LAPLACE – Local residents looking to start or grow a small minority, or woman-owned business are invited to attend an upcoming seminar in LaPlace sponsored by the River Region Chamber of Commerce and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center.

On Thursday, May 17, representatives from the Chamber and the Small Business Development Center will be at the LaPlace branch of the St. John the Baptist Parish Library, 2920 U.S. Highway 51, offering a wide range of resources to help residents in stabilizing small businesses. The free seminar is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is open to the public.

The event will focus on giving residents guidance on where they need to go and what they need to do to get their ideas off the ground. There will also be information on women-owned, minority-owned and disadvantaged business certifications and how certification can benefit small businesses.

Business owners will have the chance to talk with representatives from the Small Business Development Center on topics such as building sales, finding money, loans and financing for equipment and supplies. There will also be information on website building and other electronic media outlets that help businesses grow.

For more information about the seminar, contact the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Greater New Orleans Office at 504-831-3730, or by email at lsbdc.gnor@lsbdc. org.