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Schedule

Thursday, April 1, 2021
7:30 p.m. Moderated Discussion
8:10 p.m. Audience Q&A — Questions welcome via YouTube Live or Facebook Live

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COVID-19 has impacted all communities across Texas and Houston, but small businesses especially have faced unique challenges due to the need to shut down in-person activities during the lockdown. Even now, a year after the pandemic began shuttering economic activity across Texas, many small business are working to survive while dealing with the uncertainty of an ever-changing set of restrictions. Leisure and hospitality industries including hotels, bars, and restaurants have laid off significant portions of their workforces. Asian-owned businesses, such as those in Houston's Bellaire neighborhood, were impacted even earlier due to the prejudices that came into play as coronavirus cases spread through the country, and continue to face challenges.

How have these small businesses stayed afloat during these hard times? What methods did small businesses start to implement in order to ensure they could keep their doors open? More importantly, what additional support do these small businesses need from state and local governments, business organizations, and the public in order to survive?

Join Asia Society for a look at Houston's small businesses in the COVID-19 economy, including examining the challenges involved in navigating restrictions and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) process, how to balance health and safety concerns with business needs, and hopes for the future.

About the Speakers

Tim Jeffcoat is the Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Houston. He oversees SBA programs and services in Houston and the surrounding 32 counties of Texas. Most of Tim’s career has been private sector leadership roles in international business, marketing and business development. Tim’s career has required international assignments and global responsibilities. Tim is a graduate of Auburn University with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Tim also has a BS degree in Marketing and a BS in Music Business. Tim was nominated for the SBA IKE Award in the category of Most Valuable Player, has completed four iron-distance triathlons and the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, and teaches graduate classes in Economics, Marketing and other subjects in his spare time.

Minh Nguyen has been in the restaurant industry for over a decade. He has been running a Vietnamese cafe in the popular East End of downtown Houston called Cafe TH. The area continues to attract more commercial businesses and residents. In fact, in the past year and a half he partnered with his friend, an ER Physician at the Texas Children's Hospital, to open a coffee shop inside of Cafe TH called Celadon Coffee. Much has been learned over the years, but having a strong family structure, a focus in education, being resourceful and highly self-motivated is what drives him to achieve. Minh is also a founding partner of Counter Common, an upcoming brew pub opening in the City of Bellaire. To have an opportunity to work with a team of likeminded individuals is such an ideal partnership he could not pass up. Three partners who focus on building a brand for quality food, beer, and service is exciting and the next big venture for him. Overall, he has a passion for learning about people and creating an atmosphere where people can share and create magical moments.

Following her passion for creation and beauty, Quynh Nguyen first started as a nail technician at the age of 17 and amassed a wide variety of experiences over 10+ years from throughout the greater Houston area, ultimately utilizing her skills and knowledge to create Gloss Nail Bar –one of the premier nail salons in Houston. Building on the positive feedback that Gloss has received, Quynh plans to continue sharing her experiences and reach new populations through expansions and investments.

Aside from her role as the owner of Gloss, Quynh also enjoys hiking, giving back to the community, cooking, new adventures, and finding new and creative solutions to different challenges.

About the Moderator

Chris Tomlinson is a Business Columnist with The Houston Chronicle, where he has written commentary on business, energy, and economics since 2014. Before joining the Chronicle, he spent 20 years with The Associated Press reporting on politics, conflicts, and economics from more than 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Tomlinson Hill, and he produced the award-winning documentary film by the same name. Both examine the history and consequences of race, politics, and economics in Texas.

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Asia Society Texas Center Business & Policy Programs, Endowed by

Huffington Foundation

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc. and Houston Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Asia Society Texas Center, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

Business & Policy Presenting Sponsors

About Asia Society at Home

We are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.

About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.