Houston’s next great business may already exist as an idea scribbled in a notebook, operating from a kitchen table or steadily growing through word of mouth. This fall, Houston City College Southwest is connecting Houston-area entrepreneurs with practical, hands-on training in business planning, marketing, finance and risk management through a free five-week Small Business Success Miniseries designed to help turn promising ideas into stronger, more sustainable enterprises. The price of admission is hard to beat: FREE.

In partnership with the Bellaire Business Association, HCC’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Wells Fargo, HCC Southwest will present a five-week Small Business Success Miniseries, designed to give entrepreneurs and existing small-business owners practical tools they can put to work immediately.

The series will be held on five consecutive Fridays, September 18 through October 16, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon at HCC West Loop Campus.

For Houston’s entrepreneurial community, that means five Fridays devoted not simply to talking about business, but to understanding how successful businesses are actually built, financed, marketed, protected and positioned for growth.

 

From Bright Idea to Better Business

Entrepreneurship has long been woven into Houston’s economic DNA. From neighborhood restaurants and family-owned professional firms to technology startups, contractors, retailers and creative enterprises, small businesses help give the Houston region its distinctive character.

But passion alone does not balance a spreadsheet.

The opening session focuses on Entrepreneurship, helping participants examine how an idea can become a viable business opportunity.

Next comes Business Planning, where entrepreneurs will learn how to create a clearer roadmap for moving from today’s operation toward tomorrow’s goals.

The third session tackles Marketing — because having the greatest product in Houston does little good if Houston does not know it exists. Participants will explore ways to identify customers, communicate value and strengthen their brands.

Then comes everybody’s favorite business conversation: the money.

The Finance session will help participants better understand the numbers driving their businesses, providing knowledge that can support smarter decision-making and long-term growth.

Finally, the program examines Risk Management, helping entrepreneurs identify potential challenges and better prepare their businesses to weather the unexpected.

Five Fridays. Five Business Building Blocks.

Participants who successfully complete all five sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion, offering another tangible benefit to entrepreneurs who commit to the entire program.

Just as importantly, the series brings together higher education, the business community and the financial sector in a collaborative effort to strengthen entrepreneurship at the neighborhood level.

That matters in Greater Houston, where small businesses are often more than commercial enterprises. They create jobs, build family wealth, sponsor youth programs, support nonprofits, occupy once-empty storefronts and keep dollars circulating within communities.

Providing entrepreneurs with stronger business fundamentals can therefore produce an impact well beyond an individual balance sheet.

For Houston City College, the program also demonstrates how community colleges can serve as economic-development partners — connecting education directly to the real-world needs of entrepreneurs and employers.

Small Business Success Miniseries Dates: Fridays, September 18–October 16, 2026, Time: 9 a.m.–Noon

Location: HCC West Loop Campus Cost: Free Certificate: Awarded to participants completing all five sessions

Space is limited. Register today:
https://hcc.idloom.events/SOUTHSEPOCT