By Region 6 Advocate, Janea Jamison
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Cedric Morgan, a 25-year veteran and the President of CM Properties of New Orleans, LLC (CMPNO). Morgan embodies the spirit of determination and resilience that is the hallmark of successful small business owners.
CMPNO is a small firm with a staff of five that includes Morgan, three W2 employees, and a contract worker. Since 2016, CMPNO has been at the forefront of economic development on the Gulf Coast. As a leading facilities management company, it has embraced forward-thinking ideas and new technologies. However, like many small businesses, CMPNO has faced challenges. Morgan shared that supply chain disruptions have led to longer-than-ideal lead times that have delayed project completions. Additionally, the financial strains of government contracting, particularly in billing and project completion, have been a hurdle for the company.
The month of June also marks the beginning of hurricane season for many states in the southern region of the U.S. Morgan recalls what the city of New Orleans was like before Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 hurricane that devasted a lot of businesses in 2005. Due to the destructive nature of hurricanes, the season profoundly impacts his business’s decision-making model due to project timelines. During these difficult times, Morgan must also remain mindful of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s hurricane preparedness and response laws and regulations. Their regulations were discussed at the Office of Advocacy’s (Advocacy) recent Small Business Labor roundtable.
Despite the many challenges, Morgan remains steadfast in his belief that “competence breeds confidence and that confidence builds resiliency.”
Morgan is also a New Orleans Black Chamber of Commerce board member. He hopes to work closer with Advocacy and provide outreach as a Black-owned small business owner. The most recent Advocacy research report on the topic reveals there are more than 3.5 million Black-owned businesses. While Morgan is one of many, he is determined to inspire others within his industry. He aims to connect even more small business owners to Advocacy to learn more about the regulatory process.
If you are a small business in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, or New Mexico, we encourage you to reach out to Janea Jamison at Janea.Jamison@sba.gov to share your business’s regulatory burdens or concerns. We also invite you to connect with our other?regional advocates.