"Countless women and minority entrepreneurs throughout the Greater New Orleans area can point to a single source for the support and assistance they needed to successfully start and make it in business: The Urban League of Greater New Orleans’ Women’s Business Resource & Entrepreneurship Center.”  That was the opening statement for the “Trumpet Award” presentation to Lynnette White-Colin, the director of the Women’s Business Resource & Entrepreneurship Center last fall by the Neighborhoods Partnership Network of Greater New Orleans.

The Urban League’s New Orleans affiliate has experienced a consistent increase in foot traffic from small business owners and contractors, all in route to the Women’s Business Resource & Entrepreneurship Center, locally known as the “WBRC.” The center provides personalized business counseling and mentorship, assisting business owners throughout southeast Louisiana to grow and sustain their organizations, including facilitating their access to capital. Individuals aspiring to start new ventures attend the popular Entrepreneurial Training Boot Camp, a comprehensive 8-module training series.

The Center provides consulting services to approximately 200 business owners each year, and more than 750 entrepreneurs, contractors and individuals attend training events annually.

The much talked about annual Women-In-Business Challenge program, in its 4th year has become one of the most anticipated events during the “New Orleans Entrepreneur Week” conference (NOEW). The aggressive, emerging business accelerator program selects ten progressive women business owners to develop and implement growth strategies for their ventures. They are challenged to increase their business’ operating capacity and annual revenue to a minimum of $1M within 3-5 years. Four finalists emerge to make a 5-minute presentation before a panel of esteemed judges for $10,000 in seed capital at NOEW. The 2015 winner, Tabitha Bethune, owner of The Wildlife Reserve, a fashion incubator and retail shop for aspiring designers said “a critical component missing in my business was having access to a knowledgeable consultant. My business advisor in the W-I-B program helped me to identify substantial revenue-generating opportunities that I had allowed to go unpaid.”  

According to Lynnette White-Colin, “these advanced business education programs further support our clients’ ability to improve their operations, increase their management capabilities, and provide access to funding, ultimately impacting growth and sustainability for their companies.”  The WBRC’s staff assists the clients during and after their participation in the programs, often to facilitate application and implementation of the information they ascertain.

The Urban League of Greater New Orleans is a subcontractor under the two public school authorities to provide outreach, as well as training and other diverse assistance to certified disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE), minority and women-owned construction and professional service firms to access nearly $2B in school rebuilding projects throughout the city of New Orleans. The WBRC manages the substantial scope of work required. A DBE Team on which WBRC staff participates, has impacted economic inclusion among DBE contractors from less than 2% in 2012 to the current average of 25% DBE participation per project.

The recent addition of the Contractors Resource Center (CRC) has significantly heightened interest in the WBRC among the local contracting community. Both subcontractors and primes alike, as well as representatives of public entities, all seek to attend or participate in the many contractor-exclusive training events. Additionally, contractors come to utilize Planswift estimating software via the hands-on computer lab; or they access plans and specifications for existing large scale public projects. They are able to print the specs they need on the state-of-the-art plotter at the CRC. Additionally, contractors are provided personalized consultations, assistance with obtaining local (DBE) and the SBA’s (8)a certifications, among others. Over 220 contractors have attended CRC training workshops since the CRC’s programming commenced. Additionally, contractor clientele have amassed some $21M in bonding capacity and over $4M in construction contracts.

The Contractors Resource Center is highly recognized as the source of assistance for contractors and the go-to organization for prime contractors and public entities for outreach events and identification of or access to capable DBE subcontractors to meet required project goals.

The WBRC operates with a small, but very experienced staff, consisting of the director, 2 full time business advisors and a program coordinator. Together, they make up 50+ years of experience which includes banking and non-profit management, start-up and business growth consulting, commercial construction, teaching, mentorship and fund development skills.  

The Women’s Business Resource & Entrepreneurship Center is definitely the source for the support and assistance needed to successfully start and make it in business in New Orleans.