What does it mean to invest in a community?  Big economic development projects are usually sold that way.  And if you’re cynical, it can sound a bit like hot air. If a big company puts a new factory in your town, it might bring jobs, but the investment is for the company and its shareholders. 

Okay, but that’s not a bad thing. That’s capitalism. But community investment has long been the purview of philanthropy. The dawn of big philanthropy was tied to robber barons. Names like Carnegie and Rockefeller are synonymous with both greed and generosity. 

Big name donors are still the most visible philanthropists, but more and more communities are investing in themselves, pooling contributions from donors big and small into community foundations. 

Today there are more than 900 community foundations operating in the U.S., pumping billions of dollars each year into their communities. The third largest community foundation in Louisiana is housed in Lafayette — the Community Foundation of Acadiana. 

In 2022, the foundation made over $16 million in gifts to causes in its eight-parish region. The foundation was started in 2000 and Missy Bienvenu Andrade is CFA’s second ever director. She took the helm in 2022. 

Missy grew up in Lafayette and spent 10 years as dance choreographer before starting her professional life as a pharmaceutical rep and later moving into community work with a job at One Acadiana, the regional chamber of commerce. She moved into nonprofits with jobs at the Boys and Girls Club, becoming Chief Impact Officer for the Boys and Girls Club of Louisiana in 2021.  

The Community of Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, which covers metro Lake Charles, was founded in 2008. Today, it’s helmed by Sara Mcleod Judson. 

The Foundation has become an important part of recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Laura and Delta, both as a channel for local dollars and for national philanthropy. David Philo, Yahoo’s co-founder, gifted $2.5 million to the foundation to help rebuild Lake Charles. That money is the cornerstone of a 50-year master plan. 

Sara is a Lake Charles native and spent time working in public relations before moving into the nonprofit space. She’s been the director of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana since 2013.

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

What does it mean to invest in a community?  Big economic development projects are usually sold that way.  And if you’re cynical, it can sound a bit like hot air. If a big company puts a new factory in your town, it might bring jobs, but the investment is for the company and its shareholders. 
Okay, but that’s not a bad thing. That’s capitalism. But community investment has long been the purview of philanthropy. The dawn of big philanthropy was tied to robber barons. Names like Carnegie and Rockefeller are synonymous with both greed and generosity. 
Big name donors are still the most visible philanthropists, but more and more communities are investing in themselves, pooling contributions from donors big and small into community foundations. 
Today there are more than 900 community foundations operating in the U.S., pumping billions of dollars each year into their communities. The third largest community foundation in Louisiana is housed in Lafayette — the <a href="https://www.cfacadiana.org/">Community Foundation of Acadiana</a>. 
In 2022, the foundation made over $16 million in gifts to causes in its eight-parish region. The foundation was started in 2000 and Missy Bienvenu Andrade is CFA’s second ever director. She took the helm in 2022. 
Missy grew up in Lafayette and spent 10 years as dance choreographer before starting her professional life as a pharmaceutical rep and later moving into community work with a job at <a href="https://www.oneacadiana.org/">One Acadiana</a>, the regional chamber of commerce. She moved into nonprofits with jobs at the Boys and Girls Club, becoming Chief Impact Officer for the <a href="https://bgcla.org/">Boys and Girls Club of Louisiana</a> in 2021.  
<a href="https://www.foundationswla.org/">The Community of Foundation of Southwest Louisiana</a>, which covers metro Lake Charles, was founded in 2008. Today, it’s helmed by Sara Mcleod Judson. 
The Foundation has become an important part of recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Laura and Delta, both as a channel for local dollars and for national philanthropy. David Philo, Yahoo’s co-founder, gifted $2.5 million to the foundation to help rebuild Lake Charles. That money is the cornerstone of a 50-year master plan. 
Sara is a Lake Charles native and spent time working in public relations before moving into the nonprofit space. She’s been the director of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana since 2013.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://lafayette.servingsushi.com/">Tsunami Sushi</a> in downtown Lafayette. You ca find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.astormorgan.com/">Astor Morgan</a>. at<a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2023/05/09/foundations-crowdfunding-community/"> itsacadiana.com</a>.

OUT TO LUNCH Business over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

OUT TO LUNCH Business over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

OUT TO LUNCH finds The Current Publisher and Editor Christiaan Mader conducting business Acadiana style: over lunch. Each week Aileen invites guests from Acadiana's  business community to join her. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

It's Acadiana: Out to Lunch

OUT TO LUNCH Business over lunch. Each week Christiaan Mader invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

OUT TO LUNCH Business over lunch. Each week Christiaan Mader invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

Foundations: Crowdfunding Community

There’s a saying in the music industry: You have your whole life to make your first record. But one shot at making your second. 

Novelist Jennifer Moorhead, wrote three books before publishing her debut, Broken Bayou in 2024. It’s a thriller inspired by a real murder mystery, tapping into the nation’s ongoing obsession with true crime. 

Jennifer has always been a bookworm. She grew up in Shreveport and went to LSU, later moving to Dallas where she took up a novel  writing class at Southern Methodist University. That’s when she wrote her first unpublished novel.

She paused to have her first child and wrote a second book when her kids were old enough to go to school, shelving it after a couple of edits. 

Jennifer dove into the publishing world with her third novel. She hired an editor. Worked with a literary agent and spent a year shopping the book. Unsuccessfully. 

Along the way, she had written the first draft of a fourth novel, Broken Bayou — in 2015. Inspired by the story of a missing teacher who police believed drove her car into the bayou, Broken Bayou is a crime thriller that follows a child psychologist thrust into a grisly mystery in small town Louisiana.

The book was published by publishing imprint Thomas & Mercer and released in 2024, almost ten years after that first draft. 

Jennifer's story of tenacity in the face of the relentless rejection of the publishing industry is almost a novel in itself.

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

There’s a saying in the music industry: You have your whole life to make your first record. But one shot at making your second. 
<a href="https://www.jennifermoorhead.com/">Novelist Jennifer Moorhead</a>, wrote three books before publishing her debut, Broken Bayou in 2024. It’s a thriller inspired by a real murder mystery, tapping into the nation’s ongoing obsession with true crime. 
Jennifer has always been a bookworm. She grew up in Shreveport and went to LSU, later moving to Dallas where she took up a novel  writing class at Southern Methodist University. That’s when she wrote her first unpublished novel.
She paused to have her first child and wrote a second book when her kids were old enough to go to school, shelving it after a couple of edits. 
Jennifer dove into the publishing world with her third novel. She hired an editor. Worked with a literary agent and spent a year shopping the book. Unsuccessfully. 
Along the way, she had written the first draft of a fourth novel, Broken Bayou — in 2015. Inspired by the story of a missing teacher who police believed drove her car into the bayou,<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1662518773?tag=&amp;linkCode=osi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1"> Broken Bayou is a crime thriller that follows a child psychologist thrust into a grisly mystery in small town Louisiana.</a> 
The book was published by publishing imprint Thomas &amp; Mercer and released in 2024, almost ten years after that first draft. 
Jennifer's story of tenacity in the face of the relentless rejection of the publishing industry is almost a novel in itself.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://lafayette.servingsushi.com/">Tsunami Sushi</a> in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show at<a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2024/07/29/your-debut-novel/"> itsacadiana.com</a>.

Your Debut Novel

Why sell a product when you can sell an adventure?

Experiences are a hot commodity in today’s marketplace. They make memories. The kids love them. And they come in packages that don’t need a warehouse. And when you sell an experience, you’re usually selling expertise. 

Let’s say you want to go scuba diving. It’s not as simple as throwing on an oxygen mask and riding a dolphin. You need training, equipment and certifications. It’s an ordeal, but for adrenaline junkies and lovers of marine life — it’s totally worth it.

Greg Hidalgo got hooked on scuba at the age of 15. He worked his way through college teaching scuba classes and was recruited to teach diving at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Instead, Greg opened Divers Destination in 1986. Space would have to wait.

Divers Destination teaches scuba classes and sells all the stuff you need to go diving. Their clients range from hobbyists to commercial divers and law enforcement. They also arrange international diving trips. A big attraction is a marine biology camp based in Rotan, Honduras, where young divers learn about fish, coral and dolphins. And Divers Destination also offers year round swim lessons in a heated, indoor pool. 

We live in a globalized economy, in case you haven’t heard. That means travel isn’t just a matter of leisure for big companies — it’s a necessity. And if you’re dealing with executives or large groups, booking trips isn’t as simple as an internet search.

Travel agencies still have a lot to offer corporate travel. Steven Landry served as regional head of business development for Wings Global Travel from 2019 to 2024. Wings is itself an international firm, founded in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Wings helps companies put together comprehensive travel packages that move their clientele from door to door, managing every stop on the trip. Spread across time zones, Wings’ operates around the clock, meaning they can respond to client emergencies and stay on top of changes in itineraries. Their clientele ranges from companies that spend millions on travel and logistics to small businesses with modest travel budgets. 

Steven grew up in Lafayette and is also the founder and managing artistic director of the Acadiana Repertory Theater.

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

Why sell a product when you can sell an adventure?
Experiences are a hot commodity in today’s marketplace. They make memories. The kids love them. And they come in packages that don’t need a warehouse. And when you sell an experience, you’re usually selling expertise. 
Let’s say you want to go scuba diving. It’s not as simple as throwing on an oxygen mask and riding a dolphin. You need training, equipment and certifications. It’s an ordeal, but for adrenaline junkies and lovers of marine life — it’s totally worth it.
Greg Hidalgo got hooked on scuba at the age of 15. He worked his way through college teaching scuba classes and was recruited to teach diving at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Instead, Greg opened <a href="https://www.diversdestinationla.com/">Divers Destination</a> in 1986. Space would have to wait.
Divers Destination teaches scuba classes and sells all the stuff you need to go diving. Their clients range from hobbyists to commercial divers and law enforcement. They also arrange international diving trips. A big attraction is a marine biology camp based in Rotan, Honduras, where young divers learn about fish, coral and dolphins. And Divers Destination also offers year round swim lessons in a heated, indoor pool. 
We live in a globalized economy, in case you haven’t heard. That means travel isn’t just a matter of leisure for big companies — it’s a necessity. And if you’re dealing with executives or large groups, booking trips isn’t as simple as an internet search.
Travel agencies still have a lot to offer corporate travel. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenrlandry/">Steven Landry</a> served as regional head of business development for <a href="https://www.wings.travel/">Wings Global Travel </a>from 2019 to 2024. Wings is itself an international firm, founded in Johannesburg, South Africa. 
Wings helps companies put together comprehensive travel packages that move their clientele from door to door, managing every stop on the trip. Spread across time zones, Wings’ operates around the clock, meaning they can respond to client emergencies and stay on top of changes in itineraries. Their clientele ranges from companies that spend millions on travel and logistics to small businesses with modest travel budgets. 
Steven grew up in Lafayette and is also the founder and managing artistic director of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/acadianarep/">Acadiana Repertory Theater</a>.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://lafayette.servingsushi.com/">Tsunami Sushi</a> in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Lea Urdiales at <a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2024/07/15/water-wings/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

Water Wings

We tend to think of entrepreneurs as people with an obsessive vision. They have an idea that will change the world or at least make them lots of money. They take it to the workshop and hack away for days, hours, years until they bring their genius to market and find success. 

Sometimes, a business idea just sort of happens. Maybe it’s a stroke of luck. And that could be a stroke of bad luck. Savvy entrepreneurs can make whatever hand their dealt — work. 

Ari Dolegowski found his calling after he got hurt. He had been a phys ed teacher in New York and played in an adult soccer league. A physical therapist was on his team, so he asked for help. What he got was a new career.

Ari became interested in the combination of eastern medicine and physical therapy practiced by his teammate. So he set out to do that himself. He set up shop in Lafayette in 2020 after he and his wife relocated to be closer to her family during the pandemic. That shop is called Ari D Therapy & Training. He practices massage therapy, prenatal massage, cupping and more. The idea is to combine Eastern and Western practices to help clients manage pain and injuries holistically. 

Ari books session at his studio and makes house calls. Ari grew up in Colorado and spent time as a professional soccer players in leagues in Israel, Chile and the U.S. 

Disasters are a fact of life in Louisiana. It’s not so much luck as it is a changing climate. Dealing with the aftermath is a real pain. Especially when you get walloped by back to back hurricanes. 

Imagine spending a month without power and then having to wrangle someone to fix your roof. And once that’s done, you’ve got to haggle with your insurance company to pay for it. Well, there could be another way. You could call Colorwheel. A disaster recovery company founded by Beau Killingsworth. 

Colorwheel is essentially a construction company with a twist. They don’t just help you fix your roof, they help you with the insurance claims process, too. 

Beau grew up in Lake Charles and had been through enough floods and hurricanes to know how much of a headache that was. He started colorwheel after working as an attorney in Lafayette and getting more familiar with the insurance claims process. He started the company in 2023. Beau is still a practicing attorney and contractor. He’s also a podcaster. He hosts a show called One Big Headgame.

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

We tend to think of entrepreneurs as people with an obsessive vision. They have an idea that will change the world or at least make them lots of money. They take it to the workshop and hack away for days, hours, years until they bring their genius to market and find success. 
Sometimes, a business idea just sort of happens. Maybe it’s a stroke of luck. And that could be a stroke of bad luck. Savvy entrepreneurs can make whatever hand their dealt — work. 
Ari Dolegowski found his calling after he got hurt. He had been a phys ed teacher in New York and played in an adult soccer league. A physical therapist was on his team, so he asked for help. What he got was a new career.
Ari became interested in the combination of eastern medicine and physical therapy practiced by his teammate. So he set out to do that himself. He set up shop in Lafayette in 2020 after he and his wife relocated to be closer to her family during the pandemic. That shop is called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aridtherapy/">Ari D Therapy &amp; Training</a>. He practices massage therapy, prenatal massage, cupping and more. The idea is to combine Eastern and Western practices to help clients manage pain and injuries holistically. 
Ari <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookwitharid.as.me%2Fschedule.php%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3ugH7748h3If5fziv84PhFpuf3A3vFrZn52iedeYKCwiLSggaRPtP8LYg_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw&amp;h=AT2ksev9xZ4yAU6MM0qP7lVxm60vjJ6AyyejN0qqNMJCBeHjtICcTuNhU7NCF2FK42AiVqivBb74oOz5CFyX4VaB8cMT10Pd5_ImboVsVpywlFzKPRbzppIVylj6MW_oXjxxaf9OtROo6tIfals">books session at his studio</a> and makes house calls. Ari grew up in Colorado and spent time as a professional soccer players in leagues in Israel, Chile and the U.S. 
Disasters are a fact of life in Louisiana. It’s not so much luck as it is a changing climate. Dealing with the aftermath is a real pain. Especially when you get walloped by back to back hurricanes. 
Imagine spending a month without power and then having to wrangle someone to fix your roof. And once that’s done, you’ve got to haggle with your insurance company to pay for it. Well, there could be another way. You could call <a href="https://choosecolorwheel.com/">Colorwheel</a>. A disaster recovery company founded by Beau Killingsworth. 
Colorwheel is essentially a construction company with a twist. They don’t just help you fix your roof, they help you with the insurance claims process, too. 
Beau grew up in Lake Charles and had been through enough floods and hurricanes to know how much of a headache that was. He started colorwheel after working as an attorney in Lafayette and getting more familiar with the insurance claims process. He started the company in 2023. Beau is still a practicing attorney and contractor. He’s also a podcaster. He hosts a show called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgDuVsnrGok3bnRoz4WJIZg">One Big Headgame</a>.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://lafayette.servingsushi.com/">Tsunami Sushi</a> in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.astormorgan.com/">Astor Morgan</a> at<a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2024/06/24/colorwheel-of-fortune/"> itsacadiana.com</a>.

Foundations: Crowdfunding Community

In 1 playlist(s)

It's Acadiana: Out to Lunch

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips