SBDC brings real-world guidance to San Jac cosmetology students

As San Jacinto College cosmetology students prepare to graduate and step into the workforce, many with plans to become independent contractors or salon owners, understanding the business side of the beauty industry is just as important as mastering technical skills. Through a recent collaboration with the Galveston County & San Jacinto Small Business Development Center (SBDC), students are gaining practical knowledge to help turn their passion into a successful business.

The SBDC recently visited San Jacinto College cosmetology classes to provide hands-on guidance on business ownership, including forming limited liability companies (LLCs), choosing the right business structure, and accessing no-cost support services available to entrepreneurs.

“Our involvement started when Tabitha Godinez reached out and asked us to speak to the Cosmetology program specifically about how to start a business,” said Amy Reid, director of the Galveston County & San Jacinto SBDC. “It was a natural fit because so many of these students plan to work for themselves.”

During the classroom visits, SBDC staff focused on foundational business topics that are often unfamiliar to creative professionals entering self-employment. Students learned about the differences between business structures such as DBAs and LLCs, along with essential skills needed to launch and sustain a business.

“We talked about recordkeeping, marketing, communication, and team building,” Reid said. “We also shared low-cost tools and resources students can start using now.”

For cosmetology students, many of whom are highly creative and people-focused, that information can be transformative.

What we’ve seen is that individuals in the cosmetology field are extremely talented but often lack the business skills needed to be successful early on without proper guidance. Business structures are just one small step. Our goal is to give students multiple steps they can start working on before they graduate.

Bringing business and industry experts directly into the classroom gives students a broader perspective on their future careers and helps bridge the gap between education and entrepreneurship.

“It offers a different point of view,” Reid said. “As business owners ourselves, we’ve been there. We can share real-world experiences, best practices, and even challenges, which helps students better understand what it truly takes to operate a business.”

The collaboration also opens the door for expanded support across other programs at San Jacinto College.

“We’ve discussed doing this with other certification programs that could benefit,” Reid said. “We’ve also offered to provide targeted trainings on marketing or financial skills, and students always have access to the workshops we partner on through the College’s Entrepreneurship Program.”

Beyond the classroom instruction, Reid emphasized that one of the most important takeaways for students is knowing they don’t have to navigate business ownership alone.

“Our hope is not only to provide basic information,” she said, “but for students to know we are a no-cost resource they can come to when they’re ready to start their journey.”

Through partnerships like this one with the Small Business Development Center, San Jacinto College continues to support students beyond technical training—equipping them with the knowledge, confidence, and resources needed to build sustainable careers and successful businesses in their communities.

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About San Jacinto College

Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than 1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately 45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.