Chamber and city report entrepreneurship program launch and holiday shopping campaign results

City staff and McAllen Chamber of Commerce representatives updated the commission on a new entrepreneurship program and results from a holiday retail promotion during a workshop presentation.

Liz Vaez, representing the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, described the entrepreneurship initiative the chamber launched in January after the commission previously discussed the project. She said the original project proposal had an initial budget of about $568,000 but that the chamber was awarded $141,000. Liz said the chamber worked with staff to preserve the program’s methodology while adjusting deliverables to fit the smaller budget and that the program launched on Jan. 20.

Jorge (chamber staff) and Corca (program presenter) outlined a three‑phase cohort structure: a discovery phase (phase 1) focused on idea design and market research, an incubation phase (phase 2) with business model and financial planning, and an acceleration phase (phase 3) that culminates in a soft demo day for stakeholders and potential partners. Corca said phase‑1 cohorts run as small groups and the first cohort included six participants; the chamber expects to open additional cohorts and aims to scale to as many as 24 participants if demand holds. The sessions meet at the McAllen Creative Incubator and use entrepreneur best practices including elements of the Kauffman Foundation and the lean business-model canvas.

Commissioners asked about participant recruitment and funding. Staff said the chamber used a digital promotion and outreach to an existing mailing list of more than 5,000 local businesses and university partners including STC for referrals. Funding for the program comes from the city’s economic development fund (sales‑tax–derived funds designated for workforce and economic development), not from ad valorem taxes.

Lee (chamber staff) reported results from a holiday shopping tour campaign the chamber ran from Nov. 29 through Jan. 4. The campaign included 13 participating businesses and a media mix of TV, radio, digital and billboards. Lee said the campaign delivered about 5.5 million ad impressions, ran four $1,000 giveaways (a total of $4,000), provided mystery boxes of participating businesses’ goods, and distributed over 400 tickets to the South Pole of Texas to participating stores for consumer incentives. KRGV produced coverage and additional media value; the chamber also used e‑blasts and text blasts to roughly 50,000 subscribers.

Rebecca (city marketing staff) described the McAllen Marketing Co‑op and longer-term retail marketing plans. She said the co‑op, launched in 2018, is supported by 11 partners including the City of McAllen, the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, McAllen International Bridge Systems, McAllen International Airport, McAllen Convention Center and Performing Arts Center, McAllen Metro, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and the McAllen Holiday Parade. Rebecca said the marketing program targets consumers primarily within a 200‑mile radius and the Monterrey metro area and that the city maintains a contracted billboard inventory (digital displays) that can be adjusted seasonally.

Chamber and city staff proposed continuing seasonal retail campaigns through the year—targeting March Madness for restaurants, a spring shopping campaign for prom and Mother’s Day, and back‑to‑school promotions—framing the effort as an annual set of four campaigns to support small business.

No formal actions were proposed at the workshop; the presentations were informational and staff answered commissioners’ questions.