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The Louisiana Business and Technology Center, E. J. Ourso College of Business,
LSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have partnered in a unique, innovative
project for Louisiana. The LBTC mobile classroom, dubbed the “Driving
Louisiana’s Economy” initiative, is a custom-designed 18-wheeler
trailer retrofitted to house seminars and workshops for small business owners.
The self-contained mobile classroom has state-of-the-art audio/visual capabilities,
including a large plasma screen monitor, broadband wireless Internet connectivity,
and seats up to 24 people for seminars.
The mobile classroom is scheduled to visit 37 rural parishes as it tours Louisiana
to present various programs including leadership development seminars, small
business workshops on a variety of topics, women and minority business forums,
entrepreneurship training, business planning and marketing workshops, access
to capital workshops, and Small Business Innovation Research grant seminars.
In light of the devastating impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the mobile
classroom will pay special attention to the business recovery and development
needs in Louisiana’s hurricane-impacted areas.
The mission of the mobile classroom is to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs
located in Louisiana with by providing access to the resources, infrastructure,
and expertise needed to grow and sustain long-term success. The mobile classroom
will foster, develop, and integrate the LBTC’s entrepreneurial development
system by providing a delivery platform and systematic approach for entrepreneur
education, training, technical assistance, access to capital, access to networks
and creating a sustainable entrepreneurial cultural in rural Louisiana. The
LBTC entrepreneurial system strives to:
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assemble a strong and competent coalition of collaborative partners to develop a system and to continue delivering the content once the program has concluded,
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provide innovative entrepreneurial education, technical assistance training program and training materials for all entrepreneurs that can be replicated nationally,
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facilitate the development and/or expansion of the entrepreneur infrastructure, and
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foster a forward-thinking entrepreneurship culture that develops sustainable networks and assists with the creation of policies consistent with successful entrepreneurship development activities.
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Programs will include seminars and workshops on:
- How to start a business
- How to get funding for your business
- How to develop an e-commerce business
- How to write a business plan
- How to market your business
For information and/or to sign up for an upcoming session contact Allison Sheffield asheff1@lsu.edu or (225) 276-5617
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2008 Schedule:
- February 19-20: Chalmette (St. Bernard Parish) [PDF Flyer]
Location: Gulf Coast Bank
Co-sponsors: Gulf Coast Bank, St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce, Nunez Community College, ExxonMobil, St. Bernard Parish Council, LSBDC Greater New Orleans Region
- February 26-27: Grenta (Jefferson Parish) [PDF Flyer]
Location: Capital One in the Casey Jones Parking Lot
Co-sponsors: Mayor Ronnie Harris’ Office, Gretna Economic Development Association,
LSBDC Greater New Orleans Region
- March 11-12: Lake Charles (Calcasieu) [PDF Flyer]
Location: Lake Charles Civic Center
Co-sponsors: Lake Charles Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Mayor Randy Roach’s Office, LSBDC at McNeese State University
- March 18-19: DeRidder (Beauregard Parish) [PDF Flyer]
Location: DeRidder City Hall
Co-sponsors: Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Mayor Ron Robert’s Office, City of DeRidder, Beauregard Tourist Commission, LSBDC at McNeese State University
- April 4-5: Michoud Air Show
- April 22-23: Rayne (Acadia Parish)
Location: TBA
Co-Sponsors: Mayor James Petitjean’s Office, City of Rayne Chamber of Commerce, LSBDC at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- April 29-30: Morgan City (St. Mary Parish) [PDF Flyer]
Location: Municipal Auditorium
Co-sponsors: St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, St. Mary Parish Economic Development, South Louisiana Economic Council, St. Mary Parish Tourism Commission, Mayor Timothy Matte’s Office, LSBDC at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- May 13-14: LeCompte (Rapides Parish)
Location: Lea’s Lunch Room
Co-sponsors: Mayor Gregory Clark’s Office, LSBDC at Northwestern State University
Other Potential Trips:
- Springhill (Webster) - May
- Bastrop (Morehouse) - May
- Norco (St. Charles Parish) - June
- Bunkie (Avoyelles) - June
Locations Visited in 2007:
- Gonzales, Belle Chasse, St. Francisville, Monroe, Ruston, Bastrop, Central, Greensburg, Mansfield, Many, Lecompte, Marrero, Chalmette, Napoleonville, New Iberia, Bogalusa, Slidell
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