Delgado Goldman Sachs Graduates Win Louisiana Small Business Awards

May 09, 2019

Today, Louisiana Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the 2019 Louisiana Small Business Award winners at an event recognizing small business leaders who exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of Louisiana. The award winners were honored in a private reception at the Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge.

Three of the nineteen winners are graduates of the highly successful and prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Delgado Community College.

“LED appreciates the opportunity to congratulate and recognize some of our best during National Small Business Week,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “Small businesses account for more than 97 percent of all employers in Louisiana, and they employ more than half of our private-sector workforce. Louisiana is fortunate to have so many enterprising and innovative business leaders. Their efforts are vital to the continued vitality of our state’s economy.”

LED and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network served 9,357 small businesses and individuals last year, directly resulting in 1,243 new jobs, 3,464 retained jobs and the launch of 141 new businesses representing more than $91 million in capital formation.

The award winners from Delgado's program are:

Entrepreneurial Success Award
Angelica Rivera -- Cohort 1, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado
Colmex Construction
New Orleans

LED Small and Emerging Business of the Year
Brandon Blackwell  -- Cohort 17, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado
Elysian Seafood
New Orleans

NFIB Small Business Champion
Jim Urdiales -- Cohort 8, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado
Mestizo Louisiana Mexican Cuisine
Baton Rouge

Participants selected for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado receive a full scholarship funded through the Goldman Sachs Foundation. The program runs year-round in 12-week cohorts at the Delgado Community College City Park Campus in New Orleans.

Eligible applicants are business owners with the capacity, desire and commitment to grow their business. The business must be at least two years old, generating at least $150,000 in gross revenues and employing the equivalent of four full-time employees (including the applicant).

Participants who complete the program, nationwide, have revenue growth rates and increased job creation far beyond national averages. The program tracks each participant’s growth, post-program, to determine ROI and effectiveness.

Go to www.10ksbapply.com for more information and to complete a brief eligibility application. If eligible, the applicant will be asked to complete a more detailed application and, upon its completion, will be invited to interview for the program. For more information, email 10KSB@dcc.edu or call 504- 671-5555.