40 Years of Empowering Entrepreneurs
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we reflect on a journey of growth, innovation, and unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. The University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center (TXGC SBDC) Network has played a pivotal role in fostering economic development and empowering countless individuals to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
A History of Our SBDC Network
October 1, 2024, marks our 40th year of operation as an SBDC network. Since 1984, we have been proudly hosted by the University of Houston, a Tier One Research University. Our journey began in 1984 with the launch of our Houston Center, providing a central advising and training hub for the local business community.
Our network's expansion started early, with our first field center established in 1985 at Lone Star College District SBDC in The Woodlands. Over the next few years, we continued to grow with new locations:
- 1987: Brazos Valley SBDC in Bryan
- 1988: Blinn College SBDC in Brenham
- 1988: Brazosport College SBDC in Lake Jackson
- 1988: Lamar University SBDC in Beaumont
- 1988: Lee College SBDC in Baytown
By 1990, we added:
- Angelina College SBDC in Lufkin
And in 1992:
- Sam Houston State University SBDC in Huntsville
Each addition expanded our reach, enhancing our capacity to support local businesses across the region.
Expansion and Innovation
As our network approached its 20th anniversary, we accelerated our expansion, adding more centers to provide support to an even broader community:
- 1998: Lamar State College SBDC in Port Arthur and San Jacinto College SBDC in Pearland
- 2000: Coastal Plains SBDC in Bay City (combined with the Ft. Bend SBDC in 2019)
- 2002: Fort Bend County SBDC in Missouri City (UH-hosted)
- 2004: Prairie View A&M University SBDC in Prairie View
- 2006: Galveston County SBDC in Texas City (UH-hosted beginning in FY2016)
This period was also marked by innovation, with our network playing an instrumental role in helping businesses access Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, providing funding for essential research and development projects.
Digital Transformation
As the internet and e-commerce rose to prominence, our network stepped up to help more than 24,000 clients embrace digital transformation, from adopting e-commerce to developing digital marketing strategies. With the rise of social media, we proactively offered workshops on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, empowering entrepreneurs to build their brands, expand their reach, and increase sales.
Economic Recovery Support
Our network provided essential support to small businesses during the 2008 financial crisis through strategic financial advising, loan assistance, and recovery planning, ensuring that local businesses had the tools they needed to weather economic challenges.
Driving Impact
As we entered our fourth decade, the TXGC SBDC Network continued its mission of empowering entrepreneurs, serving over 28,000 clients, creating more than 22,000 jobs, and securing over $1.4 billion in funding and capital for small businesses. We helped launch over 3,400 new businesses, further boosting economic growth across our region.
Crisis Response
In times of crisis, our network has been a lifeline for the community. In 2017, we established Business Recovery Centers in response to Hurricane Harvey, providing crucial support for SBA disaster loan applications and recovery strategies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we received a $4 million CARES grant to assist small businesses with recovery programs, funding, and guidance to navigate unprecedented challenges.
Our SBDC Network Today
Today, our network remains a driving force for small business success across the Texas Gulf Coast:
- We’ve helped clients access over $2 billion in start-up and expansion capital.
- We’ve retained more than 10,400 jobs and created over 36,000 jobs.
- We host an average of 270+ in-person training classes and webinars yearly to support ongoing business education.
- We support over 3,200 minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses annually in reaching their entrepreneurial goals.
- Our dedicated business advisors provide an estimated 30,000 hours of free, one-on-one consulting each year.
As we look back on our 40-year history, we are proud of our accomplishments and the positive impact we’ve had on our community. From a single location in Houston, serving just over 1,000 clients, we’ve grown into one of the nation’s largest SBDC networks, with 14 centers aiding nearly 9,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners annually across 33 counties. Our commitment to providing exceptional support, fostering innovation, and adapting to the changing business landscape has been instrumental in our journey.
