SAN ANTONIO – Jesus Rendon and his wife purchased an abandoned post office on Southcross Boulevard a year ago; their vision was to create a space where his neighbors could cultivate their business vision.
He calls it the Rendon Entrepreneurial Center or REC.
The inside is still a work in progress, but the outside is already being put to work.
“It’s where Geekdom meets First Friday at Blue Star. Here on the South Side. It’s where even artists can run with their entrepreneurship spirit and start and come to our Last Friday event for $25, they rent out (a) vendor spot and build the culture,” he said.
In November, the REC will hold its first conference to invite neighbors to see the vision for the center.
“The Rendon Entrepreneurial Center is a place where if you have an idea and you wanna start a business, you can come here and we’ll help you formulate your business, registered with the state, registered at a federal level with your IRS, and help you write out your business plan,” he said.
There is also a chance to rent out offices and a podcast room.
Rendon says his vision is to create an environment where his community and neighbors can thrive and succeed.
He points to a 2019 study by South Side First that showed there are numerous hurdles for those who want to start a business.
“The entrepreneurial spirit being cultivated here in the South side will help not only move the economic train here,” Rendon said. “But it’ll give people their full purpose in what they believe they were meant to do.”