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LED: BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana has officially launched the State Small Business Credit Initiative, making up to $113 million of federal support available to small business owners via private equity funds and financial institutions around the state. Louisiana Economic Development has created an online resource to help entrepreneurs and providers take...

Biz Magazine Spotlight- EAP launches podcast featuring advice from local entrepreneurs, business owners

Launching and growing a new business comes with its share of unpredictable challenges — but it doesn’t have to be a lonely journey. On the Cusp, a new podcast launching in October by BRF’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) serves as a way to help business owners communicate with each other...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: EAP has much to celebrate on 8th anniversary

With our eighth anniversary approaching, BRF’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) has much to celebrate.  EAP is the only technology accelerator in Caddo Parish, and its unique model has allowed us to expand beyond our original goals and metrics conceived eight years ago. When we first started in 2014, our objective was...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: What’s your business model & how do you make money with it?

You thought of a great business idea. For most entrepreneurs, the idea is just the beginning of the journey to starting a business. You also need to determine your business model and how you will make money with this business model, and you must confirm that your idea works by...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: Surviving Inflation: Increasing Prices Without Losing Customers

In the current business climate, inflation is top of mind for business owners.  With respect to price increases, many entrepreneurs feel they have no room for a change in pricing when it comes to their products.  Entrepreneurs and business owners should be thoughtful about how they approach price increases, understanding...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: How to Fund your Business

The number one question asked by entrepreneurs with a business idea is “how do I fund my business?” Many entrepreneurs believe that grants are the best option for funding a startup business, but the reality is that grants that are made available to for-profit organizations are few and far between. More...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: EAP Launches Spring Into Summer Series

When the time comes to turn a great idea into a business, many entrepreneurs realize that they do not know the first steps towards actually starting and running a business.  It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to lack formal instruction in business, finance, or the legal framework required for businesses. ...

Author: Kay West, CEO and Business Consultant at PIPE Consulting

Four Customer Demand Insights to Help Businesses Strategize and Pivot

Over the past decade, technology advancements have strengthened how businesses engage with new and existing customers. Based on product availability, customers’ expectations for service are driven by “when and how” a business can meet their needs; this is called customer demand. Factors that influence customer demand include seasonality, competition, geography,...