The town hall scene was set at El Paso Community College (EPCC), where the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) teamed up with the Contract Opportunities Center to bring U.S. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar in front of a local audience of small business leaders. The SBDC and the Contract Opportunities Center serve as pillars in the community, offering services ranging from personalized business advising to help with securing contracts and subcontracting work. "I know it's tough to be in business, but the EPCC SBDC provides a critical information and support lifeline to folks who have the courage to open a small business, and greater courage to expand a small business," Escobar said, as per EPCC News.
Attendance numbers neared the hundred mark as entrepreneurs partook in a gathering enhanced by the culinary creations from EPCC's own Culinary Arts department students, who offered pastries and fruit. The fruits of the SBDC's labor were not confined to the catering but reflected in the statistics too, and here we are talking about some commendable figures, their report detailed that they had a hand in fostering 534 new and saved jobs, launching 44 new businesses, bumping up the revenue by over $28 million, and securing more than $13 million in capital formation; they also advised 607 entrepreneurs through the 2024 program year, SBDC's report stated, as obtained by EPCC News.
EPCC SBDC Director Audrey Marrufo highlighted the necessity of the available resources. "It's so important that the public utilizes the information that we can provide," Marrufo emphasized, "The SBDC and the Contract Opportunities Center, there is so much information that can prepare them for the challenges ahead," said in a statement, as obtained by EPCC News. The SBDC is known for providing no-cost, confidential business advising that encompasses a wide array of needs, from startup ventures and expansions to loan proposals and marketing strategies.
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