Run the Room — Louisiana
Resources for people starting and running a business in Louisiana — the national programs that apply everywhere, the state offices that register and support businesses here, and the local help in Louisiana's largest metro areas. Compiled by Run the Room, the weekly podcast on how business actually works, hosted by Alex and Jordan.
Louisiana Resources
- U.S. Small Business Administration — District OfficeSBA Louisiana District Office
Federal small-business programs, counseling referrals, and disaster assistance for Louisiana.
- Small Business Development CenterLouisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC)
Free, confidential business advising and low-cost training across Louisiana.
- Business Registration & Entity SearchLouisiana Secretary of State — Start a Business
Register a business, search entity records, and keep filings current.
- Commerce & Economic DevelopmentLouisiana Economic Development (LED)
The state's economic development agency — programs, incentives, and business assistance.
- State Chamber of CommerceLouisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI)
The statewide business association and chamber network.
- Business One-Stop PortalgeauxBIZ (Louisiana Secretary of State business portal)
The state's official one-stop portal for business registration and licensing.
Local Resources — Largest Metro Areas
New Orleans
- SCORE MentoringSCORE Louisiana
Free mentoring from experienced business volunteers.
- SBDC CenterLSBDC Greater New Orleans Region (at Xavier University)
The local Small Business Development Center office.
- Chamber of CommerceNew Orleans Chamber of Commerce
The metro chamber of commerce.
Baton Rouge
- SCORE MentoringSCORE Louisiana
Free mentoring from experienced business volunteers.
- SBDC CenterLSBDC at Southern University — Capital Region
The local Small Business Development Center office.
- Chamber of CommerceGreater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership (formerly Baton Rouge Area Chamber)
The metro chamber of commerce.
Shreveport
- SCORE MentoringSCORE Louisiana
Free mentoring from experienced business volunteers.
- SBDC CenterLSBDC Northwest Louisiana (at Southern University Shreveport)
The local Small Business Development Center office.
- Chamber of CommerceGreater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
The metro chamber of commerce.
Lafayette
- SCORE MentoringSCORE Louisiana
Free mentoring from experienced business volunteers.
- SBDC CenterLSBDC Acadiana (at University of Louisiana at Lafayette)
The local Small Business Development Center office.
- Chamber of CommerceOne Acadiana
The metro chamber of commerce.
National Resources
- National ResourceU.S. Small Business Administration
The federal agency for small business — starting, funding, growing, and government contracting.
- National ResourceSBA Local Assistance Finder
Find SBA offices, SBDCs, SCORE chapters, and other resource partners near you.
- National ResourceSCORE — Mentoring & Workshops
Free mentoring and low-cost workshops from experienced business volunteers.
- National ResourceAmerica's SBDC
The national network of Small Business Development Centers — free advising in every state.
- National ResourceSBA Funding Programs
Loans, investment capital, grants, and surety bonds administered or backed by the SBA.
- National ResourceIRS Small Business & Self-Employed Tax Center
Federal tax guidance, forms, and deadlines for small businesses and the self-employed.
- National ResourceUSA.gov — Business
The federal government's official business portal: licenses, permits, and regulations.
- National ResourceMinority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
Programs and business centers supporting minority-owned businesses.
- National ResourceVeterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC)
Business training and counseling for veterans, service members, and military spouses.
Listen
New episodes every Sunday at 7:00 PM ET — business built from the very beginning. Browse the complete episode index, or listen on your platform of choice:
Resource links point to official program and agency sites and were verified when this page was generated. Programs and URLs change — if a link fails, the SBA Local Assistance Finder above will route you to the current office.