[00:00:01]
I'M YOUR HOST, JADA HARRIS, CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF SCORE.HOUSTON SCORE IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION, AND RESOURCES TO HELP BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY NAVIGATE BEING BUSINESS OWNERS IN HOUSTON, WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 6 MILLION AND MORE THAN 600,000 SMALL BUSINESSES PRODUCING OVER $35 BILLION IN REVENUE, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SCORE ARE VITAL IN SUPPORTING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SCORE.
HOUSTON IS CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF EXISTENCE THIS YEAR, HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES TO START AND GROW.
TODAY, WE WILL HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE WONDERFUL INDIVIDUALS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP MAKE SCORES MISSION POSSIBLE.
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE SHOW MAYA DENOVO, ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE.
LEANNA GONZALEZ, SCHULENBERG, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RED LABS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND AS IS RAHEEM SUGARLAND, AREA PRESIDENT FOR WALLACE BANK.
SO PLEASE GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, UH, AND PROVIDE US WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UH, LEANNA.
I WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON INSIDE THE WOLF CENTER.
UM, AND I RUN, KIND OF THE BIGGEST PROGRAM I RUN IS THE SUMMER ACCELERATOR CALLED RED LABS.
AND SO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THE RESOURCES, UM, THROUGH A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH SCORE.
SO I'M THE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK NOW FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS.
SO WE HAVE THREE CENTERS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE GOLDMAN SACHS 10,000 SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM AND A GRANT FROM THE VERIZON FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS.
AZIZ RAHEEM WITH WALLACE BANK.
I'M THE SUGARLAND AREA PRESIDENT.
UH, WE JUST OPENED OUR 16TH BRANCH, THE SUGARLAND BRANCH, YEAH.
UH, WE'RE A SMALL BANK COMMUNITY BANK, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SUGARLAND, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THREE, UM, PROVIDING, UM, VARIOUS RESOURCES TO THE CHAPTER THAT ACTUALLY EXTENDS BEYOND HOUSTON.
SO, SO GRATEFUL TO TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE AS WELL AS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND PROVIDING, JUST WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS SUPPORTED, UH, WITH SCORE RESOURCES? UM, LET'S START WITH YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE TYPE OF BUSINESS WE'RE IN, OF COURSE WE'RE LENDING BUSINESS AT WALLACE BANK AND, UH, SCORE AND LENDING GOES HAND IN HAND, RIGHT? SO WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, LENDING THAT WE DO ANYWHERE FROM COMMERCIAL TO REAL ESTATE.
AND ONCE WE DO THOSE TYPE OF LOANS, WE DO A LOT OF SB LOANS.
SO SB LOANS REQUIRE, UH, BUSINESS PLANS, AND THAT'S WHERE SCORE COMES IN.
UH, THEY HELP US PREPARE THE PACKAGE, UH, FOR THE CUSTOMERS, UH, EITHER IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, A SEASONED, UH, BUSINESS OWNER OR IF THEY'RE A NEW STARTUP BUSINESS OWNER, THEY HELP US OUT AND GIVE US A FULL PACKAGE.
AND IT MAKES OUR JOB MUCH EASIER, UH, TO KIND OF PREPARE THE LOAN FOR THEM.
SO, AND, AND IS THERE PARTICULAR INDUSTRY THAT YOUR BANK OR INDUSTRIES THAT YOUR BANK FOCUSES ON? NO, WE, WE FOCUS, WE DO ALL TYPES OF LOANS.
UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A OWNER OCCUPIED, A KNOWN UNOCCUPIED ANYWHERE FROM THE SHOPPING CENTER TO EVEN A HOTEL.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I MEAN, ANY ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES SCORE CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THAT AND TO HELP US PREPARE THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT WE NEED.
AND, AND SO MAYA, WHAT ABOUT AT H AT HCC? WELL, AT HCC, OUR MISSION AND YOUR MISSION ARE VERY MUCH ALIGNED ABOUT HELPING TO START AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND OUR RELATIONSHIP GOES BACK TO BASICALLY WHEN WE BEGAN OUR PROGRAM.
YOU WERE OUR FIRST STRATEGIC PARTNER IN 2015.
SO IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP.
WE, WE, I THINK WE HAVE BOTH HELPED EACH OTHER, ENHANCED EACH OTHER, AND OUR PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE, AND THE PARTNERSHIP.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION, WHICH ME PERSONALLY, I, I LOVE EDUCATION.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATING ENTREPRENEURS, THAT'S WHERE I COME ALIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT, OR PEOPLE KNOW THAT MY BACKGROUND IS QUICKBOOKS.
[00:05:01]
I COULD TEACH SOMEONE HOW TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS MORE EFFECTIVELY USING QUICKBOOKS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE IT, IT, IT JUST COMES ALIVE.SO, LEANNA, UH, RED LABS, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU GUYS, UH, COME IN AND PROVIDE A LOT OF MENTORSHIP FOR, THEY'RE MOSTLY STUDENTS.
WE WORK WITH A LOT OF UNDERGRADUATES OR VERY YOUNG PEOPLE, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS ENTREPRENEURS IS BUILDING OUT INCREDIBLE NETWORK MM-HMM
SO SCORE REALLY HELPS US HELP THEM MAKE CONNECTIONS, PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO THAT'S REALLY HOW WE LEVERAGE SCORE.
UM, CONNECTING TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, UM, BETWEEN THE CLIENT AND WE'RE, WE'RE THE, THE GO BETWEEN, RIGHT.
AND SO IF THEY DON'T KNOW, OR, OR EVEN IF WE DON'T KNOW, WE REACH OUT TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND TO HELP OUR CLIENTS.
SO ALL THREE OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS IS, AND THEN YOU PERSONALLY, I, I'VE SEEN ALL THREE OF YOU IN ACTION
SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
UM, AND SO SUPPORTING SCORE, UM, IS BECOME, YOU KNOW, A HIGH, UH, CONVERSATION RECENTLY, UH, AS IT RELATES TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT SERVICES, YOU MENTIONED MAYA, THE, UM, ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY HAVE, HAVE WE, SO RIGHT, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, SCORE CAME TO THE VARIOUS CENTERS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND OFFERED THE BASIC HOW TO START A BUSINESS.
I MEAN, WE DID THAT TOGETHER IN 2010, 2011.
THAT WAS REALLY THE CORE PROGRAM.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, WE'VE COLLABORATED ON SUMMITS, ON CONFERENCES.
WE EVEN CELEBRATED LAST YEAR THE, THE 60TH, UM, ANNIVERSARY.
SO, UM, YES, IT'S A VERY DEEP PARTNERSHIP AND, AND, AND SO MANY, IT IS GROWN SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.
HOW MANY GRADUATES HAVE YOU HAD? UM, RECENTLY WE, SO IN THE GOLDMAN SACHS PROGRAM, WE HAVE 1100 GRADUATES.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WE'VE PROBABLY TOUCHED CLOSE TO 13,000 THOUSAND THAT HAVE COME THROUGH HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND, AND LEANNA, AS FAR AS THE SERVICES, UM, SPECIFICALLY, HOW HAVE WE HELPED? WELL, WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU COME AND SPEAK ABOUT QUICKBOOKS SMART STUDENTS AND EXPLAIN.
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INTIMIDATING THING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE AREN'T BUSINESS MAJORS IS HOW DO I FIGURE OUT WHAT A SPREADSHEET WITH MONEY LOOKS LIKE ON IT? AND SO THAT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP TO HAVE YOU COME IN AND SPEAK, UM, ABOUT IT TO STUDENTS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO JUST HAVE, ANYTIME I HAVE A QUESTION OF, I'M LOOKING FOR A MENTOR IN A VERY SPECIFIC THING.
OR DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME? MM-HMM
UM, JUST A LOT OF, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF MENTORSHIP PARTNERSHIPS THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS BUILDING YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND JUDGES, AND I FORGOT ABOUT THE JUDGES.
SOMETIMES I'M LIKE SENDING A, A LAST MINUTE EMAIL.
YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WANTS TO COME AND JUDGE A COMPETITION FOR US.
SO, UM, SCORE HAS JUST BEEN GREAT TO HELP FIND PEOPLE, CONNECT PEOPLE WITH, UH, WITH OUR ORGANIZATION.
ONE OF OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES IS OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR MENTORS THAT HAVE A WEALTH OF, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.
BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE WHERE WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND COME RIGHT BACK.
WE ARE A CITY OF COLLABORATORS WHO BUILD ON ONE ANOTHER'S INSPIRATION, STRENGTHS, AND CULTURES TO SHAPE A FUTURE WE ALL CAN SHARE TOGETHER.
WE ARE MORE THAN 7 MILLION INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DISCOVERED, TASTED, OR INVENTED ANYWHERE ELSE.
A MOVEMENT, A MOMENT, A FUTURE.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO MAKE TOMORROW TOGETHER AT METRO,
[00:10:01]
YOUR SAFETY IS JOB ONE EVERY DAY.AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING YOUR RIDE EVEN SAFER WITH SECURITY CAMERAS ON OUR TRANSIT VEHICLES AND LIVE MONITORS ON MANY OF OUR BUSES.
BLUE LIGHT CALL BOXES AT OUR BUS AND RAIL FACILITIES, METRO POLICE PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND, AND MPD CONNECT THE APP THAT LETS YOU REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY INSTANTLY TO METRO POLICE.
METRO IS BUILDING A SAFER TRANSIT SYSTEM SO YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE IN HOUSTON.
YOU'RE A LOCAL, YOU'RE ONE OF US, AND WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A RICHER, MORE EXCITING EXPERIENCE.
LET'S GET TOGETHER, BOOK YOUR STAY TO DAY, WELCOME BACK.
AND SO LET'S, UH, TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST SEGMENT.
WHAT SPECIFIC, UH, OUTCOMES HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FROM, UH, THE RED LABS AND HAVE YOU HAD ANY STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED THROUGH SCORE? SURE.
I MEAN, UH, FOR FOR SURE, SOME OF THEM HAVE IMMEDIATELY GONE AND PURCHASED QUICKBOOKS, WHICH IS ALREADY LIKE A MAJOR IMPACT.
UH, AND THEN OTHERS HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, USED THE MENTORS THAT THEY HAVE MET THROUGH SCORE AND THROUGH OUR PROGRAM TO THEN HELP THEM AS THEY FURTHER WORK ON THEIR BUSINESS.
SO THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE TWO BIGGEST IMPACTS.
JUST CONTINUING DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS, UH, AND, UM, AND THEN ACTUALLY LIKE SOME CONTENT AS WELL, SO.
AND MAYA, WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS ALSO EX EXPANDING THE NETWORK BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATE ON SO MANY PROGRAMS. WE REACH MORE PEOPLE.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE HAD SO MANY FOLKS START THEIR BUSINESS AND OR GROW IT HAS BEEN BECAUSE WE BOTH WORKED WORK TOGETHER.
BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THAT WE'VE HAD 21 DIFFERENT STUDENT COMPETITIONS.
AND YOU'VE BEEN KEY IN NOT ONLY JUDGING, BUT ALSO HELPING TO MENTOR, MENTOR THOSE STUDENTS.
THEY'VE GONE ON TO NATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ONE'S A PRETTY BIG, UH, PRIZES.
AND I THINK IT ENRICHES EVERYBODY WHEN, WHEN WE COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER.
AS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, NOW THAT YOU MENTION THAT, I WAS WATCHING SHARK TANK, UHHUH.
AND SO, AND I JUST FELT, I JUST BEAMED, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, WE HAD MENTORS COACHING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND NOW THEY'RE ON SHARK TAKING, AND THEY ACTUALLY GOT A DEAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, AZIZ, OUR, OUR, UH, COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT, UH, YOU BRING CLIENTS TO US AND SOMETIMES WE SEND CLIENTS TO YOU BASED ON, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE READY OR NOT.
UM, IN THE BACKGROUND, YOU ALSO, UM, PROVIDE US WITH SPACE AS WELL AS, UH, UH, HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE, WHICH IS, UM, BOTH AMAZING.
UM, AND WE CAN, WE REALLY AS A CHAPTER, UH, COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE, THE, THE THREE OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.
UH, WHEN WE DO HAVE OUR CHAPTER MEETINGS AS IT RELATES TO OUR MENTORS, WE MEET AT WALLACE BANK.
AND, UH, THAT IS A MONEY SAVER, TIME SAVER, UH, AND THEN JUST COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR STAFF IS JUST, IT, IT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR US TO OPERATE AS A, AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
SO IS THERE ANY, UH, SPECIFIC IMPACTS THAT YOU, OR OUTCOMES THAT YOU CAN YEAH.
SO FIRST I THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOU ALWAYS, UH, BEING THERE FOR US TOO.
UM, AND WE LOVE TO HOST YOU GUYS AT OUR, AT OUR BUILDING.
AND WHENEVER YOU GUYS COME, WE GET SO MANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND WE TRY TO PUT THEM, GUIDE THEM TOWARDS YOU.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU ARE TOUCHING UPON THAT, UH, WE HAVE THE SOMEONE THAT WE BRING THE CUSTOMERS TO, TO YOU, OR YOU BRING 'EM TO US.
I MEAN, WE DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
SOMETIMES THESE CUSTOMERS NEED A LITTLE GUIDANCE.
AND WHAT BETTER GUIDANCE THAN THESE RETIRED CFOS OR PRESIDENTS AND CEOS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ON STAFF? I MEAN, AND ABSOLUTELY FREE.
I MEAN, THAT'S, I, I, I PROMOTE THAT TO DEATH ON THAT.
AND IT'S, ITS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN, IT'S WORTH EVEN PAYING FOR.
AND THESE CUSTOMERS, AND SOME OF THE CUSTOMERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO PROMOTE IT.
AND IF THEY NEED ADDITIONAL HELP, THAT'S WHY WE SAY IF THE BUSINESS PLAN IS NOT KIND OF, UH, UP TO PAR, WE TELL 'EM, GO OVER THERE.
TALK TO THESE PEOPLE, AND MAYBE I'LL COME WITH THEM TOO, AND THEY'LL GUIDE YOU.
AND WHEN IT COMES BACK, IT'S PERFECTION FROM YOU GUYS.
WELL, AND THE, AND THE GREAT THING, LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS FREE AS WELL AS CONFIDENTIAL.
AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE REASON WHY CLIENTS DON'T COME TO US, IS BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE THEIR IDEAL AND PUT IT ALL OVER, YOU KNOW? BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
YOU CAN HAVE A FREE FLOWING CONVERSATION.
[00:15:01]
YOU CAN MEET WITH MORE THAN ONE MENTOR.UH, WE HAVE MENTORS THAT, UH, HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN CERTAIN AREAS SUCH AS BANKING.
UH, UH, WE HAVE CPAS IN OUR CHAPTER NOW, WE ARE A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, SO WE HAVE, UH, OVER 10,000 VOLUNTEERS.
SO IF THERE IS A CERTAIN EXPERTISE OR AREA THAT YOU, YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO A MENTOR, AND IT'S NOT IN OUR CHAPTER, WHICH WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST CHAPTER IN THE UNITED STATES, UH, IT'LL BE VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO FIND SOMEONE.
UH, WE HAVE, AT THIS POINT 160 VOLUNTEERS.
SO IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO NOT FIND A VOLUNTEER HERE IN HOUSTON.
BUT IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, WE CAN REACH OUT TO, TO A MENTOR ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
SO, UM, HOUSTON ITSELF IS MASSIVE.
I JUST CAME FROM THE NORTH AND THAT IS A WHOLE HOUR DRIVE AWAY.
UH, AND SO WHAT, WHY DO WE NEED SCORE IN HOUSTON AS IT RELATES TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS? AND I'LL GIVE THAT TO THOSE.
I, HOUSTON BEING THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY, AND I THINK, UH, I READ SOMEWHERE THAT MAYBE IN ABOUT, UH, FIVE TO 10 YEARS, THEY MAY BE THE THIRD LARGEST CITY.
AND IT'S A GROWING CITY IN HOUSTON.
LIKE MOST MAJOR CITIES ARE BASED, UM, UPON SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE BIG COMPANIES, FEDEX, UNDER ARMOR, THEY STARTED AS A SMALL BUSINESS.
NOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, BIG TIME COMPANIES, BUT THEY STARTED A SMALL BUSINESS THEY NEEDED BACK THEN, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE THE GUIDANCE.
NOW ALL THESE SMALL BUSINESSES DO, SO WITH A GROWING POPULATION OF HOUSTON, HAVING SCORE BEING THEIR, BASICALLY TO HOLD THEIR HANDS IF NEEDED HELP TO HELP THEM GROW.
AND BUILDING THE ECOSYSTEM OR THE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S SCORE, BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO CONNECTING WITH OTHER RESOURCES IN THE CITY.
SO IT'S REALLY BUILDING ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND THANK GOODNESS FOR, FOR SCORE, BECAUSE YOU REALLY HELP US CONNECT ALL OF THE VARIOUS DOTS.
AND IT, SO I, I COME FROM A SMALLER CITY COMING TO HOUSTON, LIKE YOU SAID, IT, IT IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? THERE'S SO MUCH THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO HERE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, THE WORLD CUP IS COMING HERE IN JUNE, AND WE'RE GETTING IN SCORE WITHIN OUR CHAPTER.
WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE IF YOU'RE A STARTUP.
IF YOU'RE IN BUSINESS, UH, IT, IT'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELL, UH, BOTH SERVICE AND PRODUCTS.
UH, THIS WHAT IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US, THAT WHEN FIFA COMES HERE, IT'S GONNA BE COMPARABLE TO 10 SUPER BOWLS, UH, IN OUR CITY.
SO ONE TRAFFIC IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
IT'S ALREADY COLORFUL NOW THAT'S GREAT.
BUT THEN ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST TO, TO INCREASE REVENUE, BUT ALSO TO CONNECT OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON IS GONNA BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF WEBINARS, UH, THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PUTTING ON THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, BUSINESSES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FIFA AND DOING BUSINESS.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE ANOTHER BREAK, BUT WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK.
HURRICANE SEASON IS FROM JUNE 1ST TO NOVEMBER 30TH.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT OFFICE WANTS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED.
HALF OF ALL FLOODED PROPERTIES HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN.
VISIT FEMA'S FLOOD MAP SERVICE CENTER TO KNOW YOUR FLOOD RISK.
INSURE YOUR PROPERTY BY FLOOD INSURANCE TODAY.
FLOOD INSURANCE POLICIES TAKE UP TO 30 DAYS TO GO INTO EFFECT.
ALSO, MAKE SURE THE POLICY HAS ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY.
PROTECT PEOPLE AND PROPERTY FROM FLOOD HAZARDS.
DRIVING AROUND BARRICADES COULD BE A DEADLY DECISION.
DON'T DRIVE ON FLOODED STREETS OR IN AREAS THAT ARE PRONE TO FLOODING.
THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT OFFICE HAS LOTS OF HELPFUL INFORMATION ON HOW TO FLOOD PROOF YOUR HOME.
IF YOU ARE BUILDING IN THE FLOODPLAIN, FIND OUT WHAT PERMITS ARE REQUIRED@HOUSTONPERMITTINGCENTER.ORG.
BE AWARE OF SPECIAL REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT RULES FOR HOMES IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
FOR MORE FLOODPLAIN TIPS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR GIVE US A CALL.
KIDS OF AMERICA ARE STRUGGLING WITH ILLITERACY.
LITERALLY MINOR INCIDENTS, BUT THEY'RE TREATED LIKE DEGENERATES.
THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE IS TEACHING THEM DELINQUENCY.
THESE STUDENTS WANT TO LEARN WHAT THEY'RE LOSING.
TIME IN CLASS, FALLING WAY BEHIND, MAKING IT SO TOUGH TO PASS,
[00:20:01]
DROPPING OUTTA SCHOOL BY THE THOUSANDS.7,000 KIDS A DAY ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
EIGHT OUT OF 10 IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CANNOT READ OR WRITE DUE TO SUSPENSION.
THEY END UP IN JUVIE DETENTION WHERE THERE IS NO ONE WHO WANTS TO GO TEACH THEM.
THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A BIGGER PROBLEM, BUT DON'T YOU WORRY, THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN READING WITH A RAPPER.
WE INTEND TO MEND THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS IN PRISON.
THAT WAY SOMEDAY WHEN THEY GET OUT, THEY CAN FIND THEIR WAY FORWARD WITH NO FEAR OR DOUBT, FIND THEMSELVES A JOB, A CAREER THAT PAYS READING, WRITING LIKE A BOSS.
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS AMBULANCE, POLICE, OR FIRE, THE FIRE HYDRANT IS GUSHING EVERYWHERE.
CALL 3 1 1 FOR CITY RELATED SERVICES LIKE WATER LEAKS, TRAFFIC TICKETS, AND MORE, I NEED HELP FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
CALL 2 1 1 FOR ALL SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD BANKS, HOUSING, SHELTER ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
AND I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS HERE, UH, THAT HAVE SUPPORTED SCORE OVER THE YEARS GOING BACK 2015 IF, IF NOT FURTHER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW HOW RELATIONSHIPS DEVELOP, RIGHT?
SO WHAT INITIATIVES DO YOU HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED WITH? SO AT THE WOLF CENTER, OUR MISSION IS TO CHANGE STUDENT LIVES AND, UM, EMPOWER THEM TO START BUSINESSES.
SO THAT IS WHAT I'M WORKING ON ALL YEAR LONG.
SO THE FALL, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A COUPLE COMPETITIONS THAT I'M SURE, UH, SCORE MEMBERS WILL BE ASKED TO JUDGE AND MENTOR AT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A VERY COOL HOLIDAY MARKET FEATURING STUDENT VENDORS.
SO IF YOU WANNA COME OUT AND SHOP SOME STUDENT VENDORS AND SEE, UH, SOME JUST AMAZING STUFF, COME CHECK IT OUT.
HOW, HOW ABOUT YOU, MIKE? SO WE HAVE A PATENT ACADEMY, AND THAT IS AN ONLINE PROGRAM TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LEARN HOW, WHAT THE PATENT PROCESS IS, WHETHER IT'S COPYWRITING OR, UM, OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT, THAT THEY NEED TO, TO PROTECT THEIR PRODUCT.
SO THAT'S COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER.
THEN WE HAVE OUR CORE COURSE, WHICH IS THE SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR MENTORS FROM SCORE.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR VETERANS THAT, UH, THAT WILL BE COMING UP AND THEN ALSO GETTING READY FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
AND THEN WE, I KNOW WE PARTNER WITH U OF H AND CERTAINLY WITH, WITH, UH, WALLACE BANK AND WITH SCORE ON THAT ANNUAL EVENT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE VERIZON PROGRAM.
SO THE VERIZON PROGRAM IS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SUMMER CAMP THAT WE OFFER IN JUNE.
WE HAVE TWO CAMPS, ONE IN JUNE AND ONE IN JULY.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT STEM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING.
AND THE STUDENTS WORK WITH 3D PRINTERS WITH VIRTUAL REALITY, UM, DRONES.
SO, UM, IT'S REALLY AN EXCITING CAMP, AND IT'S, AND VERIZON HAS PAID FOR THE, FOR THE WHOLE THING.
I, I'VE BEEN TO YOUR 3D LABS, A COUPLE OF 'EM, AND IT'S FANTASTIC, THE AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DRAWS PEOPLE TO YOUR CAMPUSES.
70 CAMPUSES, IS THAT RIGHT? UH, WELL, IT'S MORE LIKE 25.
SOMEONE TOLD ME 70 I, YOU KNOW THAT.
WELL, THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
70 BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON AREA.
SO IS THIS ANY, ANYTHING GOING ON? YEAH, SO WE, WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU TO COME OVER TO OUR BUILDING AND TO HOST THE SEMINARS AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE HAVE A JOINT VENTURE WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION HAND IN HAND TO DO THAT, UH, SEMINAR WITH SCORE AND WITH THAT OTHER ORGANIZATION.
AND WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH, UM, SO MUCH GROWTH, UH, FROM OUR, EVEN FROM OUR CUSTOMERS ONE, UH, DOING THE ATTENDANCE WITH YOUR, UH, SCORE PROGRAM.
CONTINUE, KEEP GOING WITH THAT.
I, I'M JUST ENERGIZED BY WHAT WE CAN DO HERE IN HOUSTON.
I MEAN, COMING FROM A SMALLER CITY, I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING HERE WAS, IT WAS EVEN IN MY, YOU KNOW, SPHERE.
AND NOW THAT IT'S POSSIBLE HERE WITH SCORE IN HOUSTON.
HOW, WHY SHOULD PEOPLE GET INVOLVED WITH SCORE AND ANYTHING? YEAH.
UH, IT'S AGAIN,
I MEAN, IT'S, WHEN I EVEN TELL THE CUSTOMERS EVEN THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY FREE.
[00:25:01]
WE ACQUIRE A BUSINESS PLAN.SOMEONE'S THERE TO HELP YOU, GUIDE YOU.
WHY WOULD YOU NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT? RIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS PROMOTE, PROMOTE, UH, SCORE AND, AND THE SERVICES.
AND WE, WE SEE THE, WE SEE THEM COME BACK AND IT'S BASICALLY A VERY GOOD PLAN THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THAT COMING FROM ONE OF OUR FINANCIAL SPONSORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, NETWORKING WITHIN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND WHY ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD CONNECT WITH US AND SUPPORT SCORE, UH, THE, WITH THE FINANCIAL CHANGES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE, THE GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW SCORE NEEDS, UH, SPONSORS.
FROM, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM CLIENT ALL THE WAY TO VOLUNTEER FOR WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE YOU WERE THE BEST
THAT IT, YOU ARE THE BEST FOR MENTORSHIP, FOR ADVICE, FOR EDUCATION.
COMING FROM THE CHANCELLOR OF HCC, ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR.
UH, THAT IS SO IMPACTFUL, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION AND EDUCATING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I WOULD SAY ON, IF YOU WANNA START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, THE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE, JUST LIKE ONLINE AND JUST THE ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH MENTORS, INCREDIBLE, UNMATCHED ANYWHERE ELSE AND FREE IN TOWN,
UH, AND THEN ON THE, IF YOU WANNA BE, GET INVOLVED AND MENTOR, UH, YEAH.
THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF THE FAST TRACK, LIKE GET INVOLVED WITH SCORE.
AND, UH, YOU'LL OBVIOUSLY HAVE A TON OF OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER ALL ACROSS THE CITY 'CAUSE IT'S JUST EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, MOST OF OUR MENTORS ARE RETIRED.
UM, MENTORS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE WORKING AND OR HAS, HAS A SMALL BUSINESS, IT'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT YOU CANNOT GET FROM TOO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND IF, IF YOU CAN'T GET IT FROM US, WE KNOW WHO YOU CAN'T GET IT FROM.
AND SO, UM, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE.
I LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT, THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS AND THAT WILL CONTINUE, UM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR FINANCIAL CLIMATE, UM, IT'S NECESSARY HERE IN HOUSTON TO KEEP THIS, UH, PIPELINE GOING.
AS YOU STATED, WE'VE GONE BACK 2015.
IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON? WELL, IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU WOULD KNOW, 'CAUSE I JUST HAPPENED TO FIND THE, THE BROCHURE FROM OUR CONFERENCE THAT WE DID TOGETHER FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ON MARCH THE FIFTH OF 2020, WE HAD 400 WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS.
THAT CAME TO HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
BUT IT WAS A COLLABORATION WITH SCORE MM-HMM
AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT HELPING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS GROW THEIR BUSINESS.
UH, WE HAD A VARIETY OF, OF SPEAKERS.
IT WAS JUST AN, AN INCREDIBLE EVENT.
AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.
SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND I, I, GOING BACK TO 2020 OR, AND PRIOR TO, RIGHT.
I MEAN, WE, THE SCORES ENGINE WAS MOVING AND THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL EVENT.
AND THEN THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN SPEAKING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, HAVING TO, UH, PIVOT, THAT IS A KEY WORD.
'CAUSE WE GENERALLY MENTOR PEOPLE IN PERSON.
UH, BUT NOW SINCE THE PANDEMIC, IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WEBINARS AND ZOOMS. SO, YEAH.
NO, AND IT'S THE SAME THING FOR, FOR US, WE AT, AT, UH, HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT.
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T, WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SO IT WAS ALSO A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
AND NOW I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING AWAY.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING TO THIS EPISODE AND PROVIDING YOUR INFORMATION AND WHAT THEY CAN DO NEXT AS FAR AS ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
UH, THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND INCREDIBLE COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING SCORE HOUSTON AND OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
YOUR GENEROSITY AND DEDICATION ARE TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT WAS MAYA DE NOVO, LEANNA, GONZALES, AND RAHEEM HIGHLIGHTING THE VITALITY OR VITAL ROLE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP IN THE SUCCESS OF SCORE, ESPECIALLY THE HOUSTON CHAPTER.
IF YOU'RE INSPIRED TO SUPPORT, SCORE, OR LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR WORK, PLEASE VISIT SCORE HOUSTON.ORG.