BiGAUSTIN Announces Speaker Line Up for Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Su

Online, September 14, 2009 (Newswire.com) - BiGAUSTIN is pleased to announce the participation of an impressive array of speakers at the upcoming Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Summit" taking place October 1st at Parmer Events Center in Austin.

Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Summit" will assist laid-off and displaced workers interested in going into business for themselves, and those that are already self-employed, by introducing them to small business assistance providers, government agencies, chambers of commerce, training program providers and lending institutions.

Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Summit" will have five track sessions where aspiring and existing entrepreneurs can learn and discover business opportunities. The session tracks are:

Exploring Entrepreneurship

John Paul Porter, Director of Marketing / Training for BiGAUSTIN, who will speak to aspiring entrepreneurs to help them determine if self-employment is appropriate for them

Patti D. Hill, CEO of Penman PR, will seek to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs in starting their businesses in spite of the economic downturn

Charles Quinn, Dean of Business Studies at Austin Community College and Donny Durwitz, Faculty in Business Studies at Austin Community College, will address the challenges of transitioning from unemployment to self employment

Ralph Kindred, Director of External Corporate Relations for National Black MBA Association, Austin Chapter, will address how to best meet and vet important resources for growing their businesses

First Steps

Geoffrey Brow, Counsel of World Wide Operations for Dell Inc., will offer basic information regarding the legalities of starting a business

TJ Costello, Director of Economic Affairs of the Austin - San Antonio Corridor Council, will help attendees identify their target audiences and expanding their existing market

Andrea Beleno, Staff Attorney at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, will help attendees understand the myriad tax obligations that come with self employment

Mike Pagani, Franchise Resources, will address the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a franchise business, and resources and suggestions for starting a franchise

Access to Capital: Funding Opportunities

Gene Binder, Stimulus Response Officer for Austin Community College, and Kirk White, Interim Executive Dean at Austin Community College, and Annie Hudspeth, Lender Relations Specialist for US Small Business Administration, will explore Stimulus Package implications, SBA programs and services and Recovery Act updates.

Rachel Brewer, Business Development Officer with Great Texas Federal Credit Union, will talk about applying for loans and the evaluation process

Aaron Dominquez, Assistant VP of Business Banking at Chase Bank, will discuss credit histories and how to maintain a healthy credit score

Arun Prakash, Vice President of Virgo Capital, will talk about the difference between loans and equity investment

Access to Market: Business Opportunities

The Department of Small and Minority Business Resources from the City of Austin will present on the benefits of becoming a certified business such as making business with the City of Austin

Debra Dimando, Business Development Specialist with the US Small Business Administration, will discuss business certification and contracting opportunities with the government

Mortada Mohamed, Department of Economic Development and Tourism with the Office of the Governor, the State of Texas will address business opportunities between local businesses and other regions

Kevin Bacon, Adjunct Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at University of Texas, Austin, will address ways former workers can use their expertise to start a venture and offer their services to their former employer

Small Business in a Green Economy

Brandi Clark, Chief inspiration Officer for EcoNetworking, will talk about how to incorporate environmental values that align with your business.

William Parks, from Austin Energy, will present on ways to conserve resources and save money in your business.

"Many Central Texans are opting to launch or grow their businesses now," said Stacy Dukes-Rhone, Executive Director, BiGAUSTIN. "The speakers that have made themselves available for Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Summit" will bring knowledge gained from their years of experience to bear on a range of issues that will help new and fledgling entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. Entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs will find an array of small business vendors ready to help with all aspects of starting a business."

According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com, one in four workers who have not found jobs are considering launching a business. Kaufman Foundation reported that an average 0.32% of adults - or 320 out of 100,000 - started a new business each month in 2008, up from 0.3% in 2007.

The Small Business @ Work, "The Self Employment Opportunity Summit" is sponsored by Governor's Office and Citi Bank.