Support Entrepreneurs like Me this Give NOLA Day!
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Propeller: Where Entrepreneurs Come to GrowEntrepreneur Karen Williams is raising funds to support Propeller this Give NOLA Day.
$200
raised by 1 people
$500 goal
in 4 days left
Hey! I’m Karen Williams, the Founder & President of NOLA Steele Fabrication & Erection, LLC, an independent contract firm that fabricates, installs, repairs, and demolishes high-quality steel and ornamental iron. I joined Propeller’s Inclusive Procurement program in 2025 to gain support with all the skills I needed to take my company to the next level, from bidding, marketing, and financing to general contract management.
During the program, Propeller’s team worked tirelessly with me to accomplish our goals. They connected me to a larger prime contractor to pursue teaming opportunities and helped me streamline my back-office operations and project management. The team provided financial coaching and introduced me to five lenders, enabling me to secure two loans to fulfill a large-scale project.
Because of all this support I was able to win seven contracts valued at over $5M with major anchor institutions across Louisiana. These contracts directly created 10 full-time jobs and retained 7 jobs, helping me to raise up my community in the process of building my company.
The Propeller team has been truly present for NOLA Steele. If it wasn't for their amazing Inclusive Procurement program, we would not have made it as far as we are.