NEW ORLEANS – The Emerging Leaders Initiative is an intensive executive-level series intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America’s underserved cities.
Businesses executives in New Orleans interested in participating in this free program should complete the form at: www.interise.org/sbaemergingleaders.
Participant recruitment begins in February through SBA’s local district offices and classes typically begin in April.
Developed by the SBA, and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in urban communities across the country, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to catapult your company to the next level and help it emerge as a force in your community.
The SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative is a federal training initiative focusing on executives of businesses that are poised for growth and located in historically challenged communities. The initiative provides these executives with the organizational framework, resource network, and motivation required to build sustainable businesses and promote economic development in urban communities.
SBA’s outreach in these communities has resulted in entrepreneurial success that generates new jobs, attracts investment and provides a more sustainable economic base in distressed areas. The Emerging Leaders Initiative has aided more than 2,000 small business owners in sustaining and growing their businesses. The Initiative has resulted in significant employment growth among participating companies with over 1940 new full-time employees. Participants accessed over $20M in new financing since graduating the program. In addition, participants have secured federal, state, local and tribal contracts with a cumulative total of nearly $300 million. This figure has increased each year since the initiative’s inception.
Over the course of seven months, participants are given the opportunity to work with experienced mentors, attend specialized workshops, and develop connections with their peers, city leaders, and the financial community.
Underserved small businesses are considered the engines of sustained economic growth and job creation. Small businesses in underserved cities added close to three times as many jobs to their local economies as large companies over the last decade. SBA launched the Initiative to capitalize on this proven capacity for stimulating jobs and growth in America’s cities.
The Emerging Leaders Initiative advanced training series is open to small business owners and executives that:
Have annual revenues of at least $400,000
Have been in business for at least 3 years
Have at least one employee, other than self
Program highlights include:
Customized training for “C” (CEO, COO, etc.) level executives with demonstrated business sustainability of at least 3 years in business and annual revenue of at least $400K
A three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets to help the participants emerge as self-sustaining businesses that create jobs and build communities
Includes 100 + hours of professional specialized training and peer-to-peer counseling delivered over the course of seven months
Specialized areas of training include:
Growth Strategies Plans
Financing and Access to Capital
Government Contracting
CEO Mentoring
There are currently no restrictions on the types of businesses that can participate. Some examples of participating businesses include: manufacturers, retail/wholesalers, contractors, professional services and food service.
The training is specifically designed to stimulate and support the expansion of your business. The curriculum provides strategies to help you access new avenues of capital. It offers practical tools to pursue new paths for business development. It surrounds you with a network of government resources and local business leaders prepared to invest time and energy in your business.
The end result of the executive education prepares and encourages small businesses to move to the next level on their growth trajectory and to help them emerge as self-sustaining businesses that create jobs and build communities. At the conclusion of the training, entrepreneurs produce a three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets that will help them access the necessary support and resources to move forward.
