For years now, the chamber has worked hand-in-hand with the UTSA Small Business Development Center to provide free business counseling to all business owners in Kendall County. On the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, Wayne Looff, small business counselor with the center, comes to Boerne to meet privately and confidentially with those who make appointments through our chamber office. He will meet with not only experienced business owners, but those individuals interested in starting a business. These services include training, and consulting on various topics, including writing a business plan, marketing, and finances. The UTSA Small Business Development Centers counselors are experienced men and women who have owned their own businesses and who are trained in all aspects of opening and operating a small business. They have been where you are as business owners or entrepreneurs hoping to open a business.

UTSA Small Business Development Center partners with our Chamber of Commerce and the Bank of America, which provides private meeting space, to offer this service in our area. You can meet with the counselor one time, or on an ongoing basis as needed. These free consultations have helped numerous business owners in our community to take their business to new levels of success and they can do the same for you. Take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to grow your business, whether you are interested in expansion or restructuring in 2008. The UTSA SBDC also offers seminars on subjects like Business Start-Up Essentials, How To Write A Business Plan, and Basics of Importing and Exporting to name a few.

Stop by the Chamber for a brochure about these services or go online for more details at http://sabdc.iedtexas.org. Or call the Chamber for an appointment to meet locally with Mr. Looff and ask for Ann Schafer. The appointments are generally one to two hours in length on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

14th Annual Business Expo

Mark your calendars now for the upcoming 14th annual Business Expo sponsored by the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce at the Kendall County Fairgrounds on March 29. The Annual Taste of the Town Preview Mixer will be held on Friday night prior to the Expo and feature a taste of almost every restaurant in our area. Call the chamber and ask for Kerry Phillip for more information and look for details in this column in the weeks to come.

For information on becoming a member of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce call (830) 249-8000 and ask for Rita Cornelius, director of membership.