Ep #5 Louisiana Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs, with Katie Milligan of the Delta Regional Authority (DR

Overcoming Hurdles, Identifying Funding Sources, and the Importance of Networking for Entrepreneurs, with Katie Milligan of the Delta Regional Authority (DRA)

Welcome to this episode of Exponential Growth. We are pleased to introduce Katie Milligan, the director of small business and entrepreneurship, at the Delta Regional Authority, or DRA, a federal-state partnership that focuses on the 252 counties and parishes within 8 states. It is a federal agency complete with all the great programs offered at a federal level, but with more flexibility to support and address local needs. Speaking with Katie today is CraigLeblanc LeBlanc of Legacy Information , the entrepreneur group from Baton Rouge.
Katie has years of experience in entrepreneurial development, teaching skills and ways in which these skills can be integrated into various employment scenarios. In addition, she works with support organizations that provide services to entrepreneurs. She also facilitates the development of collaboration between different entrepreneurial groups, and informs founders where funding can be found and other useful links that will help grow their company. Katie spoke with us and offered valuable advice on various issues facing entrepreneurs and how to overcome the hurdles new businesses face in the early and later years of their company development.

What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

Katie’s background and achievements in growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem
The Delta Entrepreneurial Network (DEN) and its role
Pitching competitions for events such as the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week
The growth of entrepreneurship in the Delta region
How to judge a pitch
How to balance authenticity and communicating a company’s vision
The importance of team dynamics, financial stability, and the product
Identifying and dealing with the hurdles a company will face initially and over time
Mentors and their crucial role in company evolution
The key components a founder should add to his or her company
Using social media and other marketing strategies
Soft skills that are critical to founding companies
Networking and its role
Smaller organizations and collaboration
Encouraging and engaging with young entrepreneurs
Introducing entrepreneurship into the school curriculum
Academia and entrepreneurial development
Featured on the Show:

Katie Milligan kmilligan@dra.gov

Delta Regional Authority www.dra.gov

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week

National Entrepreneur Center

Memphis Epicenter

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

LA Start Up Prize competition

Venture Challenge at LSU

NOLA Collision Conference

source