AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – The WT Enterprise Center will host a series of events for entrepreneurs.
There will be eight events from November 18 to November 22 at the Enterprise Center at 2300 North Western Street in Amarillo.
Qualified business owners can compete in a private Nov. 18 pitch event. The top three finalists will be awarded a share of $7,500.
The three finalists will present their pitches to the public for the week-ending “Harvesting Success” event at 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 22.
To qualify to make a pitch, business owners must be 18 years or older, make less than $75,000 in annual revenue, have been in business for less than two years prior to Nov. 15 and be located in one of the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.
Both departments of WTAMU’s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business will offer no-cost assistance to entrepreneurs who wish to enter.
There will also be several other presentations open to the public:
- Nov. 18 – 6 – 8 p.m. – Learn about Blueprint, a strategic program that helps new entrepreneurs and startups outline and visualize their business model, concepts and plans for success.
- Nov. 20 –
- 9 – 10:15 a.m. – “Supply Chain Insights: Strategies and Resources” – featuring panelists Dusty Delano from the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center; Jana Hoggatt, director of procurement at Bell Flight; Luke Austin, vice president of procurement at Austin Hose; and Kristi Russell, executive assistant at Midwest Machine. Each will share strategies to support supply chain processes and cut through delays.
- 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – “Navigating Co-Packing Partnerships” – featuring panelists Delano; Brian Enevoldsen, managing director of the WTEC; Derek Skipworth, founder of Ski’s Mix; and Tami Potts, founder of Skip’s Salsa. This session will give entrepreneurs resources and real-life insights to help decide what’s best for their business.
- 3 – 5 p.m. – “Crafting Effective Prompts for ChatGPT and Beyond” – featuring Enevoldsen and Synapse AI Solutions co-founders Parker Settle and Orry Skellton. This event will break down the basics and show attendees how to sue artificial intelligence more effectively.
- Nov. 21 –
- 8:30 – 11 a.m. – “Expand with GO TEXAN” – featuring Texas Department of Agriculture field representative Brianna McLaughlin and representatives from Creek House Honey Farm, Hot Ruby and Bar Z Winery. The GO TEXAN program helps businesses reach new markets and attract customers who are passionate about supporting Texas-made products.
- 6 – 8 p.m. – “Unlocking AI for Your Side Hustle: From Idea to Income” – featuring Logan Higuera, founder of OpenOcean. This event will show entrepreneurs how to use AI tools to help their creative thinking process and come up with new business ideas based on their personal knowledge and resources.
- Nov. 22 –
- 5 – 8 p.m. – “Harvesting Success” – featuring a local vendor market in partnership with Ogallala Commons, including foods and produce from local producers, food trucks, live music and farm-to-table curated Thanksgiving boxes. The evening also will include three finalists from the Nov. 18 pitch event.
To RSVP for events, call (806) 651-8500.
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