It's Acadiana: Out to Lunch

When you’re a designer, you’ve often got one customer: the one right in front of you. And you’ve got essentially one product: the one you’re making. With every job, you’re building both your reputation and your portfolio. But here’s the kicker. If you’re doing custom work, then your customer is also your boss. 

No pressure. 

But pressure — and lots of it — is how diamonds are made. Jewelry makers like  Steve Credeur are tasked with making not just something beautiful for their customer-bosses, but something unique and precious too. 

But that’s the way Steve likes it. He takes pride in his company, Steve Charles Jewelers, being a small part of a family’s big story. It all starts with a one-on-one consultation. It’s a process so special, you’re going to need a referral. Steve doesn’t advertise his location. He takes appointments only. He tries to stay under the radar.  

Despite actively avoiding brand awareness, Steve has built a clientele of around over 5,000 customers nationwide. He was born and raised in Carencro and lives in Youngsville. You’ll have to make an appointment to find out the rest.  

Jewelry is just one kind of design of course. There are as many design jobs as there are industries and Maureen Dugas Foster has worked in a lot of them.  She’s worked in project management, sales, and business development. She’s worked as an artist, in community engagement and as a teacher. 

Maureen's training is in architecture, she’s the owner of Dugas Foster Design, a side-hustle studio that specializes in residential additions and remodeling.

The common thread in all of that is people and creativity. In 2016 Maureen founded Designing Women of Acadiana. It’s a civic group that serves as a gathering place for women who work in creative fields. They talk shop, go on architecture tours, host speakers and even have their own Mardi Gras walking krewe.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you convince a customer to buy a service they don’t know they need?  That’s often the steepest hill to climb for businesses that offer improvements on existing products. 

If solving a problem is the surest path to success, then satisfaction in the market can be a real hurdle. But if what you do works that much better than what’s available, you’re bound to blow the competition away…or maybe blast it away.

Greg Free is in the media blasting business. His company, General Abrasives, is unique in the Acadiana market. You can find pressure washers and other surface cleaning companies, but Greg’s company uses dry ice. 

The technique is powerful. Dry ice leaves no water or chemicals behind, it kills bacteria and mold and can even deodorize smoke. It’s a faster, cleaner process than what’s typically available. 

Greg started the business after working in IT at casinos. And it's what he saw happening when people didn't walk out of the casino with a pocketful of winnings that sparked his interest in developing a better cleaning technique. It's a ghoulish origin story but a lesson that there's a business opportunity in almost every human activity, even a very sad one.  

Believe it or not, when Michelle Thomas-Parker launched SouthernMixx Bartending Services in 2018 there was a gap in the local party market: for mobile bartending. 

In a state known for partying, there were relatively few companies that offered full-service bartending that could flex to meet events, big and small. Michelle had spent 30 years in the hospitality industry and saw how a personal touch or a twist could make a difference. So when she saw an opening in the event market, she seized on it. 

SouthernMixx specializes in customizing bar service. Michelle and her team take the same level of care for weddings and backyard parties that you typically see with caterers. They design menus and specialty cocktails that enhance an event experience. 

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. You can photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s say you want to own a business, but you’re not sure what kind. A clever idea is probably a good place to start, but believe it or not you don’t have to have your own concept or business model to own your own. 

You could own a franchise. Franchises are everywhere in the American marketplace — think of ubiquitous fast food brands like McDonalds or Jimmy Johns. It’s a $500 billion industry representing 750,000 individual franchises. 

Owning a franchise solves a number of problems for entrepreneurs — they don’t have to worry about branding or recipes or product development. Franchisees buy a license — in essence — to sell a brand on their own terms. 

Burgers might be the most common kind of franchise, but it’s not the only way to go. If you live in Acadiana, you might want to own — a boudin franchise. Boudin is big business in this market. And as Acadiana grows, so too is its appetite for boudin and specialty meats. One of the very best known brands in the business is the Best Stop, a staple in Scott, Louisiana. But thanks to a new franchise, you don’t have to go to the Boudin capital to get your fix. 

Shaina Credeur and Danee Deville are the owners of a Best Stop franchise in Carencro and own the rights for locations in Lafayette. 

Shaina grew up in Broussard. She and her husband run a jewelry store and have a portfolio of real estate investments. So investing in Boudin was a natural fit. 

Danee didn’t have to buy into the Best Stop way of life — she was born into it. She is the oldest grandchild of the Best Stop’s founder. Robert Cormier. Growing up around sausage makers gave her the envie for owning a Best Stop of her own. When franchising became an option, she brought the idea to her friend Shaina and the two found themselves in hog heaven.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the point of working yourself stiff if you can’t take it with you when you go? 

Younger folks in the American workforce get it. Maybe wealth and power aren’t what they’re cracked up to be if we’re all gonna give it up when we cross into the great beyond. 

If Baby Boomers were work-a-holics, and Gen-Ex’ers the slacker generation, then Millennials and the generations after them have become the work/life balance generations. And that can mean leaving the runaround of a steady job. Quitting can be rewarding: if it means spending more time with your family. 

Seth Coldren left his job offshore to spend more time with his three-year-old son and chart a new career in the arts with his wife Jana. In 2021, they launched Aaron Grey Co., a Louisiana themed custom engraving, woodwork and design brand. 

They built a shop in their backyard and packed it with woodworking equipment and a laser engraver. Jana makes the designs, while Seth churns out the products. And they can make just about anything out of wood, acrylic and leather, specializing in custom gifts. Their hottest seller is a handmade cocktail smoker made with wood chips from white oak barrels used to age Wildcat Brothers rum. 

One career change can be a big enough challenge for a family, what about two? 

Deanna Saizon left a career with a good company to pursue her passion for interior design. After 12 years at the Lemoine Company, she opened Saizon Designs in August 2021. That same year, her husband Alex lost his full-time job and turned to his thriving side-hustle for a new career. 

Alex had launched Sirop Trading Company in 2019, a brand for his homemade simple syrup. When it was just a part-time gig, he managed to get his syrup in 120 stores. So when Adam Smith’s invisible hand closed the door on his last job, it opened a window for entrepreneurship. Sirop Trading Company blew up. Today, Alex’s syrups are sold in 350 stores spread across California, Texas, Florida, Indiana and Louisiana including big name brands like Costco and Total Wines. 

Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Sunday’s Soda Fountain in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot more to retail than selling something a customer wants. More and more, customers want experience. They want to feel like they’re buying into something — a lifestyle, an ethos, a trend.

Smart retailers, of course, know their customers. Really smart retailers know their customers better than they know themselves. Curation, then, is the name of the name. 

Even with a treasure trove of marketing data available at your fingertips, selecting what you sell is still a challenge. That’s how local retailers hold their ground in the age of e-commerce: They know their customers better than anyone. 

Some are so good at it, they can game the system the other way around: selling their collections online. 

Charlotte Cryer has operated Caroline & Co. in Lafayette since 1997. The shop offers a wide variety of goods and gift ideas. Home decor and accessories, clothing, bath and beauty supplies and holiday specialties. Caroline & Co. has two locations now, with its flagship store in the River Ranch neighborhood. 

Charlotte has also found a market for her goods online. They offer complimentary gift-wrapping and can ship straight from the store to anywhere in the country. 

If you’re selling wedding dresses, curation is everything. Brides want to feel special on their wedding day, and they’ll pay handsomely for it. Gowns can cost $2,000 or more. It’s a lot to spend on something you’ll (theoretically) wear only once. 

Nicole Cline takes each sale one by one. Her shop Sposa Bella has one dressing room, and her brides come in by appointment only. That approach gives Nicole the time and space to attend to the details of what brides want. She does extensive interviews with her customers before they try anything on. From there, brides and their families are treated to a concierge experience complete with champagne and music. 

That level of care was missing when Nicole’s daughter got engaged and bought her wedding dress. When Nicole saw the opportunity to buy Sposa Bella, she seized the chance to fill that gap in the Lafayette bridal market.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Sunday’s Soda Fountain in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Variety is the spice of life. Right? Well, in Louisiana spice is the spice of life! Or maybe flavor. 

It’s beyond cliche that we like things spicy here. Although most cooks and chefs will tell you we like things well-seasoned. No surprise then, that seasoning is a big business in this area. There are no shortage of homegrown seasonings or seasoning companies.

Every family has their own favorite blend. So why not have a blend you can make on your own — and make a buck off of? Brothers Troy and Zo Bolden are doing just that with their company Cajun Nation. 

Troy and Zo created the brand name in 2004 as an apparel company. When Zo’s wife needed to go on a low-sodium diet, they came up with another idea: a line of low-sodium, MSG free seasonings that pack all the flavor the gulf coast is known for. 

Cajun Nation took off. Today their products are found in major grocery and retail chains like Rouses, Albertsons and HEB in Texas. It’s still very much a family operation, and a Black-owned, veteran-owned business. 

We’re constantly putting on our own spin or spice on pretty much every food you can find here in Louisiana. It’s not just seafood that we like to be well-seasoned. What about — macarons? 

Cream Cheese & Pepper Jelly. Candied Jalapeno. Smoked Pecan. These are hardly traditional French flavors. They’re the brainchild of Virginia St. Germain, better known to her family as Tut — and the owner of Tut’s Bakery. 

Virginia turned her passion for home-baking into a home business that specializes in made-from-scratch confections and baked goods. She makes her own yeast for sourdough bread, dough for seasonal pies, and fillings for those inventive, devilish macarons. 

Virginia is a psychiatric nurse by trade. She operates the bakery at home in New Iberia with help from her husband.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Sunday’s Soda Fountain in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s talk about space. Not outer space — although we might get to that later — but the spaces we live and play. 

On Earth, it’s a limited resource. Which makes it ideal for a business venture. 

You might find yourself standing in front of a strip of vacant land and say to yourself, "How do I turn this into something that makes money?" Or you might say, "What if it was still…space?" 

In a nutshell, that’s what happened with Moncus Park — if you gloss over some classic Lafayette political purposes. But for our purposes it will do. 

Space (and parking spaces)

It was 100 acres of paradise that Lafayette decided to preserve, rather than pave. And JP McFadyen currently serves as its Executive Director. 

JP knows a thing or two about spaces. It got his start in the aerospace industry and later owned a bakery. JP sold the bakery and took a job as the park’s operations manager. Moncus Park opened in January 2022. 

Living Spaces

You may have heard the U.S. is in short supply of housing. Yes, we’ve got plenty of space between the waves of grain and the purple mountains majesty, but there’s still a dramatic need for new or updated homes in urban spaces. 

Tyren Morrison has made a business out of addressing that problem. His company, Equity Hub Construction, is part contractor, part developer and part title company. The stack of services helps Tyren easily rescue distressed houses and put them back into productive use as affordable homes. 

Tyren got into the work repairing homes in the Lake Charles area after Hurricane Laura, and saw an opportunity to put all the parts of remarketing homes under one roof. 

Tyren was born and raised in Lafayette, And got his start in the oil and gas industry.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Sunday's Soda Fountain in downtown Lafayette. You can see photos from this show by Photos by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot of business that happens in your home. More and more, it’s become the center of commerce. And that’s not just because of big delivery services. It takes a lot of products to run a home. 

The essence of American consumerism is convenience. We’re all thrilled to spend a buck to do it the easy way. 

Think about it: When was the last time you changed your oil? Sure, you could do it. But that would take an hour. There are all kinds of chores we need to do and, like changing oil, forget to do. For example, changing air filters. 

That’s why Mitch Poche started Filter Genie. It’s a web-based subscription service that offers just two products: air filters and fridge filters. The service helps you figure out what kind of filter you need and puts you on a schedule so the filters show up when you need them. 

Mitch started the company after a long stint in the AC business. The brand is part of CIS Industries, a commercial HVAC company based in the New Orleans area. He and his business partner, his old boss at CIS, are focusing their growth strategy along the I-10 Corridor. 

As our population ages, the home is also becoming a growth sector in the health industry. Home health care services like Mel Pickney’s Heart of Gold Private Duty Nursing serve about 15 million patients each year — on 600 million patient visits.

For Mel, though, the service is about a promise she made to her grandmother – care for others and never let them go neglected. 

Mel has a long background in healthcare. But she got her knack for private care looking after her grandmother and later her father, a Vietnam vet. Today, Mel’s Heart of Gold offers private nursing care, companionship services, post-natal care and post surgical care. 

Mel's Heart of Gold Private Duty Nursing employs 30 people to provide care at every duration: round the clock, overnight, long-term care and short-term care. 

Mel grew up in St. Martin Parish and at one time hosted a radio show as Mel the Diva.

This episode of Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Central Pizza in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yoga is crazy popular in the United States. And over the last decade, it’s only gotten more popular. In 2021, 34 million Americans took a yoga class. That’s up 15 million from a decade earlier.

And the industry has adapted to Western exercise habits. It’s not a strictly spiritual practice here. It’s a way to build muscle tone and balance. It’s also a very competitive industry. Dozens of yoga studios have come and gone in Lafayette over the years. 

Toni Heinen spent much of the last decade as a Pilates and yoga instructor in other peoples’ studios. In 2019, after 14 years in the yoga biz, she bought her own studio: GoodWolf Yoga Studio.

Since then, Toni has grown the operation with a lot of love and community support. Today the operation employs 27 people to run classes from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Good Wolf runs classes for all experience levels, including hot yoga, power yoga and Tabata yoga, their most popular course.  

Toni is a certified yoga and Barre instructor, co-owns Ami’s Kitchen and is the creator of “Booty Ballet.”  

Yoga’s popularity in Acadiana shouldn’t be all that surprising. Indian culture has had a presence here for decades. Lafayette has long attracted students and professionals from the Indian subcontinent. Folks like Jay Patel, who came to Lafayette in 1978 to work as a mechanical engineer. 

Jay helped anchor a growing presence of Hindu people by founding the Acadiana India Association in 1991. In 2013, Jay stepped away from AIA - to build a temple. 

Jay comes from a family of temple builders. His father and uncle each built one. And for years, the Acadiana Hindu community gathered without one. In 2019, Jay opened the Sri Krushna Balaji Mandir in Lafayette. "Mandir" is the Hindi word for temple. 

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tula Tacos and Amigos in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The goal of pretty much every business is to grow. It’s the beating heart of capitalism. But scaling up is complicated. The bigger you get, the bigger the problems get. And it’s not a 1:1 ratio. The learning curve can get steeper and steeper as your operation adds new locations, new employees, new revenue streams. 

Growing pains, however, are a good problem to have. Yes, the struggle is real. But if you’re doing it right, so is the payoff. 

Corey McCoy and his partners at Kitchen on Klinton learned on the job quickly as their operation took flight. In 2016, they started selling chicken wings out of their house on Clinton Street in Lafayette to pay the party bills.  By 2018, they built a food truck welded to a flatbed trailer. Later that year, they were in a brick and mortar shop near UL. Then came two more locations that later closed. 

Kitchen on Klinton is again poised for growth and has been well recognized for its success. Corey and his partners received the Young Entrepreneurial Business of the Year award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

If you’re in agriculture, business is always growing. Jerry Hale has spent his life farming. He grew up on a 7,000-acre cotton farm in Rayville, Louisiana. Growing up, his family farmed white cotton. King Cotton. The prime crop of the South. 

And then, Jerry discovered brown cotton. 

Acadian Brown Cotton is an heirloom seed, believed to be the first cotton found in Louisiana. The Acadians used it for their textiles when they arrived here. And sort of forgot about. 

Acadian Brown Cotton produces a shorter fiber than conventional cotton, but it’s a more sustainable product. Brown cotton plants can bloom over and over, while white cotton plants are discarded once they’re picked. 

Jerry took two cups of brown cotton seeds from a friend and kicked off a burgeoning eco-tourism business. Today, he grows around 2 acres of brown cotton and represents around 300 growers. In 2021, he represented Acadiana at the Selvedge World fair of Textiles in London.

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tula Tacos and Amigos in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadina.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.