EGBI is an organization that helps small businesses grow. Their mission is to eliminate barriers, and train and coach small business owners. They made it accessible to come in contact with EGBI to expand their business to its fullest potential.
What is 501 C3?
501 C3 means that the business has a non profit status. They are not part of the city, but work closely with the city.
What is EGBI’s mission?
They train, coach, and support small businesses, and eliminate barriers so that the business owners that EGBI serves can run successful businesses.
What service does EGBI offer?
They offer training, help with planning, and management. Businesses that have been around for three or more years are offered a plan to get their business to the next level.
How long was EGBI around for?
EGBI has been around for 19 years.
Who are EGBI’s ideal clients?
They support many different types of businesses for example, hair salons, food trucks, restaurants, photographers, ect.
What is the process to work with EGBI?
The process to work with EGBI is simple. There are many ways to come in contact with EGBI.
If EGBI doesn’t charge, then how does EGBI make a profit?
EGBI doesn’t want money to be an issue for someone that wants to work with them, so for now they have a contract with the city of Austin to eliminate financial barriers one might have.
How do I keep in touch with EGBI?
Anyone can sign up to the newsletter, and you can follow them on social media like Instagram, Facebook and youtube.
Begoña Calderón Lozano, originally from Cádiz, Spain, graduated in Journalism from the University of Seville just two months ago and also embarked on a course called MasterClass at the School of Reporters of Andalusia in Seville. When she’s not immersed in the world of news, she shows her passion for volleyball and fashion and even takes thrilling motorcycle rides through the Sierra de Cádiz with her father. She’s no stranger to adrenaline, having parachuted from an airplane at an astounding 4,600 meters high. Her journey to EGBI in Austin began as a result of an online volunteer search, and since then, she has been enjoying the satisfaction of helping others while expanding her professional and personal horizons. The most exciting experience for her so far has been recording a podcast, something she will surely remember forever.
Share a fun fact with us:
A fun fact about me is that I enjoy extreme sports. A year ago, I parachuted from an airplane at 4,600 meters high. I also consider myself a very adventurous person, always eager to explore new things.
How did you first get involved with EGBI? I’ve only been in Austin for 2 months, and I found EGBI on a volunteer website. My first contact with EGBI was at an event, and I felt so comfortable that I didn’t hesitate to help them for these 2 months.
Why are you a volunteer for EGBI? Helping people is a very satisfying feeling. It’s a way to make yourself happy because you’re helping others, and others are helping you. You grow as a person and create a unique experience. I’ve met wonderful people.
How has your collaboration with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally? I couldn’t have chosen a better volunteer opportunity with EGBI. In terms of professional growth, I’ve been doing translations and writing for the blog, which has helped me learn new vocabulary in English. I’ve had the opportunity to host the La Incubadora Podcast and conduct interviews in both Spanish and English. Personally, I’ve been able to grow as a person, face new situations, and that has made me mature in other ways.
What was the most rewarding experience you had while working as a volunteer at EGBI? The opportunity to record the podcast has been the most fulfilling experience. I am immensely grateful to EGBI for having me and giving me this opportunity that I will never forget. I couldn’t be happier with this experience.
Why do you think others should volunteer or support EGBI? Being a volunteer for EGBI is a way to help others. You grow as a person, and it’s beautiful to see how EGBI gets involved with you to make you feel comfortable. I thank them for everything; they are wonderful people, and in no time, they made me feel at home.
Larry D. Williams is the Community Liaison for the HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) of the Purchasing Department of Travis County. Travis County and its HUB department are award-winning organizations within the government purchasing arena. He received his BA from Arizona State in Mass Communications and Media Studies with a minor in Public Policy and Public Service. Larry prides himself in bringing professionalism, innovation, and equity to the forefront of every position he has been involved in. Larry has focused his entire career on expanding nonprofits’ and governmental agencies’ community-level work to enhance their effectiveness with their most important stakeholders. It is his passion for seeing professionals and community organizations break through their boundaries and expand their effectiveness in their given communities.
–Larry shares his experience as a volunteer with EGBI.
–Share a fun fact with us.
A fun fact about me is that I am new to Central Texas. I have an ever-growing list on my phone of great and unique places on my phone that I have experienced since I moved here.
“It became more desirable for me to be a small part of seeing that mission available to the community” – Larry D.Williams
-How did you first get involved with EGBI?
When I was hired as the Community Liaison for the Travis County Purchasing HUB program I went through the HUB Resource Guide and connected with external stakeholders listed there. EGBI was one of those organizations.
-Why do you volunteer for EGBI?
I was first impressed by the professionalism of the staff. As I became more aware of the mission and vision of EGBI it became more desirable for me to be a small part of seeing that mission available to the community.
-How has your involvement with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally?
My time volunteering with EGBI introduced me to the entrepreneurial climate of Austin and Travis County. Being involved with EGBI also made me that much more excited to enhance this community by improving the access that Historically Underutilized Businesses have to the Purchasing process of Travis County.
– What was the most rewarding experience you had while volunteering for EGBI?
Being able to share the HUB process of not only Travis County but also the other governmental agencies in the area.
– Why do you think others should volunteer or support EGBI?
I believe others will find a passion for the entrepreneurial climate of the City of Austin and Travis County and its importance in our community.
EGBI provides training, coaching, and support to aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business. If you would like to support our efforts, please visit our website https://egbi.org/donate/.
Born in Venezuela, Maria holds a bachelor’s in architecture and a marketing certificate. As a new degree holder, she had the opportunity to work in trade shows’ booth design and production, translating into more than ten years of work in the field of trade shows and corporate image. Later, she moved to the United States and worked in higher education administration spearheading the student services department in a private university. For more than a decade she worked developing student services procedures and training with a particular concentration on students’ non-academic matters assistance, regulations compliance, campus safety, handbook revision and update, student onboarding, and major university events.
Her responsibilities as a student services administrator also provided her with an open door for community service, getting involved in organizing fundraising and awareness events to support national and local organizations, overseeing, and advising students’ clubs and associations, and mentoring the Student Government Association.
Her volunteer work led her to act as a mentor for a non-profit organization, Youth and Democracy in the Americas. Being its Mission to raise awareness regarding the situation of democracy in Latin America, it successfully progressed attaining the support of the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States Luis Almagro, several US Senators and Representatives, national and foreign student organizations, and various other non-profit organizations.
More recently, Maria has been involved in e-commerce and logistics having among her duties the translation and interpretation of meetings, training, and documents for limited English proficient team members. In her spare time, she volunteers as an assistant instructor for an early literacy for adults’ program, and as an English-Spanish translator and interpreter for non-profit organizations.
–Maria shares her experience as a volunteer with EGBI.
–Share a fun fact with us.
I love to swim in cold waters but not on the beach or rivers. I prefer to swim by jumping off of a boat, in the clear shallow blue waters of the open sea.
“It is an exciting opportunity to learn about EGBI’s work and mission” – Maria Hoffman
-How did you first get involved with EGBI?
I was looking for opportunities to volunteer and got involved with EGBI through Volunteer Match.
-Why do you volunteer for EGBI?
It’s an opportunity that allows me to give back to the community. On the other hand, I have the chance to put into practice my translation skills, which is something I highly enjoy.
-How has your involvement with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally?
Professionally I believe it is an exciting opportunity to learn about EGBI’s work and mission. Personally, EGBI provides me with the rewarding feeling of being of help for a good cause.
– What was the most rewarding experience you had while volunteering for EGBI?
I’m new to EGBI, yet I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate to spread the voice about the resources available for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
– Why do you think others should volunteer or support EGBI?
Helping small businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed is very important, and volunteering with EGBI increases the opportunities to accomplish that goal.
EGBI provides training, coaching, and support to aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business. If you would like to support our efforts, please visit our website https://egbi.org/donate/.
Are you starting your own business? Do you want to know if anyone around you is too?
Alignable is an online network that connects small business owners. It is a US-based company that went public in 2014. Now, it has more than 7 million members.
Imagine a LinkedIn but specifically, for micro and small business owners.
Here is what Alignable can help you with:
Make connections with other business owners
Alignable is meant to act as an “ice breaker” for this community by helping you make connections, post about your business, and refer others. You can announce new events or product lines to all your contacts at once.
You can also create and join groups to connect with other business owners that have similar interests. When you first join, Alignable adds you to a community that includes the businesses in your general area.
This makes it easy for other owners in your area to seek out your business and vice versa. Once you establish a connection with each other, you can continue it through Alignable.
Contribute to your local community
Alignable is great to get you in contact with business owners in your local community.
It spans about 5 to 10 towns in your area and you can personalize your connections by specifying who you want to connect with.
These might be potential customers and partners!
Here are 3 Steps to Promoting Your Business on Alignable:
Step 1: Figure out the logistics
You need your post to communicate your event or announcement clearly. What is the title of your announcement? What is the date and time of your event? Who is it for? What are you promoting?
Step 2: Create art for your post
Unique social media art is a big part of catching your audience. Make sure your message is clear and the color palette is simple. Your design should be something that you stop scrolling to take a look.
Step 3: Share your post
Below is a list of all the different functions on Alignable. You are able to click what kind of post you want to share so your potential consumers can understand your post’s purpose.
The main difference between Alignable and LinkedIn is that it’s more casual. Since it connects you from town to town, it feels close knit.
If you want to contribute to your local community and connect with other small business owners in your area, Alignable might be good for you.
Small businesses deserve the spotlight too.
See if Alignable is a good complimentary platform for you.
