The City of Lake Charles and Hancock Whitney Bank joined together on Tuesday, April 4, to announce LC Launch Small Business Development Week, scheduled for May 15-19, 2023. 

“Small business enterprises are the backbone of our economy, but the road to entrepreneurship has been particularly challenging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a string of natural disasters impacting our community in 2020 and 2021,” said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. “Recognizing these challenges, the City of Lake Charles and a number of other agencies offer incredible resources to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. LC Launch Small Business Development Week is a concerted effort aimed at providing educational programming to shed a brighter light on these resources.”

“It’s no secret that communities thrive when small businesses thrive and Hancock Whitney is pleased to join like-minded partners in participation of LC Launch. Together with resource partners and our community, we can foster economic success that makes life better for the people who call this region home. Thank you to the City of Lake Charles and Mayor Hunter for your ongoing commitment to create a more vibrant Lake Charles economy. We look forward to this exciting initiative next month,” said Hancock Whitney Bank Market President James Richard.

The series will kick off on Monday, May 15, with a Small Business Help Roadshow from 1 – 2:30 pm. This seminar, hosted by LED and OCD, will take place in the Lake Charles Civic Center (900 Lakeshore Dr.) 3rd floor Buccaneer Room A. Later that same day, from 4:30 – 6 pm, the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host a networking event in the Lake Charles Civic Center 3rd floor Jean LaFitte Room.

The evening will close out with a keynote address by Ted James, Small Business Administration Regional Administrator for the South Central Region. His address, focused on celebrating small business, will be held from 6-8 pm in the Lake Charles Civic Center 3rd floor Buccaneer Room B.

“Small businesses are key to the stability of the nation’s economy. This is why great effort to support small businesses from national, regional, and local agencies is critical,” stated Administrator James. “When one considers the depth of innovation and the number of jobs that are generated by small businesses, it is easy to recognize why small business development events such as “Lake Charles Launch” are necessary.”

Tuesday, May 16, will begin with a CEO Roundtable from 9 – 10 am in the Lake Charles City Council Chambers located at 326 Pujo St. Later that afternoon, the events will move back to the Lake Charles Civic Center with a Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation Business Information Event from 4-6 pm, a Small Business Workshop focused on the ROI of Social Media for Business Owners from 5:30 – 6:30 pm and the Gator Tank Business Pitch Competition from 6:30 – 8 pm.

Entrepreneurs interested in applying to compete in the Gator Tank Business Pitch Competition can download rules and an application by clicking here. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 2. 

On Wednesday, May 17, the Student Entrepreneur Academy will be held from 8 am – noon at the Willis Noland SEED Center (4310 Ryan St.) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will present a workshop in Cash Flow vs. Profit from 3 – 4:30 pm at the Willis Nolan SEED Center.

Continuing at the Willis Noland SEED Center on Thursday, May 18, SBDC will present a workshop on how businesses can leverage Google searches and Google Maps from 2 – 3 pm and a second workshop on E-commerce Tools from 3 – 4 pm. 

LC Launch Small Business Development Week will close out on Friday, May 19, with a final SBDC workshop focused on using YouTube to grow your business. This session will be held at the Willis Noland SEED Center from 10 – 11:30 am.

Also on Friday, May 19, from 10 am to 6 pm, the Southern University Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic will host and Entrepreneur Legal Clinic at the MLK Center located at 2009 Simmons St.

LC Launch Small Business Development Week is presented in partnership with the Louisiana Economic Development, America’s Small Business Development Center, RESTORE Louisiana, the SEED Center Business Incubator, the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the US Small Business Administration and the Southern University Law Center.

All session are free to attend. Click here for a downloadable schedule of events.