Louisiana SBDC Greater New Orleans & River Region

04/17/2026

💼 Get Funding Ready + Build the Right Banking Relationships

If funding is part of your business goals, preparation matters. Join Chuck Mills (Retired CEO/CPA) and Michelle Y. Talbert (LSBDC Business Consultant) for a workshop that connects your numbers with the relationships that help your business grow.

You’ll learn how to:
✔ Understand your funding options
✔ Prepare the financials lenders expect
✔ Strengthen your financial management
✔ Build banker relationships that open doors

Whether you’re starting out or planning your next step, you’ll leave with actions you can apply right away.

💬 Bring your questions—live Q&A included.

📍 Virtual
👉 Register today to get your business funding ready: https://www2.lsbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=1460044

04/01/2026

🌟 Wednesday Win | Client Spotlight 🌟

Meet Mickey Hayes, Jordan Haywood, Finley Coover & Chloe White — the musicians behind the New Orleans Cooperative Music School, a worker-owned institution bringing ethical, high-quality music education to New Orleans!

With guidance from LSBDC at Xavier University of Louisiana on LLC formation, marketing, and connecting with the right resources, they turned that vision into reality and are already making waves in the local arts community. 🎶

🔗 Visit their website to learn more and support local music education: https://www.neworleanscooperativemusicschool.com/

03/18/2026

✨ Celebrating with Small Business Success! ✨

Meet My Tra — Owner of Boba Stop! What started as a small farmers market booth in Alexandria grew into a thriving food truck serving authentic bubble teas, coffees, smoothies, French macarons, taiyaki, and ube-flavored treats across Central Louisiana. 🍡

With guidance from the LSBDC at LSUA, My navigated everything from business planning and cash flow tools to securing permits — and launched her food truck in just two months! 🎉

🎉 Happy from the LSBDC at LSUA!

03/18/2026

We love our clients! 🐾💙 Shoutout to Shawn Nunez of The Dog Stop, and his advisor Dean Day, Center Director at the LSBDC at McNeese State University! This , we're celebrating the partnerships that help small businesses grow and thrive.

📍 Check out The Dog Stop here: https://thedogstop.com/locations/louisiana/lake-charles/

03/18/2026

✨ Celebrating with Small Business Success! ✨

Meet April Takewell and her daughter Leighlah — the mother-daughter duo behind Leighlah's Lemonade Lounge! 🍋💛

What started as a simple lemonade stand to save up for a Disney World trip quickly grew into a thriving women-owned business serving festivals and community events across North Louisiana — including the Louisiana Peach Festival, the Louisiana Chicken Festival, and events at Kiroli Park.

With guidance from the LSBDC at UL Monroe, April navigated the process of launching an LLC and building a solid foundation for long-term growth.

🎉 Happy from the LSBDC at UL Monroe!

03/18/2026

Nothing makes us happier than watching our clients WIN! 🎉

A huge shoutout to these incredible entrepreneurs working with Michelle Talbert at the LSBDC at Xavier University of Louisiana.

Happy — we are so proud of each and every one of you! 💙✨

03/17/2026

✨ Celebrating with Small Business Success! ✨

Meet Heather Degeyter — Owner of Bonne Vie Macarons and one of Lafayette's most beloved dessert destinations! 🍬💜

What started with a wobbly batch of birthday macarons in 2017 has grown into something truly special. Heather built a loyal following through word-of-mouth and social media before opening her first storefront in 2018 — a feminine, whimsical space filled with natural light, fresh flowers, and beautifully displayed desserts.

Along the way, Heather turned to the LSBDC at UL Lafayette for support — attending marketing workshops and working one-on-one with consultants on strategic planning, marketing, and loan package development. With LSBDC guidance, she secured financing, developed a strategic growth plan, and successfully transitioned into a new downtown Lafayette location in 2025. 📈🎉

Heather's story is a reminder that with the right support, a small idea can blossom into something extraordinary. 🌸

📍 Check out Bonne Vie Macarons here: https://shopbonneviemacarons.com/

🎉 Happy from the LSBDC at UL Lafayette! Tomorrow, March 18th, we celebrate entrepreneurs like Heather who pour their heart into everything they do.

03/17/2026

✨ Celebrating with Small Business Success! ✨

Meet Jordanna Coleman — Owner of LC Transport Services, LLC and proof that strategic planning can completely transform a business.

For Jordanna, growth didn't happen by accident — it happened through strategy, support, and showing up ready to learn. With guidance from the LSBDC at Southern University, she became certified as a Small and Emerging Business Development (SEBD) firm and a Hudson Initiative participant in 2023. From there, she leaned into capacity-building services, entrepreneurial training, peer roundtables, and targeted education in marketing, accounting, and operations.

📍 Check out LC Transport Services here: https://www.lctransport.net/

🎉 Happy from the LSBDC at Southern University! Tomorrow, March 18th, we celebrate entrepreneurs like Jordanna who inspire us every single day.

02/09/2026

Meet Kevin Fitzwilliam!

As we enjoy the Mardi Gras season, let's give a shout-out to Kevin Fitzwilliam, one of the many small business owners working with the LSBDC and making a difference in our region.

Kevin Fitzwilliam is passionate about promoting what he believe is the true beauty of Mardi Gras -- the creativity, public art, and traditions -- while fighting against the plastic waste that dominates carnival season

In 2017 Kevin created Atlas Beads, selling handcrafted necklaces and bracelets (as well as earrings and coin purses) made from magazine paper by women in Uganda. Riders purchase these as specialty throws.

Kevin has worked in the parade-route recycling effort since 2018, which is now led by Grounds Krewe. He promotes aluminum-can recycling as Canny the Clown.

Kevin is a member of The Recyclists, a recycling marching krewe that parades once a year and collects recyclables in one of the major French-Quarter walking parades.

And now, Kevin has created Mardi Gras postcards that consist of his sketches and poems, as well as temporary tattoos of his sketches. "This is the first year I've done this. I went out on a limb and designed all of this and printed thousands of them, and then it was time to get to work selling them." To do that, Kevin did it the old fashioned way -- by word of mouth.

To order Kevin's Mardi Gras-themed postcards, bead necklaces and bracelets, visit his website at https://www.atlasbeads.com/ or follow him on social media.

02/04/2026

Love seeing Louisiana small businesses grow. 👏

Congratulations to the Bonafried Truck team on their continued growth and recent feature highlighting their journey from food truck beginnings to a new brick and mortar. We love celebrating businesses that are building something special in our communities.

Read the story below and join us in cheering them on. 👏

Bonafried food truck is best known for its fried chicken sandwich. Now that’s the focus of a new casual restaurant in Mid-City.

02/03/2026

🚀 Veterans—Ready to take your business to the next level?

The PAVE Orientation connects you with expert-led training to strengthen your business foundation.

✔️ Build essential business skills
✔️ Access funding, marketing, and planning resources
✔️ Find tools made specifically for veteran entrepreneurs

📲 Register today: https://www2.lsbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=2460002

Know a veteran entrepreneur? Tag them below or share this opportunity.

🎖️ Special thanks to our partners at Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, Louisiana APEX Accelerator, U.S. Small Business Administration, and Mississippi State Veterans Business Outreach Center for their ongoing commitment to empowering Louisiana's veteran-owned businesses.