Existing Business Assistance
SELF-HELP GUIDES
These downloadable guides are an easy way to improve your business on your own time. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
BUSINESS VISITATIONS
In Vermilion Parish, we value our existing business community. It’s our job to make sure that each business has the resources necessary to be successful. Because of that, we are working with our regional and state partners to serve local companies through an in-depth business assessment called a Business Visitation.
WHAT TO EXPECT
In anticipation of our visit we may require some basic information about your company to properly prepare a set of questions. During our visit and follow up, we will:
- Learn about the company’s history and goals;
- Evaluate the status of the business’ workforce, training, supplier and customer needs;
- Discuss any concerns and challenges within the business, industry, or community; and
- Educate the stakeholders on programs and resources.
Schedule a Visitation
Fill out our Business Resources form and someone will contact you about scheduling an on-site visitation based on your availability
KEEP IT LOCAL SPOTLIGHTS
Vermilion Economic Development Alliance Business Spotlights feature in-depth narratives about your business produced by professional staff and financially boosted on social media. Participants may also be featured on our website and Instagram account (@vermilionparish).
NO-COST ENERGY ASSESSMENTS
We have partnered with UL Lafayette’s Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center to offer no-cost energy assessments. An energy assessment or audit is an in-depth, outside to inside, room-by-room examination of your business’ current energy efficiency levels and usage practices.
A customized plan can be developed focusing on cost-effective solutions for maximizing functionality and efficiency while minimizing your business’ energy usage and expenses.
Contact our office if you would like to find the program that’s right for you.
DIVERSITY IN ENTRPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE
Louisiana Economic Development’s Diversity in Entrepreneurship Initiative is designed to accelerate growth in second-stage minority- and woman-owned businesses. The pilot initiative identifies solutions to growth challenges and opportunities to scale for each participating business via a virtual retreat experience, monthly peer learning roundtables, and a customized strategic research engagement called the System for Integrated Growth®.
Graduates of the program will become members of the LED Growth Network, which was recently honored with the Gold Award in Entrepreneurship by the International Economic Development Council. The network consists of 550 companies that employ about 20,000 people and generate $3.8 billion in annual sales.
LED plans to sustain and enhance the Diversity in Entrepreneurship Initiative by launching a new cohort annually. For more information, contact Chris Cassagne, assistant director of Small Business Services at Christopher.Cassagne@la.gov.
OTHER INITIATIVES
Check out our Initiatives page for more ways to get involved or get solutions to your business issues.