Louisiana SBDC, Southern University at Shreveport open service center to support small businesses
SHREVEPORT - The Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) and Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA) are embarking on a venture that will significantly add to the support effort for consulting and training small businesses and entrepreneurs in Northwest Louisiana. Southern University at Shreveport’s Chancellor Dr. Rodney Ellis states, “this is very much a move in the right direction for small and emerging businesses throughout our region. Despite their best efforts, individuals and families have watched their life-long dream - businesses they have built over many years in some cases - nearly evaporate during the pandemic. The Center will serve as a hub of restoration by providing support, access to resources, training, and advocacy. It will help existing businesses thrive again and assist new businesses to launch with foundational support needed to grow and sustain. Ellis added, “that’s what we are here for, to help our neighbors and our community become stronger and a more economically viable, attractive place to live work, and do business.” LSBDC State Director Carla Holland explained the opening of an SBDC service center is a very much anticipated and positive move for increased support of Northwest Louisiana small businesses and entrepreneurs, and added that it “speaks to the strength of the relationship with the Southern University System… I look forward to working with SUSLA and this collaboration becoming the spark of a great economic development push,” Holland said. “The LSBDC has been hosted at Southern University Baton Rouge for many years, and we’re proud to see the SU System continue to support and strengthen small businesses through our services.” The LSBDC services include no-cost business consulting and affordable training seminars designed to help businesses attract customers, improve operations, increase sales, and successfully access capital. To learn more, join Southern University at Shreveport and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on March 30, 2021, to announce the Louisiana SBDC at SUSLA Grand Opening. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place at the LSBDC at SUSLA office located at 4646 Hilry Huckaby III Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71107. For additional information or to request a consultation, please go to www.louisianasbdc.org or contact: Darrin Dixon, Regional Director Email: ddixon@susla.edu Phone: 318-670-9701
The LSBDC and SUSLA have collaborated to provide a small business service center that will offer high-quality technical assistance to existing and start-up small businesses, and to small business entrepreneurs in Louisiana at no cost to the client. This new partnership helps the LSBDC to have a stronger presence and service offering for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Northwest Louisiana Region.