Scale Up! Louisiana is a statewide, community-based, entrepreneurial education intensive hosted by Urban League of Louisiana’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This program provides early-stage, women- and minority-owned firms with the education and resources needed for scalability and profitability. This cohort of the Scale Up! Louisiana program is specifically designed to support businesses in Lafayette and surrounding areas, and is sponsored by First Horizon and Louisiana Economic Development. This program is also funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. In order to participate, entrepreneurs must commit to a hybrid business education program that is delivered via: 4, 2.5-hour In-Person Class Sessions (Sessions 1, 4, 9, 10) 6, 2.5-hour web class sessions, and 5, 45-minute pre-recorded web sessions. Participants must also commit to utilizing additional resources and services to support their business outside of curriculum, including: counseling sessions, technical assistance, business plan assignments, and meetings with an assigned business advisor. Classes will take place February 27-April 23, 2024 with a hybrid schedule. Sessions 1, 4, 9, and 10 will take place in-person on Tuesdays, 5:30pm-8:00pm, at the Downtown Convention Center, 124 S. Buchanan Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. All other sessions will take place on Fridays, […]

Get the Help You Need to Start Your Business the Right Way! Ready to get started? Classes will take place on Saturdays, February 17 - April 13, 10:00am-12:30pm. There is no cost to attend this series. All classes will be held online via the GoToTraining online platform. Please note that this is a multiple-day training series and cannot be split. Have you recently started your own business and realized that you need help? Are you unsure if you have explored all of the tools and resources needed to ensure your success? Would you like more in-depth assistance with your business planning? If so, Start Up! Louisiana is for you! Start Up! Louisiana is a 9-session, entrepreneurial training program that teaches new entrepreneurs how to launch their business ventures the right way. This series provides best practices for how to build a solid business foundation that ensures success. Topics covered focus on developing your entrepreneurial mindset, starting lean, understanding business financials, and how to effectively market to your target customer. Participants also receive individual business counseling and access to other support services and resources needed to successfully launch and grow! This series is sponsored by the Louisiana Economic Development’s Small and […]

Join the Urban League of Louisiana for its new “WIN Series for Entrepreneurs”. This 4-part series is designed for aspiring and existing small business owners who are looking to develop key entrepreneurial skills that can be leveraged to start, grow, and scale their business. This series is sponsored by Louisiana Economic Development’s Small and Emerging Business Development Program. In this highly competitive, digital age of social media, digital marketing, and now even AI, building brand equity through compelling connections and storytelling can take your brand to new heights, especially for smaller, younger brands who are just getting their footing. A great brand ambassador is someone who understands what your brand stands for, who believes in your brand and is thrilled to spread the word. As your business’ founder and the product’s creator, you should be your brand’s number one ambassador. During this session, you will learn: How to identify your unique communication style and how to use it to inform AND influence The art of story and how to use it to sell, tell and show results How to deliver concise answers to “What do you do and What can you do for me?” that create compelling conversations and close […]