WilCo Dinner for AI entrepreneurs

I spent this past weekend at the New Media Summit in Austin and walked away with something I didn't expect: a reminder that the real moat in business isn't content or SEO or even audience size.

It's trust and relationships. People who know you, trust you, and want to win with you. The operators who are building durable businesses aren't just grinding content out. They're doing dinners, showing up in-person, and building the kind of trust that can't be automated. That's what I want to build here in Williamson County.

Which brings me to something I'm putting together. I'm looking for a small group (3-6 people) who are playing with AI coding tools, things like Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, agentic workflows, and have the entrepreneurial brain to see where this is going.

Not necessarily engineers. Just people who are curious, building things, and want to think alongside others who are doing the same. I want to do a dinner, no agenda, just honest conversation about what we're building and where we think this goes. If that's you, reply to this email and let me know what you’re building. I'll pull together the right group and make it happen.

Opening Hype: Round Rock just landed a Nasdaq-listed e-commerce company looking to take on one of the biggest names in sports apparel. Digital Brands Group (DBGI) is building out a 70,000-square-foot headquarters at 350 Texas Ave., relocating from Los Angeles as it positions itself to go head-to-head with Fanatics in the collegiate apparel market.

Why It Matters: Digital Brands Group's direct-to-university model cuts out the wholesale markups that drive up costs on licensed college gear, with active partnerships at schools like Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, and Colorado already signed. The company employs 33 people today but projects doubling its headcount annually as it chases 300% revenue growth this year, which means Round Rock captures a high-growth employer during its most formative stage.

Bigger Picture: California companies choosing Round Rock over other logistics hubs like Kentucky or Ohio signals that Williamson County now competes on creative talent recruitment, not just cost. The region's combination of business-friendly policy, lower cost of living, and proximity to Austin's design and tech talent pool is the exact pitch that closed this deal. As more consumer brands follow Digital Brands Group's path east, Round Rock builds a credible identity beyond its Dell Technologies legacy.

Evaluates IT processes, systems, applications, and internal controls across ERCOT's organization, documenting findings in accordance with internal auditing standards.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, Cyber Security, Accounting, Finance, or a related field is required, with a minimum of 2 years of auditing experience (5 years for senior-level consideration). Preference given to candidates with experience in IT governance frameworks (NIST, ITIL, ISO, COSO), information security, cloud, and cybersecurity auditing. Position is hybrid, requiring at least 2 days per week on-site in Taylor, TX; remote work must be performed from a Texas residence.

Inventory Analyst at Abbott Laboratories ($61k–$123k).
Monitor and optimize field inventory for cardiac rhythm management devices across the US. Apply now!

Supply Chain Management Professional at Samsung Electronics ($58k–$157k).
Monitor vendor performance and manage supply chains for semiconductor repair and calibration operations. Apply now!

Project Manager at Tata Consultancy Services ($85k–$100k).
Manage telecom projects and deliver reporting and presentations to stakeholders. Apply now!

Coordinator - Technical Production at Round Rock Independent School District ($60k–$73k).
Support operations and personnel activities at the Performing Arts Center. 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!

Program Manager I at Amazon/Whole Foods Market ($56k–$97k).
Drive grocery data operations programs and manage item and offer data quality. Apply now!

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

I have not had a chance to play with this yet, but hearing very positive things. Comparing it to a controlled and simpler version of OpenClaw.

For those of you who are non-technical, this is probably something you should try to play with soon to see what all the hype around “agents as employees” is.

Game On Bar & Grill opened on Ronald Reagan Blvd. just in time for the Super Bowl last month, and the timing tells you something about owner Ram Varma's read on Leander.

The concept: 44 Texas craft taps, a 16x9 LED screen broadcasting everything from football to cricket, and a kitchen running smash burgers, wings, and brisket melts.

But the real story is the location bet. Varma planted a locally owned entertainment anchor on a corridor that's been filling in fast, and he did it right as that area hit the density where a sports bar actually works.

For Williamson County operators watching which neighborhoods are next, Ronald Reagan Blvd. in the Leander/Liberty Hill area just got another data point.

The Ridge at Loafer's Glory Ranch delivers 124 unrestricted, ag-exempt acres straddling both banks of Bear Creek, with mature live oaks and elms framing a three-level, 5,522 sq. ft. main home built to outlast a storm (Category 5 shelter included).

A chef's kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, heated bathroom floors, screened wraparound porch, and a 12-inch waterline across CR 200 hint at both the comfort and the development upside baked into this property. At $7,999,999, this is a legacy ranch, a private retreat, and one of the smartest long-term bets in Liberty Hill ISD territory.

🏆 Women of Wilco Business Awards 2025 | Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center | Georgetown | 03/06 | More
Honoring the women shaping Williamson County's business community over lunch.

🍽️ Business Network Lunch March | Georgetown Chamber of Commerce | Georgetown | 03/10 | More
The Chamber's biggest monthly mixer with city updates and catered lunch.

💡 Small Business Startup Sessions: How to Start a Business | Leander Chamber of Commerce | Leander | 03/11 | More
Free, practical guidance on launching your business from idea to open doors.

🍽️ Cedar Park Chamber Luncheon | Facilities Resource Inc | Cedar Park | 03/11 | More
Monthly member mixer with a nonprofit expo and prime networking time.

🤝 Hutto Area Chamber Luncheon | EWCHEC | Hutto | 03/11 | More
Skip the speaker this month, it's all structured, intentional networking.

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