Our Services

Our broad mission is to help start-up and existing businesses grow and prosper. Our center serves individuals interested in starting or expanding a business within the five Florida Parishes: Livingston, St. Helena,St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington.

The Louisiana Small Business Development Center is organized into two departments:

Business Consulting Department

The LSBDC Consulting Department provides FREE confidential one-on-one counseling services to potential and existing small business owners. Counseling sessions are scheduled on an appointment basis with the initial meeting lasting approximately one hour. Call our office at (985) 549-3831 for an appointment in Hammond.

The Consulting Department offers SBA handouts, business plan outlines, financial forecasting worksheets, demographic information and business start-up guides. Our center also provides marketing and advertising resources and a “tool box” containing clipped articles, studies and information on various industries and small business topics.

Our center typically assists with the following:

• Business Plans
• Loan Proposals
• Feasibility Studies
• Marketing Plans
• Advertising Plans
• Financial Analysis
• Cash Flow Projections
• Financial Projections
• Buying/Selling a Business
• Accounting Systems
• Location Studies
• Sources of Suppliers
• Inventory Control
• Cost Analysis

Click here for our request for consulting form. Please print and sign this form, then fax (985-549-2127) to our office. A consultant will contact you upon receipt of this request.

Training Department

The LSBDC Training Department hosts seminars and workshops to keep small businesses informed of current practices and changing trends in the workplace. Approximately 50 free to low-cost seminars are offered each year and cover a very wide range of subjects. Typical topics include but are not limited to:

• Financial Statements
• Self Employment Taxes
• How to write a Business Plan
• Payroll Taxes
• How to write a Loan Proposal
• Income Tax Laws for Small Businesses
• Marketing
• Quickbooks
• Selling to the Government
• Creative Problem Solving
• Human Resource Management
• Social Media
• Legal Compliance
• And more!

Additional topics are added to the schedule as they develop in the business environment. Customized training is also available for special groups. Seminar presenters are usually business leaders, industry experts, or university professors. Most seminars are provided at no charge; others require a payment to cover the presentation expenses.

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis.