Hey everyone,

More big things happening in the WilCo business scene. As well as tons of new AI developments (of course, because it never stops).

Should be a great read this week, with multiple high-end businesses opening up shop here that I can’t wait to check out.

I WANT TO FEATURE YOU!

Also, make sure you reply and let me know if you want to be featured in the newsletter; as either a biz owner doing interesting things (like Sergio in this issue), or if you’re some who wants to be featured to find your next role. We want to help all sides of business here, and featuring great locals looking for their next career is a key component of that.

Don’t be shy, just hit reply and let me know. I’m just a guy here in Liberty Hill, replies go directly to me!

Opening Hype: Williamson County sits at the engine of the fastest-growing metro in Texas, as Austin–Round Rock posts a projected 2.5% annual population increase heading into 2026. Round Rock's Dell Technologies headquarters, Samsung's semiconductor plant in Taylor, and a relentless wave of corporate relocations make Williamson County the county doing much of the heavy lifting.

Why It Matters: The migration surge hitting this corridor is pulling high-earning professionals out of Miami, Phoenix, and Nashville who want tech-sector salaries without coastal price tags. Round Rock and Georgetown absorb a disproportionate share of that demand, with family-friendly suburbs, strong STEM school districts, and direct I-35 access combining into a package competitors like Boise and Raleigh simply cannot match.

Bigger Picture: The county's back-to-back wins in semiconductor investment, corporate relocations, and population growth are no accident. Williamson County has methodically positioned itself as the infrastructure backbone of Silicon Hills, and the 2026 projections confirm that strategy is paying off. As the Austin metro continues to outpace Houston and Dallas in expansion metrics, the county that holds Dell, Samsung, and a growing roster of national brands will keep setting the pace for the entire region.

Manage technicians and physical infrastructure to ensure the quality installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of server and network hardware. You will direct day-to-day operations and project implementation to support global computing architecture.

Requires a technical bachelor's degree or equivalent, 8 years of infrastructure experience, and 5 years in management. Candidates must work non-standard hours including night shifts, weekends, and holidays in Hutto or Pflugerville.

Staff Technical Support Account Manager at Findhelp, A Public Benefit Corporation ($106k–$132k).
Manage technical implementations and support partners connecting people to social care resources. Apply now!

Business Analyst at Amazon/Whole Foods Market ($66k–$143k). Analyze customer and transactional data to drive assortment strategy and business insights. Apply now!

Business Operations Manager at City of Round Rock ($88k–$110k).
Oversee recreation facilities and manage budgets and operations. Apply now!

Data/Network Specialist at Serco North America ($85k–$142k).
Configure and analyze data to optimize Austin-area roadway operations. Apply now!

Administrator - Applications PEIMS at Round Rock Independent School District ($73k–$88k).
Manage student data systems and PEIMS applications district-wide. Apply now!

Associate Client Services Account Manager at ERCOT ($61k–$101k).
Rotate through client services departments learning Texas energy market operations and support. Apply now!

Want your job featured? Reply to this email and give us the info and link!

Background: 20+ year bilingual mortgage professional in Central Texas. Williamson County local, focusing on Family, Fitness & Finance every single day. Finance pays the bills, fitness keeps me sharp, and family and community are the whole reason.

What He Does: Senior Mortgage Loan Officer at Edge Home Finance. Purchases, refinances, construction, investment properties, commercial, straight talk, no surprises, English or Spanish.

Co-founded Hippo Social Club in Hutto TX.  Built a 17-acre campus so wellness actually fits real life.

Skills: All types of lending, real estate portfolio strategy, Bitcoin-friendly financing, plus community building, fitness programming, and events that turn strangers into friends.

Who He Wants to Meet: WilCo business owners, investors, pros, and families who want to grow their money, stay strong, and actually enjoy the ride, without sacrificing weekends or sanity.

About Hippo Social Club: Not another gym. A community campus built on FUEL + MOVEMENT + CONNECTION. Public nature trails, sauna & cold plunge, group fitness, coworking, women’s circles, mixers, kids’ stuff, and the annual Hippo Trail Fest.

When Family, Fitness & Finance line up, everything gets better, your business, your body, and the people you do life with.

Follow on Instagram: @texasfitlender

Visit: www.hipposocialclub.com

Learn more about Sergio or reach out at his LinkedIn page here

Apex Pickleball Clubs officially opened Feb. 9 in Cedar Park, bringing 16 indoor courts, certified coaching, leagues, clinics, and a pro shop to a 49,000-square-foot facility. Co-owners Bill Parodi, Sheila Parodi, Nathan Parodi, and Jim Sweeney also launched PickleDilly's, an on-site restaurant and bar open to the public regardless of membership status. Single, couples, and family memberships are available, but court reservations are accessible to non-members as well.

The hospitality anchor strategy. Embedding a restaurant inside a sports facility converts single-purpose visits into extended stays. PickleDilly's transforms Apex into a destination where customers eat, socialize, and spend more per visit, increasing revenue per square foot beyond what courts alone could generate.

Low barrier entry builds a wider top of funnel. Allowing non-members to reserve courts removes the commitment friction that kills trial conversions. Getting customers through the door first and upselling memberships later broadens the addressable market across Austin, Round Rock, Leander, and Georgetown simultaneously.

Experience bundling protects against commoditization. A standalone pickleball court is a commodity. Courts plus coaching, leagues, a pro shop, party rooms, and courtside dining create a layered value proposition that a low-cost competitor cannot easily replicate, raising the switching cost for every member.

Bottom line: Sport plus dining plus flexible access equals a membership business that sells itself before customers ever commit.

Claude Co-work is a new desktop app that acts like an autonomous digital employee, securely accessing your local files to run complex, multi-step tasks in the background.

The Takeaway: If you want to radically multiply your weekly output, watch this to see how AI can finally act as a reliable, hands-free teammate.

Upscale dining continues spreading north as Estância Brazilian Steakhouse owner Ironi Darosa opened a second Austin-area location in Leander, investing $6.7 million in a 13,502-square-foot churrascaria. Estância opened January 28, 2026, following the brand's flagship at The Arboretum and validating suburban demand for traditional Brazilian rodízio service at price points that filter for affluent households.

What this business activity shows:

Estância's $6.7 million Leander investment signals northern Williamson County can support upscale dining at Austin pricing without downtown proximity.

The 250-guest capacity and private dining rooms target corporate events and family celebrations in high-income suburban census tracts.

Second-location expansion demonstrates suburban restaurant fundamentals now rival central Austin markets for revenue density.

This opening points to Williamson County maturing beyond chain-dependent retail into experiential dining where local operators commit seven-figure capital. Premium steakhouses anchor commercial corridors and generate tax base while signaling to hospitality groups that northern suburbs deliver returns.

This sprawling Mediterranean manor commands 6.7 hilltop acres and features a tennis court, a resort pool with a dual sided fireplace, and five garage bays for your collection.

Indulge in Venetian plaster walls and a two story primary closet with a spiral staircase before heading to the poker room or the custom wine cellar for a night in. Secure this masterpiece for $4.25M and enjoy 7,077 sq. ft. of handcrafted luxury overlooking the Hill Country.

🤝 NIA Round Rock – Networking with Purpose | Whiskey Cake | Round Rock | 2/26 | More
High-energy, referral-driven networking for serious professionals who show up and deliver.

🤝 Women's Connection | February 2026 | Blue Corn Harvest | Cedar Park | 2/27 | More
Connecting local women over meaningful conversation and community over breakfast.

📣 Marketing Program March | Georgetown Chamber of Commerce | Georgetown | 3/2 | More
Actionable marketing strategies to boost your brand and attract more clients.

🚀 Founders Forum | Round Rock Chamber | Round Rock | 3/3 | More
Monthly breakfast series where local entrepreneurs learn, connect, and leave ready to act.

☕ 1 Million Cups Round Rock | Round Rock Chamber | Round Rock | 3/4 | More
Free monthly gathering fueling local entrepreneurs with community, coffee, and real solutions.

🔬 TechXperience Day | TSTC | Round Rock | 3/5 | More
Tour cutting-edge labs and discover hands-on technical training that launches real careers.

Thanks for reading our newsletter! We’ll have more updates for you next week!

See you around!