Rockdale Chamber of Commerce held a lunch and learn last Thursday for about 30 interested people at the Patterson Civic Center from noon to 1 p.m. titled “Scaling Business in a Rural Landscape” with a meal catered by Moon Brew Coffee Co.
Executive Director Lucita Rodriguez (standing at the lectern in the above photo) acted as mistress of ceremonies as she asked the panel a series of questions about their businesses.
The panel consisted of Kathryne Roddam with Keller Williams Realty, Aimee Herrin with Barndos & More, Trey Felton with Thorndale Meat Market and John Dean with TX Rec Land and Real Estate and Oakstone Real Estate.
The panelists answered questions on topics such as what their starting point looked like including their finances and their first business breakthroughs, how they got their first paying customers, building recognition and trust, how they scaled their businesses outside of Rockdale and Milam County, finding good employees, balancing growth with their personal lives, the hardest lessons they learned and more.
At the end of the question-and-answer period, each panelist was seated at a separate table for one-on-one conversations with the attendees.
“One of our biggest goals at the Chamber has been to create real value for our members, especially through honest, practical education,” Rodriguez said. “This luncheon was all about having a transparent conversation around what it really takes to run a business. The attendees really responded to the way we tackled topics that usually don’t get talked about at events like this.”
The next luncheon will be held in June and will focus on the financial side of business—how to read financial statements, building relationships with local financial institutions and smart investment decisions.
“As we watch our community grow and evolve, we’re committed to showing up with the kinds of tools, conversations and support that help our local business thrive right alongside of it,” Rodriguez said.
Rockdale Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel of business owners to explain to the audience how they operate their businesses in Rockdale and beyond. The panel included Kathryne Roddam, Aimee Herrin, Trey Felton and John Dean.
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