Readiness Training Program for

Historically Underutilized Businesses /

Small Businesses

Funnel Two, Summer 2025

Learn How To:

Grow your business

Enhance your capacity

Advance in concepts and techniques

Find contract opportunities with government agencies

Readiness Training Program for HUBs/Small Businesses: Two-Part Training Program

The Readiness Training Program for HUBs/Small Businesses is an innovative training program that enhances the competitiveness and capacity of minority and women- owned small businesses to bid on public sector contracts in the Austin region. The RTP for HUBs has a two-funnel (phase) design that addresses the needs of participating companies at various stages of their growth, as well as governments that rely extensively on minority/women owned small businesses to provide necessary services and products.

Funnel One is designed for minority and women owned businesses that are either new or still small (start-ups or companies with under $500K in revenues.) This training will be offered in Fall 2025.

Funnel Two is designed for more mature companies (revenues above $500K, and more employees) that are seeking to increase their capacity to win and execute successful contracts with local, state, and federal agencies in the Austin region. All sessions in Funnel Two offer more advanced business concepts, techniques, and information that have proven effective in growing a business. This training is being offered in Summer 2025.

Scroll down to see the tentative agenda for the main sessions and workshops. Please read the FAQs for additional details.

FAQS  

 

Funnel Two – Summer 2025 – Application OPEN!

Applications are being accepted now. Decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants are urged to apply early with the required information. Applications submitted after May 28th will not be considered.

APPLY HERE

 

Questions? Contact James E. Jarrett, Program Lead, at jj@ic2.utexas.edu

Funnel Two, Cohort 4

Main Sessions and Workshops, Summer 2025

Note: Presenter Confirmations are PENDING. Look for periodic updates.

All Sessions are Online.
Sessions are on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:45
Workshops are on Thursdays from 4:15 to 5:45

Session 1: June 3rd

Welcoming Remarks | Dr. John Sibley Butler, Principal Investigator of the RTP for HUBs, Professor Emeritus of Management, former Director of the IC2 Institute, UT Austin; Recognition of Sponsors; Special Presentation | Jeffrey Travillion, Travis County Commissioner; Company Self-Introductions

Session 2: June 10th

Marketing for Growth | Cheryl A. Brown, Executive Director, North San Diego Small Business Development Center (SBDC); Jessica Scanlon, CEO, Hot Dog Marketing

Session 3: June 24th

Human Resources | Deirdre Patillo, University of Texas at San Antonio SBDC Center for Government Contracting; Mike Haggerty, Co-Owner, Thundercloud Subs

Session 4: July 8th

Small Business Finance for Owner-Operated Businesses | Jim Nolen, McCombs School of Business, UT Austin

Session 5: July 22nd

Topic to Be Determined by Participating Companies (see list of possible topics for Workshop 2 below); Graduation

Workshops 2025

Workshops are on Thursday from 4:15 to 5:45

Workshop 1: June 12th

Local and State HUB / DBE / SBE Program Overviews, Bid Opportunities, and Upcoming Initiatives | Randle Jackson. Assistant Director, Travis County HUB Program, Travis County Purchasing Office; Carlos Balderas, Manager, Supplier Diversity and Civil Rights Compliance, Capital Metro Transportation Authority; Gary Hampton Jr., HUB Director, UT-Austin HUB/SBE Program; Catherine Sak, Program Manager II, Small and Minority Business Resources Department, City of Austin; Dinita Caldwell, Executive Director, Austin Independent School District HUB Program; Austin Community College

Workshop 2: July 17th

Topics to be Determined (see below)

Admitted companies will choose two topics from those below. One will be the topic for main session #5 and the other will be the topic for workshop #2.

  • Project Management (Within Projects and Balancing Project Workloads)
  • Responding to Public Purchasing Solicitations (When and How to Propose Bids)
  • Business Strategies for Competing with Larger Firms in Your Industry
  • Improving Your Elevator Pitch
  • Artificial Intelligence Applications for Small Businesses
  • Finding Partners, Primes, and Mentors for Collaboration/Better Networking
  • Advice from Successful Small Business—A Panel
  • Utilizing Purchasing Cooperatives

Readiness Training Program: Previous Program Materials

The following link provides all previous session information, participant information, presenters and video training:

RTP for HUBs/Small Businesses Previous Session Information

This training program is made possible by major financial support from the Travis County Purchasing Office, with additional support from the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Small and Minority Business Resources Department of the City of Austin, and the IC2 Institute.

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