Irfan Siddiqui knows a thing or two about taking advantage of a good opportunity. After moving to the United States from his native India in 1991 he began entry level work in the courier service business, dabbled in the car dealership industry for a decade and now is the owner of Rapid Delivery and Logistics. His company, whose slogan is “we’re the same day delivery experts,” employs nearly 50 individuals and is well underway to doubling that number. Siddiqui was present at the Houston Airport System’s (HAS) latest small business opportunities workshop held in the heart of Houston’s new ‘Chinatown’ in the southwestern part of the city. There, hundreds of local entrepreneurs gathered to learn more about how to do business with one of the city’s strongest economic engines. Houston’s airports already supply jobs for over 151,000 local employees and generate in excess of $25 billion annually in positive economic impact for the local region. “As we continue to grow and increase the number of capital improvement projects taking place at our airports it is important that we keep the playing field level for all of our local entrepreneurs,” says Richard M. Vacar. “We realize that minority and women owned businesses sometimes face more challenges than others in obtaining lucrative contracts and these workshops are intended to make the process smoother for everyone.” Although many of the free business opportunities workshops are geared toward a minority and women owned business audience, all local entrepreneurs are invited to attend. Obtaining a certification from the City of Houston, after all does mean gaining automatic certification to do business with other local and state government agencies. At Rapid Delivery and Logistics, Siddiqui says his goal is to provide same day delivery services for HAS. “My goal is to do a lot of business with the airport system and the City of Houston and be a part of the expansion project,” he says. “I learned quite a bit on how to do business with the city and the airport system. Especially with the new $1.2 billion Terminal B project coming up, I want to get a part of it. That’s my whole goal.”

© Houston Airport System Seeking New Businesses. The Houston Airport System is inviting local entrepreneurs to come out for their business opportunities workshops and to perhaps walk away with a contract and a lot of networking contacts.

Continental Airlines and the Houston Airport System announced a joint $1.2 billion renovation project for George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal B in April of this year. Said capital improvement would increase the number of passenger gates at the terminal by 20 to 25 additional gates and add a second federal inspections services facility. This project is only one of the many HAS will be embarking on as it prepares to serve some 80 million passengers per year by 2020.

Currently, the record high remains at 52 million passengers served by the Houston Airport System last year.

Going through the certification process should only be the beginning of any savvy business plan, says Velma Laws, director of the City of Houston’s Affirmative Action and Contract Compliance Office.

“Getting certified is just the first step,” she notes. “If you really want to do business with the city, you’ve got to engage with the decision makers, with the contractors and with each other. Networking is extremely, extremely important.”

Networking is precisely what Siddiqui did at the Houston Airport System’s latest workshop. His goal of serving the airports now seems closer than ever.

“By the end of the year I expect to have 100 drivers/contractors and grow next year, another 50 or 60,” the entrepreneur gushed. “We want to grow gradually but be able to provide the service that the customer requires. Customer service is the key.”

The word from the Houston Airport System for other entrepreneurs like Siddiqui is to get ready for the next Small Business Opportunities Networking Fair coming up in a few months.

“October 2nd is another exciting time for the Houston Airport System. We’re having a small business opportunity networking fair at the Humble Civic Center again, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and this is going to be an exciting opportunity for all small minority businesses from all walks of life,” says Goodwille Pierre, manager of small business and contract compliance for the Houston Airport System. “They can come in and see what the airport has to offer. It is going to be an opportunity for small, minority owned businesses to meet directly with key decision makers here at the airports.”

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