**Triumph isn’t luck—it’s discipline.**

In this episode, **Stricen Carter (@sweetthangsnola)** shows how a young hustler turned an ice chest, a sidewalk, and a city’s heat into a real business. **Secondlines. Sold-out coolers. Designer Snoballs.** From pop-up to profit, she built systems, not excuses.**What you’ll learn*** How to **pivot** when plans change—and how to own the new path* Turning **street demand** into a repeatable operation (pricing, margins, logistics)* Building a **brand ladder** (originals → editions/products → mixers) that compounds over time.* Protecting your **IP & Partnerships** without losing creative control;* The role of **Faith, Grit, and Standards** when the pressure hits⚜ Why this story is a blueprint!⚜ The pivot—plans change, winners adjust!⚜ Pop-up economics: price, cost, margin!⚜ From hustle to **system**: events, secondlines, logistics!⚜ Brand & partnerships—how to structure the deal!⚜ Product ladder & scale: from the bar to the bottles!⚜ Legacy moves: the hill she’ll die on and leaving her mark!If this episode pushed you, **like, subscribe, and share** it with a builder who needs a win.Follow **Stricen Carter** and support **Sweet Thangs NOLA**.Also available on **Spotify** and **Apple Podcasts**.**#BusinessIsWAR #SweetThangsNOLA #StricenCarter #NewOrleans #Entrepreneurship #Triumph #SnoballBar #Hustle #Discipline**Produced by Hunter BaxleyCo-produced by Aaron Henderson

Chief Murphy J. Paul, Jr. (Ret.) visits the Business is WAR Podcast – War Room to break down what authentic leadership looks like when the stakes are public safety, trust, and results.

A former Deputy Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police and Chief of Police in Baton Rouge, Paul led reform during a hard season—expanding transparency, modernizing tech (including a Real-Time Crime Center), and building direct community dialogue.

He brings 33+ years of experience, advanced leadership training (FBI National Academy and FBI National Executive Institute), and national influence (IACP Board of Directors) to this conversation about accountability, data-driven strategy, and making change that lasts.

Chief Paul’s core belief—“crime isn’t just a police issue, it’s a community issue.”

In this episode, we cover:

Leadership under pressure: standards, discipline, and owning outcomes. Evidence-based policing vs. politics and noise. Transparency, body-worn tech, and the Real-Time Crime Center playbook. Community engagement that rebuilds trust—and reduces violent crime. Recruiting for character, training for excellence, and enforcing accountability. How leaders create culture—without excuses.

Produced by Hunter Baxley

Co-produced by Aaron Henderson

Politics meets private practice and entrepreneurship. In this Business is WAR episode, Elliott Forman enters the ring with Oliver M. Thomas—New Orleans City Councilmember (District E) and mayoral candidate—to talk candidly about finances, mechanics (systems & infrastructure), and the spirit of a city built to fight and win.We discuss:Finances: Attracting investment, growing small & minority-owned businesses, and building a citywide “war chest.”Mechanics: Fixing permitting, public works, and public safety—what actually drove a 10-year low in crime in New Orleans East, and how to scale that playbook citywide.Spirituality: Rebuilding trust, protecting culture, and leading with accountability.Guest linksWebsite: otforus.comSocial: @otforusSubscribe for more battlefield-tested conversations with founders, leaders, and policymakers.Business isn’t a game. Business is WAR.#BusinessIsWar #OliverThomas #NewOrleans #Leadership #Politics #EntrepreneurshipProduced by Hunter BaxleyCo-Produced by Aaron Henderson

Civil engineering isn’t just concrete and contracts—it’s a battlefield.In this episode of Business is WAR, Elliott Forman sits down with Iam C. Tucker, President & CEO of ILSI Engineering and the SBA’s 2024 National Small Business Person of the Year.We dive into:⚔️ How government delays choke development across the U.S.⚔️ The political and economic battles behind infrastructure.⚔️ What it takes to lead a minority-owned engineering firm in a white, male-dominated industry—and win.This isn’t theory—it’s real-world war stories from the frontlines of business, leadership, and survival.Business isn’t a game. Business is WAR.👉 Watch now, subscribe, and join the fight.#BusinessIsWar #CivilEngineering #Leadership #IamTucker #Entrepreneurship

Recorded live at (Bonita HQ, New Orleans), Elliott Forman sits down with Edwin M. Shorty to talk straight about public safety, jail operations, staffing, technology, and rebuilding community trust. No fluff—what’s broken, what it takes to fix it, and how leadership shows up when it counts.In this episode:Why he’s running and what “accountability” really meansStaffing, training, and standards inside the jailTechnology upgrades, contraband prevention, and transparencyCoordination with NOPD and city leadershipBudget discipline, measurable goals, and public reportingReentry programs and reducing repeat offensesSubscribe for more straight-talk on leadership, business, and public safety.#BusinessIsWAR #EdwinShorty #NewOrleans #PublicSafety #leadershiptraining

Patrice Farooq didn’t just bring the cupcakes — she brought a movement. As the powerhouse behind Cupcake Kitchen Houston, she built a brand known as much for flavor as it is for faith, culture, and community. Now, she’s shaking up New Orleans with that same unapologetic energy. 

John Eason – Sidewalk Side Spirits | Turning Culture into Liquor and Legacy

In this episode of Business is WAR, Elliott Forman sits down with John Eason, founder of Sidewalk Side Spirits and the man behind the viral hit King Cake Rum Cream. From the streets of New Orleans to shelves across the South, John shares how he built a liquor brand rooted in culture, flavor, and hustle.

We talk about:

• The creation of King Cake Rum Cream and how it took off

• Branding a product that actually represents New Orleans

• The struggles of distribution, regulation, and getting noticed

• How to build a lasting legacy through storytelling and ownership

John pulls no punches and breaks down what it takes to succeed in an industry where few survive. If you're an entrepreneur, creator, or anyone trying to build something real — this one’s for you.

Follow Sidewalk Side Spirits:
Instagram: @sidewalksidespirits
Website: sidewalksidespirits.com

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🎙️ Hosted by Elliott Forman
💥 Business is WAR — Real Conversations. Real Entrepreneurs. Real Strategy.

#SidewalkSideSpirits #KingCakeRumCream #JohnEason #BusinessIsWAR #ElliottForman #NewOrleansBusiness

Welcome to the Business Is War Podcast, Hosted by Elliot Forman. Learn the ins and outs of starting, maintaining, and growing your business in 2025.