Advancing entrepreneurship

Biz Magazine Spotlight: Building the Future: A 10-year milestone in NWLA’s startup community

Creating an innovative and collaborative startup community for young and growing companies is a commendable goal for any region. In Northwest Louisiana, BRF and its Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) have been diligently working toward this goal for the past 10 years. However, it’s crucial to understand that such a transformation...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: Have you visited EAP’s blue couches?

If you’ve visited the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) office located inside BRF’s InterTech 1 on Kings Highway in Shreveport, one of the first things you likely noticed are the bright blue couches situated in the middle of the room. These couches are not just a vibrant part of the decor...

Take Your Food Truck to the Next level: Free Workshop

The Launch Network is calling all Northwest Louisiana food entrepreneurs! Have you ever dreamt of serving serving up your culinary creations from the window of your own food truck? Maybe you're already a food tuck pro, but want to take your food truck business to the next level? The Launch Network is...

BRF wins 2 grants to provide startup services to entrepreneurs and small businesses in North Louisiana.

BRF is an awardee of two grants totaling $2 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to accelerate technology entrepreneurship in North Louisiana by increasing inclusive access to entrepreneurial assistance and startup capital. The grants will be used by BRF’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) to provide startup...

Biz Magazine Spotlight – Navigating the Hurdles: Strategies for New Businesses

written by EAP Financial Analyst, William Anderson and Biz Magazine. Starting a new business is an exhilarating endeavor, but it’s not without its challenges. From financial constraints to fierce competition and uncertainty in the market, new ventures face a myriad of hurdles that can impede their success. However, with careful planning,...

grow your small business rural entrepreneurs

Grow Your Rural Small Business Through the Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative

All Rural Entrepreneurs,   The new LED’s Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative aims to accelerate the growth of second-stage businesses in rural areas of Louisiana. With the unique challenges rural entrepreneurs face, program participants will be able to identify what scaling means for both their companies and their communities. They will then move on to develop...

Biz Magazine Spotlight: Getting To Know Which Stage of Funding Your Business Is Ready For

Ever dream of launching a startup but worried about funding? Our Senior Financial Analyst, Julie Gilley Milam sees countless entrepreneurs with "great ideas" and "good business acumen," but one crucial skill gap: understanding how to raise capital. This article explores the program's role in bridging that gap and empowering startups. Startup...

LED: Now Accepting Applications for 2024-2025 CEO Roundtables Series

Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is now accepting applications for its 2024-2025 CEO Roundtables series, the popular, yearlong program that provides a platform for leaders of second-stage companies to share insights and knowledge. CEO Roundtables bring together groups of 15 to 18 key decision makers from Louisiana-based small businesses 10 times over...

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...