The statistics lay out the entire picture economically.  The greater New Orleans region generated 35% of the state's income from small business.  The entire tax revenue loss from the storms is estimated to be $550 million.  We are expected to loose 150,000 jobs.  In an economy where small business provided 40% of the total employment in the metro area this type of loss will be devastating.

 

The truth is that the area is poised for a major depression.  It will be the small business that will be the economic engine that could bring the metro area back from the brink.  Most of the local economies in the entire country have been built on the back of the entrepreneurs.  Our area will be no different.  What we have to do is create a business environment that benefits the entrepreneur.    We can wait for the government to come in and bail us out but, even if that does come to fruition it will be too late.  The truth is that it is already too late.  In Orleans parish alone 52% of the business have not yet reopened and population is down in every surrounding parish.  Our people are loosing interest and moving on much faster than our response to the crisis.  No matter what your business is it will not flourish without patronage or employment ship to support it.  Some of the estimates of business loss in the region top 60%.

 

What can be done?

 

Well waiting for government bail outs is not an option.  Although government help is needed the amount of time that it will take before business owners actually have money in hand makes this help less effective.  It is up to the solutions of the small business entrepreneur that will breathe life back into our area.

 

It will take real solutions to the problems that small business face posts Katrina.  The driving of patronage to our small business is essential.  We as citizens should be spending as much of our consumer dollars with locally owned and operated business as possible.  Buy local buy Nola is a campaign to bring this message to the citizens of our area.  This is our purpose.  In addition we have created a business directory to make finding these businesses as easy as possible.  We will also be forming a business forum where we will advertise the needs of specific businesses so that these needs can be addressed by the public.  Together we will answer our own problems.  Together we will weather this storm and all others to come.