AMARILLO, Texas — The Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee will continue its three-part “Start A New Business” workshop series for experienced entrepreneurs or start-up business owners.

The second installment, “Entrepreneurs Supporting Your Business,” will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. May 2 at the WT Enterprise Center, 2300 N. Western St. in Amarillo.

BNPC member Mary Bralley will moderate a panel of experts who will share their experience of business growth.

Panelists will include Rocio Carrion, agent for State Farm Insurance; Brady Clark, co-founder and executive director of Square Mile Community Development; Jacob Moreno, co-founder of Altura Engineering & Design; and Aaron Soto, founder of Sueño and Co.

They will share their stories of entrepreneurship and offer advice to aid other business owners, both in the panel discussion and in a Q&A.

“Being able to learn from both the successes and failures of other entrepreneurs is one of the most valuable tools we can give anyone who is thinking about starting or expanding a business in the Barrio,” said Gina Woodward, regional director of America’s SBDC at WTAMU. “This is a unique chance to learn from others who have already removed some of the stumbling blocks that small businesses face.”

The “Start A New Business” event series is presented by the BNPC, America’s SBDC at WTAMU, the WT Enterprise Center, and WT’s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business. This partnership gathers a mixture of business knowledge, experience and voices from various professionals in our area.

Dinner is provided for attendees, and participants can sign up to win door prizes totaling $450 at the end of each meeting. Notaries will be on-site for those attendees who wish to fill out a DBA (Doing Business As) form; the filing fee will be paid by the BNPC.

This event is sponsored by Amarillo National Bank and Pak-a-Sak. No RSVP is necessary for the event, and attendees must be present to win door prizes.

A third and final workshop, “Financing Your Business,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 6, also at the Enterprise Center. Panelists will discuss financing options for budding entrepreneurs.

For information, contact Makenzie Knipe at 806-651-5151, or visit wtsbdc.com/elbarrio.

WT is committed to serving the region and well beyond with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders who are empowered to lead others. Partnering and retaining community businesses to improve the quality of life in the Panhandle and beyond is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021 — has raised more than $120 million.