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BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana has officially launched the State Small Business Credit Initiative, making up to $113 million of federal support available to small business owners via private equity funds and financial institutions around the state. Louisiana Economic Development has created an online resource to help entrepreneurs and providers take full advantage of theRead more

BATON ROUGE, La. — The state of Louisiana has launched a new digital platform to connect entrepreneurs and small business owners with resources to help them start and grow their businesses. Louisiana Business Hub (LouisianaBizHub.com) brings order to the often chaotic search for information, networking and resources that are the lifeblood of every small business.Read more

The Leadership EXCEL Advisory Board is pleased to announce the conclusion of their 2022 year.  The 27th Graduating Leadership EXCEL Class met at The New Fezzo’s of Crowley on Wednesday, November 9th for a reception and graduation ceremony. The evening began with an informal reception prior to the graduation where graduates, sponsors, and families of theRead more

BATON ROUGE, La. —  The recruitment process has started for LED’s  SEBD Roundtables, the innovative peer-to-peer learning program that brings small and emerging business leaders together for a yearlong experience of collaborative learning, problem solving and professional development. SEBD Roundtables is based on the PeerSpectives™ Roundtable System developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation and consideredRead more

As the new year draws near, small businesses are celebrating with employees and families alike. Holiday preparations go beyond planning parties and gatherings though as the new year lurks just around the corner and brings new opportunities that can be capitalized upon. Working within our community has shown that creating a marketing plan is theRead more

The Leadership EXCEL Advisory Board is pleased to announce the conclusion of their 2020-21 year.  The 26th Graduating Leadership EXCEL Class met at Grand Opera House of the South on Wednesday, November 17 for a reception and graduation ceremony. The evening began with an informal reception prior to the graduation where graduates, sponsors, and families ofRead more

The COVID small business crisis and prolonged and uneven, inflicting a disproportionate toll on microbusinesses in underserved communities that are the lifeblood of their local economies. While much attention has been paid to small business closures in urban communities across the country, the same dynamic is unfolding in underserved rural areas, with dire consequences. StillRead more

Everyone is looking to grow in the beginning of the year. Individuals make New Year’s resolutions and try to better themselves in whatever way they choose. Businesses are no different! Many of our local small businesses will be taking stock of what they can do to create growth for the next year. What better placeRead more

Due to the pandemic, the way businesses have had to conduct themselves and their business has altered dramatically. The digital age has indeed come full force upon us, with Zoom conferences, online classes, and digital marketing being utilized by every industry. Yet even with this emphasis on digital means of connecting, local businesses still relyRead more

As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us begin to get in gear for one (if not THE) of the biggest shopping days of the year: Black Friday. Also, with the rise of ecommerce and the success of sites like Amazon and other online retailers, Cyber Monday has become a hot day of those internet-savvy individuals whoRead more