Oceans 97 Inc. (Oceans97.com | @JarvisGreen97)
Countdown to the 2020 Client Showcase: #6
SBDC: Louisiana SBDC at Southern University
SBDC Advisor: Ada Womack-Bell
Oceans 97 is a wholesale and retail seafood supplier that creates unique products and experiences that are ahead of the curve, with a focus on health and better eating.
Jarvis Green, a former New England Patriots defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl Champion, is the Owner and President of Oceans 97. The company’s shrimp is wild caught from the Gulf of Mexico by U.S. gulf coast fishermen, and Green has become a leader in educating people about the health benefits of a diet rich in fresh and natural ingredients.
Green worked with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern University & A&M College in Baton Rouge (LSBDC-SUBR).
LSBDC-SUBR Director Ada Womack-Bell said Green is an ambitious business owner, always looking for opportunities and ways to provide quality products and services to the community.
“It is great working with a proactive business owner that is making an impact and building a diverse Louisiana economy,” Bell said.
The LSBDC-SUBR worked with Green by offering its no-cost consulting services and welcoming him in multiple training workshops that have positioned and prepared him for procurement opportunities. The return on his time with the LSBDC-SUBR is 60 new jobs created and a new product developed – Jarvis Green’s Shrimp Paté.
Green developed a canned shrimp paté, which is a high-quality food product that can be used for disasters as a unique survival product with a four-year shelf life. The product can be found for sale in Rouses Markets and HomeGoods.
Green said his business has grown from the first day he attended the LSBDC-SUBR’s training classes.
Green attended the FoodPreneurs Accelerator Summit, System for Award Management (SAM), and 8(a) Certification classes hosted by the LSBDC-SUBR and facilitated by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Louisiana District Office Deputy Director Jo Ann Lawrence. Green shared that Lawrence explained the procurement process to the class, what is expected from a business owner, the requirements, and “walked me through the application process.”
“I would have never got it done,” Green said. “It has opened more opportunities on the city, state and federal level of procurement. When I spoke with other entities they asked me if I completed the application process and did I have the required information to move forward. Because I attended the training and was advised, I was able to answer all the questions.”
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The America’s SBDC Client Showcase and Reception will be held from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, in the Rayburn House Office Building Cafeteria.
Invite your Representatives and Senators to the Client Showcase and Reception now!
For more information about America’s SBDC and to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.