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Entrepreneurs, small businesspeople and those looking to learn more about going into business are invited to the second annual Small Business Symposium.

The Small Business Development Center at Lamar State College Port Arthur is hosting the event, and they are targeting interests in Bridge City, Orange, Vidor, Port Arthur, Groves, Nederland and Port Neches municipalities.

The event is planned Sept. 12 at Robert “Bob” Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All Southeast Texas small businesses are welcome to register at sbdc.uh.edu/assnfe/ev.asp?ID=14074.

The $30 per person registration fee includes lunch and all breakout sessions.

In addition, businesses that provide services to small business owners are also invited to participate as an exhibitor.

They can contact LSCPA SBDC at 409-984-6530 for information on how to participate.

The Symposium includes morning and afternoon breakout sessions with topics including:

• How to Secure SBA Guaranteed Loans – presented by the Small Business Administration,
• Business Plan Basics,
• Cybersecurity for Small Businesses,
• Insurance Requirements for Small Businesses,
• Marketing and many other sessions.

Keynote speaker Norm Van Eeden Petersman takes the stage at lunch for a “Strong Towns Curbside Chat.”

Petersman will explain how so many American cities have found themselves in decline after decades of “growth.”

The problem lies in the current model of development — one which values short-term gains over long-term prosperity.

“Strong Towns” hypothesizes that to strengthen our cities and ensure their economic success, communities must look to traditional ways of building cities. In this presentation, Petersman will show how active citizens, local officials and design professionals can change the negative trajectory in their towns and help them to become more resilient — no matter what challenges lie ahead.

In addition to the breakout sessions and keynote presentation, an exhibitor area will be open throughout the day showcasing businesses that provide products and/or services to small businesses.

“It’s an opportunity to find resources and assist you in developing business to business relationships,” said Dana Espinal, executive director of the SBDC at Lamar State College Port Arthur.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is also conducting Lender Training in the morning and hosting a Meet the Lender session for entrepreneurs from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The Meet the Lender session matches businesses with potential lenders by industry type, age of business, location and financial need.

“We are excited to host this event to help local, small businesses develop their skills and grow their business at an affordable cost,” Espinal said.

“I’ve been approached by several small business owners that have indicated it is hard for me to attend all the different trainings and workshops throughout the year. It would be great to have maybe a half day or full day of trainings and get trained-up to see what I need more of, then schedule those trainings.”

The SBDC would like to thank the presenting sponsor, Motiva Enterprises, and training sponsor, Golden Pass LNG, for continued support of LSCPA SBDC.