Biz Talks

In this week’s podcast, Dr. Kathy Baumgarten of Ochsner Health explains how a successful statewide vaccination program will help Louisiana achieve “herd immunity” - and get back to life as we know it. Baumgarten is Ochsner’s medical director of infection control and prevention.

In response to the cancellation of traditional Carnival parades for 2021, Algiers Point resident Megan Boudreaux had what she thought was a simple, silly idea back in November to decorate her house like a float for Carnival this year and maybe recruit some neighbors to join in the fun. That idea quickly went viral and now Krewe of House Floats numbers 39 krewes, with thousands of registered participants reaching across the globe and partnerships with the City of New Orleans and WWL. In this candid discussion, Boudreaux talks about the philanthropical side of her new venture, the houses she personally is most excited to see, and how people of all budgets can still get in on the fun.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted air travel so much that the airline industry is expected to lose more than $80 billion in 2020, according to the International Air Transport Association. So, will there be a recovery for the industry in 2021? And how might air travel change forever? To find out, we talked to Chris Schaberg, Loyola University New Orleans professor and the author of a new book about airlines’ COVID-19 response, recovery and future.

Healthcare is moving quickly into the digital world — as we’ve seen recently with the rapid expansion of telehealth — and with this move comes new opportunities for entrepreneurs. On this week’s podcast, we talk with a physician whose startup is the first to use technology to bring in-demand care to an underserved population that numbers 1.4 million people just in the U.S.

Stanford University trained emergency physician and Silicon Valley veteran Dr. Matthew Wetschler is the CEO and co-founder of Plume, the first digital health startup for the transgender community, which announced its entrance into Louisiana on Dec. 14.

In just its first year, Plume has reached nearly 90% of the transgender community, offering a monthly subscription service to provide immediate access to gender affirming hormone therapy through the convenience of a smartphone.

Dr. Wetschler discusses what his startup will mean for Louisiana’s transgender community and what he sees for the future of health startups on this week’s BizTalks.

This week's podcast features Krystal James, the strategic initiatives coordinator for workforce development at Delgado Community College. 

The pandemic has put tens of thousands of New Orleanians out of work - especially in the tourism and hospitality categories - but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any jobs out there. In fact, there are plenty of healthcare, construction and technology jobs available right now.

That’s where Delgado comes in: the college is offering affordable - in some cases, free - training that will give people the skills they need to compete for these jobs.

Of note, Delgado has partnered with GNO Inc., Verizon, and Generation USA to offer two free technology training programs that will begin in January.

Did you know NASA’s “rocket factory” and the premier rocket engine test complex in the country are both in our own backyard? This week, we talk to Robert H. Champion, director of the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and John W. Bailey Jr., the associate director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, about the role these two space powerhouses play in our local economy, what they’re working on now, and why you may be able to hear a bit of history being made all the way from Mississippi very soon.

Maryann Miller of StayLocal, an independent business alliance active in New Orleans since 2001, designs programs and directs operations that support StayLocal's efforts to build a thriving local economy. In this podcast, she talks about the importance of supporting local businesses in general and during the pandemic in particular.

Miller has also worked to promote the role of historic preservation in economic development at Preservation Resource Center. Most recently, she helped develop new lines of business for the Louisiana State Museum system. She is a certified real estate finance professional with a background in sociology.

The current pandemic has been just as devastating as Hurricane Katrina was for New Orleans’ City Park according to its CEO, Bob Becker.  While many areas of the park are busier than ever in this time of social distancing, the funding sources necessary to keep the park operating have been severely limited. Becker shares the details of how the park is faring, along with what you need to know about this year’s new Celebration in the Oaks driving tour — which starts Thanksgiving night — and offers up some ideas for fun ways you may not realize you can support the park.

This week’s podcast features Lauren Pearson and Emily Lassiter, the co-founders of the Wealth Edit, a new online membership-based community for women looking to confidentially discuss and expand their knowledge of personal finance. The company is officially launching in New Orleans with a series of virtual and in-person events on Thursday, Nov. 19.

Just a few days after Louisiana International Trade day on Nov. 4, Biz New Orleans Editor Kim Singletary caught up with World Trade Center CEO Ed Webb to get a rundown on the latest news in international trade, an industry worth $93 billion annually to the state and employs an estimated 500,000 people.

Webb explains how a majority of the industry is made up of small- and medium-sized businesses and it is with them in mind that the WTC is using artificial intelligence to create a new platform to help businesses make valuable connections to help them compete in today’s global economy.