Jan 31, 2025
January Newsletter
Tarleton State University
Small Business Development Center
Let our Accredited Business Consultants help you!
Book a consultation with our certified business advisors. Our sessions are confidential, tailored to offer you the personalized resources you need, and no cost to you!
Success Story: White Horse Christian Academy
After 33 years as a public school counselor, Vanessa Halford found her new calling when parents began seeking her help with homeschooling. In 2016, she started White Horse Christian Academy, initially meeting in a church and quickly expanding to a warehouse, serving over 70 students in her first year.
The academy offers programs like master gardening and entrepreneurship. Notably, two eighth graders launched a vending machine business, learning hands on about accounting & customer service.
As enrollment surged, Vanessa sought SBDC assistance for expansion. The academy serves 350 students on campus, supported by 26 fulltime and 4 part-time employees. The academy is building a 16,000 sq. ft. facility.
NEW! VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
We’re excited to announce that virtual workshops, led by Maria Elena Duron, Google Professional Trainer, will be available on a variety of business topics. Stay tuned for more details! 
2024 BY THE NUMBERS
We are proud of the many achievements in 2024. Our progress reflects the dedication and hard work of our team, and we are excited to continue building on this momentum. As we look ahead to 2025, we are optimistic about the opportunities and growth that the year will bring, and we are eager to continue supporting our community and business partners.
SBDC at Tarleton State University Annual Results
Economic Impact Accomplishments from January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024.
RESOURCES
Regional Workshops
In addition to the local workshops offered by the SBDC at Tarleton State University, there are also regional virtual workshops available for you to attend.
SBA Resources
Did you know the SBA offers valuable resources for business owners? Visit their website to explore all the tools and support available to help your business thrive.
SATOP PARTNERSHIP
The Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) is a State of Texas funded program administered by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. SATOP provides FREE technical assistance to small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs located in Texas. This assistance in turn helps create jobs, new products for the market and stimulate the economy.
40 HOUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Eligible entrepreneurs and small businesses located in Texas can be provided with up to 40 hours of FREE technical assistance. Requests must have a distinct and identifiable engineering challenge that appears solvable in the 40-hour limit. Through this program SATOP cannot fund a project, build a prototype, or compete with commercially available services/products. To qualify, the small business must be a Texas business and have one of the following:
â– Patent â– Provisional Patent â– Prototype â– Engineering Drawings
