The Biden-Harris administration is announcing several reforms to increase access to the PPP to the nation’s smallest businesses and those that have been left behind in previous relief efforts. These efforts will extend much-needed resources to help small businesses survive, reopen, and rebuild. Recently announced updates include: - Instituting a 14-day period during which only businesses with fewer than 20 employees can apply for relief through the Program. - Helping sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals receive more financial support. - Consistent with a bipartisan bill, eliminating an exclusionary restriction that prevents small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions from obtaining relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. - Eliminating an exclusionary restriction that prevents small business owners who are delinquent on their federal student loans from obtaining relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. - Ensuring access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful U.S. residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) to apply for relief. Join the Urban League of Louisiana, Hope Credit Union, and the SBA Louisiana District Office on Thursday, March 4, from 1:00-2:30p CST for a special webinar to learn more about these enhancements to the Paycheck Protection Program, […]

As a business owner, having your financials in order is the most important step to running your business effectively and profitability. The start of the New Year brings a new opportunity to get your accounting system and processes set up the right way. Join the Urban League of Louisiana’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation for this special series to learn the foundations for setting up QuickBooks online, managing everyday transactions and financial reports, and the key concepts and tasks that you must know for ongoing maintenance. At the close of the series, participants attending all 3 sessions will receive 6 hours of customized, one-on-one QuickBooks Online training and maintenance support from a Financial Advisor. During this session, participants will be guided through a deeper understanding of the reporting process in QuickBooks Online and how to set up your Chart of Accounts for optimal clarity into your business financials. Participants will learn how to run the three primary financial reports (income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows), how to read these reports, how to reconcile accounts, and how to create custom fields to track income/expenses. Attendees will also learn how to run other reports that are specific to your business […]

Branding is hard - for any business - in part because it is not as well understood as many businesses think. But for smaller businesses, it is even harder because it requires resources and skills you don't normally have in-house. During this session, entrepreneurs will learn the fundamental truths about branding such as the difference between “branding” and “visual identity.” This workshop will also help to clarify some of the confusion and provide some direction on how to make your own business stronger inside and out with some specific steps on developing (or re-developing) your own approach to branding. About the Facilitator: Brandon C. Armant Brandon C. Armant has nearly twenty years of experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, crisis management, and journalism; and he serves as the CEO and President of BAMM | A Communications Company that he founded in 2012. Brandon has also served as a freelance Community News Columnist for Nola.com | The Times-Picayune, Louisiana's leading source for print and online news and information; and he is the host of The Blueprint, a podcast and radio show that features professionals who are excelling and advancing within their respective industries. There is no cost to attend this […]

Digital marketing is the easiest solution for small businesses to become the talk of town. A digital marketing campaign can include SEO, email marketing, influencer marketing, mobile marketing (via text or media), PPC, video marketing, electronic billboards, affiliate marketing, in-app mobile advertisements and more. During this session, entrepreneurs will take a deep dive into the most up-to-date trends in digital marketing and how they change the competitive landscape and impact sales. In addition, participants will learn about the most effective strategies and tools that should be used to maximize your online presence and impact your bottom line. About the Facilitator: Brandon C. Armant Brandon C. Armant has nearly twenty years of experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, crisis management, and journalism; and he serves as the CEO and President of BAMM | A Communications Company that he founded in 2012. Brandon has also served as a freelance Community News Columnist for Nola.com | The Times-Picayune, Louisiana's leading source for print and online news and information; and he is the host of The Blueprint, a podcast and radio show that features professionals who are excelling and advancing within their respective industries. There is no cost to attend this informational webinar; […]

Learn how your business can be found online with Google. This workshop explains how Google Search works and how you can improve a website's visibility with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The session also introduces products like Google My Business, Google Trends, Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Ads, and more. In this workshop, we’ll discuss best practices for: • Improving your website’s visibility in Google’s organic search results, on all devices • Creating a free Google My Business listing • Advertising your business on Google There is no cost attend; however, registration is required. Register today to reserve your seat!

For entrepreneurs, the #1 goal in marketing is to reach consumers at the moments that most influence their purchasing decisions. For optimal influence, businesses can leverage the customer buying process – the journey your customer goes through before buying your product. Today, with explosion of product choices and digital channels, coupled with the emergence of an increasingly discerning, well-informed consumer, businesses must take a more sophisticated approach to navigating this environment to capture all touch points and key buying factors. During this session, entrepreneurs will learn the key components of the customer decision journey and how they can leverage this process to increase sales. About the Facilitator: Brandon C. Armant Brandon C. Armant has nearly twenty years of experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, crisis management, and journalism; and he serves as the CEO and President of BAMM | A Communications Company that he founded in 2012. Brandon has also served as a freelance Community News Columnist for Nola.com | The Times-Picayune, Louisiana's leading source for print and online news and information; and he is the host of The Blueprint, a podcast and radio show that features professionals who are excelling and advancing within their respective industries. There is […]

Consumers have become increasingly dependent on social media platforms to identify new sources of products and services and to share information about their experiences with businesses that have patronized, good or bad. Now, more than ever, entrepreneurs must be very strategic and deliberate about offering quality products and services and delivering exceptional customer service at every single touchpoint, in-person and online. During this session, entrepreneurs will learn essential strategies for improving customer service including: - Developing a customer service strategy and plan of action - Integrating customer service into the company culture - How to train and engage employees in the customer service process - Retaining clients and creating brand ambassadors - Plus other special topics and considerations Participants will also be guided through a process mapping exercise to identify opportunities for improvement within their customer engagement process. Learn how even the smallest of changes to your customer service process can have an exponential impact on your bottom line (the butterfly effect). About the Facilitator: Brandon C. Armant Brandon C. Armant has nearly twenty years of experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, crisis management, and journalism; and he serves as the CEO and President of BAMM | A Communications […]