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One Year Into COVID-19: How Partnership Members, Experts Helped Guide Houston

Published Mar 10, 2021 by Maggie Martin

Phoenicia

It's been a year since COVID-19 was first reported in Houston. Since then, the Greater Houston Partnership has provided up-to-date information and resources to help businesses and their employees navigate the pandemic. That includes: 

  • COVID-19 Resources: resources, data and information aimed at assisting businesses and individuals in our region coping with the challenges of the pandemic. 
  • Reopen Houston Safely - Monitoring Dashboard: in collaboration with the Texas Medical Center, the dashboard includes a number of critical metrics around the virus itself as well as economic data and local indicators of citizen activity.
  • Houston Work Safe Program: guide and resources to reopen safely, sustainably and successfully.

The Partnership also turned to the expertise of our member companies and in-house experts to help the greater Houston business community pull through challenges brought on by COVID-19.

Resources and Insight for Small Businesses

The Partnership hosted the Small Business Administration and other experts armed with information for Houston's small business community. Digital resources, including the Small Biz Insider podcast and video series, also provided guidance to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Advice for Staying Connected Through Teleworking

Partnership members CKP and Parents Pivot offered advice on how workers could stay connected to their jobs as thousands began working from home. The Partnership also hosted webinars exploring this topic, including a conversation about how teleworking may shift hot real estate spots. 

Tips to Create and Deploy an Effective Communications Strategy

Nearly every aspect of a operating a business quickly changed as companies either shut down or adjusted their physical space last year. Partnership members Mercer and The Black Sheep agency offered best practices for communicating internally with employees, as well as externally with customers. 

Analysis on Houston Economy with Patrick Jankowski

Partnership Senior Vice President of Research Patrick Jankowski presented critical insight into the pandemic's impact on the Houston economy through the ongoing Economy Series webinars, as well as the Bayou Business Download podcast

Upskilling and Workforce Development with UpSkill Houston

UpSkill Houston delved into how COVID-19 affected workforce development and the need for upskilling the region's workforce. 

Visit the Partnership's COVID-19 Resource page for updates, guidance for employers and more information. Click here to see the Partnership's Membership Directory. To learn more about membership with the Greater Houston Partnership click here, or contact membership@houston.org.

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Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) provides tailored professional development opportunities for the next generation of business and community leaders at member companies through unique, regular engagements throughout the year and a curated bimonthly newsletter geared towards building their skills and enhancing their leadership potential. Carly Bylund, Vice President at Frost Bank, and HYPE Champion. Bylund shares her insights on the value of HYPE for young professionals and recaps the latest HYPE Summit, an annual conference that connects HYPE members with Houston's top leaders How has your involvement with HYPE helped you build meaningful connections within Houston’s business community? Being a member of HYPE has been a wonderful way to stay connected to the Houston community. Since HYPE is a young professional group, it has been so beneficial to connect with like-minded people in similar career stages. HYPE has made meeting others easy, and it’s been a natural way to build my network. What do you find most valuable about being a HYPE Champion, and how does it motivate you to continue participating in events? As a HYPE Champion, I look forward to seeing familiar faces at every event. It is motivating to be surrounded by people committed to the opportunities Houston presents us with. There is such a diverse group of attendees to every HYPE event that I know I’ll leave each event learning something new about an industry, company, or even Houston itself. Can you share a memorable moment from a recent HYPE event that had a significant impact on your career or perspective on Houston's opportunities? The HYPE Summit was such a fun day! Having the opportunity to hear the stories and advice of successful Houston professionals is invaluable. I especially loved the breakout discussions, where we connected in small groups with each speaker. It was inspiring to hear from people like Trevor Best, CEO, Syzygy, Andrea Alexander, SVP and CHRO, Coterra and Steve Kean, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership. How do you think HYPE’s diverse group of attendees contributes to your professional growth and understanding of different industries in Houston? The diversity of attendees at every HYPE event is something I truly value. It creates opportunities to learn something new about a different industry or company every time. I always leave these events with a broader perspective on Houston’s business landscape and new connections that contribute to my personal and professional growth. The HYPE Summit features insights from successful professionals. What was the most inspiring piece of advice or story you heard at the event? I enjoy hearing about people’s specific career paths and how they got to their current positions because success looks different for everyone. One of the most inspiring takeaways was how many opportunities there are for young professionals in Houston to become leaders as we transition across generations. Listening to entrepreneurs like Trevor Best and executives like Andrea Alexander and Steve Kean was truly inspiring. Their stories reminded me that success comes in many forms and often through unconventional paths. It has encouraged me to be open to new opportunities and to think more strategically about how I can shape my own career. HYPE events bring together people from a wide variety of industries. How have these interactions broadened your understanding of Houston’s economic landscape? Every HYPE event I attend broadens my understanding of Houston’s economic landscape. Meeting professionals from different sectors and learning about their companies opens my eyes to new possibilities. These interactions have been a great way to stay informed about what’s happening across industries in the city. Looking ahead, what are you most excited about in terms of future HYPE events and how they contribute to Houston’s thriving young professional community? I’m already looking forward to the next HYPE event! These gatherings are a great way to stay connected, learn from others, and grow my professional network. I’m excited about the future of HYPE because it keeps young professionals engaged and invested in Houston’s success, and that’s something I’m proud to be a part of. HYPE is a member-based program, to subscribe you must be employed at a current member company. Learn more about this program here.
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