CEI

Learn How to Become a Vendor of Choice for Major Corporations!Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation for its 3-part, signature series, the "Best Practices in Corporate Contracting" sponsored by Chevron. This series will provide entrepreneurs who are seeking corporate clients with best practices for building the financial and operational capacity required to do business with medium- to large-sized corporations. Tuesday, August 3 | 10:00am-11:30amFacilitator: Lakeisha Robichaux, Lakeisha Robichaux, LLC As small businesses set their site on growth, it is imperative that capacity building strategies be deployed to ensure that your firm can effectively and efficiently manage larger contracts. Access to these larger contracting opportunities is important, but the benefit is null and void if you do not have the capacity to meet the expectations of larger, more complex opportunities. During this session, learn specific strategies for building financial and operational capacity, including:  Attracting and retaining high-quality workers Controlling operating costs and scalability Improving internal controls such as financial systems, inventory and human resource management platforms Wednesday, August 4 | 10:00am-11:30amFacilitator: Nenette Lusk Gray, Lemonade Creative Marketing During Part 2 of “Capacity Building for Corporate Contracts”, participants will gain insights into additional strategies for building financial […]

Register today for the Small Business Matters Summit 2021 to learn best practices for preparing your business for future opportunities in St. Bernard Parish! The event will take place at 3710 Paris Rd, Chalmette, LA 70043 in the Art, Science, and Technology Building at Nunez Community College. The event takes place on Thursday, July 22nd, 1:00pm-6:00pm. There is no cost to attend, however, registration is required. Click here to register!

Session 1: Understanding and Improving Your Personal Financial Position | Tuesday, July 13 | 12:30p-2:30p During this workshop, participants will learn what it means to become bankable and how the personal finances of the entrepreneur are connected to the business. This session includes a deep dive into the components of a personal financial statement and why it is such a critical part of the funding package for small businesses. Attendees will also examine the debt to income ratio versus the debt service coverage, as well as, one’s personal credit score versus the business’ credit score. This interactive session will also allow participants to begin the process of developing their own personal and business budgets to form the foundation of their financial statements. Register for Session 1 here Session 2: Examining Your Business' Financial State and Needs for Growth | Wednesday, July 14 | 12:30p-2:30p During this session, participants gain insights into how to get their business finances in order including ensuring that your balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows are accurate. Attendees will receive tips on accounting systems, banking, equity needs and other important aspects of becoming bankable. Participants will also learn how to examine the financial […]