Enterprise-Rent-A-Car's founding values state that we strengthen our communities, one neighborhood at a time. When we attend the Houston Minority Business Council's (HMBC) EXPO, we are able to identify, utilize, and support, through our business practices, the same customers that come into our doors to rent our cars.

Our strategy is two-fold when making plans to achieve optimum success at EXPO. First, we commit to simply have a presence. We want the local the local business community and citizens to understand our commitment to developing relationships across all business and cultural lines. Secondly, we are there to find great business partners, which we do every year!

EXPO's return of investment (ROI) for Enterprise-Rent-A-Car is FANTASTIC! While we are often successful at providing opportunities to firms associated with HMBC, we many times find out we too can provide services to these same companies.

We plan on continuing to be a part of EXPO this year and beyond. As always, we will come with a list of potentials, hoping to provide opportunities and develop relationships with minority firms.

Chuck says, “If I were to give advice to this year's MBE EXPO attendees, I would say…meet everyone, say hello to everyone, and listen to everyone. These events are networking events. Please understand the importance of networking and how vital it is to your success. You may not “get the deal” that day, but if you make your firm's good service stand out…when the opportunity arises, you will be remembered.”

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The University of Texas , M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Marian Nimon, Manager, State andFederal Small Business Program

The reason UT M.D. Anderson attends EXPO is that this is where we have the opportunity to network with many companies looking to do business with our institution. We value EXPO as the largest annual minority business networking event in Houston and promote it accordingly. The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is committed to the fair and equal treatment of all vendors. It is our policy to involve solicitations from HUBs and small business concerns in our efforts to award contracts to those businesses.

To have a successful show we feel it is important to come prepared to share information. We bring bid opportunities, both current and upcoming, as well as institutional contact information to be able to put a name, telephone number and an e-mail address in the hands of the small business to give a starting place within our organization. Routinely we bring sourcing team representatives from all business areas to provide accurate business information to interested MBEs.

EXPO provides an excellent ROI for UT M.D. Anderson. Every year we meet new MBEs and renew relationships with the ones we already know. EXPO serves multiple benefits to our institution including providing us with valuable diverse vendors, networking with other businesses for sourcing solutions, networking with other supplier diversity teams, and exposure for our teams to meet face-to-face with MBEs, as well as allowing our teams to better understand the value of diversity.

Each year we bring with us several individuals from the procurement sourcing team, targeting individuals who are participating in the sourcing events that are current or upcoming. These experts share information with the HMBC members providing detailed information on the process. We have found this to be a successful approach. In addition, we continue to seek opportunities to include our majority business suppliers and encourage them to participate in EXPO as well.

Learn what makes your company unique and capitalize on that strength. Companies are more likely to be successful if they have a focus and a passion as opposed to the shotgun approach to business. Outline a plan to market select industries and firms within those industries; proceed in an organized, well-informed fashion. Be open to suggestions on how to do business. Scrutinize advice and suggestions received to garner the value; and, follow up with the individuals given to you as contacts.

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Possible Missions
Paula Mendoza , President

I, Paula Mendoza , President of Possible attend EXPO for three reasons: (1) to reacquaint myself with potential clients that I have met in the past; (2) to visit with my existing clients; and (3) to continue sharpening my networking skills.

My company provides exceptional service to its clients which are minority owned businesses as well as corporate clients. EXPO gives me the opportunity to meet with both and many times connect my minority owned clients with corporate clients which is a success for Possible Missions and those that I serve.

Companies should take EXPO seriously. It is one full day of opportunity, opportunity, and more opportunity. One year's worth of marketing expense cannot be measured to EXPO.

In planning for this year's EXPO, my strategy is to get more involved in the planning of EXPO and making a difference. This along with my time spent during EXPO will prove, once again, to be successful – I am sure of it.

My advice to other MBEs is to spend quality time at the booths. Choose your visits with the booth attendees wisely. Do your research so your time is spent wisely with those corporations that you can provide a product or a service to. Be at the top of your game, look your best and network, network, network!

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American Air Conditioning
G. A. “Tony” Samper, President

American Air Conditioning attends EXPO because no other event in Houston offers us the opportunity to personally market our services to our target market of users, requirement originators, buyers, and decision makers.

Prior to EXPO we always formulate a plan designed to maximize our face-to-face time with prospects, corporations, prime suppliers, and minority business enterprises (MBEs).

With the nominal EXPO admission fee, we could not possibly cover the cost of personal selling to the number of prospects that we see at EXPO all in one day and all under one roof.

Based on our proven success to attract profitable business through EXPO, my suggestion to other MBEs is to attend the preparation seminar, plan to be at all the EXPO functions because they all are business opportunities, target your prospects, network, network and network. After EXPO, follow-up with those prospects that expressed an interest in doing business with your firm.

As a DIRECT result of attending EXPO, we secured these contracts:

As a DIRECT result of meeting commodity buyers at EXPO, we were invited to bid on these substantial projects:

I sincerely urge you to attend EXPO. It is held to assist YOU to grow and expand your businesses,” said Mr. Samper.