[00:00:02]
[Call to Order - Determine if a Quorum is Present]
THE, THIS MEETING TO ORDER, DETERMINE IF WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, UH, AT 6:00 PM HOLLY DREW.DO WE HAVE ANY GUESTS HERE WITH US TONIGHT?
UM, SHE IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US LATER AND SHE IS OUR FACILITATOR AND COORDINATOR FOR THE AUBREY LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR.
UH, AT THIS TIME, GO TO THE, WE'LL NOW SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO LEAVE THE INVOCATION? I'M HAPPY TO, TO DO SO.
WE JUST PRAY THAT, UM, YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT ON THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
AND LORD, I THANK YOU FOR THIS BOARD AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE, WE PRAY FOR THEIR SAFETY.
WE JUST SEE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO TEXAS UNDER GOD.
[Community Announcements]
UH, NEXT UP IS GONNA BE COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS.THE CITY OF AUBREY WILL HOLD THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD FROM FIVE 30 TO 8:30 PM DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DO.
I WANNA REMIND YOU ALL, WE HAVE THE CHAMBER LUNCHEON TOMORROW AT OAK AND IVY AT 11:30 AM UM, AND DR. SHANNON SAILOR FROM AUBREY ISD WILL BE THE SPEAKER.
SO, UM, IF ANY OF YOU THERE IS AN EXTRA TICKET, IF ANY OF YOU WERE INTERESTED, I'D JUST NEED TO KNOW WHO'D LIKE THAT ONE.
UM, BUT HOLLY AND I PLAN TO ATTEND.
AND THEN ALSO WE JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW, UM, AUBREY ISD IS HAVING A CAREER FAIR FOR THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 8TH.
ALL THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL, UM, GATHER THROUGHOUT THE DAY FOR DIFFERENT, UM, TIME PERIODS TO GO THROUGH THIS EXPO, UH, FOR DIFFERENT INDUSTRY, UM, THAT WILL BE REPRESENTED THERE.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY STILL LOOKING FOR SOME REPRESENTATIVES IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES TO SET UP A TABLE AND HAVE INFORMATION THERE FOR THE STUDENTS.
I THOUGHT I WOULD LET Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT SINCE Y'ALL ARE ALL KIND OF CONNECTED HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND ONE THING Y'ALL CAN REALLY HELP WITH AS A BOARD IS HELPING US, UM, WITH OUTREACH FOR SOME OF THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS WHERE THEY NEED CONNECTIONS FOR CERTAIN THINGS WITH, UM, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR OUR AUBREY ISD STUDENTS.
SO I WILL LET YOU KNOW, UM, I'M GONNA PASS OUT A FLYER THAT THEY GAVE US, AND THEN Y'ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, UM, JUST FOR MORE INFORMATION.
BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FOR HEALTH AND SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, ANIMAL SCIENCE, UM, VETERINARY GRAPHIC DESIGN, ANIMATION, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PHARMACY TECHNICIANS, SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAMMING, AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING.
SO, I'M GONNA JUST AGAIN, LET Y'ALL KNOW, UM, IF YOU HAVE A, A IDEA OF SOMEONE, YOU CAN EMAIL ME IF YOU'D LIKE, OR DR. LEE AT AUBREY.
ID, UM, HE HAS, UM, ASKED THAT WE TRY TO PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST INFORMATION TO FOLKS THAT CAN HELP.
SO I'LL PASS THIS AROUND AND THAT'S IT.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, IT'S GONNA BE CITIZEN INPUT.
IS THERE ANY CITIZENS WHO PRESENT HERE TODAY WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? NO.
[Consent Items]
UP IS GONNA BE THE CONSENT ITEMS. DOES ANYONE WISH TO REMOVE ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA?[00:05:02]
NO.I CALL FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[New Business]
ITEMS REQUESTED FOR CONSIDERATION ON NEW BUSINESS? OH, NOPE.SORRY,
WE'RE ALL READY TO GO HOME ALREADY.
SO, TONIGHT WE HAVE GOT A PRESENTATION FOR Y'ALL ON, UM, THE OVERVIEW OF THE AUBREY LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM.
AND I WANTED TO JUST, YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR, UM, THINKING FORWARD AND, AND THINKING ABOUT AUBREY'S FUTURE BUSINESSES BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE GROWING.
AND SO ONE IDEA OF THIS MAIN IDEA OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO HELP THOSE LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE THAT MIGHT BE, UM, WORKING, YOU KNOW, FROM THEIR HOMES OR, OR HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, AN IDEA THEY WANNA TAKE TO THE NEXT LEVEL, OR THEY HAVE A BUSINESS AND THEY'RE READY TO TAKE THEIR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HELP FOSTER THAT GROWTH.
SO ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH LOCAL, UM, ACCELERATOR PROGRAMS. SO I'M GOING TO LET TASHA HEARNS, OUR COORDINATOR AND FACILITATOR FOR THAT PROGRAM, PRESENT INFORMATION TO YOU ON THAT.
AND, UM, THIS IS NO ACTION ITEM OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST BASICALLY A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER, SHE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
SO, TASHA, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
AND I AM AN AUBREY ETJ RESIDENT AND A HOME BASED SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TO CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE AND, UM, DISCUSS WAYS TO ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF, UH, THE CITY IS GROWING AS WELL AS SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS ALBA SHORT FOR AUBREY LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR.
IT'S GONNA BE AUBREY'S FIRST
IT'S AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM FOR EARLY TO GROWTH STAGE, UH, ENTREPRENEURS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AS WELL AS ETJ.
AND IT, THE MISSION AND PURPOSE IS SIMPLE.
IT'S, UH, TO ACCELERATE THE SUCCESS OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE AS A RESIDENT, AS A HOME-BASED BUSINESS OWNER.
UH, WE WANT OUR OTHERS WHO ARE SIMILAR TO ME THAT MAY BE WORKING FROM HOME OR HAVE A, A LOCAL RETAIL SPACE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME RESOURCES HERE WITHIN THE CITY TO SUPPORT THEIR, UM, EXPANDING THEIR OPERATIONS, INCREASING THEIR PROFITABILITY.
AND, UM, IT REALLY JUST HELPS CONTRIBUTE TO MORE OF, OF A RESILIENT LOCAL ECONOMY HERE.
UM, SO WE WANNA EMPOWER THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES TO REACH THE NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH AND, YOU KNOW, PLAY SOME PART IN THAT GROWTH BY PROVIDING SOME MENTORSHIP CLEAR, UH, PEER COLLABORATION, AS WELL AS SOME TARGETED RESOURCES.
THE GOALS ARE QUITE SIMPLE BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING THIS.
WE WANTED TO SET SOME REALISTIC GOALS, UM, AND BE ABLE TO USE THESE AS BENCHMARKS IF WE CHOOSE TO DO ONE.
IDEALLY WE'D LOVE TO SEE SIX TO 12.
AND HONESTLY, THAT NUMBER IS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY WE CAN HOLD
WE WANNA GRADUATE AT LEAST 10 OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS AND ACHIEVE AN 80% SATISFACTION RATE.
SO WE'LL PROVIDE, UM, SOME FEEDBACK SURVEYS DURING, UM, WELL POST, UH, PROGRAM.
AND IDEALLY WE WANT PEOPLE TO SAY, YES, WE LOVE THIS.
WE, WE FEEL THAT THIS WOULD HELP THEM WITH THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, AND SO PROJECT TIMELINE, WE'RE, WE'RE, GOSH, THANKSGIVING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
SO WE'RE HERE IN NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED THIS OCTOBER, FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN, WE'RE ON TRACK ACTUALLY.
SO THIS IS THE WEEK THAT WE ARE RECRUITING SPEAKERS AND
[00:10:01]
WE'RE LOOKING FOR SPEAKERS.I HAVE A MARKETING BACKGROUND, UM, SO I'LL BE FACILITATING SOME OF THOSE TOPICS BASED ON MY EXPERTISE.
WE'RE USING, UH, A CURRICULUM OR A, UH, TOOL CALLED THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IT'S A FOUNDATIONAL TOOL THAT ALL BUSINESSES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT INDUSTRY STATE, AND THERE'S NINE KEY PILLARS OF THAT FOUNDATION.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE STAGE OF, UH, RECRUITING, UH, THIS WEEK.
AND, AND, UH, INSTRUCTORS IN TERMS OF BANKERS TO COVER CASH FLOW.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR FRANCHISEES AND FRANCHISORS BECAUSE POSSIBLY THERE MAY BE SOME EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO TURN THEIR BUSINESS INTO A FRANCHISE OR OPEN A FRANCHISE HERE IN THE CITY OR ETJ.
SO WE'RE RECRUITING AT THE MOMENT SPEAKERS.
UH, SOME OF THE KEY MILESTONES YOU'LL SEE ARE, UM, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UH, APPLICATIONS, THE APPLICATION IS UP ON THE WEBSITE, SO IF YOU OR YOU SOMEONE YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA SHARE THAT, AND I KNOW CHRISTINA SENT OUT THE LINK, UH, PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP.
THERE'S NO COST ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU LIVE IN AUBREY CITY LIMITS OR ETJ.
UH, SO, UH, SO AGAIN, THE TIMEFRAME FOR THE PROGRAM IS JANUARY 7TH, AND ON THE 25TH, THERE'S ONE A WEEK WHERE, ALTHOUGH IT'S AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM, THERE'S ONLY SEVEN WEEKS IN THE CLASSROOM.
ONE WEEK WE DECIDED TO MAKE SURE THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE PAIRED WITH MENTORS.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO PARTNER WITH SCORE SERVICE CORPS OF RETIRED EXECUTIVES TO, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL SBDC, SO THAT BUSINESSES CAN MEET WITH THOSE MENTORS OR BUSINESS ADVISORS TO GET SUPPORT THROUGH SOME OF THE CURRICULUM.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT, UM, PAGE, THESE ARE THE WEEKLY SESSIONS, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL, BUT I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE AREAS THAT SPECIFICALLY NEED RECOMMENDATIONS OR LEADS FOR SPEAKERS.
AND SO THE THIRD WEEK, WHICH IS, UH, FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL READINESS, WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL BANKERS WHO CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS IS WHAT LENDERS LOOK FOR, UM, IN TERMS OF GETTING A LOAN OR HELPING YOU, UH, IDENTIFY WHAT YOUR CASH FLOW MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
UH, SO WE, WE ARE RECRUITING FOR THAT.
WE'VE AL I HAVE ALREADY CONFIRMED YOU OUT, UM, THAT, UM, THE WORK NORTH CENTRAL, UH, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS WILL COME IN AND DO THE TRAINING ON, UH, TALENT MANAGEMENT, UH, HIRING.
UH, LAUNCHING LOCAL IS REALLY AROUND LIKE, HOW DO I OPEN UP A LOCAL BUSINESS HERE, WHETHER IT IS A STOREFRONT.
SO WE'RE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS WHO CAN COME IN AND REALLY JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO ESTABLISH A BRICK AND MORTAR.
AND CHRISTINE WILL BE SPEAKING ON THAT DAY TO ABOUT JUST SOME LOCAL INCENTIVES.
UH, THE OTHER AREA WE'RE RECRUITING FOR SPEAKERS ARE FRANCHISE FUNDAMENTAL FUNDAMENTALS.
SO AGAIN, PERHAPS SOMEONE HAS AN EXISTING BUSINESS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE METROPLEX AND WANT TO EXPAND THEIR FRANCHISE TO, UM, THE AUBREY AREA.
WE WANNA HAVE A PANEL OF FRANCHISEES AND POSSIBLY FRANCHISORS.
I DO HAVE A CONTACT THAT IS A FRANCHISE, UH, ATTORNEY.
UM, AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL ON THE PANEL WITH THE OTHER PANELISTS.
AND THEN WEEK EIGHT IS GRADUATION.
AND I HOPE TO SEE EACH ONE OF YOU THERE, UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, TAKE A NICE PHOTO OP 'CAUSE THIS'LL BE THE FIRST ONE, THE INAUGURAL, UH, ACCELERATOR, UH, SO THAT THOSE ARE THE SESSIONS AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT PAGE TO TALK ABOUT HOW ARE WE MARKETING AND GETTING THE WORD OUT.
I SAID WE WANNA HAVE AT LEAST A SIX TO 12 PARTICIPANT.
WE'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE WITH FIVE, UH, APPLICATIONS.
WE DO HAVE A PROCESS TO REVIEW THOSE APPLICATIONS TO ENSURE THAT ONE, THEY'RE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OR ETJ, THAT WE DON'T GET BUSINESSES WHO ARE LIKE, HEY, I JUST HAVE AN IDEA.
WE, WE DO WANT THOSE THAT ARE SERIOUS.
SO WE DO HAVE A PROCESS, UH, TO LOOK AT THOSE.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOING, ESPECIALLY CHRISTINE, IS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING.
YOU'LL SEE AT THE, IF YOU CAN, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT IN THAT, BUT, UM, THE POST THAT WAS DONE,
[00:15:01]
I CAN'T SEE THAT DATE, NOVEMBER THE FIFTH IS IT HAD NINE SHARES ALREADY.UM, AND SO I KNOW CHRISTINE IS PROMOTING THIS AT THE CHAMBER EVENT COMING UP TOMORROW.
UM, SOME OF OUR PARTNERS SUCH AS THE CHAMBER, UM, TWU, WE'VE ASKED THEM TO ALSO HELP PROMOTE, UM, UH, AND THEN THE WEBSITE AND DOING AN E-BLAST DURING THE NEWSLETTER.
IT IS ON THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW ON THE HOMEPAGE.
UM, FOR MDD, IT'S RIGHT, I KIND OF DID A YELLOW HIGHLIGHT ON THAT BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE CLICK ON THAT, IT GOES STRAIGHT TO AN APPLICATION, UM, THAT WE HAVE ABOUT, IT TAKES ABOUT 10, 15 MINUTES TO FILL THAT APPLICATION OUT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THE FIRST EVER ACCELERATOR FOR OUR AUBREY SMALL BUSINESSES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YOU TELL? YEAH, I DIDN'T EVEN TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF,
UM, I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER FOR THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS, A MARKETING FIRM.
UM, AND THEN IN THE LAST MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, I'VE REALLY SHIFTED TO WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I SERVE ON SOME NATIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WITH, UM, THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
AND RECENTLY IN AUGUST BECAME CERTIFIED THROUGH THEM AS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL.
SO WITH MY 20 PLUS YEARS OF BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, ALSO, I'VE LED, UM, TWO ENTREPRENEUR CENTERS IN DALLAS.
UH, ONE WAS, UH, WOMAN, UH, THE WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER, AND THEN THE OTHER CENTER IS THE DECK AT REDBIRD.
SO THAT'S MY BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE IN DOING SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
AND YES, I LIVE RIGHT HERE IN ARBERY.
YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT
SO NOW I DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE A WHOLE HOUR TO GET TO DALLAS TO DO ALL THE SMALL BUSINESS THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE ALL THIS STUFF RIGHT HERE IN MY BACKYARD.
WHAT PART OF THE ETJ? UH, UH, ABROOK.
AND I, I AM A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE, HUGE, HUGE FAN OF THIS.
I MEAN THIS, IF THIS WASN'T YOUR PET PROJECT, THIS WOULD BE MY PET PROJECT.
I MEAN, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT FOR HOW SUCCESSFUL FRISCO'S WAS, YES, DALLAS HAD THE TECH ONE.
I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN THREE OR FOUR OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE REALLY WELL WITH THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THERE AREN'T MANY CITIES OUR SIZE THAT DO THIS.
SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? I MEAN, YOU KIND OF GAVE US A BROAD VIEW, BUT WHAT, WHAT ELSE? MAYBE SPECIFICALLY, 'CAUSE I, WE SHARED, I SHARED IT ON THE SAND ROCK RANCH PRIVATE DEAL AND ALL THAT.
BUT I MEAN, OUT OUTSIDE OF THE MAYBE FINDING A FRANCHISE THAT YOU AURORA, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY DO TO HELP EITHER FIND SPEAKERS OR FIND, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW IN THE PAST HAVE PEOPLE FOUND YOUR PROGRAMS? YEAH.
OTHER THAN JUST EVERYTHING YOU'VE CLEARLY LAID OUT MM-HMM
I HAVE A NETWORK THAT I JUST REACH OUT TO AND I, YOU KNOW, SEND IT.
SO WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER, UH, INTEREST FORM OKAY.
THAT I CAN MAKE SURE CHRISTINE GETS TO YOU.
AND YOU, IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE WITHIN THOSE INDUSTRIES OR FIELDS, JUST HAVE THEM FILL THAT OUT.
UM, AND I HAVE BEEN POSTING IT IN MY OWN, UM, OUR ARROW BOOK COMMUNITY FACEBOOK PAGE AND, AND SEEING THAT, SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY IS JUST SHARING IT IN YOUR OWN HOAS OR COMMUNITY FACEBOOK GROUPS OR TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT IT.
UM, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE BEST WAYS WE, IDEALLY WE WANNA SEE AT LEAST 20 TO 24 APPLICANTS SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF NARROW DOWN TO THE SIX TO 12.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE RECRUITING FOR THE SPEAKERS, AGAIN, IT, IT'S, I MEAN, IT, IT'S AN E SO KEEP IN MIND THIS IS IN THE EVENINGS IT'S GONNA BE FROM SIX TO SEVEN 30.
SO, UM, WHILE I DON'T WANNA SAY BEGGARS CAN'T BE CHOOSY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME ENGAGING SPEAKERS.
SO IT'S IN THE EVENING, PEOPLE MAY BE JUST FINISHING THEIR DAY JOBS OR CLOSING UP THEIR BUSINESS.
AND WE WANT THIS TO BE INTERACTIVE.
IT'S GONNA BE HANDS-ON AND SO ENGAGING SPEAKERS, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD.
SO AGAIN, JUST SENDING OUT THAT SPEAKER INTEREST FORM, SHARING IT WITH YOUR, YOUR NETWORK AND, YOU KNOW, STOP BY ONE OF THE SESSIONS AND POP IN AND LISTEN IN, UM, AND HEAR WHAT THE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE SAYING.
'CAUSE HOPEFULLY WHEN WE DO THIS AGAIN,
[00:20:01]
WHICH I KNOW THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, THIS IS A, THIS WILL BE A BENCHMARK FOR US TO SAY, OKAY, NOW WE KNOW WHO WE HAVE ORGANICALLY ATTRACTED AND BE ABLE TO CATER THIS PROGRAM TO MORE TOWARDS SPECIFIC NEEDS.SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
HISTORICALLY, HOW MANY, UM, OR WHAT, WHAT KINDS OF, LIKE, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN LIKE HOME BUSINESSES, WHICH I WOULD ASSUME USUALLY ARE LIKE COOKING OR CANDLES OR, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF CRAFT ORIENTED THING.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT MAYBE THAT'S THAT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A FREESTANDING BUSINESS ALREADY OR SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO BE ONE.
AND, AND MAYBE OUTSIDE OF FOOD, WHICH SEEMS TO BE ONE THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO GET INTO, WHAT OTHER THINGS IN THE PAST HAVE YOU FOUND AS GOOD AS FAR AS AN INDUSTRY OR AN IDEA OR A CONCEPT? AND, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I'M THINKING OF IS THIS WHOLE BUNCH OF FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE SITTING DOWN THE ROAD.
YEAH, I WAS THAT MAYBE ONE OF THEM MIGHT ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THAT.
SO FOOD SERVICES, UH, RETAIL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
SO UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM AN ACCOUNTANT, AN ATTORNEY, UH, AND THESE MIGHT BE YOUR SOLO ENTREPRENEURS WHO MAY HAVE A COWORKING DESK IN FRISCO AT ONE OF THE FRISCO, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
FRISCO, OR EVEN DIDN'T MM-HMM
UH, SO THEY MAY, BUT THEY LIVE HERE IN THIS AREA.
AND SO THIS, THOSE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE INDIVIDUALS ARE TYPICALLY SOLO ENTREPRENEURS OR THEY MAY WORK FOR A, UM, LARGER FIRM AND THAT THEY HAVE AN OFFICE.
UM, CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS, SCALE MANUFACTURING, SMALL SCALE.
MANUFACTURING ARE, ARE THE ONES THAT WE HOPE WE, UH, ATTRACT.
AND THEN FOR, UH, POTENTIAL SPEAKERS OR MENTORS, HOW MUCH PREP TIME SHOULD WE TELL 'EM THEY WOULD NEED? YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT KIND OF A TIME COMMITMENT? I KNOW THEY'RE JUST GONNA DO ONE DEAL, BUT YEAH.
HOW MUCH TIME DO WE, SHOULD WE SUGGEST THAT THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR CLASS IF THEY WANNA BE AN INSTRUCTOR? YEAH.
I WOULD PROBABLY SAY FOUR TO SIX HOURS.
UM, IF THEY ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THEIR TOPIC, MOST LIKE, SO IF YOU GO BACK TO PAY IF, UH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO SLIDE OR SECTION FOUR? YEAH, THERE ONE MORE RIGHT THERE.
SO YOU'LL, SO BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS, YOU'LL SEE WHERE IT SAYS HOMEWORK.
IDEALLY WE WANT THE TOPICS SHOULD ALIGN WITH THE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.
THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS IS LIKE A ONE PAGE, UH, FRAMEWORK WHERE THE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE GOING THROUGH THAT FRAMEWORK AND LEARNING HOW TO CREATE THEIR OWN BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS.
AND THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IS JUST GONNA ADD MORE REAL LIFE TO IT.
AND SO IF WE HAD AN EXPERT ALREADY IN CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS OR DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS, IT'S LIKELY THEY ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF SLIDES, MATERIALS AND TOOLS.
SO THEY'RE JUST KINDA ADDING TO ENHANCING THE CURRENT CURRICULUM.
THAT'S ALREADY BUILT AROUND THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS.
SO I, THE REASON I SAY FOUR TO SIX HOURS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA TEACH A WHOLE SUBJECT.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS ENHANCING A TOPIC, UH, THAT'S BEING COVERED.
I WAS JUST GONNA ADD ONE THING THAT, UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF RESOURCES FROM JUST THE DENTON AREA AND FRISCO AND DALLAS AND HER DALLAS CONTACTS THAT ALSO HAVE HAD SPEAKERS FOR THEIR, UM, WORKSHOP, THEIR WORKSHOPS OR ACCELERATORS MM-HMM
SO WE'RE RE WE'RE TAPPING INTO THOSE RESOURCES.
WE HAVE REALLY GOOD, UH, WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOCAL SBDC IN DENTON AND TW AND SOME OTHER IN CTCS, UM, IS WHO HAS THE SBDC.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD MENTION, GOING BACK TO HOW YOU CAN HELP WITH, UM, GETTING PARTICIPANTS IN THE CLASS.
MANY OF YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS OR YOU KNOW, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND IF THEY, IF, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO, WHO MIGHT JUST NEED THAT EXTRA STEP OF THIS BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS TO REALLY SOLIDIFY THEIR BUSINESS PLAN, GET 'EM TO THE NEXT LEVEL, REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IF THEY CAN.
WE DID IT IN THE EVENINGS FOR THAT PURPOSE OF, WE KNOW LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS DON'T ALWAYS GET TO, CAN'T COME OUT DURING THE DAY, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ONE OR TWO PERSON SHOP.
UM, BUT ALSO IF THEY ARE, IF THEY DO HAVE A DAY JOB AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND ON THE SIDE, THEY, THE EVENINGS MIGHT BE THE ONLY TIME THEY COULD DEDICATE TO THIS.
SO, UM, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS THAT YOU ALSO THINK MIGHT BE READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL, MAYBE THAT BUSINESS DOESN'T KNOW THEY ARE AND THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK AT THIS PROGRAM, TALK TO THEM ONE-ON-ONE, JUST, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE 'EM.
I THINK PEOPLE JUST SOMETIMES JUST NEED THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND JUST THE IDEA AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS IS AND HOW IT CAN HELP 'EM.
[00:25:01]
AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP US GET SOME REALLY GOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLICANTS THAT COULD REALLY BENEFIT AND TRULY TAKE THEIR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.WHEN WE DID THE RESOURCE FAIR HERE, UM, BACK IN SEPTEMBER, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO HAS A, UH, AUTO REPAIR SHOP.
AND WE WERE TALKING TO HIM ABOUT IT.
AND SO IF YOU GO TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP HERE IN AUBREY, THAT'S A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, TELL HIM ABOUT IT.
AND, AND SEE, I MEAN, IT SHOULD, IT'S TAKING PLACE AFTER THE SHOP CLOSES.
SO THEY, HE, HE OR SHE SHOULD HAVE TIME THERE.
SO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT YOU MAY ALREADY SHOP AT OR SUPPORT ARE GREAT, UH, POTENTIAL APPLICANTS, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I WILL ADD TO THIS THAT ALTHOUGH REALTORS, INSURANCE BROKERS, THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE A VARIETY, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE, WHETHER IT'S RETAIL AND INSURANCE, WHAT WE DON'T WANNA SEE IS, UH, A SECTION WITH A BUNCH OF INSURANCE OR RETAIL OR REAL, I MEAN A REAL ESTATE, RIGHT? SO AS A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND JUST REMEMBER THAT WE'RE SALES TAX DRIVEN.
SO YES,
OR, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYBE THEIR DISTRIBUTION IS READY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND THEY'RE NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO MAKE THAT BUSINESS MODEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SEE A LOT OF LOCAL SHOPS ALSO DO ONLINE AND LET'S YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER FORM OF, OF, OF BUSINESS LEVEL THAT YOU CAN GO TO, UM, TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO THINK OF, THINK KIND OF THINK ABOUT, UM, AND GO, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THEM AND IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN CALL ME OR TARSHA.
AND THEN AFTER THEY SUCCESSFULLY, SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATE, WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU GOT? DO YOU HAVE, OR SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT WORK? YOU, WE WORK, WE ALL SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? MM-HMM
SO, UM, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO DO IS MAYBE, UM, ONCE THE PROGRAM KICKS OFF, MAYBE THAT FIRST OR SECOND WEEK, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHO'S IN THE ROOM, WHO'S IN THE PROGRAM.
AND WE, WE ALSO ARE DOING A SURVEY.
SO THAT SURVEY WILL GIVE US FEEDBACK ON, AND I BELIEVE WE CAN PROBABLY JUST ASK LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES? I KNOW THAT'S IN THE APPLICATION, WE DO ASK, OKAY.
UH, AROUND LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SKILLS THEY WANT TO LEARN OR IMPROVE UPON.
SO I THINK IT'S, WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT THAT NOW IS LIKE, WHAT IS NEXT? UM, WE, PART OF THE REASON WHY, UH, WEEK SEVEN, THERE'S NO CLASS AND WE HAVE IT CALLED, UH, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE WEEK, IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO PAIR THEM AND CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE, I'VE PROB OH, IN THE PAST 20 YEARS I'VE PROBABLY LED, UH, AT LEAST 10 TO 15 ACCELERATOR PROGRAMS. AND I'VE SEEN IT WHERE AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, THERE WAS NOTHING MM-HMM
IT'S LIKE, THANK YOU, YOU KNOW? YEP.
BUT THE ONES THAT ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND THE BUSINESSES KEEP COMING BACK AND THEY START TO GROW AND THRIVE IS THE ONGOING SUPPORT AND RESOURCES.
SO THINKING ABOUT FROM A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, IF IT IS, HEY, WE WANT TO RE ATTRACT AND RETAIN, UM, POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, MAIN STREET BUSINESSES, LIKE WHAT TYPE OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MIGHT THEY NEED FROM FOLLOW UP AND THEN BRINGING THOSE, UH, LOCAL PARTNERS AND RESOURCES.
'CAUSE CHRISTINA IS BY HERSELF,
SO WE GOTTA BRING THOSE LOCAL PARTNERS AND RESOURCES TOGETHER, UM, AND KIND OF CREATE OUR OWN LITTLE ECOSYSTEM HERE IN AUBREY TO SUPPORT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND YOU ALL HAVE A FLYER WITH A QR CODE ON IT THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO SOMEONE IF YOU WANT, OR, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT IN YOUR POCKET, SHOW 'EM THE QR CODE, GET 'EM RIGHT THERE ON THE WEBSITE WHEN YOU TALK TO 'EM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO I AM VERY HAPPY TO HAVE SASHA'S, UM, PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE ON THIS.
SHE IS OBVIOUSLY VERY SKILLED IN THIS AREA, SO I DO BELIEVE IN BUILDING GREAT TEAMS
SO SHE IS, SHE'S NOW, UH, YOU'RE OFFICIALLY A PART OF MY TEAM.
[00:30:01]
OUR CONTRACTORS AND FACILITATORS ARE PART OF A TEAM? SO, UM, THAT IS, I, IF YOU WANT ME TO JUST MOVE INTO THE STAFF REPORT, UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD.[Staff Report ]
UM, SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW.YOU GOT YOUR STAFF REPORT, UM, DID WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW THE, UM, WEBSITE, I SHOULD HAVE A TEST SITE LINK FOR Y'ALL IN THE NEXT WEEK.
I WILL ASK YOU TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, SHE'S WORKING ON SOME FINAL TOUCHES, UM, SO, UH, THAT'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR Y'ALL TO SEE IT, GIVE FEEDBACK, WE'LL DO SOME THINGS BEFORE WE LAUNCH THAT.
UM, BUT THAT HAS, IT'S A LOT OF DETAIL ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'RE REBUILDING SOME OF THE PAGES.
SO IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THAT, PLUS EVERYTHING ELSE WE'VE HAD GOING ON.
UM, AND THEN REGARDING JUST A COUPLE THINGS ON OUR STAFF REPORT, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO Y'ALL.
NUMBER ONE, THAT POST ON THE AUBREY TIRE OUTLET WAS JUST INCREDIBLE IN TERMS OF ITS REACH.
UM, PEOPLE JUST LOVE STORIES ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO IF YOU HAVE A, A LOCAL BUSINESS HERE IN AUBREY THAT YOU KNOW OF, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AS OUR NEW SITE ROLLS OUT, WE'LL HAVE A, A SECTION WHERE I CAN DO A LITTLE MORE FEATURING.
UM, THAT'S A LITTLE LONGER THAN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST THAT WE CAN DO, UM, IF THEY HAVE ANNIVERSARY MONTHS OR IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE CELEBRATING SOME OTHER SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW ALL THE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT I MIGHT BE MISSING OR MAY NOT KNOW OF, KNOW ABOUT THOSE MILESTONES.
SO, UM, ALSO WANTED TO UM, MENTION THAT WE HAVE UM, THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I EMAILED THIS ACTION PLAN TO Y'ALL.
THIS IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ACTION UPDATES.
I'M GONNA BE JUST DOING THIS FOR Y'ALL EVERY MONTH, BUT IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN NOW.
AND UM, I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT WE WILL HAVE, UM, ON FUTURE AGENDAS BUT THAT ARE IN THE WORKS.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UM, I'LL HAVE, AS WE GET THROUGH OUR GOALS AND SOME OF THE MEASURE METRICS, I'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE, UM, NUMBERS FOR Y'ALL, UM, TO PUT IN HERE.
BUT IF YOU'LL SCROLL TO THE NEXT PAGE.
UM, SO ON OUR GOALS FOR, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UM, SUPPORTING OR CREATING EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BUSINESS RETENTION PROGRAMS, UM, YOU JUST, UH, HEARD ABOUT ONE OF THEM, THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM AND THEN ALSO WE WILL BE UPDATING, UH, LOOKING AT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES POLICY AND RENEWING THAT.
AND THEN IF YOU'LL SCROLL DOWN SOME MORE, THEN WE HAVE UM, OUR STRATEGIC ATTRACTION, UM, FOR RETAIL IS OBVIOUSLY MARKETING AND DOING SHOWS.
I'LL BE DOING ICSC, RED RIVER, IT'S DOWN IN SAN ANTONIO THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE, I THINK IT'S EITHER BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN DALLAS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR BECAUSE OF FIFA, I'M NOT SURE, BUT WE ARE HAVING IT IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE A BOOTH THERE, UM, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME TARGETED RETAILER INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S FEBRUARY 17TH THROUGH THE 19TH.
UM, WHICH IS ALSO THE WEEK THAT WE'LL BE HAVING OUR MENTOR PAIR UP FOR THE ACCELERATOR.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING WITH ME AND GOING DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO FOR A COUPLE DAYS, THAT IS AN OPTION.
UM, I KNOW IT'S FAR AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OFF WORK AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS FUN.
SO NO WORRIES THERE,
BUT, UM, SAN ANTONIO IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TREK.
OKAY, SO NEXT ONE IS, UH, FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR HOSPITALITY AND OUR SPORTS MARKET.
AGAIN, BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, OH OUR, UM, EXPLORING, WELL YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT THE OPRY LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR.
UM, AND THAT WOULD JUST BE AGAIN, OUR GOAL OF EXPLORING PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER INNOVATION IN SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS.
SO AS Y'ALL CAN SEE THIS, UM, ACTION PLAN THIS YEAR IS KIND OF PACKED AND IT'S GREAT.
UM, A LOT OF OUR INITIATIVES ARE TAKING PLACE AND MOVING FORWARD.
SO I HOPE THAT, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT FOR ME AT ANY TIME, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME IF ANY QUESTIONS OR IDEAS, UM, I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO HEARING THOSE AND IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD ON SOME OF THESE, I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR INPUT.
ALRIGHT, WELL IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE
[00:35:01]
AT THIS TIME, ANY FUTURE[Future Agenda Requests]
AGENDA REQUEST OR WELCOME, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON ANY FUTURE AGENDAS? I AM GOING TO MENTION THAT WE WILL ARE LOOKING AT HAVING A JOINT WORK SESSION WITH COUNSEL IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY TIME PERIOD.UM, WE'LL BE ALSO LOOKING AT OUR BYLAWS AT THAT TIME, SO JUST WANNA MENTION THAT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH FEASIBILITY STUDY INFORMATION, THE INCENTIVES POLICY, AND UM, I THINK THAT WAS IT,
UM, AT THIS TIME DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6:36 PM I MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE TIM WITH A MOTION.