Louisiana SBDC at LSU Alexandria

09/02/2026

Make plans now to attended this year's Women In Business Conference! October 29 & 30, 2026! Stay tuned for details!

09/02/2026

One of the biggest profit leaks in a business is being priced too low.

If you're guessing at your prices, copying competitors, or simply charging what "feels right," you may be leaving money on the table every day.

Join LSBDC at LSUA and consultant Clarke Woods for Pricing for Profit and learn a practical framework for setting prices that support profitability, growth, and long-term sustainability, without sacrificing your competitive position.

✅ Set realistic margin targets
✅ Evaluate pricing against competitors
✅ Choose the right pricing strategy
✅ Make pricing changes with confidence

Clarke has spent more than 20 years helping businesses improve profitability, strengthen operations, and make smarter decisions for sustainable growth. What makes his approach especially valuable for small business owners is his ability to take complex financial and operational concepts and turn them into practical, actionable tools that business owners can actually use. During this training, he'll share practical strategies and real-world insights to help you build a pricing strategy that supports your business goals.

📅 Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
📍 Ugly Mug Marketing, Alexandria, or online via Zoom

🎟️ This workshop is free, but registration is required. Reserve your seat today and start pricing with confidence. https://www2.lsbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=21460078

LSUA College of Business

08/28/2026

𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐒! 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮!

Whether you're thinking about starting a business, turning a side hustle into something more, or looking for ways to grow an existing business, you don't have to figure it out alone.

Do you have questions about:

✅ Turning your skills, experience, or passion into a sustainable business?
✅ Finding customers and creating loyal advocates for your business?
✅ Improving your marketing without wasting time or money?
✅ Creating a customer experience that drives repeat business and referrals?
✅ Building a stronger foundation for long-term growth?
✅ Accessing expert guidance tailored to your unique business goals?

Join the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at LSU Alexandria, Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce and Northwestern State University for a full day of business education and no-cost counseling designed to help entrepreneurs and business owners move forward with confidence.

📈 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 & 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬
Learn how to transform your talents, expertise, and ideas into a business that can generate long-term success during our morning workshop, Turning Your Skills & Passions into Sustainable Businesses.

📊 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬
Discover practical strategies to attract customers, improve customer experiences, encourage repeat business, and strengthen your brand during Marketing & Customer Experience Strategies that Drive Repeat Business.

🤝 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐨𝐧-𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲
Meet directly with LSBDC consultants to discuss your business goals, challenges, and opportunities. Whether you need guidance on business planning, marketing, financial management, funding preparation, or growth strategies, we're here to help.

To reserve a counseling appointment, participants are encouraged to call ahead to ensure availability. Walk-ins are also welcome and will be accommodated as scheduling permits.

The best business decisions are made with the right information, resources, and support. Let us help you take the next step.

🔗 Registration links will be included in the comments.

08/26/2026

"In the excitement of creating and beginning to manage a small business, a focus on hiring and managing people may not be what most commands an entrepreneur’s attention.

Experience shows, however, if you don’t pay adequate attention to the people in your company, you will end up paying for it by having to spend much more time fixing the problems that are created by this negligence. People still matter. People are still the currency of success. As an entrepreneur, it is crucial that you make sure every one of your employees knows how important they are. And make sure that every employee gets the training and support they need to maximize that value."

If you only have five or ten employees, one mistake in hiring, training, or managing can result in a catastrophic failure. In the excitement of creating and beginning to manage a small business, a focus on hiring and managing people may not be what most commands an entrepreneur’s attention.

LEARN MORE in this week's newsletter: http://louisiana-central-20549181.hs-sites.com/basaug5

08/26/2026

💰 Are you making a profit... or just making sales?

Pricing is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a business owner, yet many entrepreneurs struggle to set prices that truly support profitability and long-term success.

Join Business Consultant Clarke Woods for Pricing for Profit: How to Set Prices That Support Your Business and learn how to:

✅ Determine whether cost-based or value-based pricing is right for your business
✅ Build realistic profit margins into your pricing strategy
✅ Evaluate competitive pricing without sacrificing profitability
✅ Navigate price increases with confidence
✅ Estimate and bid on projects while protecting your bottom line

Whether you're launching a new business or evaluating your current pricing model, this workshop will provide practical tools to help you price with confidence and profitability in mind.

📅 Thursday, September 17, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
📍 In-person at Ugly Mug Marketing | Virtual via Zoom

Stop Guessing. Start Pricing for Profit.

Register today and take the first step toward stronger margins and a more sustainable business.

LSUA College of Business

08/25/2026

Check this out!

Don’t miss your chance to enroll in the Louisiana Contractors Accreditation Institute’s (LCAI) Business and Law Seminar — a 6-week virtual course designed to equip contractors with essential information about construction management and operating a construction-related business.

The deadline to register for the course is October 2.

https://www.fletcher.edu/programs/workforce-training/lcai

08/21/2026

Yesterday's Business Essentials session with Rachel Hazelton was a great reminder that understanding your numbers is one of the most important tools a small business owner can have.

From cash flow and understanding your profit margins to P&Ls, balance sheets, and identifying financial red flags, Rachel broke down the numbers behind smarter business decisions. Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your expertise and passion for financial education!

Thank you to First Guaranty Bank for helping make this Business Essentials series possible. 💙

Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) LSUA College of Business

08/19/2026

Our LSBDC consultants from the LSUA and Shreveport centers had a great time connecting with the Natchitoches Chamber Breakfast Club! ☕️

Consultants Britni Lilley and Elisabeth Culp from LSUA, along with Gary Rainwater from SUSLA, shared a brief training on market research and highlighted the many ways the LSBDC can help small businesses, at no cost.

We’re always grateful for opportunities to connect, learn, and share resources with our region’s entrepreneurs. We love being part of a community that supports small businesses and wants to see them grow and thrive!

Thank you, Laura, for having us!

Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) LSUA College of Business

08/19/2026

Thank you for having us, Natchitoches Chamber. We had a great time sharing more about the LSBDC and diving into Market Research.

We also enjoyed having our colleague and business consultant from our Shreveport, Gary Rainwater, center join us for this event. It's always great when our centers get to come together and collaborate.

We look forward to seeing you again on September 22, Natchitoches, for our full day of training and counseling!

08/19/2026

Yesterday's From Guessing to Planning training was great!

Consultant, Clarke Woods, delivered practical insight into why financial forecasting in your business is crucial while also exhibiting a tool attendees could take home and implement!

The LSBDC is proud to have the opportunity to offer no-cost consulting and trainings like these for our small businesses community.

Next up is our training with Rachel Hazelton with First Guaranty Bank! Know Your Numbers on Thursday, August 20, will focus on understanding final statements, cash flow management and other key indicators that help make better business decisions!

Link in the comments to register and to see more trainings happening throughout the state!