ZANA Network Works to Revive New Orleans Small Businesses

DETROIT, May. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

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