A new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge is on life support after the LA Department of Transportation and Calcasieu Bridge Builders extended the Public Private Partnership (P3) plan until February 1st . Prior to this action, the bid proposal expired December 3rd. This will now give the incoming Landry Administration an opportunity to review the proposal and decide if the P-3 project will move forward.

The next generation is getting prepared and I’m confident they will exceed all expectations, bringing SWLA to new levels.

November 25, 2023, is Small Business Saturday – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities. This year, we know that small businesses need our support now more than ever as they navigate, retool, and pivot from the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic and natural disasters. Please join The Chamber SWLA/ Alliance and organizations across the country in supporting your local small businesses by shopping at a small business.

Despite a dismal 36% voter turnout October 24, registered voters have another chance to make a difference in the November 18 General Election. In addition to important run-offs for the statewide offices of Secretary of State, Treasurer, and
Attorney General, there are numerous run-offs for other offices such as Police Jurors in Cameron, Sheriff in Jeff Davis and others. There are four constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Funding.

It is a primary issue facing all businesses no matter what size they are.

Anyone with dreams of owning a business needs to view fundraising as a top issue to plan for.

For starters, the owner of a new venture needs to figure out how much money they will need.

Despite being one of the nation’s most weather impacted areas, the Southwest Louisiana Economy is coming back and has potential to lead the state again.

Back in the 1960’s Governors of Maine, Rhode Island, and North Dakota were elected by an average of one vote per precinct. In 2000, George W. Bush won the State of Florida by 537 votes, thus winning the Presidency. 

Many elections have been decided by one or two votes which emphasizes the importance of going to the ballot box if you want to decide the future of our state. Through Saturday October 7 early voting is now open. Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin reminds us you do not need a reason to vote early. All voters may vote early, just like they are voting on election day. Voters who want to vote early for any election may do so in person at designated locations in their parish.

The official name is the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial Economic Development Center. The late Dr. Robert Hebert, President of McNeese State University, helped us shorten the name to “SEED Center.” “We are planting seeds
for businesses to grow,” he said, thus, it’s The SEED Center. 

Taxes.

Nobody likes to think of them, much less plan systems within their business operations to make sure local, state and federal taxes are paid.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides some general insights that new business owners or long-term pros do not want to forget.

Apathy. According to the dictionary that means lack of interest, or concern. Sometimes apathy is a symptom of a larger issue we’re facing, like trauma, grief, or an underlying mental health condition. It could be the heat. Considering what
our region has encountered in the last several years that would be understandable.

Viable communities and organizations cannot thrive in an environment of indifference.

To say cybersecurity is a top-level concern for small businesses is an understatement.

     Here are some statistics that are sobering:

• 46 percent of all cyber breaches impact businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees.
• 61 percent of small businesses were the target of a cyberattack in 2021.
• At 18 percent, malware is the most common type of cyberattack aimed at small businesses.
• 37 percent of companies hit by ransomeware had fewer than 100 employees.
• Employees of small businesses experience 350 percent more social engineering attacks than those at larger enterprises.

There are generational changes taking place in the production and usage of energy and Southwest Louisiana is poised to be one of the major players in our nation and the world.

Conditions beyond our control are making our economic outlook appear to be cooling down. Rising interest rates and recession fears could keep a cap on investment in the large, capital-intensive projects that drive the construction sector.

A lot of time is spent encouraging potential and current small business owners to make sure they have a comprehensive business plan, the correct business structure, registered their business, obtained the necessary licenses and permits, opened a business bank account, and purchased insurance.

     What happens after all those tasks are fulfilled?

     Well, the business owner must start making money.

     With that comes the task of hiring employees.

We want:

• People interested in starting a business, or in the early phases of their venture.
• People who are committed to their dream.
• People who have a business concept and willing to create a business plan if they do not have one.
• People who are coachable.
• People who will dedicate time to meetings to learn.
• People who will be hungry to grow their network.
• People who will dive into learning management, human resources, business law, marketing/public relations, and finance concepts.
• People who are comfortable, being uncomfortable!

Southwest Louisiana is known as the epicenter of the petrochemical industry. But did you know that the region is poised to be at the forefront of the green energy revolution?

Whether it is wind, solar, or carbon capture the region is attracting national and international interest in constructing projects that could change the trajectory of how we produce and consume energy.

Businesses large and small that are interested in collecting and interpreting data in order to create improved outputs should pay attention to the work being done by Picasso Analytics in Lake Charles.

One of the major issues facing employers across the nation is the recruitment and retention of qualified workers. Every business and industry sector is looking for talent.

Jacqueline Higginbotham recalls the feeling she had after assisting several area residents apply for and receive a home loan, only to see the buyers go into foreclosure.

“I had worked at the city (Lake Charles) for 15 years assisting with down payments and closing cost assistance through community development programs. The people who experienced foreclosure were not prepared to sustain.

"That tugged at my heart to see people work hard for something and lose it. They were paper ready, but not mind ready. As a result, I wanted to help people,” Higginbotham said.

Last week was National Economic Development Week.

It’s good to reflect on this annually, but for us at The SWLA Economic Development Alliance, it’s our focus every day and every week. Many folks ask what is involved in growing our economy. There are many facets. The foundation of it all is regionalism.
Our service area is the five parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis. Without strong bonds among the cities and parishes, we cannot fully prosper. Our workforce comes from throughout our region and our trade area is basically the 310,000 people in our five parishes. No one town or parish can be competitive standing alone. So the Alliance stands for unity and regionalism.

Small Business Month was birthed by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). Initially, the agency promoted small business week, but over time the designation was extended to the whole month nationwide.

We all take this time to celebrate the work, innovation, and spirit of small business owners. Without this group of businesses, the country would suffer from a lack of job opportunities, loss of commerce, and more importantly, the example of people living the American Dream.

A community can have a significant impact on the quality of life of its residents. From promoting physical and mental health to providing economic opportunities, a thriving community can create an environment in which people can flourish. In this article, we will explore some of the ways in which a community can improve the quality of life of its members.

The Chamber SWLA has as one of its major area goals, a Legislative agenda that we will support in the Louisiana legislative session now underway. We will advocate for sensible tax reform that does not put the state and its institutions
like McNeese and SOWELA in financial jeopardy. We support early childhood education and the 3rd grade reading bill in an effort to get our young prepared for a successful education outcome. Priorities include broadband for areas without adequate service, dredging of the Calcasieu River Ship Channel to support the Port of Lake Charles, and more. We continue to advocate for a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge and the procurement process is underway. We support legislation to help keep insurance coverage available and make it more affordable.

With the end of the first quarter of 2023 upon us, now is the perfect opportunity to review what the Alliance/Chamber SWLA Economic Development team has been doing in the five parish area.

The Southwest Louisiana transformation story is a powerful one and it’s the cornerstone of our message to site selectors and industrial prospects around the world. 

When Bailey Thibodeaux completed her formal education, she figured the road to future career success would start with a job.

The 26-year-old Lake Charles native realized that her strategy needed to be tweaked.

“I started applying for jobs and had a couple of interviews but nothing worked out initially. Then I got a job (2020). The day I was supposed to start, the hurricane hit,” she explained.

The new $10.8 million dollar Culinary, Gaming, and Hospitality Training Center officially opened last week at SOWELA Technical Community College. Governor John Bel Edwards said this state-of-the-art Hospitality and Tourism Center is a
shining example of world-class career training provided by the Louisiana Technical and Community College System.

The business start-up world is not for the faint of heart. Anyone considering the life of owning a business needs to be applauded.

A person must invest vast amounts of time, planning, financing, marketing, managing, etc. in order to make thought become a business reality.

Positivity and confidence are paramount traits that a person or group considering entrepreneurship needs to possess or at least have a grasp of also.

Here at the SEED Center Business Incubator, numerous people visit or reach out to us looking for assistance to get started or to find ways to solve long-standing problems within their enterprises.

Whether residential, commercial, or industrial, personnel in construction are in great demand. Most everybody you talk with is looking for people with construction skills. Today, however, it’s not just hammers and nails needed.

So, you have a legal business entity that is recognized by the appropriate authorities, and a tax identification to boot.

     Your business has a name, logo, and even a location.

     Now all that is missing is revenue, and that will be generated by clients.

     How do you get these most important elements in the free enterprise universe?

     Marketing!

On a recent Chamber SWLA mission to our nation’s Capital, we saw first-hand that the Louisiana Congressional Delegation is growing in seniority and influence.