This month’s WIN series event provides strategic pitching strategies for small and emerging businesses.
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) is continuing its monthly WIN with NOENMCC series on March 25 with Pitching 101: Story Telling and Presentation Skills. The series is part of the Convention Center’s continued commitment to Small and Emerging Businesses (SEB), with specialized sessions designed to equip entrepreneurs with the tools they need to grow.
The March installment of the WIN Series will focus on strategic storytelling and presentation skills. The registration-only event will take place Wed., March 25, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Meeting Room 282 of Hall I at the Convention Center. Hosted by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s Small & Emerging Business Program, the session will provide professional insight on presentation skills, elevator pitching, networking and brand storytelling. The Convention Center provides SEBs free access to foundational knowledge and growth opportunities. WIN with NOENMCC is a unique opportunity for local business owners to gain business insights at no cost.
The March session will feature a presentation by Krystal Allen, of K. Allen Consulting. A Gulf South native, Allen started her business in 2017 and has served clients such as Google, Amazon and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
“We are pleased to provide local entrepreneurs with valuable professional insights and opportunities to engage with experienced leaders at all of our WIN events,” said LaToya Martin, NOENMCC SEB Program Manager. “The March event builds on what our attendees learned at the February event on financial readiness, and we are excited to welcome new businesses to the March Session. Hearing from Krystal will allow attendees to leave with more industry knowledge and lead them down the path to success.”
The WIN 2026 Series is a structured, year long format with progressive workshops held each month, ending with two major capstone events. Following the March event, Phase 1 of WIN continues with a session on Sales & Negotiation Skills. Phase 1 culminates in June with the WIN Pitch Smart – Retail Ready Competition. At the final event, business owners will pitch to a panel of live judges, including buyers, investors and corporate partners.
Following Phase 1, WIN will pick up from July through November with Phase 2: Meet the Primes. Phase 2 focuses on preparing construction and service vendors for procurement opportunities. This track will include workshops on:
- Estimating, Bidding & Responding to RFPs
- Compliance & Capacity
- Operations & Teaming Strategies
- Presenting Your Company to Primes & Stakeholders
Phase 2 will conclude with the Meet the Primes Forum in November, acting as a structured “reverse trade show” allowing SEBs to present directly to prime contractors, the Convention Center and other stakeholders.
“When Mayor Ernest N. Morial envisioned our convention center he understood the value of building economic opportunity for the whole community through convention activity. Today over 40 years later, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center continues to bring this vision to life through programs such as this that not only connect small businesses to opportunity but also nurture and enable entrepreneurs to build their skills, networks and create a foundation to grow and thrive.”
Since 2019, the NOENMCC has awarded more than $54 million in contracts to SEB and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) vendors. Through initiatives like WIN and the SEBconnect website and app, the Convention Center expands access for local businesses and assists with their growth.
SEB owners interested in attending the March 25 workshop or learning more about the WIN 2026 Series can learn more and register at exhallnola.com. Registration closes on Tuesday, March 24.
About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)
New Orleans is Built to Host! With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level, all under one roof, NOENMCC is tied for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States. NOENMCC is a 2025 Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence recipient and is consistently named a regional top workplace by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. A recent LEED Gold certification makes NOENMCC the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance, as well as the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+M. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, NOENMCC event activity has produced $93.2 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening.
About the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s (Authority) exclusive mission is to finance, construct and operate facilities in order to attract and conduct conventions, trade shows and other events that support and expand the economy of both the State of Louisiana and New Orleans Region. The Authority is composed of a 13-member board of commissioners, ten appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, and three appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans. Since 1985, event activity at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has produced $93.2 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $5.7 billion in new tax revenue for state and local governments.