Sea Grant Holds Crab Workshop at Entrepreneurship Center at Nunez

CHALMETTE, LA (May 2, 2014)— Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) presented its third crab industry workshop in April at Nunez Community College in Chalmette.

During the morning-long workshop which focused on business plan development, the eleven (11) participants listened to presentations on developing business plans, how to move forward with their business objectives, and available business options such as fishing charters, trawling trips and nature tours. There was also a breakout session that allowed attendees to begin writing their own business plans with the assistance of workshop facilitators.

The workshop was held at the newly opened Entrepreneurship Center at Nunez. The Center, made possible through funding from the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Traded Adjustment Assistance Community College Career (TAACCCT) initiative, is focused on providing resources to students and community members interested in developing their own businesses.

Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter extension agents Twyla Herrington, Julie Anderson and Carol Franz developed the trio of workshops. The first two covered the topics of shedding as well as general industry updates.

“Nunez is an excellent and underutilized resource for the St. Bernard community. They have been very receptive to this partnership,” said Herrington. “Ed Shedlock is working very hard to make new opportunities available to the public through the Entrepreneurship Center.”

Local, successful entrepreneurs facilitate monthly workshops at the Center, covering an extensive array of entrepreneurial and business topics such as incubation, social media, marketing, financing, and management—all factors that small businesses and start-ups must master if they are to become profitable and sustainable. Recent workshop leaders include Dickie Brennan, Mike Indest, and Stephen Reuther.