Tag Archives: workshop wednesday

Local vendors receive tips on creating HISD proposals

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Founder and President of Keystone Resources Julie Irvin taught a crowd of local vendors the tips and tricks to creating a successful proposal for HISD.

Irvin said most businesses are unaware of the great resources available to them via the HISD website or the subscriber emails sent by the HISD Business Assistance department.

“HISD has all of these golden opportunities for small businesses, but they’re not able to meet the goals simply because businesses don’t put in a proposal because they don’t know what to do,” said Irvin.

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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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Workshop attendees learn growth strategies for small business

This month’s Workshop Wednesday featured a presentation from Melissa Rascon, managing partner and founder of The Rascon CPA Firm, who discussed business strategies to grow a small business as well as tax updates and tips.IMG_8688

“When you start your business, it’s so important to have a passion for what you do and be very deliberate in your plans,” Rascon said. “A positive attitude and state of mind are essential.”

Rascon also discussed the pros and cons of various corporate structures, the importance of focusing on sales every day, and which numbers a business owner should keep an eye on.

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Monthly workshop features coaching on leadership communications

Participants in this month’s Workshop Wednesday, entitled Talk Like a Leader, learned that strong leadership and effective communication go hand-in-hand, and received tips on incorporating constructive phrases, positive body language, and effective vocal quality into daily interactions.workshopwed 0716

Presented by Corinne Chalmers, owner and leadership coach at Deliberate Changes, the workshop also gave insight into fundamental strategies for what works and what doesn’t when influencing others.

“Leadership is all about influencing a group toward a common goal,” Chalmers said. “There is very little distinction between strong leadership skills and strong communication skills.”

The group of about 50 attendees learned to drop key phrases that harm credibility and adopt new ones that create positive influence and encourage mutual respect in a conversation. Continue reading →

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 →

HISD helps local startup companies learn how to apply for business loans

Loan officer Anthony Lopez of LiftFund WW Jan 16this week offered tips to local business owners on securing small business loans for startup businesses.

“We finance startup businesses, and we have a simple formula that we give to our customers to discover what they need to qualify for a loan,” Lopez said during HISD’s monthly Workshop Wednesday.

The sessions are held on the first Wednesday of the month and are hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department.

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HISD Procurement Team tells all at Workshop Wednesday

procurement wwApril’s Workshop Wednesday presentation was led by members of HISD’s procurement department, and provided valuable tips for businesses interested in doing business with the district.

The standing-room-only event was held at the Hattie Mae White building and featured an overview of the structure of the department, roles and operating procedures of the procurement team, and advice on how businesses can be more successful in winning contracts.

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Vendors, Suppliers Get Tips on HISD Bidding Process

Vendors and suppliers curious about how to do business with HISD got an overview Wednesday on how to fill out a “Request for Proposal,” the paperwork required for companies to bid on a project.

More than 45 people turned out for the workshop, sponsored by the district’s Office of Business Assistance. Leading the two-hour event was HISD procurement manager Robert B. Fazakerly, who covered topics such as how RFPs are evaluated and the importance of meeting all specified deadlines.

“We go by the time and date stamp at the board services office,” Fazakerly said. “If it’s late, we’re not even going to open the box.”

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