Louisiana Small Business Development Center at University of Louisiana Monroe

We offer no-cost confidential business consulting and affordable workshops to new entrepreneurs and existing business owners.

About

We offer no-cost confidential business consulting and affordable workshops to new entrepreneurs and existing business owners.

The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) was created in 1977 as an outreach service of ULM College of Business & Social Sciences, and the program became fully operational in 1983.

We serve Northeast Louisiana including Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, and West Carroll parishes. LSBDC offers confidential consulting to existing and potential business owners at no cost. Experienced and professional consultants analyze the market and find new customers for your business. We identify strategies to build your brand in a growing economy. We turn your ideas into profitable business ventures through one-on-one consulting services. LSBDC provides business training to entrepreneurs and small business owners in multiple locations across Louisiana. With local and virtual workshops on a variety of business-related topics, our frequent training gives you the power to start or grow your business.

Topics include:

  • Starting a Business
  • Funding
  • Digital Marketing
  • Tax & Accounting
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Human Resources
  • E-commerce
  • Cybersecurity
  • International Trade
 
Most workshops are offered at no-cost.

Services Provided

Economic and Site Development

  • Revitalization
  • Economic Forecast
  • Economic Development

Buying or Selling a Business

  • Buying or Selling a Franchise
  • Purchasing or Selling an Existing Business

Business Planning

  • Business Succession Planning
  • Diversification
  • Business Plan Consulting (Specialty)
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Demographic and Census Data (Specialty)
  • Forming a Business (Specialty)
  • Identification and Research of Foreign Markets
  • Market Plan Development
  • Market Research (Specialty)

Financial Resources and Assistance

  • Financial Statement and Cash Flow
  • Insurance Requirements
  • Loan Providers
  • Government Funding
  • Bonding
  • Disaster Loans and Grants

Human Resources, Workforce and Talent

  • Hiring and Firing
  • Industry
  • Leadership/Professional Development
  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion
  • Employee Development
  • Insurance
  • Retention
  • Policies and Templates

Import and Export Assistance

  • Identification/Research of Foreign Markets
  • Certification and Licensing
  • Networking/Exploring Exporting

Internship Programs and Student Services

  • Student Marketing Projects
  • Student Research Projects
  • Youth Entrepreneurship Education
  • Student Training

Legal Services

  • Patent Seminars
  • Patent, Trademark & Copyright Information

Libraries and Research

  • Business Research Resources

Management Issues

  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion
  • Human Resources
  • Insurance Requirements
  • Leadership/Professional Development
  • Recruiting Assistance

Manufacturing, High Tech, Life Sciences Development

  • Commercialization
  • Manufacturing Development
  • Technology Transfer

Marketing and Sales

  • Demographics/Census Data
  • E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Market Plan Development and Training
  • Market Research
  • Website Development

Mentoring

  • One-on-One Counseling
  • Peer Mentoring

Networking and Associations

  • Demographically Based
  • Geographically Based
  • Home Based
  • Industry Specific
  • International Trade
  • Small Business/General

Product Development

  • Patent Information
  • R&D Support

Public Policy and Government Relations

  • Parish Business Issues
  • Asian-American Business
  • African-American Business
  • City Business Issues
  • Hispanic Business
  • State Business Issues
  • LGBTQIA Business Issues
  • Native-American Business
  • Small Business Policy
  • Women’s Business Issues

Regulatory Compliance

  • Bonding
  • Codes
  • Government Requirements
  • Insurance Requirements
  • Patent Information
  • Registration, Licenses and Permits
  • Trademark and Copyright Information
  • Certification

Selling to the Government and Large Corporations

  • HUBZone Certification
  • Obtaining Certification
  • Obtaining Government Contracts
  • Registration Assistance
  • Subcontracting Opportunities

Starting a Business

  • Business Research Resources
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Forming a Business
  • Home-Based Business Training
  • Registration, Licenses and Permits
  • Site Location
  • Startup Business Counseling
  • Startup Classes

Tax Services

  • State and Federal Tax Training
  • State Tax Credit Information
  • Tax Credits
  • Tax Preparation Assistance
  • Tax Registration

Technical Assistance

  • Virtual Consulting and Online Services
  • Commercialization
  • Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
  • Industrial Technology Research
  • Technology Transfer
  • Website Development

Training

  • Online Courses and Videos (Specialty)
  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion
  • Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training
  • Budget, Cash Flow and Financial Statements Training
  • Business Management Training (Specialty)
  • Business Plan Training and Assistance (Specialty)
  • E-Commerce/Internet Marketing
  • Home-Based Business Training
  • Human Resources Training
  • Marketing Plan Training
  • Startup Classes (Specialty)
  • International Trade Education and Training

Accelerators and Incubators

  • Accelerator

Events and Community Building

  • Pitch Events
Contact Information
Virendra Chhikara
Address
700 University Avenue
Stubbs Hall, Room 249
Monroe, LA 71209