News & Resources

Remote work is full of paradoxes and ironies. Start with that word: “remote.” It sounds like you’re far, far away, speaking into a tin can. But a fair number of suddenly remote workers have never been more present and accounted for. It also lends itself to the easy joke: “You’re working remotel...Continue Reading

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — Texas A&M has been awarded an Adult Education and Literacy Statewide Professional Development Center Grant in the amount of $2,500,000. “Maintaining a strong adult education system in Texas is an important component in closing the middle-skills gap,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel in a press release. “AE...Continue Reading

A 2021 report by Business Facilities Magazine ranks Texas as No. 1 in the nation for semiconductors and installed wind power capacity and in the Top 10 in its global rankings for Austin’s start-up ecosystem. Business Facilities published these rankings in its State, Metro and Global Rankings Report, the magazine’s annua...Continue Reading

AROUND THIS TIME A YEAR AGO, a lot of life seemed to be in a holding pattern, with progress on many things at a near standstill amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But not everyone allowed adversity to stand in the way of opportunity. Indeed, while most of us were learning the ter...Continue Reading

Earlier this year, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced a proposed change that would double the minimum population threshold for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from 50,000 to 100,000. MSA designations are used to identify cities and surrounding communities linked by social and economic indicators as established by OM...Continue Reading

It’s too soon to gauge the ultimate result of the Biden administration’s efforts to address long-standing vulnerabilities in the nation’s supply chains. But findings from the comprehensive Executive Order (E.O.) 14017 “America’s Supply Chains” released on June 8th set out to put the nation on a stronger course. Following th...Continue Reading

If a global pandemic taught us anything, it’s that our time in this world can be cut short in an instant, so we should make the most of it while we can. This realization has caused many to reevaluate where they’re going professionally and map out how they’d like to mak...Continue Reading

Small business loan approval percentages at big banks ($10 billion+ in assets) climbed slightly from 13.5% in May to 13.6% and small banks’ approvals rose from 18.7% in May to 18.9%, in June 2021, according to the latest Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index.  The pandemic opened up opportunities for many banks...Continue Reading

In the spring of 2020, millions of people were losing their jobs as the pandemic shuttered entire industries and sectors. Individuals who remained employed craved job security, so they hunkered down in gratitude, hoping that they wouldn't be one of the unlucky ones to become unemployed. Fast-forward to June 2021...Continue Reading

Texas shows significant gains in trade exports as of June 2021 over June 2020, according to this month’s U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services June 2021 report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Texas moved significantly ahead of 2020 June reported export trade, with an increase of 60% an...Continue Reading

Most Americans take high speed internet for granted but there’s two million Texans who don’t have broadband access. Glenn Hegar and the Texas Comptroller office are beginning the process of bringing internet to the state’s most rural areas. Up until this point, Texas has been only 1 of 6 states tha...Continue Reading

BRAZOS COUNTY, TX — If you are thinking about starting a business, Wallet Hub says there's no better state than Texas. The website recently published an entire article explaining why the Lone Star State is number one. 19-year-old Madi Stott launched the second location of Texas Size Selfie, an open-air photo boot...Continue Reading

Thankfully, the “New Normal” I wrote about here in the May 2020 issue did have an expiration date after all. There may not be a specific calendar date to point to. But rush hour traffic resembles pre-pandemic volumes, people are traveling in droves — even if masks are still require...Continue Reading

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, tech companies were among the first to successfully adapt to working remotely at scale. Having quickly deployed tools and strategies to keep workers connected and productive, many of the major players in tech leaned into the new work-from-anywhere paradigm, announcing that their flexible or full...Continue Reading

MIDLAND, TX -- Midland Development Corporation recently launched a newly redesigned website, created by Golden Shovel Agency, to further strengthen its online presence and economic growth for the region. The redesigned site is better organized and easy-to-navigate with new layouts and features including an updated homepage, additional videos, and more. “W...Continue Reading

When it comes to efficiency, minimizing less-than-productive meeting time, file transfer, and rework time are key to optimizing project schedules — hazards are lost time and lost money. Collaborative software like BIM 360 reduces time spent in meetings and expedites handoffs, while also effectively eliminating rework by storing data and trackin...Continue Reading

As many of us have heard, recent data suggests that the great resignation is coming. The term “great resignation” was coined by Anthony Klotz, a Texas A&M University associate management professor who has studied the exits of hundreds of workers. In his interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Klotz shares his prediction that many more peopl...Continue Reading

As a business mentor, marketer, writer and storyteller, along with a successful stint as an entrepreneur, I get asked this question many times: “Can you share the most important mantras for becoming a successful first-time entrepreneur?” Here are my half-dozen tips for building a successful new business:  1. Timing is everything Many people think that money and a good idea are all it take...Continue Reading

Have you ever thought about creating an application for your business? The download and use of apps is one of the trends that dominate the current digital market. As currently not all Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) offer them, having a platform like this is a differentiating factor that surprises consumer...Continue Reading

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a myriad of corporations have overhauled the way they operate. Now, with the possibility of a return to the office on the horizon, but with nearly two-thirds of US workers wanting to remain working from home (according to Gallup), organizations need to develo...Continue Reading

If there’s one thing that sets a successful organization apart, it’s the ability to stay on the cusp of innovation and technology.  Creating an innovation-friendly work environment was one of the top priorities on my entrepreneurial journey. With that realization came the understanding that I would need to face the challenges, as well a...Continue Reading

The Texas Economic Development Corporation even drew on one such Texas saying for our tagline — Go Big in Texas — because, as you’ve heard, everything really is bigger in Texas. Entrepreneurship flourishes in Texas because Texans are competitive. Texans are never satisfied with being No. 1 in something; we’re drive...Continue Reading

Foreign investors continued to be interested in acquiring, starting and expanding businesses in the United States despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and Texas led the nation in FDI in 2020, according to a July 1 report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. By U.S. state, Texas received the largest investment, with expenditures o...Continue Reading

Military-grade eyewear maker Wiley X broke ground on its new headquarters building in Frisco’s Star Business Park a few weeks ago. The company had operated out of the Bay Area since it was founded in 1987. “We were doing the research and not seeing any obstacles,” said David Villarina, director o...Continue Reading