NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG Louisiana) will host “Louisiana’s Got Talent,” a free small business exposition, on Nov. 20, at Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel, located at 228 Poydras St., from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
ACG Louisiana has partnered with NOLA Businesses Alliance, GoodWork Network, City of New Orleans, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Harrah's Hotel to help carry out NOLABA's plan to drive economic growth through entrepreneurship and small business development.
The half-day expo will showcase “excellent” small businesses of New Orleans. It will also foster ties between larger companies in the New Orleans business community and local small businesses that can provide needed goods and services.
Exhibitors will be representative of the talent listed on ACG “Louisiana's Excellent Small Business” list. The list is an integrated referral network of approved small businesses with an outstanding track record, who provide excellent goods and/or services and who have the desire and capacity to grow. Dozens of “excellent” small businesses will have tables exhibiting their companies and capabilities.
Simultaneously, some of the region's industry leaders will engage in SpeedNetworking sessions with the “excellent” small businesses. These short, pre-arranged meetings will allow prospective vendors or subcontractors to learn the specific needs, requirements and opportunities for becoming a vendor for the top businesses in the Greater New Orleans Area. Capping off the event will be a catered cocktail reception.
ACG Louisiana expects to have hundreds of people in attendance. Event sponsors, supporters and members of the public can circulate among the exhibit tables, learning about the “excellent” small businesses operating in the New Orleans business community, many of whom are minority or women owned. "ACG Louisiana is excited to host this first of its kind expo," says Scott Whittaker, co-chair of the ACG Louisiana's Business Community Outreach Committee. "This program will help a number of talented businesses grow organically, which will benefit our local economy as a whole."
More than 90 percent of New Orleans businesses have twenty-five employees or less. Organizers say these small businesses are the backbone of our economy and New Orleans has seen a surge in entrepreneurship, gaining a reputation as one of the country's best cities for entrepreneurs. They say their goal is to increase business opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs and increase coordination across public and private entities to incorporate sustainable practices to increase business growth.
ACG Louisiana is regional chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (“ACG”), a non-profit organization, created to facilitate the networking of business professionals across Louisiana and surrounding areas. Founded in 1954, ACG is a global organization with 58 chapters and over 14,000 members. Doing business is at the heart of the ACG membership experience. Chapters in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia bring dealmakers together to help them achieve their business and professional goals. Private equity professionals, investment bankers and intermediaries, attorneys, auditors and accountants, lenders, corporate development officers, company leaders and others focused on the middle market are members of ACG.
