The Small Business Monthly

June 2026

Dear Small Business Owner:

Welcome to June!

As we move into the start of summer, we also enter the beginning of hurricane season—a time that reminds us how important preparation and resilience are for our small business community. Planning ahead can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your operations and staying open in the face of unexpected disruptions.

This month, we’re focused on helping you strengthen your business continuity strategies. We’ll feature a critical session on emergency preparedness for small businesses, offering practical guidance to help you develop a plan of action—whether facing natural disasters or other unforeseen challenges. We’ll also host an important session on business insurance, a key tool for safeguarding your current operations and supporting long-term growth.

You’ll find these sessions listed in the training calendar below, along with additional events and resources in our news and information section designed to support your success.

We look forward to connecting with you and helping you build a stronger, more resilient business this month and beyond!

Warmest regards,

UTRGV Small Business Development Center

Celebrating over 35 years of service!

Proud Member of the Texas South-West SBDC Network

News & Information

Around the Rio Grande Valley

➤ This summer, the UTRGV SBDC joins university partners for a Business Resource Showcase, a multi‑city series offering entrepreneurs and community members access to small business resources, government contracting information, business incubation, professional development, and more. Events will take place through July, with networking at 1:30 PM and program sessions from 2:00–4:00 PM. Businesses and community members are encouraged to attend the event closest to them. The next showcases take place in Harlingen on June 2 and Weslaco on June 23. View the full schedule and register here.

➤ The UTRGV SBDC has been invited to speak at the upcoming InnovationTX Business Program Summer I, powered by Kauffman FastTrac and hosted by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. The Center will deliver sessions in both English and Spanish on June 9, focusing on strategies for effectively analyzing and reaching target markets. For more information about this program, please contact the McAllen Chamber of Commerce at 956-682-2871.

➤ The Consulate of Mexico in Brownsville will host the 7th edition of Mexicana Emprende, a program supporting women of Latin origin in launching businesses in the U.S. The UTRGV SBDC will deliver one of the program sessions on June 10, focusing on compliance considerations for starting a business in the U.S. Learn more here.

➤ The UTRGV SBDC will participate as a speaker in the Boots to Business Reboot on June 10 at the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. This two-step training program for Veterans and their spouses provides participants with an overview of business ownership as a career path, key components of a business plan, a practical exercise in opportunity recognition, and an introduction to available public and private sector resources. Register for this course here.

➤ The UTRGV SBDC has been invited to a graduation ceremony and luncheon on June 16 for participants of the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Small Business Academy. The Center was honored to serve as a speaker in the Academy, supporting participants in their entrepreneurial journey and business development. For more information on this program or the ceremony, please contact the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at 956-928-0060.

➤ SBA has announced drought relief for Texas businesses, including those in the Rio Grande Valley. Low‑interest disaster loans are now available to eligible small businesses and nonprofits to help cover operating expenses such as payroll and rent. Learn more here.

Small Business Success Story: A.S.I.

Advocates Searching for Independence (A.S.I.), LLC is a business committed to empowering individuals with disabilities to discover or create meaningful opportunities for full community inclusion.

Founded and operated by Sonia Quintero in McAllen, Texas, the organization stays true to its mission by employing 60-70 percent of individuals with disabilities in part-time roles. Mrs. Quintero's dedication to this cause earned her the "We Hire in the State of Texas" award from Texas Workforce Solutions.

Business Advising Services

Meet with a Business Advisor from the UTRGV SBDC

The UTRGV SBDC is here to provide personalized support, as you develop and execute operational and growth strategies for your business. Confidential business advising services are available to you, either in person or virtually, by appointment, and at absolutely no cost.

Reach out to your advisor today to arrange a follow-up appointment. If you are new to the UTRGV SBDC, please visit eCenter Direct to register and schedule your initial appointment. If you're unable to access eCenter Direct online, please call our office at (956) 665-7535 for further assistance.

Stay connected with us! Follow us on Facebook for the latest information and resources for your small business.

Business Training Calendar

Seminars & Webinars in the Rio Grande Valley

6/3 Make AI Work for Local Businesses 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/10 Boots to Business Reboot 8:00 AM | In-Person | No Fee *Veterans and Spouses

6/11 Grow Your Business with AI Powered Tools 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/11 SBDC Smart Start 2:00 PM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/16 Small Business Emergency Preparedness 2:00 PM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/17 Marketing in Your Community 10:00 AM | In-Person | No Fee *Palmview Businesses

6/17 Automate Business Workflows Using Gemini 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/18 Make Better Decisions with Analytics and AI 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

6/23 SBDC Smart Start: Hands-On Edition 10:00 AM | In-Person | No Fee

6/24 Insurance 101 for Small Business Owners 2:00 PM | Live Webinar | No Fee

Plus, coming up in July:

7/1 AI+YouTube 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

7/8 Turning Business Documents into Action Using NotebookLM 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

7/22 SBDC Smart Start: Hands-On Edition 10:00 AM | In-Person | No Fee

7/22 Get Your Business on Google Search and Maps 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

7/29 Building Marketing Assets Faster 11:00 AM | Live Webinar | No Fee

Webinars in our Texas South-West SBDC Network

6/2 Home-Based Daycares: What You Need to Know 10:00 AM | Live Webinar | SRSU Alpine SBDC

6/15 Strategic Value Masters 9:30 AM | Live Webinar | TXST SBDC

6/18 Making Magic with Short Form Video 10:00 AM | Live Webinar | TAMUV SBDC

6/25 Website Building Essentials (Part 2) 2:00 PM | Live Webinar | DMC SBDC

*Additional sessions found on eCenter.

Market Research Services

Access to SBDCNet: A Nation-Wide Service

The Texas South-West SBDC Network is proud to host SBDCNet, the National Information Clearinghouse for America's Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). This official program, backed by the U.S. SBA, provides vital support to small businesses and SBDCs across the nation, offering market research and valuable resources. It reaches over 1,000 centers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Resources and information from SBDCNet includes the following:

Additionally, as a client of the UTRGV SBDC, you have access to customized market research for your business. Whether you are exploring an industry for business startup, determining your target market to plan for promotional and sales strategies, or assessing growth opportunities, connect with your business advisor at the UTRGV SBDC to get help in acquiring your personalized reports. Call (956) 665-7535, or email sbdc@utrgv.edu for an appointment today.

Additional Partner Services

Texas South-West SBDC Network

The Texas South-West SBDC Network has 10 field offices (including the UTRGV SBDC) that provide services to a 79-county region. Check out additional center training events at the TXSW SBDC Network.

U.S. Small Business Administration in the Lower Rio Grande Valley District

The UTRGV SBDC is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Locally, the SBA Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office serves 14 counties in southern Texas. The SBA office in Harlingen can be reached at (956) 427-8533. SBA offers a variety of online courses to help you start and run your business. Visit the SBA Learning Center for a list of courses to help you along your entrepreneurial journey. In addition, SBA has an online portal that can help businesses find potential lenders with competitive rates and fees. Visit SBA Lender Match for details.

UTRGV Office of Workforce & Economic Development

The UTRGV Office of Workforce & Economic Development (OWED) supports economic development in the Rio Grande Valley through services by the UTRGV SBDC and the following centers. For more information on these services, visit UTRGV OWED or any of the centers below.

UTRGV APEX Accelerator (APEX)

UTRGV Data and Information Systems Center (DISC)

UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC)

UTRGV Professional Education & Workforce Development (PEWD)

UTRGV Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

UTRGV Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)

UTRGV SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

BUILDING THE TEXAS ECONOMY ONE BUSINESS AT A TIME

Office Locations

UTRGV CESS Bldg. | 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Dr. | Suite 1.200 | Edinburg, Texas 78539

eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization | 1304 E. Adams St. | Brownsville, TX 78520

(956) 665-7535 | sbdc@utrgv.edu | www.utrgv.edu/sbdc

Funded in part through the State of Texas and a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBDC services are provided to all U.S. citizens and legal residents in accordance with Federal funding requirements. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the UTRGV SBDC at (956) 665-7535.

At The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the UTRGV SBDC is a center of the Office of Workforce and Economic Development (OWED), under the UTRGV Division of Governmental & Community Relations. OWED aims to address issues that impact the long-term welfare of the community through private/public partnership efforts. For more information on these efforts, please call (956) 665-3361 or email vpgcr@utrgv.edu.