Applications Now Open For 2023 Small and Emerging Businesses Roundtables Program

BATON ROUGE, La. – The recruitment process has started for Louisiana Economic Development’s Small and Emerging Business Development Roundtables program, the innovative peer-to-peer learning program that brings small and emerging business leaders together for a yearlong experience of collaborative learning, problem solving and professional development.

The program is based on the PeerSpectives™ Roundtable System developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation and considered a nationwide best practice. Participation is open to both current and prospective SEBD program participants. The roundtables convene in July and August; each cohort meets 10 times throughout the year to explore best practices, share business challenges and brainstorm solutions in a supportive environment.

“SEBD Roundtables provide Louisiana’s strong small business community with the opportunity to collaborate and address the challenges that arise while starting and building a business,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “The roundtable setting creates a space for entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership skills and grow their network. I encourage current SEBD participants and other small and emerging business owners to take full advantage.”

Through group discussions, small business leaders work collaboratively to enhance management skills, improve decision-making and identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.

“The SEBD roundtable was such a great experience,” Safe Wash Solutions CEO Ciana McDaniel said. “The topics were on point with what business owners deal with and the speakers gave so much insight. We also had a great group of peers that shared their experiences and I will certainly miss every one of them.”

SEBD intermediaries across the state provide technical and managerial assistance through the program and are certified to ensure a consistent experience. Current and prospective SEBD Program certified companies interested in taking part in the roundtables should contact the nearest SEBD Intermediary listed below for details about the application process:

• Bayou Region Incubator, Thibodaux
• Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation of Ascension, Gonzales
• Propeller, New Orleans
• Small Business Development and Management Institute, Southern University at New Orleans
• Small Business Development Center, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond
•  Small Business Development Center, Southern University, Baton Rouge
•  Small Business Development Center, Southern University at Shreveport
• Small Business Development Center, University of Louisiana Monroe
• Small Business Development Center, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• TruFund Financial Services, Baton Rouge
• Urban League of Louisiana, New Orleans

For more information on SEBD Roundtables, contact LED Senior Program Manager Tatiana Bruce at Tatiana.Bruce@la.gov or 225.342.5663. Learn more about the SEBD Program and certification here.

About LED
Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for strengthening the state’s business environment and creating a more vibrant economy. It is the only state agency in the U.S. accredited by the International Economic Development Council, boasting award-winning programs like LED FastStart, rated the No. 1 customized workforce training program in the U.S. 13 years in a row. In 2022, LED attracted 53 new economic development projects representing 18,137 new direct, indirect and retained jobs and $20.7 billion in new capital investment. Explore how LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes at OpportunityLouisiana.com.