PROGRAM OVERVIEW
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. In order to participate, entrepreneurs must commit to a business education program that is delivered online via Go To Training over 9 weeks. Participants must also commit to utilizing additional resources and services to support their business outside of the curriculum, including: individual and group counseling sessions, technical assistance, pre-recorded videos, business plan assignments, and engagement with an assigned business advisor.
The Urban League of Louisiana is working to increase access to entrepreneurship training in the communities that it serves – based on the challenges, opportunities, and small business development needs that are unique to selected communities across the state of Louisiana.
FAST FACTS:
WHO: Existing Small Business Owners in Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist and other surrounding Parishes.
WHAT: An 9-week program delivered via Go To Training
BONUS: Access to a business advisor for counseling, technical assistance, and other services as needed.
COST: FREE!
Scale Up! Louisiana provides small business owners with:
- Entrepreneurship Education for Early Stage Businesses
- Localized Programming Within the Community
- One-on-One and Small Group Business Counseling
- Access to Mentors and Business Advisors Relevant to Specific Industry and Business Needs
- Connections to Resources to Support Growth
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
In order to participate, small businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Own and operate a business in Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist, and Other Surrounding Parishes
- Have at least $40,000 in documented revenue for the previous tax year (revenue review conducted case by case)
- Have been in business for at least 2 years
- Must have a desire to scale
- Must be willing to commit to the program schedule, curriculum, and support services
- Must be or become certified as a Small and Emerging Business through Louisiana Economic Development (https://www.opportunitylouisiana.com/sebd)
- Must have access to the internet and a computer with a camera at home
*For questions regarding the eligibility criteria, please contact the Women’s Business Resource Center at wbrc@urbanleaguela.org.
SCALE UP! LOUISIANA – TERREBONNE PARISH – COHORT 6
The Urban League of Louisiana, in partnership with Capital One, will host its sixth cohort of Scale Up! Louisiana is a statewide entrepreneurial education intensive that provides early-stage entrepreneurs with the education and resources that are critical to creating a scalable and profitable business.
Across the state of Louisiana, the occurrence of hurricanes and major flood events has significantly impacted small businesses, specifically those in our most underserved communities. The frequency and severity of these events create compounding challenges for small businesses, and the need to recover and get back to business quickly is essential to their survival.
During this special version of the Scale Up! Louisiana initiative, Recover to Scale, small business owners will gain insights and best practices for disaster recovery, how to access emergency funding, how to modify operations, and how to market to and service customers after an emergency. This series will also assist participants with preparing for the next disaster with a focus on risk management and contingency planning.
This special cohort is designed to support small businesses in Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist, and other surrounding Parishes. Recover to Scale will be delivered online via 9, 2.5-hour sessions. Participants will receive business counseling, technical assistance, and other support services throughout the program.
The application deadline for the Summer 2022 program is Friday, July 1, 2022.
SERIES SCHEDULE – SUMMER 2022 – TERREBONNE PARISH
| Date | Session | Time |
| Thursday, July 14 | Orientation + Meet the Entrepreneurs | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, July 19 | Session 1: Forced to Pivot: Reimagining Your Business Model after a Disaster | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, July 26 | Session 2: Reset: Evaluating Your Personal and Business Finances After Disaster | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, August 2 | Session 3: The New Normal: Reposition, Restructure, and Recalibrate Your Operations | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, August 9 | Session 4: Reinventing the Wheel: Reorganize, Retool, Recharge | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, August 16 | Session 5: Market Up! How to Elevate Your Marketing Strategy After Disruption | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, August 23 | Session 6: Product Matters: Strategies for Managing Your Supply Chain Before, During and After a Disruption | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, August 30 | Session 7: Risk Management for the Small Business in Louisiana: Preparing to Access to Capital and Other Resources in the Event of an Emergency | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, September 6 | Session 8: Planning for the Future: Disaster Preparedness & Best Practices in Business Continuity Planning | 9:30am-12:00pm |
| Tuesday, September 13 | Session 9: Recover to Scale! Action Plan | 9:30am-12:00pm |
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