Photo courtesy Small Business Development ProgramSmall-business owners and those interested in becoming small-business owners will have the opportunity to meet with dozens of lenders at the Meet the Lender Business Loan Fair. The event will be held at Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, on Oct. 11 from 3-7 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with the lenders about the loan process and network with government agency officials and other entrepreneurs at the fair.
"The opportunity is, you've got the lenders out of their offices. Instead of having to bang on every one of their doors, you've got 30 of them right in front of you," said Vicky Valdez, Small Business administrator for the City of Austin.
Along with networking opportunities, Sunita Murti of Southwestern National Bank, Obi Chukwumah of BB&T, Aaron Lee of Ron King Salon and Blair Smith of Dirty Dog will speak on the Borrowing 101 panel covering what preparation is necessary to begin loan discussions, the current lending climate and what lenders see as an ideal applicant. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q-and-A.
"One of our panelists, Blair of Dirty Dog, actually started her relationship with a banker at Meet the Lender," said Joy Miller, marketing and outreach coordinator for the city's Small Business Development Program.
