High Plains of Texas wooing entrepreneurs
By Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA

High Plains of Texas is known globally for its cotton industry. Efforts are underway here to grow new industries and develop entrepreneurs. A group of likeminded people with interest in entrepreneurialism and developing businesses in Lubbock, Texas is organising the weekly 1 Million Cups Lubbock programme to kickstart start-ups and businesses in the High Plains. 1 Million Cups is a US nationwide educational programme for prospective and budding business people developed by Kansas-based Kauffman Foundation.

On March 2, 2016, Kelly Martin, a licensed professional counsellor briefed the audience about how she created The Playroom Lubbock, a play therapy-based counseling service offered to needy children and adolescents. Apart from going over the business plan that has enabled her to have a business with 20 clients in eight months or so, a valuable marketing tip Kelly Martin gave may be of immense help to budding business people.

A major hurdles that deters young people in venturing into being an entrepreneur is how to go about marketing the products and services. In a question by this scribe, Martin provided her own example of how her company started promoting about the services The Playroom Lubbock will provide even before the company actually became fully operational with a brick and mortar structure.

Apart from flyers and advertisements, it is the face to face briefing and promotional efforts well in advance to prospective buyers before the products are out there to be sold are some sage advice in growing a business. Planned and well thought out marketing even before a company begins its operation to provide goods and service to customers will be of help to budding entrepreneurs and small business sector.