A major cornerstone of economic development in East Montgomery County is losing its business advisor of six years. Jan Koenig recently announced he will retire Dec. 19 from the Lone Star College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), located in the East Montgomery County Improvement District Complex.
“The SBDC is an integral part of economic development in East Montgomery County and Jan has been great to work with,” said Frank McCrady, EMCID President/CEO.
Often the first step in the business start-up or expansion process, owners and entrepreneurs saw Koenig for one-on-one consulting regarding business and marketing plans before heading to EMCID down the hall to inquire about financial assistance.
“The entrepreneurs I have had the chance to work with are fantastic people who are extraordinarily talented and energetic to start their own business,” said Koenig. “I have enjoyed learning about them personally and what motivates them to open a business. I have also learned a tremendous amount about the business they are starting which has been the most enjoyable part of this business. I relish the moment a potential business owner walks through the door with their new business idea, learning about that idea and figuring out a way to make their business successful.”
Koenig received his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University, moving to Houston soon afterward. Prior to becoming a business owner, Koenig held senior management positions with Nations Bank (now Bank of America) and with Compass Bank (now BBVA Compass.) From 2003 to 2011, he owned and operated a multi-location franchise business operation, Sylvan Learning Center, during which time he successfully developed two new territories and acquired two other existing operations.
EMCID plans to honor Koenig for his hard work during the monthly EMCID board meeting on Dec. 19.
The Lone Star College SBDC has not named a replacement for Koenig but is currently recruiting applicants and hope to have someone in the office as soon as possible. The SBDC is open Wednesdays in Room 201 in the EMCID Complex.
“SBDC first began 42 years ago with the former President Jimmy Carter and his administration,” said Koenig during a recent presentation with the East Montgomery County Rotary Club. “At that time, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced plans to launch the SBDC to utilize the services and resources of the government together with universities. The original intent that remains true today was to help businesses.”
One of the first universities to enter the program was the University of Houston, but the number of partnerships has now swelled to include approximately 1,000 SBDC across the country, employing approximately 3,000 advisors such as Koenig for the past six years.
The SBDC is funded by tax dollars from SBA grant monies, state of Texas tax dollars and local public educational institutions, like Lone Star College, so its services are free.
“Our mission is two-fold,” said Koenig. “One, we help existing domestic, for-profit small businesses that includes any business with fewer than 500 employees. Two, we also help people to start businesses.”
They provide one-on-one consulting and training programs to small businesses as well as seminars covering business matters like cybersecurity.
“We help companies grow, we help businesses start and we also help businesses solve problems,” said Koenig. “We can work through every aspect of a business, whether it is sales and marketing, financing or operations. Also, we work with all types of companies.”
The SBDC works as a resource for businesses as they grow and succeed, serving as a mentor if needed down the road.