Small business training program expands to new Permian Basin communities
ConocoPhillips and the University of Texas Permian Basin are bringing the ConocoPhillips Small Biz Builder program to new communities this year.
After successfully testing the project last year in Odessa and Carlsbad, New Mexico, the program will begin in Monahans beginning April 28 for six weeks, Midland later this summer, and Hobbs, New Mexico, in the fall.
What to Know
To register for the next session and learn more about the ConocoPhillips Small Biz Builder program, visit: https://www.conocophillips.com/smallbizbuilder.
Program Overview in Monahans:
-Start Date: Tuesday, April 28
-Location: Monahans Education Center
-Length: 6 weeks
-Information and Application: ConocoPhillips Small Biz Builder - ConocoPhillips
-Eligibility: Open to local entrepreneurs and small business owners in Ward, Winkler, Ector and Midland counties in Texas, and Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico
ConocoPhillips provided a $150,000 grant for UTPB to host the program for a second year. The program aims to help local entrepreneurs and small business owners build stronger, more sustainable businesses through hands-on training, expert mentorship, and practical financial tools.
"Small businesses breathe life into our community," said ConocoPhillips Permian President Aaron Hunter. "We're proud to continue our partnership with UTPB to equip these small businesses in the Permian with the tools they need to grow sustainably."
Brian Shedd, executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at UTPB, told the Reporter-Telegram one change to the program was tailoring it to specific communities and extending it from three to six sessions.
"ConocoPhillips was keen to address early-stage entrepreneurs, those with an idea, or the beginnings of an idea, and later-stage entrepreneurs," he said.
He and Stephanie Griffin, program director, work with the early-stage entrepreneurs, using curriculum from CO.STARTERS, a nationally recognized model that guides entrepreneurs through business idea development, customer discovery and business modeling. It is paired with tools and training from FINSYNC, a leading small business financial platform that helps participants manage cash flow, streamline operations and make confident decisions. Later-stage entrepreneurs - those who don't need all the basics - will also work with the UTPB Small Business Development Center to refine their businesses for additional growth and success.
A benefit was changing the program from almost entirely virtual to in-person, said Griffin.
"The coolest thing is the camaraderie," she said.
The participants "become this cohort that leans on each other. Even when we've finished the prepared material, they're still there."
She said it helps the participants to be around like-minded entrepreneurs, "cohorts who understand that drive," or business owners who share lessons learned.
In 2027, if the program is renewed, and Shedd is confident it will be, the plan is to return to Odessa and Carlsbad and revisit one of the three communities visited this year.
"ConocoPhillips is talking about expanding the small biz builder program to other parts of the country where they work," he said.
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This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 9:55 PM.