Our Work

Small Business Growth

Small businesses are the driving force of the New Orleans economy. The New Orleans Business Alliance helps entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses through initiatives, and a combination of powerful online business tools. We are especially interested in growing businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color and women.

In addition to growth-oriented initiatives and valuable tools, the Business Alliance Small Business Growth team engages anchor institutions along with larger corporate entities and public agencies to create quality opportunities for small business owners.

We also provide assistance to neighborhood business organizations and stakeholders of commercial corridors, including distressed areas of the city where organizations work to bring business and commerce back to the city’s high-impact communities.

Explore our tools below, and if you’re ready, check out the InvestNOLA initiative. If you have questions or need assistance with growing your business contact our small business professionals at sbed@nolaba.org.

Certifications

Supplier Diversity Certifications offer many benefits for small businesses by creating access to contracting opportunities with municipal, state, federal, and corporate organizations looking to diversify their supply chains.

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Business Lifecycle

The business life cycle is the progression of a business and its phases over time, and is most commonly divided into five stages: Startup, Established, Early Growth, High Growth, and Maturity.

New Orleans Business Alliance is here to help you every step of the way. Explore our comprehensive toolkit to learn how we can help you take your business from an idea to a successful reality.
Explore Our Toolbox

Our Toolbox

Business Insight Tool

Find local information from this powerful, comprehensive tool to make smarter, faster decisions.

Startup Established Early Growth Maturity
Launch

Crescent City Biz Connector

Whether you are just starting out or well on the way to success, find the right resources to keep your business growing and thriving.

Startup Established Early Growth
Launch

Opportunities Portal

We seek to support business by providing access to procurement opportunities in both public and private sectors.

Established Early Growth

Launch
ACCELERATING SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH FOR NEW ORLEANIANS

Mastercard Digital Doors®

Mastercard and NOLABA are partnering to bring tools, training, and resources to small businesses through a new online portal. Now more than ever, having a digital presence is critical, so we're working together to help get you online, protect your company, and ensure you have everything you need to be successful in the new normal.

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InvestNOLA

Developed and launched in 2019, InvestNOLA is a highly-customized small business growth program to provide support to local small businesses owned by people of color across New Orleans. The program is designed to accelerate the expansion of high-growth potential businesses by connecting them to public and private sector opportunities, innovative capital products, and advanced business management education. 

Managed by the New Orleans Business Alliance, the program leverages Tulane and Xavier University’s combined expert faculty and network of mentors to provide executive management training focused on business expansion, sustainable growth, cost analysis, fiscal management, human resource management, and strategic planning. 

The program also connects business owners to public and private sector procurement opportunities through the Business Alliance’s new online Opportunities Portal, in addition to developing and offering flexible credit and equity investments through financial partners, including New Corp Inc., TruFund Financial Services, Inc. and LiftFund.

Graduates of the first InvestNOLA program cohort

InvestNOLA High-Growth Accelerator for Entrepreneurs and Construction Contractors of Color

Launched in 2019 through an initial $500K investment from JPMorgan Chase, as part of its national business growth accelerator Ascend, InvestNOLA is a robust business growth program for high-growth businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color, designed to help them scale their companies into $10M+ middle market enterprises

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW!

Learn More or Apply

InvestNOLA Fall Training Series

As COVID-19 continues to devastate small business owners nationwide, NOLABA launched its virtual InvestNOLA Fall Training Series in September of 2020 designed to meet the growing needs of local minority-owned and small businesses during the pandemic. The five-part series, which kicked-off September 10, provided participants with valuable insights and tools to not only maintain but scale their businesses, during these difficult months of economic downturn.

Session #1: Applying a Crisis Framework

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Session #2: Pivoting to New Market Opportunities

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Session #3: Cash Runway & Planning

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Session #4: Looking at Exit Optionality

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Session #5: Marketing & Sales in Post-COVID Economy

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Recent Announcements

Black Tech NOLA 2021

Equity in Equity: Negotiating a Good Deal presented by NOLABA

Black founders discuss how racism impacts the startup community around funding, investment, and lending. Panelists will share insights on what Black and Brown founders can do to negotiate deals without compromising the integrity of their business or their technology.

Contact

Lynnette White-Colin

Senior Vice President, Small Business Growth

Email

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About

1250 Poydras St., Suite 2150
New Orleans, LA 70113
info@nolaba.org | 504.934.4500