Officials at the Tarrant Small Business Development Center decided it was time for coaches and trainees to see each other in person.
On April 22, the center put on its first in-person training since the pandemic.
”We in the past have done it virtually, but now we decided that it’s time to step it up, and it’s time to see your faces and for you to see our faces,” interim director Kemmiko “Kem” Grant told attendees at the Business Basics 101 training.
The impetus for the session was to spend one 90-minute session providing answers to questions the Small Business Development Center frequently receives from local companies.
Business Basics 101 is one of several free resources offered by the Small Business Development Center to businesses operating or located in Tarrant County.
“Because we’re part of your tax dollars, we have to have a free service-based program,” Grant said. “Meaning, no fees.”
For business owners outside of Tarrant County, the business development center connects Texans with similar service statewide.
Facilitator Cassandra Bradford highlighted 12 considerations she said new or potential business owners should be aware of from the beginning. They included:
- Choosing the right corporate structure (sole proprietorship, corporation, limited liability corporation, and limited liability partnerships).
- The benefits of establishing an employer identification number rather than using a personal Social Security number for the business.
- Registrations required by local, state and national governments.
- How to find customers — especially big customers — and the differences between selling and marketing.
- The need to understand and use contracts.
- The importance of business owners remembering to pay themselves.
Beyond the technical aspects of structure, registration and business plans, the seminar also addressed networking, marketing and sales.
Start Your Business Workshop
Documenter name: Patrick Banis
Date: April 22, 2026
To learn more about upcoming Tarrant-area workshops, click here.
Seminar hosts told attendees how important it is for them to get information about their businesses in front of the public. In addition to using social media and websites, they urged business owners to connect through free online events, in-person events, volunteer work and social media.
Another resource is your local chamber of commerce, but as Bradford cautioned, “you need to make sure that they’re advocating for you and your business.”
The Small Business Development Center has advisers who can help small business owners.
“We’re not mentors,” Grant said. “We are coaches. We’re going to give you homework, and it’s up to you to complete your homework. And, then you come back to us with your homework and we’re going to assess it.”
Ultimately, “We’re going to tell you what your next steps are going to be.”
Patrick Banis is a member of the Fort Worth Report Documenters crew. If you believe anything in this account is inaccurate, please email us at news@fortworthreport.orgwith “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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