Biz Talks

Only 5% of Black students in the U.S. meet ACT college-readiness benchmarks, which means missing out on college acceptances and scholarships. After New Orleans native Angelica Harris — a straight-A student — scored a 16 out of 36 on the ACT, she built her own test-prep system, raised her score to a 32 and earned more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Harris then took her system and built a nationwide business providing free, culturally responsive test prep to minority students. In this week’s Biz Talks, she shares how and why her system is different and how local schools and parents can access it.

For more information, visit: https://www.toptutorsforus.com/

Local businesswoman and alcoholic alternatives advocate Monica Olano — owner of three businesses, including Cali Sober Market in Metairie — has experienced first-hand the effects of the changes Louisiana’s legislature made to the hemp-based product industry in 2024. The changes, she said, are negatively impacting local bars and restaurants, as well as consumers, and causing the state to lose money. When HB539 was introduced this session, it aimed to correct some of the damage, but earlier this month the bill was pulled. Where does that leave the industry’s future? Olano shares her thoughts.

Native New Orleanian Ryan Rogers recently became the first comedian from the Gulf South to headline a global network comedy special. He is also the founder of the LGBTLOL Queer Comedy Fest, returning next month here in New Orleans June 4-7. This week he helps us understand where New Orleans fits in with the national comedy scene, along with what it takes to succeed in this industry and how he’s helping local businesses capitalize on people’s deep need and desire to laugh.

Learn more at: ryanrogerscomedy.com and lgbtlol.com.

Nausea is one of the most common complaints for expectant mothers, and one Northshore mom-turned-entrepreneur has created a tasty remedy for it.

Jamie Steele is the creator of YumMum, ginger-based gummies designed to get the job done while tasting like an actual treat. Not just for pregnancy, these gummies are good for all forms of nausea — traveling kids, chemotherapy treatment, you name it.

Steele shares the lessons she learned creating her innovative product and the surprising other ingredients she insisted they include.

There are only two dates left this season for the Young Leadership Council’s (YLC) Wednesdays at the Square, a free outdoor concert series at Downtown’s Lafayette Square Wednesday nights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. YLC Executive Director Allison Hotard shares why you don’t want to miss these last two concerts, along with how the concert series is going and why this year is going to be an especially big one for the YLC. 

For more information on Wednesday at the Square, visit https://www.ylcwats.com/.

For more information on the Young Leadership Council, visit https://www.ylcnola.org/

Since Hurricane Katrina, the issue of whether New Orleans has too many judges, and if so, how many, has been bantered around. But now, in the current session, the house is debating one bill, and the Senate has already passed another that aims to cut judges from New Orleans courts based on what BGR says is incomplete data. What could this mean for our courts and our city’s finances? BGR President and CEO Rebecca Mowbray speaks out on this week’s Biz Talks.

We all know we live in one of the culinary capitals of the world, which makes it so shocking that the region does not a major wholesale food production incubator! Well, that is going to change soon –  and our guest today is a huge part of it. Annalisa Kelly, JEDCO’s director of strategic initiatives and policy, has taken the lead on development of the Greater New Orleans Food & Beverage Incubator.

What is it? How will it work? What support will it provide entrepreneurs? When will it be up and running? Kelly shares all the details on this week’s Biz Talks.

The start of hurricane season is June 1, kicking off a long summer of anxiety for the region, but we’re focusing on the good news, and that is that The Greater New Orleans region is served by two levee authorities — Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East and  West.

This week, we’re talking about SLFPA — West, which encompasses more than 80 miles of levees, floodgates and floodwalls protecting the West Bank of Jefferson and Orleans parishes. What does the system look like? How does it work? Who is doing the work? Regional Director Jesse Noel gives us some surprising insights.  

A lot! It’s been a busy year at the largest mall in the Greater New Orleans area as Lakeside has welcomed one new retailer after another. As the regional director of retail leasing for the Feil Organization, New Orleans native Tricia Phillpott is the woman behind these wins — the person tasked with finding and securing new retailers. In this week’s BizTalks, we chat about the mall’s newest tenants, the art and science behind mall leasing, how Lakeside mall compares nationally and one interesting way it differs from any other.    

New Orleans-based TikTok creator Tamsy Kambi (@tamlovestoeat) is a food and lifestyle creator known for spotlighting restaurants, cultural events, and local experiences.  She recently joined other creators and lawmakers in Washington, D.C. for a conversation on how content creators and social media is shaping modern business and culture. Tamsy shares her experiences in D.C. and what drives her to do what she does in this week’s BizTalks.