When it comes to your small business, nothing ever feels small.
Taking an idea from the back of a napkin to reality requires sheer will and determination, to be sure, but to ensure your business succeeds year after year, you’ll need the support and expertise of others.
Whether you help turn houses into chic homes or serve mouthwatering Jamaican lunches from a retrofitted truck, help with accounting, permits, business ideation, and strategy can be the difference between make and break.
That’s where Hancock Whitney’s Small Business Matters program comes in. Bankers, community leaders, nonprofits, and governmental agencies come together to educate and guide business owners and their teams, with an emphasis on emerging minority- and women-owned businesses.
Hancock Whitney works with business owners throughout its Gulf South footprint at no cost. The program provides guidance through in-person and virtual one-on-one business consultations, peer-to-peer networking events, and business banking access to help achieve long-term success.
For Tan Clarke, owner of Meatbawlz Food Truck in Mississippi, the program put her on the path from cook to confident business owner.
“I’m a cook. I’m not a business person,” she said. “There was a lot I had to learn. That’s how I got involved with the Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters program.”
As a solopreneur, Regina Correa is the boss, assistant, accountant, and everything else for Studio Riche Designs, her interior design business. Through the program, she acquired the tools to run her high-end business herself.
“I do every single task,” she said. “The Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters program gave me tools to be the boss of me.”
Additionally, Hancock Whitney utilizes the services of a host of small business technical assistance providers to give small business owners the tools for success. In two of their regional hubs, the program works with the local Small Business Development Center to provide resources and training seminars for the participating businesses.
“This program helps small businesses move forward with their business growth,” said April Williams, a training specialist with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Louisiana SBDC director Carmen Sunda knows that the value of these programs is immense, and the successful businesses produced go a long way toward creating even stronger communities.
“We’re not only improving the economic health of the small businesses, but we’re improving the entire community,” Sunda said. “When you have strong, profitable, sustainable businesses, you’ve got a strong community.”
The Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters program helps business owners get the most out of their companies and themselves. With continuous support and guidance, the Hancock Whitney organization creates stronger businesses and stronger communities.
“I was already driving the car, but I had training wheels on it,” Clarke said. “They took my training wheels off and I was rolling.”
Learn more about how Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters can help grow your small business dreams.
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