Are you looking to bridge the gap in your small business? We’ve got you covered with information on several resources offered throughout the Capital Region to help give your business the boost it needs.
Representatives from LA PTAC, LED Small Business Services, NexusLA Investment Readiness Program, and East Baton Rouge Parish Library Small Business Services gathered at BRAC’s September Monthly Lunch to discuss small business services and resources. These organizations assist small business owners with everything from business intelligence resources and investment readiness to business strategies and government contracting.
LA Procurement Technical Assistance Center
If you are looking for guidance to successfully compete in the government marketplace, councilors at LA PTAC are available to help business owners navigate the maze of government contracting. One service offered by PTAC is the System for Award Management database registration. The registration is free of charge and once your profile is set up in the database, you will begin to receive a daily bid lead email which will list all the open bid opportunities matching your search criteria. Councilors can also assist you with bid preparation, subcontracting, and even marketing strategies.
LED Small Business Services
LED Small Business Services’s CEO Roundtables bring together Baton Rouge–based key decision makers for collaborative, growth-oriented sessions in which CEOs can explore business practices and management strategies with the guidance of highly–qualified facilitators. The peer-to-peer interaction allows participants to learn from each other’s achievements and mistakes. Another resource that small business owners can tap into is LED’s Economic Gardening Initiative, which offers technical assistance and market research to second-stage growth companies. Within the nationally acclaimed program, research areas include market competitive intelligence, geographic information systems, core strategy review, and internet optimization strategies.
NexusLA
The NexusLA Investment Readiness Program is designed to coach entrepreneurs and business owners through making the proper preparations to receive funding from investors, angels, or venture capitalists. The free-of-charge program assists businesses by identifying what might be standing in the way of potential investment, creating a customized plan to overcome those hurdles, and connecting you to their network of investor groups. The program is looking for early stage businesses who are willing to dedicate an average of three months of intense preparation and a willingness to push through obstacles.
East Baton Rouge Parish Library
Earlier this year, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library launched new initiatives offering a variety of free tools for small businesses. Established organizations can receive help for finding new customers, and budding entrepreneurs can seek guidance for transforming an idea into a solid business plan. Additionally, they offer consultations with a business librarian who will guide entrepreneurs through the Library’s resources. One business intelligence tool available is ReferenceUSA, a database that can help business owners identify consumer and industry trends. Learn more about RefernceUSA in a previous BRAC blog post.
This monthly blog series is intended to engage the small business community and enhance the region’s competitiveness by arming the small business community with information on regional resources and services and communicating important policy issues impacting job creation. Interested in joining BRAC’s Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council? Visit the Councils & Committees page for more information.
Madison Costanza
As the economic research and policy intern, Madison is responsible for supporting a variety of projects and programs for the economic competitiveness team including monthly reports on economic trends.