Oct 25, 2021
Entrepreneurs and community leaders will have an opportunity to network, hear speakers and enhance their business acumen at next month’s Kerr Economic Development Corp.’s Business & Innovation Forum.
The event, slated for Nov. 3-5, is intended to showcase the vast diversity among the businesses in Kerrville, enhance industry into the 21st century, develop talent and a highly-skilled workforce pipeline, attract and develop local entrepreneurs, recruit forward-thinking companies and increase opportunities for capital investments, according to the website of the the KerrEDC. Community Showcase Events scheduled for Nov. 5 include brewery tours; a hike, beer and yoga session; the Kerrville Farmers Market; and the VIP Invitation only Top40 Awards Event.
“At KerrEDC we are constantly looking for opportunities to showcase unique and outstanding qualities that make Kerrville and the Hill Country a great place for business development and growth,” wrote KerrEDC Deputy Director Theresa Metcalf in an email. “The Business & Innovation Forum was the perfect way to bring together all of our business retention and expansion efforts and highlight our long entrepreneurship history.”
The event will include presentations and dialogue on topics including:
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Texas Film Industry — The future is big and bright in the Lone Star State: Panel discussion with the Texas Film Commission and a string of local filmmakers
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Entrepreneurial Trends 2020s — managing projects through the Musk Foundation and International Economic Development Council’s 2020 Young Economic Developer
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Funding Your Projects — Crowd Sourcing, Local and Alternative Financing
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Small Business: The Art of Telling Your Story
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Esports: Video & Gaming Technology
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Developing Your Entrepreneurial Leadership Style
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Confronting Imposter Syndrome
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Mastering 21st Century Work
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Hill Country Emerging Sector — Aviation, Aerospace & Space: Panel discussion with Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, Gulf Avionics, Boeing and a surprise guest
The presentations will be held at the Arcadia Live Theatre, Grape Juice and the Schreiner Water St. Event Center. The Nov. 5 showcase events schedule is as follows:
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Tour of Basement Brewers: 11:30 a.m.
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Tour of Pint & Plow: 3 p.m.
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Hike, Beer and Yoga with Yoga Space: 2-4 p.m.
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Kerrville Farmers Market: 4 p.m.
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VIP TopForty Award Event: 6-9 p.m.
Tickets are available at various price points: individuals, $185; 10 tickets for session sponsors, $1,000; 10 tickets for Film Festival and Networking Reception, $1,000; and 10 tickets for VIP TopForty Awards Event Sponsor, $2,000. Other benefits are included in the group ticket rates, such as a banner display and logo placement in promotional materials. Sales end midnight Oct. 30.
The event is billed as “a conference like Kerrville has never seen before” and is designed to “transform the Kerrville area into an innovation hub,” according to the KerrEDC website.
“The forum gives business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders the chance to engage in crucial conversations that affect all aspects of business resiliency and growth,” Metcalf wrote. “With the addition of speakers and panelists from outside our immediate region, the forum will provide a more global perspective on the varied topics that will be covered and will serve as the beginning of many more collaborative initiatives with our partners. Our hope is that the community at large will join us for two days of intentional discussions and pertinent business development information.”
