Starr County Hosts Business Workshop

Starr County Entrepreneurs Gather to Strengthen Their Digital Marketing Skills

The conference room at the Starr Center reached capacity as business owners from across Starr County gathered for a Lunch and Learn focused on digital marketing. Before the presentations began, attendees enjoyed a catered lunch and the opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs. Rose Benavidez, president of the Starr County Industrial Foundation, welcomed those in attendance and introduced the guest speakers, expressing her appreciation for their willingness to share their expertise and practical knowledge with the local business community.

Hosted by the Starr County Industrial Foundation, the event centered on helping entrepreneurs strengthen their digital presence in an increasingly competitive marketplace. For many small businesses, online visibility plays a significant role in customer discovery, purchasing decisions, and long-term growth. The session offered attendees an opportunity to hear from professionals working in marketing, communications, and economic development.

The audience included entrepreneurs at every stage of business. Some had spent years building established companies, while others were preparing to open their first. Each arrived with different objectives, from learning the fundamentals of digital marketing to refining skills they had built through experience.

The first presentation was delivered by Adrian Garcia, marketing strategist and owner of Grande Websites. Titled 15-Minute Client Machine: How to Get More Customers Without Spending More Money, his session focused on improving the digital tools businesses already have before investing additional resources in advertising.

Garcia discussed the importance of maintaining an effective website, improving search visibility, developing clear messaging, and creating an online experience that encourages customers to engage with a business. His presentation emphasized practical improvements that many entrepreneurs can implement without significantly increasing marketing costs.

Yuri Gonzalez, Director of International Commercial Development for the City of Pharr and a board member of the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, followed with a presentation examining the relationship between public relations, communications, and marketing. Using a visual diagram, she described public relations as the discipline responsible for building trust through media relations, earned coverage, launches, and crisis communication. Marketing, she explained, focuses on generating demand through branding, advertising, search engine optimization, content strategy, and customer acquisition. Communications serves as the internal framework that aligns employees, leadership, investors, and stakeholders around consistent messaging.

Rather than presenting the three disciplines as separate functions, Gonzalez illustrated how they work together. Trust, visibility, and a consistent organizational voice develop when each area supports the others. For business owners responsible for wearing multiple hats, the presentation offered a practical framework for understanding how communication strategies contribute to broader business goals.

The seminar concluded with an open question-and-answer session, giving attendees an opportunity to seek advice tailored to their own businesses. Among the topics generating the most discussion were strategies for responding to negative comments on social media and using artificial intelligence to create flyers and other promotional materials.

Benavidez closed the event by saying the Starr County Industrial Foundation plans to continue offering workshops and educational seminars tailored to the needs of local entrepreneurs as they adapt to an evolving business landscape. As Starr County's business community continues to grow, she said the Foundation intends to evolve alongside it.

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