTS ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS WEBSITE.
MOST OF YOUR DOCUMENTS, IF NOT ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE, UM, WITHIN THAT RESOURCES PAGE OF THE PORTAL.
AND AGAIN, ANY QUESTIONS, THIS IS THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON EMAIL.
SO ANYTHING THAT IS LIFT OFF HOUSTON RELATED, UM, EMAIL, THIS EMAIL, THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR GO-TO EMAIL, SO, SO PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN IF YOU HAVE TO, UM, TAKE A SCREENSHOT.
THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR GO-TO EMAIL.
SO THIS IS WHAT YOUR DASHBOARD SHOULD LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW AND COMPLETE.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO YOUR, THE ORIENTATION TASK WITHIN THE PORTAL, YOU SHOULD SEE A CIRCLE LIKE THIS THAT IS NOT FILLED IN, WHICH IS NORMAL, AND THAT'S WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED ORIENTATION.
SO AFTER ORIENTATION, UM, WE EITHER WILL PROVIDE THE CODE AT SEVEN 30 OR BEFORE THAT, UM, IF WE END THE, THE WORKSHOP EARLY.
BUT AFTER YOU RECEIVE YOUR PASSCODE, YOU'RE GONNA GO INTO THE ORIENTATION TASK AND SUBMIT THE PASSCODE YOU RECEIVE.
AND IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THAT AFTER.
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YOUR PASSCODE AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING CORRECT AND YOU DO NOT SEE THAT GREEN CIRCLE AGAIN, SEND US AN EMAIL AT THIS EMAIL RIGHT HERE.LIFT OFFHOUSTON@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
SO AGAIN, AFTER THIS, AFTER YOU COMPLETE YOUR TASK WITHIN THE PORTAL, IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS.
SO THESE ARE THE TWO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY AND THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
IT IS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
SO FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, YOU MUST BE 17 YEARS OLD BY JULY 12TH, 2023, YOU MUST HAVE A HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD RE RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS.
AND SO THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS IS WHERE WE GET A LOT OF CONFUSION.
UM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU FOLLOW THIS LINK HERE.
AND THIS LINK IS ALSO WITHIN THE PORTAL.
SO IF YOU, UM, GO TO THE ELIGIBILITY FORM THAT YOU COMPLETED, IF YOU GO TO THE ELIGIBILITY FORM THAT YOU COMPLETED, UM, TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM, THIS LINK WILL BE ON THEIR DIRECT HYPERLINK.
SO YOU'RE GONNA WANNA CLICK ON THIS LINK AND TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS, UM, AND SEE IF A COUNCIL PERSON REPRESENTS YOUR DISTRICT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF A COUNCIL PERSON DOES NOT REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT, THEN YOU ARE NOT WITHIN CITY LIMITS, UM, WHICH CAN GET A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL HAVE A, UM, HOUSTON, TEXAS ADDRESS, UM, AND NOT BE WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
SO YOU MUST HAVE A COUNCIL PERSON REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT TO BE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS.
YOU MUST ENTER WITH AN IDEA OR A BUSINESS.
YOUR BUSINESS MUST BE LESS THAN 1-YEAR-OLD OR GENERATED $10,000 OR LESS IN REVENUE.
BUT THEN FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, THE ONLY TWO REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT YOU MUST BE 17 YEARS OR OLDER BY JULY 12TH, 2023, AND YOU MUST HAVE A HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD.
SO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE, UM, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T MEET THE BUSINESS PLAN REQUIREMENTS, UM, COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF ONE OF THESE REASONS, THEY WILL DO THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
UM, BECAUSE YOU CAN BE WITHOUT, YOU CAN BE, UM, OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS, YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN $10,000, BE MORE THAN YEAR OLD, AND YOU CAN STILL DO THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ARE GOING TO BE THE SAME FOR EACH PROGRAM.
SO EVERYTHING THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE, UM, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
AND THAT MEANS THE ELIGIBILITY SCREENING, THE APPLICATION, THE ORIENTATION, ATTENDING WORKSHOPS, COMPLETING THE MENTOR PROCESS, AND SUBMITTING A BUSINESS PLAN.
SO EVEN THOUGH WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY THAT YOU'LL NOT BE PITCHING YOUR BUSINESS AT PITCH DAY, YOU ARE STILL REQUIRED TO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN TO RECEIVE THAT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.
AND WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MOVE ON FROM THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PITCH COMPETITION, AND THEY GO TO THE HCC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
SO, UM, WE ARE A PREREQUISITE FOR THE HCC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU PLAN TO GO TO THAT ONE AFTER LIFTOFF, THAT YOU FULLY COMPLETE IT.
SO WE CAN VERIFY WITH HCC, UM, THAT YOU DID IN FACT MEET THAT PREREQUISITE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UM, THAT AS DEADLINES COME UP, WE'LL BE GIVING YOU REMINDERS WITHIN THE WORKSHOPS AND ALSO BE SENDING REMINDERS THROUGH THE PORTAL.
AND THOSE REMINDERS WILL BE GOING TO YOUR EMAIL.
AND THESE DEADLINES ARE ALSO ON THE CALENDAR AS WELL.
SO BE SURE TO, UM, TO, TO LISTEN IN THE WORKSHOPS FOR REMINDERS, CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND THEN ALSO FOLLOW THAT CALENDAR.
SO THESE ARE MORE ABOUT THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
SO A STARTUP BUSINESS, ONLY THE ELIGIBILITY DEFINED AS A INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM UP TO THREE INDIVIDUALS WITH A BUSINESS IDEA PLAN AND NO PROVABLE OPERATIONAL BUSINESS, OR B, AN ORIGINAL ESTABLISHED BUSINESS ENTITY LESS THAN 1-YEAR-OLD THAT HAS RECEIVED A GROSS INCOME OF LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO $10,000.
CONTESTANT MUST BE A STARTUP BUSINESS AS TO DEFINED IN SECTION ONE.
SO TO FIND THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT OF THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY, THAT IS ALSO GOING TO BE WITHIN THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
CONTESTANTS MUST DESIGNATE AND IDENTIFY A CEO OF THE BUSINESS, AND THE CEO MUST HAVE A VALID RESIDENT AND MAILING ADDRESS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
REMAINING TEAM MEMBERS MUST HAVE A VALID RESIDENCE AND MAILING ADDRESS WITHIN THE FOLLOWING EIGHT COUNTIES.
HARRIS, BRAZORIA, CHAMBERS, FORT BEND, GALVESTON,
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LIBERTY, MONTGOMERY, AND WALLER INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS MUST BE 17 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER AS OF JULY 12TH, 2023.AND DOCUMENTATION MAY BE REQUIRED FROM ALL FINALISTS.
SO INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS MUST LIVE AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THE US AND WE, UH, WE MAY REQUIRE DOCUMENTATION AND INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS MUST HAVE A VALID MY LINK HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD IN GOOD STANDING.
SO YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS LINK HERE OR SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR CAMERA TO, UM, GET YOUR HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD.
AND WHAT WE DO SEE OFTEN WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD, UM, IS THAT INDIVIDUALS MAY THINK THAT THEY HAVE A HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A HARRIS COUNTY LIBRARY CARD.
SO, UM, BE SURE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU DO IN FACT HAVE A HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD AND NOT A HARRIS COUNTY LIBRARY CARD.
I'LL GIVE EVERYONE A COUPLE MINUTES TO KIND OF, A LITTLE BIT TO LOOK AT THIS LINK OR SCAN THE QR CODE.
SO THIS IS, UM, CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY.
AGAIN, THE CEO MUST ATTEND AN ORIENTATION SESSION.
CONTESTANTS BUSINESS MIGHT MUST HAVE A PRINCIPAL PAY PLACE OF BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, LIMITS EXISTING BUSINESS WITHOUT A SEPARATE NON-HOME BASED PHYSICAL LOCATION MUST LIST THE RESIDENT ADDRESS OF THE CEO OF THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.
SO TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMPETITION, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OR A STOREFRONT.
UM, BUT IF YOU DO HAVE IT HAPPEN TO HAVE A STOREFRONT THAT HAS TO BE WITHIN CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS AND YOUR ADDRESS MUST ALSO BE WITHIN CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS.
AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A FISCAL LOCATION YET, WE GO OFF THE CEO'S RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, UM, AS THE PLACE OF BUSINESS AND CONTESTANTS MUST NOTIFY ADMINISTRATORS OF ANY FELONY RELATED CONVICTION ON THE CONTESTANTS RECORD BEFORE SUBMITTING THEIR LIFT OFF HOUSTON APPLICATION.
SO GOING FORWARD, UM, IF THERE IS ANYBODY WITH A FELONY OR A CONVICTION, UM, YOU ARE STILL ALLOWED AND ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, BUT FOR ALL FINALISTS, THERE IS A BACKGROUND CHECK RAN.
SO WE DO ASK, UM, TO JUST NOTIFY US BEFORE, UM, WE GET TO THAT POINT SO WE CAN MAKE, UM, UM, THE BACKGROUND CHECK FACILITY AWARE OF THAT AND SO THAT NOTHING COMES UP, UM, BEFORE THAT.
AND AN INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBER MIGHT ONLY PARTICIPATE AS A MEMBER OF ONE TEAM OF THE COMPETITION.
SO THIS IS SOME MORE CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY.
SO CEO IS DEFINED AS THE PRIMARY MANAGING OWNER FOR THE STARTUP BUSINESS.
THE CEO MUST BE THE PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE STARTUP BUSINESS, AND THEY MUST BE THE PERSON WHOSE NAME THE STARTUP BUSINESS IS LEGALLY REGISTERED AND OR WILL BE REGISTERED TO.
AND IF THE DESIGNATED CEO IS NO LONGER A PART OF THE COMPETITION, THE STARTUP BUSINESS MUST DESIGNATE AN EXISTING TEAM MEMBER TO SERVE AS THE CEO.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF THE CEO WERE TO DROP, WHOEVER TAKES THE CEO UM, POSITION MUST ALSO HAVE AN ADDRESS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE CONDUCTED, UM, WITH THE PRIMARY CEO.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE WITH THE EMAIL THAT WAS PROVIDED WITHIN THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON AD, UM, PORTAL.
SO, UM, PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU APPLIED WITH IS ONE THAT YOU'LL BE CHECKING REGULARLY.
AND IF IT IS NOT, OR IF THERE'S ANY EMAIL, UM, ISSUE WITH THE EMAIL OR YOU PREFER IT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT EMAIL, UM, PLEASE NOTIFY US AT THE LIFT OFFHOUSTON@HOUSTONTX.GOV EMAIL HERE, AND WE CAN GO IN, UM, YOUR ACCOUNT AND MAKE THAT CHANGE FOR YOU WITH THE UPDATED EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND SO, THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON TEAM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR EMAIL ACCOUNTS THAT ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON EMAIL SYSTEM, AND WE ARE ALSO NOT RESPONSIBLE, UM, FOR ANY MISSED EMAILS DUE TO, UM, AN INCORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
SO IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS WITH THAT, UM, WHERE YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY EMAILS, JUST GO AHEAD AND CONTACT US.
UM, WE REALLY TRY OUR BEST TO BE RESPONSIVE AND TO GET BACK WITH YOU QUICKLY TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUES THAT MAY COME UP.
AND SO AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT ENTER MORE THAN ONCE, NOR CAN A STARTUP BUSINESS ENTER MORE THAN ONCE IN THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON COMPETITION.
[00:30:02]
AND THE APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED BY THE STARTUP BUSINESS'S CEO AND MUST LIST ALL TEAM MEMBERS.ALL QUESTIONS ON THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON APPLICATION MUST BE ANSWERED, AND THE ENTIRE APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED WITH ACCURATE, TRUTHFUL, AND CURRENT INFORMATION.
SO GOING FORWARD, IF ANYTHING WERE TO CHANGE IN YOUR APPLICATION, WE PLEASE ASK THAT YOU SEND US AN EMAIL WITH THE UPDATES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN SAVE IT ON OUR END.
SO ORIENTATION, AS YOU ALL MAY BE LEARNING ORIENTATION, IS JUST TO GO OVER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT AWFULLY INTERESTING AND WE REALLY DO APOLOGIZE, BUT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY WITH ALL OF YOU SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION GOING FORWARD AND THAT WE KIND OF ALL KNOW THE NEXT STEPS, UM, FOR THE COMPETITION.
ATTENDANCE AND ORIENTATION IS MANDATORY AND ATTENDANCE IS RECORDED.
SO GOING BACK TO THE WORKSHOPS, THERE'S GONNA BE A SERIES OF SIX WORKSHOPS.
YOU MUST ATTEND ALL SIX WORKSHOPS.
AND AS MUCH AS WE, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ACCOMMODATING, WE DO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A COMPETITION AND THAT WE MUST ENFORCE, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS COMPETITION FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS.
SO, UH, WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT ANY ACCOMMODATION WILL BE MADE, UM, FOR MISSED WORKSHOPS OR MISSED DEADLINES.
SO AFTER WE ARE DONE WITH ORIENTATION AND AFTER WE COMPLETE ANY, UM, WORKSHOP, YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO SUBMIT YOUR PASSCODE INTO THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
SO AGAIN, AT THE END, YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE A PASSCODE AND YOU HAVE 48 HOURS FROM THE END OF TODAY'S, UM, WORKSHOP OR ANY WORKSHOPS GOING FORWARD.
YOU HAVE 48 HOURS FROM THE END TO INPUT THAT WITHIN THE PORTAL TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR IT.
AND THEN ALSO FOR WORKSHOPS, UM, WE DO NOT LET INDIVIDUALS IN PAST THE 15 MINUTE MARK.
SO FOR TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IF YOU COME IN AT SIX 17, WE ARE UNABLE TO, UM, ALLOW YOU INTO THE WORKSHOP YOU MUST BE IN BY SIX 15.
UM, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'VE, YOU'VE MISSED TOO MUCH OF THE WORKSHOP FOR US TO, UM, ALLOW YOU CREDIT FOR IT.
SO CONTESTANTS ARE REQUIRED TO RSVP FOR WORKSHOPS PRIOR TO ATTENDING THROUGH THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON WEBSITE.
THAT'S ME, LIFTOFF-HOUSTON.COM.
AGAIN, THE THE WORKSHOP CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM CALENDAR, THAT'S GOING TO BE WITHIN THE RESOURCES PAGE WHERE IT ALL HAS DIRECT HYPERLINKS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE ACCESSING THAT, UM, AGAIN, EMAIL US AND WE CAN MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED.
AND GOING BACK TO ATTENDANCE, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND ORIENTATION WORKSHOPS, MENTORING AND ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN AND YOU'LL NOT BE ADMITTED AFTER THE 15 MINUTE MARK.
SO THERE IS GOING TO BE A TOTAL OF THREE MENTORING SESSIONS.
TWO OF THOSE MENTORING SESSIONS ARE GONNA BE WITH A BUSINESS MENTOR, WHICH IS THROUGH SCORE HOUSTON.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ONE MENTOR SESSION WITH A FINANCIAL MENTOR FROM CAPITAL ONE AT EACH UM, WORKSHOP.
THE PARTICIPANT MUST COMPLETE THE PARTIS PARTICIPANT MENTOR FORM, AND THEN THE MENTOR MUST ALSO COMPLETE THE MENTOR SUBMISSION FORM.
SO IN THE RESOURCES PAGE, YOU'LL FIND BOTH DOCUMENTS.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE ONE FOR THE PARTICIPANT TWO COMPLETE AND ONE FOR THE MENTOR TWO COMPLETE.
SO WE DO A DOUBLE VERIFICATION ON THIS.
UM, AND THIS WILL BE SUBMITTED THIS BOTH THESE FORMS WILL BE SUBMITTED AFTER EACH, UM, SESSION WITH YOUR MENTOR.
AND THEN ALSO WITHIN THE RESOURCES PAGE THERE'S GONNA BE A LINK TO REQUEST YOUR SCORE MENTOR.
WE SUGGEST YOU DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR SCORE MENTOR ASSIGNED.
AND IF ANY OF YOU ALREADY HAVE A SCORE MENTOR, UM, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO KEEP THAT SCORE MENTOR.
JUST MAKE SURE THEY FILL OUT THE, UM, THE PROPER FORMS AND THAT YOU STILL MEET THE DEADLINES REQUIRED BY THE PROGRAM.
FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN DEADLINE, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN AND TO LIFT OFF HOUSTON.COM PORTAL NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 13TH AT 4:00 PM BUSINESS PLANS SUBMITTED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, AND PAPER COPIES ARE NOT TO BE ACCEPTED EITHER.
IF FOR ANY REASON YOU DO REQUIRE TO SUBMIT A PAPER COPY, UM, PLEASE EMAIL US THAT WE CAN BEST ACCOMMODATE YOU.
[00:35:04]
YOU ARE ABLE TO FILE A DISPUTE.IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE REPRESENTED UNFAIRLY, UM, OR THAT YOU HAVE ANY DISAGREEMENT WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, YOU ARE ABLE TO FILE A DISPUTE.
SO EMAIL LIFTOFFHOUSTON@HOUSTONTEXT.GOV AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND FORWARD IT OVER TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES.
UM, AND DUE TO THE STRICT TIMELINE OF THE COMPETITION, DISPUTES NOT FILED WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME, MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED OR RESOLVED BY THE ADMINISTRATORS.
SO IN REGARD TO THE FINALISTS, UM, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CASH AWARDS, YOU MUST PRESENT AT PITCH DAY ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, 2023 FINALIST.
PITCH TEAMS MUST CONSIST OF THE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDED IN THEIR APPROVED APPLICATION AND FINALISTS MAY BE ASKED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ACCREDIT THEIR APPLICATION STARTUP BUSINESS INFORMATION.
THE INFORMATION REQUESTED CAN RANGE FROM A DRIVER'S LICENSE TO A FEDERAL TAX RETURN AND BACKGROUND CHECK WILL BE CONDUCTED ON ALL FINALISTS.
AND THE DISBURSEMENT OF CASH AWARDS PRIZE MONEY WILL BE AWARDED TO THE WINNING CONTESTANT FINALISTS TO FUND THEIR BUSINESS.
THE WINNING CONTESTANTS MUST HAVE THEIR LEGALLY ESTABLISHED BUSINESS ENTITY REGISTERED AS AN LLC, SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP CORPORATION, LLC PARTNERSHIP, ET CETERA, AND HAVE A FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT I IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
AND THEY MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE BANK ACCOUNT TIED TO THEIR BUSINESS AS AN ACCEPTABLE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE CASH PRICE MONEY, WE WILL NOT DIS, UM, PUT MONEY INTO YOUR PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT.
IT MUST BE INTO YOUR BUSINESS BANK ACCOUNT.
SO, UM, ESTABLISHMENT OF A LEGAL BUSINESS ENTITY OR HAVING AN ACTIVE BANK ACCOUNT OR NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU, UM, DO RECEIVE THE PRICE MONEY, IT'LL BE WRITTEN IN THE LEGAL NAME OF THE BUSINESS ENTITY.
SO YOU ARE REQUIRED TO, UM, TO HAVE A BUSINESS BANK ACCOUNT IF YOU, IF YOU WIN THE WINNER AGREEMENT.
WINNERS ARE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT AND SIGN THE 2023 WINNER AGREEMENT, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND EACH COMPETITION WINNER SETTING FORTH THE TERMS OF THE DISBURSEMENT OF EACH CAST PRIZE AWARD AND THE ONGOING RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH WINNER, TERMS OF THE 2023 WINNER AGREEMENT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH WINNER SUBMISSION OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND OR COMPARABLE FORM OF LEGAL DOCUMENTATION WHERE PRIZE MONEY IS ISSUED.
DOCUMENT USE OF PRIZE MONEY FOR SOLE PURPOSES OF THE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT AND OR OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS AND SUBMIT A QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT SHOWING THE ALLOCATION AND USE OF THE PRIZE MONEY.
YOU MUST SPEND ALL YOUR PRIZE MONEY WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ISSUANCE REGULAR.
MEET WITH THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON ADVISOR AND MENTOR AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH TO KEEP THE BUSINESS PLAN MOVING FORWARD AND RECEIVE GUIDANCE FOR THE BUSINESS.
WORK WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND SPONSOR TO PROMOTE LIFTOFF HOUSTON BY PARTICIPATING IN INTERVIEWS, PROVIDING TESTIMONIALS, AND TO IDENTIFY AND COMMUNICATE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CASH PRIZE AWARD REPRESENTS TOTAL FINANCIAL AMOUNT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE TERMS OF AGREEMENT.
SO OTHER CASH AWARDS THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE, UM, ON PITCH DAY.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE FAN FAVORITE AND I TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
UM, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE PUBLIC CAN VOTE FOR A FAN FAVORITE, AND THAT'S A PRIZE OF, UM, $500.
UM, SO SECOND PLACE OF PITCH DAY WILL ALSO RECEIVE $500.
SO DISQUALIFICATION, THIS DOCUMENT, THE CONTEST RULES AND ELIGIBILITY IS A LEGAL AND BINDING DOCUMENT.
AND YOUR SUBMISSION OF A LIFTOFF HOUSTON APPLICATION INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY SET FORWARD.
VIOLATION OF ANY ONE OR MULTIPLE RULES OF ELIGIBILITY MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE COMPETITION.
AT ANY POINT OF DISCOVERY OF THE VIOLATION, ADMINISTRATORS AT LIFT OFF HOUSTON RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DISQUALIFY APPLICANTS FROM THE COMPETITION FOR OTHER REASONS AS DEEMED NECESSARY.
UM, SO THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF SUBMITTED BUSINESS PLANS.
THE PLANS WILL NOT BE PHOTOCOPIED FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN THE COMPETITION.
THE SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS PROVIDED BY THE CONTESTANT WILL BE CONSIDERED A PUBLIC SUMMARY OF THE BUSINESS PLAN AND MAY BE USED BY ADMINISTRATORS AND PUBLIC MATERIALS RELATED TO THE COMPETITION.
WHILE ALL REASONABLE MEASURES WILL BE TAKEN BY THE ADMINISTRATORS TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
[00:40:01]
AND PRESERVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF EACH SUBMISSION, PROTECTION OF SUCH RIGHTS IS ULTIMATELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT.SO THAT MEANS THAT ON OUR END, WE'LL NOT EVER PUBLISH YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
THE ONLY, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR BUSINESS PLAN ARE GOING TO BE THE JUDGES AND THE BUSINESS PLAN REVIEWERS.
SO WE HAVE A POST COMPETITION AGREEMENT.
SO BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, CONTESTANTS HAVE AGREED TO VOLUNTARILY CONTINUE UTILIZING THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON.COM IN WHICH YOU APPLIED THROUGH FOR CONTINUED ACCESS TO AND AWARENESS OF BUSINESS RESOURCES TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PROVIDE UPDATES AND PROGRESS REGARDING THEIR BUSINESS PLAN OR BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
AND THE INFORMATION COLLECTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON MAY BE USED FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
SO THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE COMPETITION, ADJUSTMENTS AND, AND UPDATES MAY BE NECESSARY.
UM, WE AS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS DO HAVE THE RIGHT, UM, TO MAKE ANY OF THESE CHANGES.
RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE ANY OF THESE CHANGES, ALTHOUGH NOTIFICATIONS, UM, WILL BE MADE TO ALL CONTESTANTS.
UM, SO THIS GOES BACK TO ENSURE THAT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITHIN THE PORTAL IS UPDATED AND CORRECT BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES TO A WORKSHOP OR A DEADLINE, UM, THAT'S WHERE I'LL BE COMMUNICATED THROUGH.
AND WHILE, UM, LOCATIONS, DATES, TIMES EXTENSION OF DEADLINES, PROGRAM PROCEDURES MIGHT CHANGE, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES, UM, WILL NOT CHANGE.
SO THIS IS OUR VIDEOTAPING AND PHOTOGRAPHING AGREEMENT.
UM, SO ALL INDIVIDUALS IN ATTENDANCE OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON ACTIVITIES MAY BE VIDEOTAPED AND OR PHOTOGRAPHED.
BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, YOU HAVE AGREED TO BE VIDEOTAPED AND OR PHOTOGRAPHED.
AND IF THERE IS ANY CONCERN WITH THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE EMAIL US.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOR ANY REASON SOMEBODY MIGHT NOT, UM, WANT TO HAVE THEIR PHOTOGRAPH, UM, OR BE ON VIDEO.
SO PLEASE MAKE US AWARE, UM, IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
SO MENTORING, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THE MENTORING.
UM, SO AGAIN, WITH THE BUSINESS MENTOR, THAT'S GONNA BE THROUGH SCORE.
UM, YOU'LL MEET WITH YOUR SCORE MENTOR TWICE, AND THEN WITH THE FINANCIAL MENTOR, WHICH IS GONNA BE ASSIGNED THROUGH CAPITAL ONE, YOU'LL HAVE BE REQUIRED ONE MEETING WITH YOUR CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL MENTOR.
AND THEN BEFORE MEETING WITH YOUR MENTOR, YOU MUST COMPLETE, UM, THE PREP WORK.
SO AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE TASK FOR ORIENTATION, YOU'LL UM, BE PUT INTO THE THE WORKSHOP STAGE.
SO THEN THE WORKSHOP STAGE, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN VIEW ALL THE TASKS.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A MENTOR TASK.
AND BEFORE YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR, UM, INFORMATION TO, UH, TO VERIFY THAT YOU'VE HAD YOUR MEETING, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE PREP WORK.
SO TO REQUEST YOUR MENTOR, GO BACK INTO THAT LIFTOFF HOUSTON PORTAL@LIFTOFF-HOUSTON.COM, AND YOU'RE GONNA CLICK THE LINK REQUEST A SCORE MENTOR, OR THIS IS THE LINK HERE.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SCREENSHOT AND TYPE IT IN YOUR BROWSER LATER, TYPE IT IN YOUR BROWSER.
NOW THIS IS THE LINK YOU'RE GOING TO USE, UM, BUT IT IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER IF YOU GO TO THE RESOURCES PAGE WITHIN THE PORTAL BECAUSE IT'S A DIRECT TYPER LINK, UM, FOR YOU TO CLICK AND GO TO.
AND WHEN YOU REQUEST YOUR SCORE MENTOR, WE PLEASE ASK THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A QUESTION THAT SAYS, PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS QUESTIONS HERE, WRITE IN THERE, LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
WHEN YOU WRITE IN LIFT OFF HOUSTON, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE ASSIGNING YOUR MENTOR TO GET IT QUICKER AND, UM, GET YOU WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM.
SO THEN, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A PAGES.
SO WHEN YOU GO INTO YOUR, UM, TO YOUR PORTAL, THERE'S GONNA BE A PAGE DROPDOWN OF PAGES, UM, BUT IT MIGHT SAY RESOURCES NOW.
UM, SO THE RESOURCES DROP DOWN, YOU'LL DROP DOWN AND IT WILL SHOW ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT FORMS. AND SO YOU'LL BE, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE BUSINESS FINANCIAL MENTORS OF YOUR CHOICE.
SO BE SURE, UM, YOUR SCORE MENTORS ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT AFTER EACH APPOINTMENT, THERE IS A LINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW, UM, TO VERIFY THAT THEY, THAT THEY MET WITH EACH MENTEE.
BUT WE DO ASK THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR, UM, IN YOUR MEETING, YOU REMIND YOUR SCORE MENTOR AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE LINK, UM, IF NEED BE.
SO AGAIN, IN THAT RESOURCES PAGE, THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTICIPANT
[00:45:01]
MENTOR FORM THAT IS WHAT YOU FILL OUT.BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE A MENTOR SUBMISSION FORM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE TO YOUR MENTOR IF FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE OR ANY REASON THEY DO NOT HAVE, UM, THE LINK AND SCORE CAPITAL ONE MENTORS DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY ANY REQUESTS.
UM, SO THAT COULD EVEN BE SOMETHING LIKE IF YOU DON'T REQUEST YOUR SCORE MENTOR UNTIL A DAY BEFORE THE DUE DATE AND, UM, YOU'RE SAYING, I NEED AN APPOINTMENT NOW, THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUEST.
SO WE REALLY ASK THAT YOU, UM, GET YOUR SCORE MENTOR REQUESTS, FORM IT IMMEDIATELY OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, UM, YOU GETTING ASSIGNED QUICKLY.
AND I WAS TOLD, UM, BY OUR SCORE REPRESENTATIVE THAT ONCE YOU SUBMIT, UM, YOUR SCORE REQUEST FORM, IT SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE YOU RECEIVE, UM, YOUR MENTOR INFORMATION.
WE'RE ALMOST DONE GUYS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GET TO Q AND A.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT FUN, BUT WE, WE GOTTA GO OVER IT.
SO THIS IS THE JUDGING AND REVIEW PROCESS.
SO FOR REVIEWERS, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESSES, WHICH IS GONNA BE LIKE, UM, LIKE BANKS, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLEGES WILL SERVE AS REVIEWERS AND JUDGES THAT WILL REVIEW THE BUSINESS PLANS AND JUDGE THE FINAL PITCH PRESENTATIONS.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR REVIEWERS AND JUDGES WILL NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO CONTESTANTS UNLESS REVIEWERS AND JUDGES SPECIFICALLY REQUEST AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTACT THE CONTESTANTS.
SO, UM, IN THE, IN THE PAST, NOT THAT I KNOW OF, WE HAVE HAD ANY ISSUE OR ANY, UM, SITUATION WHERE A REVIEWER OR A JUDGE OR NEEDED TO CONTACT A CONTESTANT DIRECTLY.
UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE THE THE RIGHT TO DO SO, BUT WE DO NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEWERS AND JUDGES AND NOBODY WITHIN OUR LIFTOFF TEAM WILL BE, UM, JUDGING OR REVIEWING BUSINESS PLANS, UM, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY, UM, ANY, ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THAT.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVIEW PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW.
ONCE YOU DO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, UM, REVIEWERS AND JUDGES WILL NOT REVIEW OR JUDGE A BUSINESS PLAN IF THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST SUCH AS A PREEXISTING RELATIONSHIP WITH A CONTESTANT.
SO AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, A REVIEWER WHO WAS ASSIGNED A BUSINESS PLAN, UM, AND THAT REVIEWER REACHED OUT TO ME DIRECTLY AND, AND SAID THEY HAD ACTUALLY MENTORED THAT PERSON SO THEY WERE UNABLE TO GRADE.
SO REVIEWERS AND JUDGES DO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST, UM, THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, TO REVIEW THAT BUSINESS PLAN.
AND THEN A SELECT HOST OF REVIEWERS WILL BE CONVENED TO REVIEW BUSINESS PLANS.
UM, A DIFFERENT GROUP OF INDI INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SELECTED TO JUDGE THE FINALIST PITCH PRESENTATIONS.
ANY REVIEWER JUDGE THAT HAS WORKED WITH OR COUNSELED ANY CONTESTANT WILL BE EXEMPT.
SO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, UM, WHO WILL REVIEW THE BUSINESS PLANS WILL NOT JUDGE THE BUSINESS PLANS THAT PITCH TODAY.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
AND, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE JUDGING HAPPENS FOR THE BUSINESS PLANS IS ONCE YOU SUBMIT YOUR PLAN, THERE'S GONNA BE A, A SCORING SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT THREE TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL GRADE EACH BUSINESS PLAN AND FOLLOW THE SAME SCORING SYSTEM.
SO YOU'LL RECEIVE A NUMBER SCORE FROM EACH, UM, REVIEWER, AND THEN WE AVERAGE UP ALL OF THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
AND THE THREE HIGHEST FROM EACH CATEGORY, UM, ARE GONNA BE THE ONES TO, TO GO TO PITCH DAY.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A TOTAL OF NINE FINALISTS, THREE FINALISTS WITH EACH CATEGORY.
AND SO AGAIN, BUSINESS PLANS ARE DUE AT 4:00 PM ON OCTOBER 13TH, 2023, AND YOU SUBMIT THAT WITHIN THE LIFTOFF PORTAL, FINALISTS WILL BE SELECTED AND NOTIFIED AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
AND THEN THE BUSINESS PLAN JUDGING CRITERIA IS ALSO IN THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
SO YOU'RE ABLE TO GO IN AND SEE, UM, WHAT EXACTLY THE REVIEWERS ARE GOING TO BE, UM, JUDGING YOU ON.
FINALISTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO A PANEL OF JUDGES AND RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR PLAN.
A POTENTIAL LIST OF QUESTIONS WILL BE PROVIDED IN ADVANCE, AND FINALISTS WILL ALSO HAVE FEEDBACK SHARED FROM THE REVIEW OF THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.
SO AFTER EACH, UM, REVIEWER REVIEWS YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE WRITTEN FEEDBACK FOR YOU, SO
[00:50:01]
YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WRITTEN FEEDBACK BEFORE YOU PITCH.SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY SUGGEST THAT YOU GO IN AND EDIT OR THAT YOU GO IN AND CHANGE, UM, YOU CAN DO THAT BEFORE PITCH DAY AND THEN PITCH PRESENTATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS TAKE PLACE, UM, AT THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PITCH EVENT, NOVEMBER 18TH, 2023.
AND THIS IS AN EVENT THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO ANY PARTICIPANTS WHO DO NOT MAKE IT TO THE FINALISTS, UM, UM, ARE WELCOME TO COME.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO BRING PEOPLE AND ALSO FINALISTS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO BRING WHOEVER THEY WOULD LIKE.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT IS IN THE RESOURCES PAGE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT, UM, AND A TEMPLATE FOR YOU TO FOLLOW.
UM, HERE IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UM, EDITING THAT CURRENT FORMAT, UPLOADING A NEW FORMAT.
SO YOU WILL HAVE THE OLDER TRADITIONAL FORMAT THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW OR, UM, THE NEW FORMAT THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW.
SO YOU'LL HAVE TWO OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION, JUST KIND OF, UM, YOU'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO VIEW, UM, AND DIFFERENT TO READ.
SO IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE IS THE WORKSHOP INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FROM BUSINESS FINANCIAL MENTORS WILL HELP WITH DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR BUSINESS.
CONTESTANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SELECT FROM ONE OF THE THREE BUSINESS PLAN CATEGORIES, PRODUCT, SERVICE, AND INNOVATION.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT BUSINESS PLANS MAY FALL UNDER MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY, BUT ONLY ONE CAN BE SELECTED.
SO YOU WANNA PICK WHICH CATEGORY IS MOST OPTIMAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, AND THAT IS MADE BY THE CONTESTANT.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A BUSINESS THAT YOU FEEL IS A PRODUCT AND IT'S INNOVATIVE.
SO YOU MIGHT FI FALL, UM, FALL UNDER PRODUCT AND INNOVATION CATEGORY, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PICK ONE.
SO YOU CAN PICK WHICHEVER ONE YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, RELATES BEST TO YOUR BUSINESS OR IS MOST OPTIMAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BUSINESS PLAN CATEGORIES.
THESE ARE JUST SOME QUICK EXAMPLES.
UM, PRODUCT IS GONNA BE A TANGIBLE ITEM SUCH AS MERCHANDISE, RAW MATERIALS, OR FINISHED GOODS.
UM, SO THAT IS LIKE OUR 2017 WINNER OF SELL LIFESTYLE SERVICE IS DEFINED AS AN INTANGIBLE ACTIVITY BENEFIT OR SATISFACTIONS, WHICH ARE OFFERED FOR THE SALE AND ARE PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OF GOODS.
SO A BUSINESS THAT IS BASED ON SELLING TO SERVICE.
SO THAT'S FOOD CONSULTING LABOR.
AN EXAMPLE IS OUR 2021 WINNER.
CLARA TECH INNOVATION IS DEFINED AS A SERVICE OR PRODUCT THAT IS REVOLUTIONARY OR CUTTING EIGHT EDGE A BUSINESS THAT CAN BE BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY, SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, BIOTECH, INVENTIONS.
SO EXAMPLES ARE 27, 20 17, WINNER WONDERS DAY, HOUSTON.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GO INTO, UM, INTO Q AND A.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE CHAT, UM, REAL QUICK AND I'M GOING TO READ THE QUESTIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WE'RE GETTING TYPED UP.
LET ME JUST SCROLL UP REAL QUICK.
UH, ANYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN COVERED, I'M GOING TO, UM, TO COVER.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE CHAT AND READ ANY QUESTIONS FIRST AND THEN, UM, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE CHAT, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK ON THEIR QUESTIONS.
UM, YES, SO FOR ATTENDANCE, IF THERE'S TWO PEOPLE ON THE APPLICATION, UM, FOR THE SAME COMPANY, PLEASE, UM, YOU BOTH SCAN AND CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE.
UM, ALTHOUGH IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVERY TEAM MEMBER IS NOT REQUIRED AT THE WORKSHOPS, UM, JUST THE CEO.
SO IT'S, IT'S GREAT IF ALL TEAM MEMBERS COME, SO THEN YOU ALL GET THE KNOWLEDGE.
UM, BUT THE CEO IS THE ONE THAT IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND.
YEAH, AND WE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS CAN HAPPEN, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A MEETING OR A WEBINAR THAT'S THIS LARGE AND HAS THIS MANY PARTICIPANTS IN IT.
UM, SO FOR SOME IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT, UM, STRAINING ON YOUR WIFI OR YOUR AT HOME NETWORK, UM, OR YOUR DATA.
SO IT'LL DROP OFF CERTAIN FEATURES AND LIMIT YOU FROM SEEING CERTAIN THINGS TO ENSURE THAT THE VIDEO STAYS, UM, LIKE A STEADY CONNECTION.
SO YOU, YOU CAN TRY, UM, A DIFFERENT PLATFORM OR LIKE A DIFFERENT METHOD OF
[00:55:01]
WATCHING IT AND SEE IF THAT HELPS.AND WE, WE ARE VERY UNDERSTANDING THAT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS HAPPEN.
SO COMMUNICATION IS THE NUMBER ONE THING.
UM, IF YOU, IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH GETTING THE QR CODES OR, UM, THE LINKS TO WORK TO CHECK IN, WE ARE FINE IF YOU SEND US AN EMAIL, UM, AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO STRESS TOO, TOO MUCH ABOUT THOSE BECAUSE, UH, WE CAN, IF YOU SEND US AN EMAIL AND SAY, I'M IN THE WORKSHOP, I JUST CAN'T SCAN IT, UM, WE, WE UNDERSTAND.
AND YEAH, SO YOU'LL GET EMAILS, UM, FOR ALL THE DEADLINES AND IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME OPENING ANYTHING IN THE RESOURCES PAGE OR IF AFTER THIS, UM, IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, UM, ASKING A QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SEND US AN EMAIL, UM, OR GIVE US A CALL.
NELLY AND I ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE RESPONDING TO YOUR EMAILS AND WE, WE TYPICALLY ARE VERY RESPONSIVE PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, AND SO WE CAN HELP YOU TROUBLESHOOT ANYTHING OR ACCESS ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT BE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE ACCESSING.
AND I SAW SOMEBODY SAID, CAN THIS BE EMAILED TO US? UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT, WHAT IT WAS, BUT AGAIN, ANYTHING SPECIFIC YOU NEED, UM, LET US EMAIL US AND LET US KNOW AND WE CAN SEND IT TO YOU.
AND IF I EVER AM GOING A LITTLE BIT TOO FAST, UM, THESE ARE RECORDED.
SO WE HAVE OUR LAST ORIENTATION ON WEDNESDAY, UM, AT SIX O'CLOCK.
AND SO AFT 48 HOURS AFTER THAT ENDS, SO THEY HAVE TIME TO INPUT THEIR PASSCODE.
UM, WE WILL BE UP UPLOADING ALL OF THE RECORDINGS INTO THE RESOURCES PAGE.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE I WENT OVER A LITTLE BIT TOO QUICKLY, UM, OR YOU DIDN'T HEAR ME PROPERLY, UM, YOU CAN GO BACK IN THE RECORDING IN A COUPLE DAYS AND, AND REWATCH THE PART THAT YOU, UM, MISSED OR YOU FEEL LIKE I WENT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAST AND I I WILL RESEND, UM, THE EMAIL WITH A CALENDAR IN CASE ANYBODY DID NOT RECEIVE IT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND RESEND THAT, BUT AGAIN, IT IS IN THE PORTAL UNDER THE RESOURCES, UM, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND RESEND IT AS WELL.
AND YES, SO DANIELLE IN THE CHAT WAS CORRECT, IF YOU SEARCH BUSINESS ON THE HOUSTON LIBRARY WEBSITE, UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET THE, THE SAME RESULTS.
IT'LL DROP DOWN, UM, A BUNCH OF RESOURCES FOR YOU.
AND SO ALL THE WORKSHOPS ARE NOT GOING TO INVOLVE READING VERBATIM.
AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE, THE ORIENTATION IS, IT'S, IT'S BLAND BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO OVER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND MAKE SURE IT'S ALL VERY CLEAR.
UM, SO WE, WE WILL BE PROVIDING ALL OF THE INFORMATION EXCEPT THE, THE, UM, I APOLOGIZE, THE SPEAKERS ARE GONNA BE FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND WE, WE DID INSTRUCT THEM TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF BREAKOUT SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN REALLY TAKE, UM, WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE INSTRUCTING AND APPLY IT DIRECTLY TO YOUR BUSINESS.
SO, UM, WE DID IN, UH, ASK THE INSTRUCTORS TO INCLUDE A LITTLE BIT SO THAT YOU ALL CAN, UM, HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKSHOP, BUT YEAH, IT WILL NOT BE ALL READING VERBATIM.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERACTIVE.
DO ALL REGISTERED MEMBERS OF THE TEAM BE REQUIRED TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT ON PITCH DAY TO QUALIFY FOR THE PRIZE? YES.
SO IF YOU MAKE IT TO BE A FINALIST, UM, AND YOU ARE AT PITCH DAY, EVERY PERSON THAT IS LISTED ON YOUR TEAM MUST BE PRESENT FOR PITCH DAY THAT THE GAMES BEGIN.
YOU'RE RIGHT,
[01:00:01]
NOT SPENT WITHIN THE YEAR? UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE NOT RAN INTO THAT SITUATION YET.SO IF FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE YOU WERE TO, UM, TO NOT SPEND THE 10,000, YOU WOULD NEED TO FIND A WAY TO ALLOCATE FOR THOSE FUNDS SO THAT THEY ARE SPENT WITHIN THE YEAR AND ANY, ANY PROBLEM, UM, DOING SO, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTACT US DIRECTLY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET A MENTOR OR A, A, UM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST TO HELP YOU, UM, FIGURE OUT KIND OF WHAT TO DO WITH THAT.
BECAUSE WE WOULD HOPE THAT AFTER, UM, YOU WIN WITHIN THAT FIRST YEAR THAT YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF PROGRESS TOWARDS YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU WOULD SPEND THE 10,000 AN LLC HAS MANAGING MEMBERS.
CEO IS WHO SHOWS UP NO MATTER WHAT OF THE TECHNICAL DEFINITION.
SO, UM, THE MAIN PERSON ON THAT LLC DOES THE, DOES THE DATE COMPANY NAME IS FILED COUNT AS THE DATE OF START OF BUSINESS? YES.
SO, UM, THE DATE THAT THAT LLC WAS FILED IS THE DATE OF THE START OF BUSINESS.
JUST TO CONFIRM, THE SPECIALIZED WORKSHOPS AND PITCH SUCH WRITING AREN'T MANDATORY.
UM, NO, THEY ARE NOT MANDATORY.
SO WE HAVE THE WINNERS PANEL, WHICH IS ON THURSDAY.
UM, THE SPECIALIZED WORKSHOP AND THEN THE PITCH WORKSHOP AND THE BUSINESS PLAN WRITING WORKSHOP.
UM, AND A GOOD WAY TO KIND OF REALLY NOTE WHAT'S MANDATORY AND WHAT'S NOT.
IF IT'S OFFERED MORE THAN ONCE.
IF IT'S A WORKSHOP THAT'S OFFERED MORE THAN ONCE, THEN IT'S MANDATORY.
SO ANY OF THOSE WORKSHOPS THAT COME IN THREE ARE GONNA BE THE MANDATORY ONES THAT YOU MUST, UM, ATTEND IF YOU SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS.
ANYTHING EXPECTED OF YOU, ASIDE FROM ATTENDING SESSIONS, NOT SURE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
SO YOU ACTUALLY, IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING.
SO ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION ARE ALSO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
UM, SO A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS THEY, THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME EXACT PROGRAM EXCEPT WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
YOU DO NOT PITCH AT PITCH DAY, UM, AND YOU'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN ANY OF THE PRIZE MONEY.
BUT YEAH, SO EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY ARE STILL REQUIRED TO, UM, MEET WITH THE MENTORS AND COMPLETE A BUSINESS PLAN AS WELL.
ARE WE ABLE TO REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP ONE AS OF YET? YEAH, YOU CAN WORK, YOU CAN REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND SIX.
THEY'RE ALL AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO REGISTER, UM, TO REGISTER TWO.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO SO.
CURRENTLY THE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE IS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHEN, UH, WHEN I GET OFF HERE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK ON THAT.
UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU ALL CAN VIEW AT LEAST THE OLD ONE.
UM, SO YOU CAN GET AN IDEA LINK FOR CHECKOUT.
SO THE CHECKOUT, UM, WILL NOT BE PROVIDED UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHEDULED WORKSHOP.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE SEVEN 30 UNLESS WE END EARLY.
UM, THEN WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT, UM, PRIOR TO SEVEN 30.
AND THE NEW BUSINESS PLAN UPDATE IS EXPECTED TO BE PROVIDED AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'LL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED THAT AS THE WORKSHOPS GO ON.
UM, AND NEXT WEEK AS YOU ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT, BUT PLAN FOR THE END OF NEXT WEEK TO HAVE THAT NEW BUSINESS PLAN, UM, TEMPLATE.
BUT WHEN WE GET OFF HERE, I'LL, UM, I'LL GO ON AND AND CHECK WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT ONE.
IS IT TOO LATE TO ADD TEAM MEMBERS TO THE TEAM? IT IS UNFORTUNATELY, UM, BECAUSE THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO APPLY WITH THE APPLICATIONS OPEN.
I AM DOING THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN PITCH DAY FOR LIFTOFF NEXT YEAR? I, I DO NOT BELIEVE SO.
I BELIEVE IF YOU, UM, RUN THE PROGRAM YOU'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO, TO COMPETE.
UM, BUT MY BEST ADVICE WOULD BE TO SEND US AN EMAIL SO THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FOR YOU AND GET YOU A MORE SOLID
[01:05:01]
DEFINITE ANSWER ON THAT.UM, BECAUSE SINCE YOU ARE WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT YEAH, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL SO THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC VERBIAGE OF THE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY AND GET YOU AN EXACT ANSWER.
ALL WORKSHOPS, UM, WILL BE RECORDED AND THEY WILL, UM, ALL BE UPLOADED INTO THE PORTAL TO 48 HOURS AFTER THE LAST SCHEDULED SESSION.
IS THE BUSINESS PLAN WORKSHOP IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL? SO THEY'RE GONNA BE IN PERSON.
SO THE BUSINESS PLAN WRITING WORKSHOP, UM, AND THE BI AND THE PITCH WORKSHOP ARE BOTH GOING TO BE, UM, IN PERSON AT A HPL LOCATION.
WE'RE STILL PENDING THE EXACT LOCATION, UM, BUT IT WILL BE AT ONE OF THE HPL LOCATIONS.
WE'LL BE SURE TO UPDATE ALL OF YOU WHEN WE GET, UM, THAT LOCATION SECURED.
WE'LL BE NON-MANDATORY WORKSHOPS BE RECORDED SO WE CAN ACCESS THEM.
YES, YES, THEY WILL BE RECORDED AND THOSE WILL ALSO BE UPLOADED.
HOW DO I VERIFY WHAT TIME I WAS ADMITTED INTO THIS MEETING? I HAD TROUBLE LOGGING IN DUE TO MICROSOFT TEAMS. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE WAYS TO, UM, TO VERIFY YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT TIME YOU GOT IN AND WHAT TIME YOU LEFT.
SO WE HAVE THE CHECK-IN AND THE CHECKOUT WITHIN THE WORKSHOP, BUT THEN ALSO ON MY END, UM, I CAN VIEW UP ALL OF THE, ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THIS MEETING AND I CAN SEE WHAT TIME YOU, WHAT TIME YOU GOT IN AND WHAT TIME YOU LEFT.
DO WE NEED A PHYSICAL BUSINESS ADDRESS? UM, NO.
SO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A, A PHYSICAL LOCATION OF YOUR BUSINESS, WE DO GO OFF OF YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS.
UM, SO NO, YOU DO NOT NEED A PHYSICAL LOCATION.
GIVES ME A CHANCE TO SIZE UP IN THE COMPETITION IN PERSON.
CAN'T WAIT TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
AND IT'S REALLY, UM, INTERESTING WHEN WE DO IN-PERSON, UM, THINGS WITH THE, WITH THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PARTICIPANTS, UM, YOU ALL GET A CHANCE TO REALLY DISCUSS WITH EACH OTHER WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS.
UM, AND THOSE TWO WORKSHOPS, UM, SPECIFICALLY THE BUSINESS PLAN WRITING WORKSHOP AND THE PITCH WORKSHOP, THEY'RE AT THE VERY END.
SO THAT'S WHEN ALL OF YOU SHOULD KIND OF BE WRAPPING UP ON, UM, YOUR BUSINESS PLANS AND GETTING AN IDEA OF, UM, OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE PITCHING AND HOW, WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
UM, SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE ALL OF YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT IN NETWORK A LITTLE BIT.
DOES EVERY TEAM MEMBER NEED TO ATTEND EACH MANDATORY EVENT OR JUST ONE REPRESENTATIVE FOR EACH TEAM? SO THE CEO, SO IF YOU'RE IN A TEAM, WHOEVER IS THE CEO OF YOUR BUSINESS, UM, THEY MUST, THEY MUST BE AT EVERY REQUIRED WORKSHOP.
AND SO EVERY TEAM MEMBER DOES NOT NEED TO ATTEND.
WE SUGGEST THAT EVERY TEAM MEMBER DOES ATTEND.
IT IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR THE CEO.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S KIND OF ALL WE'RE SAYING IN THE CHAT.
YOU ALL CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP TYPING QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT, BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UM, TO RAISE THEIR HAND AND ASK A QUESTION OR SAY ANYTHING, UM, GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE CAN CALL ON YOU NOT ALL AT ONCE.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE.
SO TIFFANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO UNMUTE, UM, AND ASK A QUESTION? HI JESSICA.
UM, QUESTION REGARDING, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MAY BE THE PREREQUISITE, UH, FOR THE HEC COMPETITION.
UM, IF YOU MAY, UM, TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT.
SO HCC ACTUALLY RUNS A BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
UM, AND THEIRS IS GOING TO BE, I, I BELIEVE IT STARTS IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
UM, I KNOW THEY JUST ENDED THEIRS IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE, BUT THEY START APPLICATIONS AND EVERYTHING IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
[01:10:01]
AND SO THEY, THEY HAVE ALSO THEIR OWN SET OF CRITERIA FOR THEIR BUSINESS PLAN, BUT WE ARE A PREREQUISITE FOR THAT, FOR THAT BUSINESS PLAN.SO WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PREVIOUS WINNERS GO BACK, UM, AND WIN HCC.
SO WE HAD OUR, UM, 2021 WINNER, ALANA KRAFT CHENKO, SHE WAS OUR INNOVATION CATEGORY.
SHE WON, UM, THE 2022 HCC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION AND WON AN ADDITIONAL $12,000 FROM THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE HANNAH LEE, WHO WAS OUR WINNER IN 2022 WIN, UM, BACK IN JUNE WITH HCC AND SHE GOT SECOND PLACE, UM, WINNER AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS 8,000 THAT SHE WON.
UM, SO WE'RE, SO WE'RE KIND OF PARTNERS IN THAT WITH, UM, HCC.
SO IF YOU APPLY FOR THEIRS, UM, THERE'S AN OPTION FOR A PREREQUISITE TO SAY THAT YOU COMPLETED THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PROGRAM AND UM, THEIR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR WILL REACH OUT TO ME SO THAT WE CAN VERIFY THAT YOU DID COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS AND YOU'LL MEET THAT PREREQUISITE FOR YOU.
AND, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, DR.
MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT IF THE LLC WAS FILED, UM, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE START DATE.
AND I GUESS I'M JUST CONCERNED WITH COVID AND ALL OF THAT.
UH, IF THAT IMPACTED, HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? IS IT ACTUAL THE, THE DATE THAT THE LLC IS FILED? YES.
SO, UM, THE DATE THAT YOUR LLC WAS FILED IS THE, THE START OF YOUR BUSINESS.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE THEN 10 MORE THAN $10,000 IN REVENUE, THEN YOU STILL DO QUALIFY.
THAT WAS MY MAIN QUESTION AND MY, MY SECOND QUESTION IF I MAY.
UH, THE BUSINESS PLAN, BASICALLY THAT'S JUST INFORMATION, EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION, IT'S NO, NO REWARDS IN THAT AT ALL.
SO THAT, SO THAT'S JUST INFORMATIONAL.
UM, BUT THAT ALSO IS A PREREQUISITE FOR HCC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION AS WELL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PITCH COMPETITION.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THEN MR. KENNETH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, I DO.
UM, SO THERE WERE SEVERAL WORKSHOPS AND ALL THE WORKSHOPS THERE, THEY'RE THREE, THEY'RE GIVEN THREE TIMES.
DO I HAVE TO ATTEND TO ALL THREE? NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ATTEND ALL THREE.
SO YOU PICK ONE OF THE THREE WORKSHOPS FROM EACH SERIES THAT YOU WILL PARTICIPATE IN.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU MA'AM.
MELISSA BRIDGES, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES I DID.
SO, OH AND ALSO, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY REAL QUICK, UM, I DID EMAIL YOU ABOUT LETTING ME IN, BUT YOU DID, IT WAS FLAWLESS, SO THANK YOU
UM, BUT I WANTED TO ASK, SO I KNOW THE LADY PREVIOUSLY JUST SAID ABOUT ONCE YOU FILE YOUR LLC THAT MEET THE START OF THE BUSINESS, I HAVE, I FILED A DBA, BUT I AM GOING TO UM, FILE A LLC, BUT THAT'S FINE AS WELL, RIGHT? TO DO LIKE THE DBA? YEAH.
AND THEN JOYCE, YOU WOULD LIKE TO UNMUTE YOUR MIC AND ASK YOUR QUESTION IF YOU HAVE ONE.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S STILL THE SAME ABOUT THE WHOLE LLC THING.
SO IF YOU FILED YOUR LLC, UM, BUT OKAY, SO BASICALLY, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT LIKE YOU TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE, UM, $10,000 OR MORE IN REVENUE.
SO DOES IT MATTER, UM, THAT YOU KNOW, YOU HAD FILED YOUR LLC BEFORE AND STARTED DOING THINGS BUT HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, MADE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN REVENUE? YEAH.
SO AS LONG AS YOU, UM, DO NOT EXCEED THE $10,000.
SO IF YOUR BUSINESS IS MORE THAN A YEAR OLD BUT YOU DID STILL DO NOT EXCEED THE $10,000, YOU ARE STILL ELIGIBLE.
THEN AT THIS POINT, UM, I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT I WASN'T.
SO AT THIS POINT, WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO I DO IF I'M TRYING TO UM, YOU KNOW, BE ON THE PITCH SIDE OF THINGS? ARE YOU IN THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY CURRENTLY? YES.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE YOU ALSO EMAIL US, UM, SO THAT WE CAN UM, SET UP A CALL AND OPEN UP YOUR APPLICATION, LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
[01:15:01]
ALICE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? HELLO? JESSICA, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH.SO MY QUESTION IS, IS UH, WHEN WE GET READY TO SIGN UP IN THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON WEBSITE, UM, INTO OUR ACCOUNT, WILL WE A BE ABLE TO SEE WHICH ONE WE SIGNED UP FOR? BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF I SIGNED UP FOR THE PITCH OR FOR THE EDUCATIONAL LINE.
YEAH, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR, UM, APPLICATION, IT'LL EITHER SAY, UM, 2023, LIFT OFF HOUSTON BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION OR 2023 LIFT OFF HOUSTON EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
AND IF I DID SIGN UP FOR THE EDUCATIONAL ONE, WOULD I BE ABLE TO SWITCH OVER TO THE COMPETITION? UM, IF YOU MEET ALL THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, UM, UM, YES, BUT SIMILAR TO WHAT I JUST SAID TO JOYCE, UM, SEND US AN EMAIL SO WE CAN LET YOUR LOOK AT YOUR APPLICATION, UM, AND SEE AND SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND DEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO UNMUTE YOUR MIC? HI JESSICA.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THE SUCCESS RATES OF PEOPLE WHO GO THROUGH LIFTOFF HOUSTON THE PAST FEW YEARS? WE DO.
AND, AND WE CAN SHARE, YOU DON'T SHARE THAT VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY
IT'S TYPICALLY NOT SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE DO SHARE, BUT, BUT WE CAN SHARE.
UM, AND THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM TOO, WE HAVE ACTUALLY A LOT OF OUR WINNERS COME BACK, UM, AND SPEAK.
WE DO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS RATE FOR THE PROGRAM, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST LIKE SIX, SEVEN YEARS.
UM, IT'S BEEN GOOD SUCCESS RATES.
UM, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES GOOD MEAN? CAN YOU SPEAK LIKE NUMBERS TO ME PLEASE? I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC NUMBERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, SO THAT'S WHY I'M NOT GIVING, I DON'T WANNA GIVE INCORRECT NUMBERS 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE THEM RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, BUT, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE GOOD.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF OUR, OF OUR WINNERS COME BACK.
WE HAVE ABOUT 10, I BELIEVE, THAT ARE GONNA COME BACK AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND THAT STILL REMAIN VERY ACTIVE.
JESSICA, YOU GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OVER INTO THE CHAT? NO PRICE MONEY FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY? YES, NO PRICE, MONEY FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
UM, YOU JUST RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND THEN I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION BECAUSE MINE WAS FILED IN DECEMBER.
UM, SO WE GO FROM, IF YOURS WAS FILED, UM, BEFORE JULY 12TH, 2022, UM, YOU, YOU MUST HAVE LESS THAN $10,000 IN REVENUE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO RAISE THEIR HAND? AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANYTHING, UM, THAT YOU THINK OF QUESTIONS YOU FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US.
AND IF YOU ASKED A QUESTION AND I I TOLD YOU TO EMAIL US, UM, YOU CAN EXPECT US TO, UM, TO GET BACK TO YOU EITHER TOMORROW OR WEDNESDAY.
TECHNICALLY THERE'S ONLY TWO WINNERS, ACTUALLY.
THERE'S GONNA BE THREE WINNERS.
SO THERE WILL BE A WINNER FROM EACH CATEGORY.
SO PRODUCT, SERVICE AND INNOVATION, UM, THEY ALL WILL RECEIVE $10,000 AND THEN SECOND PLACE OF PRODUCT SERVICE AND INNOVATION WILL WIN $500.
AND THEN THERE'S A FAN FAVORITE FROM EACH CATEGORY, UM, THAT WILL ALSO WIN $500.
SO A TOTAL OF, UM, NINE CASH PRIZES ARE GIVEN OUT.
IS THERE A PANEL OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THAT WERE CREATED? UM, SO ACTUALLY WINNERS PANEL IS IS WHERE WE REALLY SEE OUR PANEL OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOME BUSINESS OWNERS THAT, UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, AUSTIN BYTES CO.
WHICH, UM, HAS A STOREFRONT IN SAWYER HEIGHTS.
THEY ARE A PREVIOUS BUSINESS THAT WON LIFT OFF HOUSTON AND THEY'VE GROWN TREMENDOUSLY.
SO WE HAVE SOME BUSINESSES THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO REALLY PARTICIPATE THE WAY THAT SOME OTHER ONES DO.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, JENNIFER TY, WHO IS THE WINNER, SHE HAS AN IN-PERSON BUSINESS, SO IT'S
[01:20:01]
REALLY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO, TO GET OUT, UM, AND ATTEND SOME STUFF.BUT WE DO RECONNECT ALL OF OUR PAST WINNERS, UM, BY BRINGING THEM BACK TO THESE PROGRAMS. THE PITCH WORKSHOP THAT'S IN PERSON, UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE WE'RE GONNA SEE THE MOST PREVIOUS WINNERS COME BACK AND THEY ARE GONNA PROVIDE LIKE SOME ONE-ON-ONE GUIDANCE WITH HOW TO PITCH YOUR BUSINESS.
UM, SO WE SEE THAT WHILE THERE'S NOT A FORMAL PANEL OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THAT WERE CREATED FROM LIFTOFF, A LOT OF THEM DO GET CONNECTED THROUGHOUT, UM, THE WORKSHOPS WE OFFER AND THEN STAY CONNECTED THROUGH THINGS LIKE LINKEDIN AND NO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SWITCH CATEGORIES.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SWITCH, UM, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL AND LET US KNOW WHICH ONE YOU'D LIKE TO SWITCH TO AND WE CAN MAKE THE CHANGE ON YOUR PROFILE.
AND THEN NELLY SAID 2016 LIFTOFF.
UM, HOUSTON WINNER WAS JUST HONORED AS ONE OF 45 HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, MOST ADMIRED CEO AWARDS.
SO YEAH, WE, LINDSAY BRANTLEY WITH UM, CI THINK IT'S CAMILLE ANNISE IS HER SPA.
UM, AND SHE'S VERY INVOLVED IN, UM, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES MISSION.
STILL TO THIS DAY, SHE STAYS VERY INVOLVED.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO WE CAN TALK TO TO TELL US WHICH CATEGORY IS BEST FOR OUR BUSINESS? UM, SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU IS REQUEST THAT SCORE MENTOR ASAP AND YOU CAN TALK TO THAT SCORE MENTOR ABOUT, ABOUT THAT IF THAT'S A CONCERN FOR YOU.
AND ASK THEM WHICH ONE THAT THEY THINK YOU, UM, FIT BEST WITH.
SO THE CODE WILL BE PROVIDED AT SEVEN 30, UM, UNLESS WE END A LITTLE BIT EARLY, THEN WE'LL PROVIDE IT, UM, AT THE END WHENEVER Q AND A ENDS.
BUT YES, THERE WILL BE A CODE.
ANY OTHER LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET IN? ALICE? I SEE YOUR HAND IS RAISED.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DID JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION.
SO SAY EXAMPLE, IF WE DON'T WIN THE COMPETITION THIS YEAR, CAN WE REGISTER FOR NEXT YEAR? UM, NOT WITH THE SAME BUSINESS UNFORTUNATELY.
HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE'RE IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY? SO IF THERE'S ANY DOUBT WITH WHAT CATEGORY YOU'RE IN, UM, YOU CAN GO ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS WINNERS, UM, AND KIND OF WHAT THEIR BUSINESS REPRESENTED AND SEE IF YOUR BUSINESS FALLS IN THE SAME LIKE IDEA OF THEIRS.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE AGAIN, JUST SPEAK WITH YOUR SCORE MENTOR AND SAY, THIS IS MY, WHAT I'M DOING, THIS IS MY BUSINESS, I'M IN THIS CATEGORY.
DO YOU THINK IT FITS WELL OR SHOULD I SWITCH OVER TO THIS, UM, TO THIS CATEGORY? DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? EVERYONE'S ASKING REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IF ANYTHING, IF ANYTHING COMES UP, UM, HOW MANY COMPETITORS WOULD COMPETE IN THE FINAL PITCH COMPETITION UNDER EACH CATEGORY? SO THREE, THERE'LL BE THREE FINALISTS FOR EACH CATEGORY, SO NINE TOTAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMPETITION.
UM, AND YES, YOU COULD HAVE MORE THAN SCORE MEN, MORE THAN ONE SCORE MENTOR IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UM, JUST MAKE SURE YOU MEET ALL OF THE DEADLINES AND THE REQUIREMENTS.
BUT YES, YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE APPLIED FOR THE BUSINESS COMPETITION? SO WE ACTUALLY ARE UNABLE TO GIVE OUT, UM, SPECIFIC NUMBERS.
[01:25:01]
SAW A HAND UP, UM, WHOEVER THAT WAS.DID YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? D JESSICA, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS, BUT, UM, WHY ARE YOU INVOLVED IN LIFTOFF BESIDES BEING A JOB? LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY PERSONAL, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS.
UM, SO BOTH OF MY PARENTS GROWING UP ACTUALLY WERE, WERE ENTREPRENEURS.
AND WHEN I STARTED WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, THIS WAS ME TAKING A WHOLE NEW CAREER ROUTE.
I I CURRENTLY, UM, I ACTUALLY, I PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION.
SO COMING TO UM, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH STARTUP BUSINESSES WAS VERY DIFFERENT FOR ME, BUT I'VE LEARNED TO REALLY LOVE IT AND MAKE A PASSION OUT OF IT.
AND I THINK BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH TWO PARENTS THAT WERE ENTREPRENEURS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY RELATES TO ME ON A, ON A DEEPER LEVEL.
THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR DOING LIFTOFF HOUSTON AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM, BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT, LOT, UM, COME FROM IT.
SO THE PROCESS FOR GETTING DOWN TO THE THREE FINALISTS, UM, IT'S JUST RUNNING THROUGH THE PROGRAM, MAKING SURE YOU MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING REALLY HARD ON THAT FINAL BUSINESS PLAN BECAUSE, UM, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE GRADED ON IS THAT FINAL BUSINESS PLAN.
AND SO THE THREE HIGHEST SCORES WITH THAT FINAL BUSINESS PLAN FOR EACH CATEGORY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO, UM, TO UM, COMPETE.
JONATHAN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MORE OF A COMMENT, UM, FOR YOU, LIKE, UH, IN THE INNOVATION CATEGORY, HAS THERE BEEN ANYBODY THAT'S KIND OF JUST BLOWN YOU AWAY THAT'S GONE ON TO DO, UM, BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS? YEAH, SO ACTUALLY WE, WE HAVE A COUPLE, UM, OUR 2021 WINNER, ALINA KRACHENKO, SHE WAS ACTUALLY FEATURED ON SHARK TANK, LIKE THE SHOW.
UM, SO SHE WAS OUR 2021 INNOVATION WINNER.
UM, AND IT WAS NOT FOR THE BUSINESS THAT SHE PITCHED WITH, BUT SHE, SHE'S AN ENTREPRENEUR THAT CREATES REALLY INNOVATIVE, UM, PRODUCTS.
SO SHE PARTICIPATED IN SHARK TANK AND THEN LAST YEAR ALSO OUR INNOVATION WINNER, IT WAS SOMETHING MARITIME XR.
UM, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A VIRTUAL REALITY, UH, TOOL THAT HELPS TRAIN, UM, MARITIME WORKERS BEFORE THEY GET ON THE SEA.
SO WE'VE HAD REALLY UNIQUE THINGS COME FORWARD IN INNOVATION AND AGAIN, I REALLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GO TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT UM, PEOPLE HAVE WON THE, THE COMPETITION WITH.
ALRIGHT, SO SINCE IT IS SEVEN 30, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE OUT THE CODE NOW, UM, AND ALLOW EVERYBODY TO, TO CHECK OUT AND YOU CAN LEAVE IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO THE CODE IS GOING TO BE HOUSTON, UM, IT IS NOT CASE SENSITIVE, BUT THE CODE IS HOUSTON, WE'RE TYPING IT IN THE CHAT AND I'M GONNA KEEP SAYING IT.
UM, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SCAN THE QR CODE OR CLICK THE LINK IN THE CHAT FOR YOUR CHECKOUT, FOR YOUR END WORKSHOP CHECKOUT.
UM, SO WHILE YOU ARE GOING TO SCAN THIS QR CODE AND COMPLETE THE, THE LINK, UM, YOU ALSO NEED TO DO A SEPARATE TASK TO VERIFY IN THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PORTAL.
SO WITHIN YOUR ORIENTATION TASK AND THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PORTAL, YOU'RE GOING TO USE THE CODE HOUSTON.
AND ONCE YOU COMPLETE THAT ORIENTATION TASK, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT GREEN CHECK MARK AND THEN YOU SHOULD BE MOVED TO THE ORIENTATION STAGE WHERE YOU CAN VIEW ALL OF THE ORIENTATION TESTS.
I AND YOU HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 9TH AT 7:30 PM TO INPUT THIS PASSCODE.
UM, BECAUSE AFTER THAT THE PASSCODES GOING TO CHANGE AND YOURS, UM, WILL NO LONGER BE VALID.
SO AGAIN, THE CODE IS HOUSTON.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, UM, WITH SCANNING THE QR CODE OR CLICKING THE LINK, IF YOU CAN'T VIEW THE LINK AND YOU CAN'T SCAN THE QR CODE, SEND US AN EMAIL.
UM, JUST LET US KNOW THAT IT'S NOT WORKING FOR YOU, BUT MAKE SURE, UM, NO MATTER WHAT THAT YOU KNOW, THE CODE IS HOUSTON FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN VERIFY THAT YOU STAY UNTIL THE END IS YOU JUST HAVING THE CODE.
HOUSTON, THE CODE ISN'T, UH, GETTING ACCEPTED ON MY END ON THE UH, PORTAL.
ARE YOU WITH EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY OR THE COMPETITION? THE COMPETITION.
OKAY, LET ME GO CHECK REAL QUICK.
[01:30:41]
UM, SO IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD BE WORKING.SO MAKE SURE YOU TYPE IN H-O-U-S-T-O-N.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEMS, UM, SINCE WE KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE, WE CAN VERIFY THAT YOU WERE IN HERE.
JUST SEND US AN EMAIL, UM, AND WE CAN GO IN AND, UM, SUBMIT THAT TASK FOR YOU.
AND, AND IF ANYBODY ELSE IS HAVING PROBLEMS AS WELL, UM, SEND US AN EMAIL AND JUST VERIFY THAT YOU HAVE THE PASSCODE AND MAKE SURE YOU DO THE QR CODE AND THE LINK IN THE CHAT.
UM, SO WE CAN VERIFY THAT YOU ATTENDED FOR THE PORTAL THOUGH, LIKE, SO I PUT THE QR CODE, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PORTAL ITSELF.
UM, I GUESS AFTER WE FILL THIS QR CODE LINK THAT YOU SENT, DO WE GET A LINK IN OUR EMAIL TO PUT THE, THE CODE INTO THE PORTAL OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? NO, SO THE QR CODE, UM, IN THE PORTAL THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE TASKS.
SO WE USE THE QR CODE JUST AS A DOUBLE VERIFICATION.
UM, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO IN SEPARATELY IN THE PORTAL AND COMPLETE THAT TASK.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, A TASK IN THERE THAT YOU COMPLETE.
SO YOU COMPLETING THE QR CODE DOES NOT MEAN LIKE IT WILL NOT, UM, COMPLETE THE TASK WITHIN THE PORTAL.
AND YES, YOU'LL COMPLETE THE ATTENDANCE WITH THE EMAIL THAT YOU USE TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO THAT SAME ACCOUNT THAT YOU USE TO APPLY IS GONNA BE THE PORTAL THAT YOU'RE GONNA USE, UM, FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
SO I, I, I TYPED IN THE CODE HOUSTON IT SUBMITTED AND IT SAYS THE NEXT THING I NEED TO DO IS START THE STARTING A BUSINESS WORKSHOP EVALUATION.
IS THAT LINK ON TO GET STARTED WITH THAT WORKSHOP? HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH THAT WORKSHOP? A AFTER I, AFTER I SUBMIT THE CODE? SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT WORKSHOP THAT WE OFFER.
SO THAT CALENDAR THAT I SHOWED YOU A LITTLE BIT EARLIER? OH YEAH, YEAH.
SO YOU'RE GONNA REGISTER FOR THAT WORKSHOP, THAT'S GONNA BE THE NEXT WORKSHOP.
SO THOSE TASKS THAT ARE LISTED, KIND OF, THEY HAVE THE DEADLINES AND THEY FOLLOW IN, UM, THE LINE OF THE SCHEDULE.
SO IF YOU'RE SEEING THAT, THAT'S PERFECT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO BE SEEING.
SO YOU, UM, WHEN DO WE GET THE TASK AFTER SENDING THE CODE? UM, SO YOU, YOU NEED TO COMPLETE THIS QR CODE AS A DOUBLE VERIFICATION, BUT YOU COMPLETING THE QR CODE IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THE TASK IN THE PORTAL.
UM, YOU NEED TO BE SURE THAT YOU'RE ALSO GOING IN THE PORTAL AND COMPLETING THIS TASK HERE.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA GO INTO THE PORTAL AND COMPLETE THAT ORIENTATION TASK AND USE, UM, THE CODE THERE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO INPUT THE CODE IN TWO SEPARATE PLACES HERE AND THE PORTAL.
AND WHENEVER, ONCE YOU COMPLETE IT IN THE PORTAL, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY, IF YOU GET THE CODE RIGHT, UM, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY HAVE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE WORKSHOPS.
CINDY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I, HI.
YES, I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING, UH, EMAILS MM-HMM
SO I SIGNED UP FOR THE PROGRAM WITH MY BUSINESS EMAIL MM-HMM
BUT I ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP TODAY WITH MY PERSONAL EMAIL MM-HMM
SO I CHECKED IN WITH MY PERSONAL AND THEN, UM, I CHECKED OUT WITH MY BUSINESS EMAIL.
IS SHOULD I CONSOLIDATE THAT OR IS THERE A WAY TO CHANGE THAT AND WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR THE FUTURE? IT'S OKAY.
UM, WHICHEVER ONE YOU PREFER IS FINE, UM, BECAUSE WE JUST SEE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.
UM, AND THEN YEAH, IF WE SEE BOTH EMAILS, IF THERE'S ANY DISCREPANCY OR ANY CONFUSION, WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AND, UM, FIGURE THAT OUT.
BUT BE ABLE TO FINISH THE TASK IN THE PORTAL.
[01:35:01]
SO I COMPLETED LIKE THE ORIENTATION WORKSHOP.AND YES, YOU DO SCAN THE QR CODE.
SO, SO THE REASON WE HAVE YOU SCAN THE QR CODE AND GO AND DO THE TASK IN THE PORTAL, WE DO BOTH.
UM, SO THAT IF YOU MISS THAT 48 HOUR DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR CODE IN THE PORTAL, WE CAN GO BACK TO THIS QR CODE AND CHECKED THAT YOU STAYED UNTIL THE END AND THAT YOU DID COMPLETE, UM, THE TASK WITHIN THE WORKSHOP.
SO AT EACH, IN EACH WORKSHOP THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHECK IN AND A CHECKOUT.
THIS WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN IS THE CHECKOUT, BUT THEN YOU ALSO WILL NEED TO GO DO ANOTHER VERIFICATION WITHIN THAT LIFTOFF HOUSTON.COM AND COMPLETE THE ORIENTATION TASK WITH THE CODE.
SO WE DO ALL OF THIS, UM, JUST TO REALLY VERIFY THAT YOU STAYED FOR THE ENTIRE WORKSHOP AND YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, IF YOU CANNOT SCAN THE CODE ON YOUR PHONE, YOU CAN CLICK THE LINK IN THE CHAT.
UM, AND IF YOU CAN'T, UM, CLICK THE LINK IN THE CHAT OR SCAN THE COURT QR CODE, UM, EMAIL LIFTOFFHOUSTON@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND WE CAN, UM, JUST LET US KNOW THAT YOU COULDN'T ACCESS THE CHECKOUT SO THAT WE HAVE THAT ON RECORD.
AND WE SAY WHEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS COMES UP, JUST COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE.
UM, 'CAUSE IF WE HAVE IT IN OUR EMAIL, THERE'S SOME SORT OF VERIFICATION.
THE BIGGEST REASON WE DO ALL OF THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY VERIFY, UM, THAT YOU WOULD, THAT YOUR ATTENDANCE IS ALL GOOD TO GO AND TO PREVENT RUNNING INTO ANY ISSUES A LITTLE BIT LATER.
DID I SEE SOMEBODY WITH A HANDS UP, HAND UP? WAS IT, UM, DR. DEBRA FIELDS? WAS THAT YOU? I DID HAVE MY HAND UP BECAUSE I WAS TRYING, I DID THE QR CODE.
SO IF YOU'RE GETTING AN ERROR IN THE PORTAL, UM, SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.
UM, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, UM, I'LL ACTUALLY TYPE MY EMAIL ADDRESS IN HERE SO YOU CAN EMAIL ME DIRECTLY.
SO FOR YOU, EDDIE, UM, GO AHEAD AND SEND ME A DIRECT EMAIL, UM, AND JUST KIND OF LET ME KNOW YOU'RE GETTING AN ERROR AND THEN ALSO, OKAY? OKAY.
SO THE SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES, LET ME, I WILL, I WILL PULL IT UP RIGHT NOW JUST SO I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT, THE EXACT ONE.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING WRONG, I SHOULD KNOW IT, BUT SO OUR INSTAGRAM IS GOING TO BE HOUSTON OBO, THAT'S OUR INSTAGRAM.
AND THEN FOR FACEBOOK, YOU CAN JUST TYPE IN, UM, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO LOOK US UP ON, ON, UM, YOUTUBE AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE SOME VIDEOS ON THERE OF OLD PITCH DAY AS WELL.
UM, BUT IF YOU, IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS AND EVERYBODY'S ALL GOOD, UM, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TO LEAVE.
WE HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT NIGHT.
UM, AGAIN, ANY QUESTIONS I'LL GO BACK TO, TO THIS SLIDE.
SO YOU HAVE THE EMAIL, UM, GIVE US AN EMAIL, GIVE US A CALL.
I DID PUT MY EMAIL IN THE CHAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO EMAIL ME DIRECTLY.
UM, BUT YES, PLEASE, PLEASE REACH OUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CONFUSION GOING FORWARD.
UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SET UP A, A VIDEO CALL OR A PHONE CALL WITH ANYBODY IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ANYTHING LEFT UNANSWERED.