ZANA Network's video series focuses on resilience of New Orleans small businesses and opportunities for others throughout the United States to step up and help DETROIT, May 20
DETROIT, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- New Orleans may have dropped below the
radar for some since the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but
the restoration of the Gulf South is far from complete. In a ZANA Network
video series, now available through YouTube, Pathfire, and
http://www.zananetwork.com, the impact of the storm on small businesses in the
once vibrant, active city is immediately evident.
"While the devastating effects on families have been well documented, the
impact on small businesses has not received as much attention," said ZANA
Network CEO Howard Keating. "Thousands of businesses faced huge setbacks and
challenges, and even when they had the resources to rebuild, many found their
customer base had left. Yet many business owners are determined to rebuild
their livelihoods in the city they love."
ZANA Network, an online marketplace and one-stop resource for small and
medium businesses, developed the video series to focus on the resilience of
New Orleans and make companies nationwide aware of business opportunities in
the area.
Interested Gulf South companies will receive free memberships to the ZANA
Network site. To take advantage of the offer, simply use the promotional code
"katrina" when signing up.
"I've met with many local small business owners and have heard their
stories of personal and professional loss, but their resilience in rebuilding
gives great hope for New Orleans," said Wendy Raleigh, ZANA Network Vice
President of Video Programming. "You can't help but be impressed and inspired
by their thought process in restarting their business and using their
innovation to make opportunities from Katrina. Our video series describes how
they have recovered from so much loss and are revitalized and energized about
their businesses and about the city."
The broadcast-quality videos, available through Pathfire, are each 90
seconds in length and feature different aspects of the New Orleans small
business community as it recovers from Hurricane Katrina. Interviews were
conducted with the former New Orleans Police Commissioner P. Edwin Compass,
and small business owners Martin Irons of Ironman Contractors, Dr. Kendall
Parker of General Dentistry, and Troy Henry of Henry Consulting. The series
focuses on these optimistic and determined New Orleans residents who have
refused to give up despite difficult times.
Partnering with ZANA Network in this endeavor is Henry Consulting, a
management consulting and business services firm headquartered in New Orleans.
Henry Consulting was hired by the City of New Orleans to draft the plan to
help the city get back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina. As a consulting
firm to hundreds of small and medium businesses recovering in New Orleans,
Henry Consulting will bring a wealth of prospective buying, selling and
partnering opportunities to other ZANA Network members.
"ZANA Network partnering with us has added value to our current program,"
said Dana Henry, project manager for Henry Consulting. "We're bringing
together more business prospects to our clients and more prospects in the Gulf
South are opening up to other ZANA Network members. We think the ZANA Network
relationship represents a tremendous economic development tool for our
disaster-affected small businesses. Being made aware of more business
opportunities around the country will enable businesses to grow out of their
current business and recovery challenges."
ZANA Network members already have access to a one-stop menu of online
services, including the ability to buy and sell products and services, request
products and services, develop alliances and partnerships with other members
from around the world and acquire essential business services. ZANA Network
helps all types of businesses -- from startups launching their first product
to professionals building referral networks for their services to established
companies in any industry -- reach more potential customers locally,
nationally and internationally. ZANA Network offers access to more than 7,000
government contracts and its business learning section provides information
and resources on how to do business in more than 250 countries, provinces and
territories worldwide.
ZANA Network also offers international financing and credit; credit
insurance; access to business loans from $5,000 to $2 million from major banks
to start up, acquire or expand a business; health and business insurance
products; shipping and logistics; credit reports; and numerous other resources
to help make SMEs more connected, efficient and profitable. Membership has
been growing at a steady pace since ZANA Network launched nearly a year ago,
especially with its ongoing improvements to benefits offered, such as insured
receivables, partnerships with DHL, Amazon.com and others, and more.
Membership is available for a $410 annual fee.
About Henry Consulting
Henry Consulting is an African American-owned, certified Louisiana
disadvantaged business enterprise ("DBE") and a certified federal Small
Disadvantaged Business ("SDB"). Through its management services practice, HC
performs project business and program management services directly on behalf
of its clients. Through its management/consulting practice, HC provides
consultation to clients to assist those clients in executing initiatives on
their own. HC delivers value for its clients by combining high-level strategic
thinking with superior operational execution. Specific areas of functional
expertise at HC include marketing and business development, business process
re-engineering, risk management, financial analysis and structuring, and
organizational development. For more information, visit
http://www.henryconsulting.net.
About ZANA Network, LLC
ZANA Network is an online marketplace and business development resource
for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide. ZANA Network provides
selling, buying and partnering opportunities, trade resources, business
guidance and essential services, and enables entrepreneurs, inventors,
professionals and other SME business people to come together in a community
for mutual benefit. ZANA Network helps businesses grow faster and more
profitably. For more information, visit http://www.zananetwork.com.
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
Ray Thomas
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=65946
Howard Keating
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=65947
SOURCE ZANA Network
