Walmart’s Annual Open Call

Entrepreneurs Wanted

Are you an entrepreneur with a shelf-ready product made, grown, or assembled in the U.S.? Don't miss the opportunity to showcase your products and receive valuable feedback on your pitch during a stop on the Road to Open Call tour.

Selected entrepreneurs can even earn a coveted fast pass to our exclusive Open Call event in Bentonville, Arkansas. During Open Call 2025, 100+ entrepreneurs secured deals to sell their products on Walmart or Sam’s Club shelves or online at Walmart.com. Are you next?

This Year’s Tour Stops

April 9: Los Angeles, CA - (Applications close March 20)
April 15: New Orleans, LA - (Applications close March 27)
May 14: Dallas, TX - (Applications close April 24)
May 21: Orlando, FL - (Applications close May 1)
May 25-29: Baltimore, MD - (Applications close May 8)
June 11: Indianapolis, IN - (Applications close May 22)
June 18: Salt Lake City, UT - (Applications close May 29)
June 24: Atlanta, GA - (Applications close June 5)

Click HERE to apply for a spot at one of the stops on the Road to Open Call.

Questions about Open Call? Find answers to frequently asked questions HERE.

TDLR Rule Change Raises Concerns for Texas Businesses and Skilled Workers

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) started a new rule that could block thousands of hardworking Texans from legally practicing their professions.

For years, skilled workers without a Social Security number could obtain a license using an International Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and an affidavit. As of January, that option is no longer available; applicants will need a Social Security number.

This change affects barbers, cosmetologists, massage therapists, HVAC professionals, midwives, dietitians, and many more, threatening small businesses and putting local economies at risk. Many of these workers have paid taxes, built businesses, and supported their communities for years.

TAMACC and partner organizations are speaking out: this rule could worsen labor shortages, shut down businesses, and cost Texas economic growth. The state has not conducted a full economic impact study before moving forward.

Texas Business Owners Fight Back Against Hancock’s Assault on Minority Contractors

On Monday, March 2, four Texas business owners and a trade association took a stand against the state, suing acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock after he recklessly stripped minority- and women-owned businesses from the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program. Created in the 1990s to give these businesses a fair shot at state contracts, the program has been gutted under Hancock’s unilateral actions.

Plaintiffs, including Houston-based Ipsum General Contractors and the Greater Houston chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, are calling out Hancock for blatant overreach, cutting businesses out of lucrative opportunities without so much as due process. Lead counsel Alphonso David slammed the move, declaring, “The Legislature passes the laws, not the comptroller.”

Hancock’s changes have decimated participation, slashing the program from more than 15,000 businesses to fewer than 500—following Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2025 executive order banning DEI policies in state agencies. Plaintiffs are demanding immediate judicial intervention to restore the program while the lawsuit proceeds.

For Hispanic and minority-owned businesses, this is more than a legal fight—it’s a battle to protect access, uphold fairness, and defend their rightful place in Texas’ multibillion-dollar contracting arena.

Artificial Intelligence:

The Next Frontier for Chamber Leadership

Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging concept for chambers of commerce. It is quickly becoming a strategic capability that directly affects how chambers operate, serve members, and lead in increasingly competitive markets.

Guidance from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and ongoing discussions within the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives reinforce a consistent message to chamber leaders: start small, focus on measurable member impact, and build with strong governance.

For chamber executives, the question is no longer whether AI will influence the industry. It is how deliberately and strategically your organization will adopt it.

TAMACC Launches the Inaugural Roy P. Benavidez Scholarship Luncheon

TAMACC is proud to announce a new event to its schedule this year. In partnership with the Roy P. Benavidez family and foundation, TAMACC and Leadership Tejas will host, for the first time, the Roy P. Benavidez Scholarship Luncheon.

If you are interested in attending, sponsoring a table, or helping underwrite the event, do not hesitate to contact the TAMACC office at president@tamacc.org or (512) 444-5727.