The Extraco Banks Blog | In Case You Missed It

Over the course of the past few months, we have had the pleasure of hosting a series of After Hour sessions which have proven to be an extremely valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners alike. These sessions have provided a unique platform for individuals to connect and network with like-minded professionals, all while gaining valuable insights into program specifics and industry trends. We are thrilled to have been able to facilitate such constructive and collaborative discussions, and look forward to this year's applicants!

Take a deep dive into some of the essential (and free) Google website tools that all businesses should be utilizing. For our August Bank & Brews workshop, Extraco’s own Digital Marketing Specialist, Carina Yebra, walked attendees through what she considers to be essential, and often underutilized, tools for all businesses– Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Search Console, and Google My Business.

After wrapping up a three-part series around the Startup Waco and Public Improvement District Marketing Skills Toolkit, we thought it was time to take a deep dive into some of the essential tools that all businesses should be utilizing. For our June Bank & Brews workshop, Extraco’s own Digital Marketing Specialist, Carina Yebra, walked attendees through what she considers to be an essential, and often underutilized, tool for all businesses– Google Analytics.

A solid business plan is essential for all businesses. Jason Ehler of the Small Business Development Center and Brian Reinhardt of Extraco hosted a great session on what to include in your business plan (as well as what NOT to include), how often to revisit your plan after the COVID-19 pandemic, and resources that all business-owners should be utilizing.

Part three of the series was led by Startup Waco’s Jon Passavant and covered some of the topics from Section 3 of the Marketing Skills Toolkit– Keeping Things on Track.

Part two of the series was led by Startup Waco’s Jon Passavant. In his mentorship of business owners, he often sees the same issues arise. Entrepreneurs often struggle to determine the fundamentals of their business, such as goals, purpose, and identity.

Michelle Dean and Jon Passavant led Extraco’s March Bank & Brews attendees through the first section of the Marketing Skills Toolkit. From establishing brand purpose, to defining target customers, and creating brand and value propositions, the toolkit has all you need to get started on a great marketing plan.

The November edition of our Bank & Brews virtual workshop series was all about Digital Marketing in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. The workshop was led by Gordon Law, President of Swimming Duck, a marketing agency based out of Dallas. Gordon is also a professor at SMU where he teaches marketing and digital media. He has over 40 years of marketing and advertising experience and is a great friend of Extraco Banks. We were thrilled to have him lead our final virtual workshop of 2020.

We want to share our expertise and knowledge about the lifecycle of an employee – from hiring to firing – with you. Below is a recap of our October Bank & Brews workshops focused on four aspects of human resources which are vital to a business (and improving the bottom line): hiring, building, coaching & disciplining employees. Make sure to download the templates from each workshop!

The importance of well-organized business finances cannot be overstated. Keeping accurate and well-organized financial data is critical for knowing the status of your business, tax season, and especially when seeking financing.