Labor Day: Thoughts on Texas Innovation as Economic Development

I get excited about Labor Day :)

But specifically to highlight the irony that it’s Texas’ biggest potential wealth and prosperity creators— obviously our state’s entrepreneurs & innovators— who cannot afford to miss a day leading their company and really, leading their industry. Many use holidays like these when everyone else stops. But also many founders (rightly) see the world as their oyster of course why would they want to do anything else? And this isn’t a hustle porn post, it’s a post recognizing and reminding everyone else about all of the entrepreneurs working through holidays and weekends.

Last week more than a hundred Texans came to Austin for the Texas Economic Development Corporation and/or Texas Association of Business (the state chamber) events. We always talk about winning the Governor’s Cup being the corporate HQ Relocation leader for 14 years… but I’m in those rooms pushing for Texas to be a great Starting Point for businesses. We can use this boom time to amplify Texas’ ecosystem of startup support for those crazy people sticking their neck out there, going “all in”, thinking they can actually change the world as our state’s problem solvers. In turn the impact they create is jobs, types of jobs, new technology, better ways of doing things, and economic prosperity. A similar language is spoken between Texas economic development & business as we do in startup & venture land, but we need to continue use our voice and beat that drum together.

Here’s a photo last week at the Governor’s Mansion for TAB’s Board Member Reception with Brownsville Chamber of Commerce CEO, Esmeralda “Esmy” Villarreal, IOM. Every chance I have to chat with our Rio Grande Valley friends in town, I always excitedly ask “OMG, so what’s going on down there now?! Need the 411.” I visit as much as possible, and it’s never enough! They’ve all taught me so much (she told me about a new big new industry there I’ve never heard of!), and showed me what’s possible.

I love that True Leadership in Texas is coming from a lot of unexpected places here. And today’s the BEST day to acknowledge Texas startups and entrepreneurs as a part of that. So if you’re thankful for an entrepreneur, let’s use this Labor Day (week?, month? lol) to reach out to a founder and tell them they are awesome, and/or ask how you can help!