Entrepreneurs who dream of having their own businesses and small business owners who already do are the focus of two programs the city of Lake Charles is launching beginning Thursday, Sept. 26.

With the help of Hancock Whitney Bank, LC Launch Small Business Week is back this year. It’s bigger to engage more people of all ages and interests, a new component has been added to promote existing local businesses and there’s a new contest.

Influencers, content creators, current business owners who want to know how to influence the market using social media and future entrepreneurs are invited to attend the special “contest reveal” reception Thursday, Sept. 26, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Historic City Hall to learn the LC Create Challenge contest rules, how they can win up to $500, connect with fellow creatives and business owners and sharpen their skills ahead of the contest. Winners will be revealed in October.

“The social media competition will focus on sharing unique perspectives of Lake Charles,” said Kimberly Dellafosse, the assistant administrator of Lake Charles.

Back this year by popular demand is the Gator Tank Business Competition, which Dellafosse described as the Lake Charles version of Shark Tank. People with a business and those with a business idea can compete for the $2,500 grand prize, and the deadline to apply is Oct. 4.      

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter called LC Launch a “think tank” to inspire entrepreneurs and Dellafosse described the shopping local emphasis as important to economic development as recruiting new business and industry. The city promotes a shop local initiative every December. This year it will begin in October.

Support current business owners, inspire new ones

“Lake Charles recognizes that there’s a lot of small businesses out there that are struggling right now. This age of inflation has impacted our small businesses perhaps the most, so we want to do all we can to support them,” the mayor said.

He knows. He has a small business that his grandparents opened in the 1950s. Hunter started managing it as a teen and took over operations when he was in his 20s.

“It was a very different time back then than today. There are some additional challenges, but there are so many more resources if people are willing to accept that advice and accept that counsel and accept those resources,” he said.

LC Launch sessions are Oct. 20-26. All sessions are free and include Logo Design for Kids, ages six to 14; a Canva Design Workshop for Business Owners; The Convergence of Entrepreneurship and Innovation; CEO Roundtable featuring local McDonald’s franchise owner, Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps, Student Entrepreneur Academy, Tech Night for Business Owners, How to Qualify for a Business Loan, and Doing Business with Local Government and Affiliates.

Visit www.city of lakecharles.com/LCLaunch to find out more and register for Gator Tank.