Tag Archives: Business Assistance Supplier Diversity

Local business owners learn how to turn contacts to contracts

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Founder of Superb Speakers and Consultants Joyce Scott spoke to a large crowd of small business owners on how life experiences taught her how to not only obtain clients, but how to keep them.

“People do business with people they like,” said Scott. “You build relationships making clients look good.”

Scott stressed that in order to be successful and gain big contracts, business owners must build a winning team by seeking out people who excel in areas they are lacking.

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Benefits of risk evaluation and mitigation the focus of February’s Workshop Wednesday

Prudential Financial Services Manager Ronald Swanson gave tips to Houston-area small business owners on Wednesday about how to evaluate risks and take steps to ensure that their businesses and families are protected in the event of death or disability.

“The worst thing you can do is to have no plan at all,” Swanson said, speaking at HISD’s monthly Workshop Wednesday forum. “You can transfer or mitigate risks though buy-sell agreements and life insurance.”

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COO and Procurement staff discuss upcoming opportunities to do business with HISD

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HISD’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby joined procurement staff on Friday to hold an outreach event for small businesses interested in doing minor maintenance and repair work for the district.

Busby welcomed the group of about 100 and discussed his focus on expanding opportunities for small and minority- and women-owned businesses.

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M/WBE documentation requirements explained at monthly workshop

This month’s Workshop Wednesday featured members of HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity team discussing requirements and tips for completing Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) documentation, which all vendors doing business with the district are required to submit.

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Mentor-protégé program provides opportunities for M/WBE participants

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Recent graduates of the Interagency Mentor-Protégé Program (IMPP) had the opportunity to meet and speak one-on-one with HISD Procurement professionals today during a networking event hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department.

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Workshop attendees learn about overcoming small business obstacles

This month’s Workshop Wednesday featured a presentation by Michelle Levi, president & CEO of Elite Tax and Notary Service, titled Overcoming Small Business Obstacles. Participants learned techniques to increase operational efficiency and boost productivity in a small business environment.

“If you own a small business or are planning to start one, it’s important to know your industry and pitfalls to avoid,” Levi said. “Planning is essential for long-term success.”

Levi stressed the importance of sound administrative practices to about 40 attendees and explained that maintaining a successful small business comes through having a strong structure that is purposefully organized.

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June’s Workshop Wednesday features helpful tips to protect against cyber attacks

A group of 25 local business owners received tips and strategies for preventing cyber-attacks and security breaches on Wednesday during a monthly workshop hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department.

Cybersecurity expert Peter Thomas gave a presentation on building cyber resilience and being proactive in a reactive cyber world. Thomas currently serves as chief technology officer of Blue Lance, a global provider of cybersecurity products and services that help companies assess and remediate the security of their information systems.

“The human factor is the biggest cyber risk and vulnerability for any organization,” said Thomas. “No machine can beat a well-trained employee.”

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Workshop Wednesday features tips for achieving desired results

About 40 business representatives participated in this month’s Workshop Wednesday, hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department, which featured a high-energy interactive presentation by author and artist Amy Malkan entitled Achieving Your Desired Results.

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Malkan led the group through activities and examples demonstrating that most people are conditioned to view situations from a certain point of view. She said that changing your perspective is often effective in improving your outcomes.

“We are conditioned with our own belief system and our perceptions of how we see the world,” Malkan said. “Every one of us have blind spots, but if you can put yourself in the other person’s shoes, whether it’s your customer, your boss, or your spouse, you will be more likely to get a positive result.” Continue reading →

Businesses get customer service tips during Workshop Wednesday

More than three dozen local business owners learned strategies and tips for improving customer service on Wednesday during a monthly workshop hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department.

Customer service expert trainer Mercedes Alfaro spoke to the group, presenting tips for delivering superior customer service and discussing the importance of identifying consumer needs. Alfaro works with companies across the nation, speaking on topics such as management, leadership, communication, diversity sensitivity and customer service.

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