Small and Minority Businesses Find Opportunity in Lafayette, LA
The landscape for small and minority businesses in Lafayette, LA, is particularly fertile, buoyed by a supportive community and a strong emphasis on shopping locally. This collective mindset not only fosters a sense of camaraderie among entrepreneurs, but it also ensures that dollars circulate within the community.
The region boasts a strong network of business support organizations, such as One Acadiana (formerly the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce), the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s LEED Center, which collectively provide programs and services that recognize the role small businesses and entrepreneurs play in the community. One Acadiana’s Small and Minority Business Services, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette LEED Center’s Accelerate Northside Program, and LEDA’s Small and Minority Business Development program, recent micro-grant funding round and Elevate North Lafayette Pitch Competition actively promote equity and ensure minority entrepreneurs have access to the tools, mentorship and resources they need to thrive.
Outside of programs and organizations, the region’s location along the Gulf Coast provides access to diverse markets and transportation routes, enhancing opportunities for business growth and expansion. Plus, its rich cultural heritage creates a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that attracts both customers and new businesses.
To find out more about why the Lafayette, LA, area is perfect for small and minority businesses, we chatted with two entrepreneurs: Chris Amos, owner of Park De Oaks, a food truck park with plans underway to include a farmers market and community garden, and Denise Champagne-McClure, owner of Coffeeweed Cottage, a plant, gift and coffee shop.
Why did you start your business in Lafayette, LA?
Amos: We started Parc De Oaks to give the growing food truck scene a place to sell their food that wasn’t available before. The northside of Lafayette also desperately needed a spark to show that someone cared to invest where they lived. We wanted to give the community a place for families to gather for good food and good vibes.
Champagne-McClure: A lot of my career had been focused on the kitchen and bath industry. I used to oversee showrooms and design them to go to market, and I loved that part of it, but I traveled a lot and really didn’t feel connected to the community that I had lived in for so long. Then as the economy changed and all the things started happening, I felt this pull to settle down in the community and find out who my people really are. Lafayette is a great place to live, and I wanted to do something that no one else had done.
What local services or resources did you take advantage of when starting your business?
Amos: Without question, my top choice has to be Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA). My business wouldn’t be where it is today without the guidance of this outstanding organization. I also had a consultation with a qualified accountant for dealing with taxes.
Champagne-McClure: The Louisiana Small Business Development Center was especially helpful. They helped me develop a business plan from my vision. They also helped me with the financials of planning for year one and year two to know what it would look like in terms of real numbers that I needed to take to the bank before they’d loan me money. The Lafayette Public Library was probably my best resource for reference books when it came time to draft my business plan. Then LEDA was phenomenal with giving me statistics, like the average household income within a certain mile radius or traffic patterns. Those resources and an SBA loan are how I got here.
What makes Lafayette, LA, a good place for small and minority businesses?
Amos: Lafayette residents are open to new amenities with a creative twist, and if you have an entrepreneurial mindset, that should excite you! We are what we call a “melting pot” in Lafayette, so we welcome with open arms all cultures. This means someone has the opportunity to bring something to the city that has never been done before. Whether it’s Festival International or Holi Fest, we accept all as they are.
Champagne-McClure: Lafayette has many things going for it, yet it still feels small. You still get that hometown feel when you come here, but culturally, we’ve embraced so many different cultures, and I think it’s more welcoming than it ever has been for different people.
What do you enjoy most about doing business in Lafayette, LA?
Amos: What I enjoy most is that if you genuinely try and better your community, people give you grace when bumps happen along the way. That’s not common in other cities. People here on the northside, in particular, are so grateful that someone is investing in where they live that they will support you to make sure you don’t fail.
Champagne-McClure: I lived behind the Drug Emporium in Holden Heights, and I would ride my bike through Oaklawn Avenue and St. Louis Street, but I didn’t really know the people in the community until I opened my shop here. I have so many people who have now become my really good friends because they came into the shop. I just feel like I have this great, amazing army behind me that I can text or call who is rooting me on.
This article is sponsored by the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, Lafayette Economic Development Authority and One Acadiana.