I had a journalism student approach me a while back for a story. I asked him, “what kind of a journalist do you want to be when you grow up?”

He said, “A food writer. Because AI won’t take my job.” 

Won’t it though? I suppose if they create a neural simulation of what it’s like to eat boudin, they could. But the panic around AI is big; mostly because few people really understand it.

The models making headlines, like ChatGPT, are really only the latest in a long line of advances in technologies designed to assist work - that is make it easier on people. Most companies still rely on people. And they need people to be good at what they do. AI can make work more efficient, but it can also help companies select and train their employees. 

That’s the concept behind iCan, a company founded by David DeCuir. David spent years in the oil and gas industry and noticed that workforce development was a big problem. His company employed lots of people, but they struggled to make sure they all knew what they were doing.  So he developed a new training program for his employer and cut $2.5 million off their annual bottom line. 

Saving money is making money in business, so David struck out on his own. And iCan was born. iCan’s cloud-based software helps companies set up custom platforms that use chatbots to train employees on anything from HR guidelines to procedures. 

Since launching fulltime in 2022, iCan has expanded from the energy industry to work with utilities and processing facilities.

David grew up in Lafayette and currently lives in the Geismar/Dutchtown area.

Helping companies get better is a massive industry. We generally call them consultants. And their product lines can range from expert assistance to IT. 

If you’re in Lafayette, you’ve heard of CGI. And you probably think of it as a tech company.  But it’s better understood as a consulting firm, and it’s one of the largest in the world. 

Will LaBar is VP of consulting service for CGI and worked for the company out of Lafayette since 2000.  Will was CGI employee number one in the Lafayette market. CGI employs hundreds in the area. 

Will is in charge of CGI’s onshore delivery program. He leads a team that helps smaller markets get technology jobs, coordinating between local governments, business sectors and universities. 

Will grew up in New Jersey and has worked for CGI since 1998.

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.

I had a journalism student approach me a while back for a story. I asked him, “what kind of a journalist do you want to be when you grow up?”
He said, “A food writer. Because AI won’t take my job.” 
Won’t it though? I suppose if they create a neural simulation of what it’s like to eat boudin, they could. But the panic around AI is big; mostly because few people really understand it.
The models making headlines, like ChatGPT, are really only the latest in a long line of advances in technologies designed to assist work - that is make it easier on people. Most companies still rely on people. And they need people to be good at what they do. AI can make work more efficient, but it can also help companies select and train their employees. 
That’s the concept behind<a href="https://www.icanhiot.com/"> iCan</a>, a company founded by David DeCuir. David spent years in the oil and gas industry and noticed that workforce development was a big problem. His company employed lots of people, but they struggled to make sure they all knew what they were doing.  So he developed a new training program for his employer and cut $2.5 million off their annual bottom line. 
Saving money is making money in business, so David struck out on his own. And iCan was born. iCan’s cloud-based software helps companies set up custom platforms that use chatbots to train employees on anything from HR guidelines to procedures. 
Since launching fulltime in 2022, iCan has expanded from the energy industry to work with utilities and processing facilities.
David grew up in Lafayette and currently lives in the Geismar/Dutchtown area.
Helping companies get better is a massive industry. We generally call them consultants. And their product lines can range from expert assistance to IT. 
If you’re in Lafayette, you’ve heard of <a href="https://www.cgi.com/en">CGI</a>. And you probably think of it as a tech company.  But it’s better understood as a consulting firm, and it’s one of the largest in the world. 
Will LaBar is VP of consulting service for CGI and worked for the company out of Lafayette since 2000.  Will was CGI employee number one in the Lafayette market. CGI employs hundreds in the area. 
Will is in charge of CGI’s onshore delivery program. He leads a team that helps smaller markets get technology jobs, coordinating between local governments, business sectors and universities. 
Will grew up in New Jersey and has worked for CGI since 1998.
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/2024/04/08/cgi-can/">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

CGI Can

Marketing your new business idea can take a few different shapes. 

You might take a deep dive with market research and try to define the demographic slice of consumer you’re looking for. Before you even bring your product to the shelves, you’ll try to understand the potential for growth: How many customers are out there who would want what you’re selling? How much disposable income do they have? What services are they already using?

It’s a way of measuring your potential. And that can be crucial to attracting investors, especially to a new idea and a niche product. But for a lot of entrepreneurs, the very first market test is themselves. 

Kelly Hebert has a background in marketing and runs a media and design company with her husband. But Kelly is here to talk about a feeling we’re all familiar with: hangriness.

On a long road trip, Kelly got a little hungry and irritable and had a frustrating time finding a place to eat on her route. The experience inspired a search for an easier way. That led her to Dryve, a new travel app designed for parents. 

Dryve helps them make easier pit stops with streamlined searches for coffee, restaurants, fuel and more. The idea is to quickly direct parents to what they need with as little distraction as possible. 

Not every business idea requires extensive market research or design. Sometimes you just need a gimmick. 

People like to poo-poo a kitschy calling card, but let’s face it: Everyone in business is trying to stand out. And little stands out more than Santa riding a lawn mower. If you run into that yuletide vision in Lafayette, you’re probably looking at Santa Sutton.

Santa’s idea began as a way of getting noticed. He took his dad’s old Santa suit and started riding an electric scooter, just to see if he could go viral.  And he did. Santa on a Scooter became something of a sensation on TikTok, and Santa parlayed that fame into a business: Santa on a Mower.

Santa on a Mower is exactly what it sounds like. And it works. Since launching in 2022, Santa has signed dozens of properties to manage year round.  Before that, Santa worked for 15 years as a chef and was born and raised in Lafayette.

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.

Marketing your new business idea can take a few different shapes. 
You might take a deep dive with market research and try to define the demographic slice of consumer you’re looking for. Before you even bring your product to the shelves, you’ll try to understand the potential for growth: How many customers are out there who would want what you’re selling? How much disposable income do they have? What services are they already using? It’s a way of measuring your potential. And that can be crucial to attracting investors, especially to a new idea and a niche product. But for a lot of entrepreneurs, the very first market test is themselves. 
Kelly Hebert has a background in marketing and runs a<a href="https://www.roberthebertmedia.com/"> media and design company </a>with her husband. But Kelly is here to talk about a feeling we’re all familiar with: hangriness.
On a long road trip, Kelly got a little hungry and irritable and had a frustrating time finding a place to eat on her route. The experience inspired a search for an easier way. That led her to <a href="https://www.projectdryve.com/">Dryve</a>, a new travel app designed for parents. 
Dryve helps them make easier pit stops with streamlined searches for coffee, restaurants, fuel and more. The idea is to quickly direct parents to what they need with as little distraction as possible. 
Not every business idea requires extensive market research or design. Sometimes you just need a gimmick. 
People like to poo-poo a kitschy calling card, but let’s face it: Everyone in business is trying to stand out. And little stands out more than Santa riding a lawn mower. If you run into that yuletide vision in Lafayette, you’re probably looking at Santa Sutton.
Santa’s idea began as a way of getting noticed. He took his dad’s old Santa suit and started riding an electric scooter, just to see if he could go viral.  And he did. Santa on a Scooter became something of a sensation on TikTok, and Santa parlayed that fame into a business: <a href="https://santaonamower.com/">Santa on a Mower</a>.
Santa on a Mower is exactly what it sounds like. And it works. Since launching in 2022, Santa has signed dozens of properties to manage year round.  Before that, Santa worked for 15 years as a chef and was born and raised in Lafayette.
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/2024/04/29/santa-the-hungry-kids/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

Santa & The Hungry Kids

If you’re gonna be first, you’re gonna take a risk. All the more so if you’re going to market with a foreign concept. 

People are creatures of habit. We look to the world we know to understand new concepts. And if something we’re trying is unlike anything we’ve tried before…that can be a recipe for failure.

Think of it this way: People who are remembered for being ahead of their time aren’t usually remembered for being wildly successful. It’s a contradiction in terms.  To illustrate: Imagine trying to explain yoga to a bunch of Cajuns in the 1980s. 

Movement

Yoga is so commonplace now, it’s hard to fathom. But that’s pretty much the story of Jerry Smith-Guidry, who was one of the very first people to teach yoga in Lafayette. A self-described “type A” personality, she discovered wellness and yoga in 1989 and fell in love. She went on to create the yoga program at Red Lerille’s Health Club here in Lafayette. 

Today, Jerry runs Acadiana Yoga & Wellness studio, which she founded in 2009. Acadiana Yoga offers a range of wellness services, including yoga classes, massage, reiki, pilates and more. It’s also the only Yoga and Pilates mat certification in Lafayette. 

Meat

It’s one thing when you’re introducing something new, and another thing entirely to introduce something misunderstood. Like bologna. Yes, bologna. And if you’re eating a slice of cajun smoked bologna made by Ross Brown, go ahead and get rid of any preconceived notion of how that sausage is made.

This is Bougie Bologna — High grade stuff made from pork shoulder. 100% free of byproducts, mechanically separated meats, and the unmentionables you usually find in bologna with the first name O-S-C-A-R.

Ross got into making bologna to convince his wife to like it. He learned the process from YouTube and started selling at a local bar — the Freetown Boom Boom Room in Lafayette. It caught on. And in 2022, Bougie Bologna was born. Ross quit his job offshore and has moved into bologna full time.

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.

If you’re gonna be first, you’re gonna take a risk. All the more so if you’re going to market with a foreign concept. 
People are creatures of habit. We look to the world we know to understand new concepts. And if something we’re trying is unlike anything we’ve tried before…that can be a recipe for failure.
Think of it this way: People who are remembered for being ahead of their time aren’t usually remembered for being wildly successful. It’s a contradiction in terms.  To illustrate: Imagine trying to explain yoga to a bunch of Cajuns in the 1980s. 
Movement
Yoga is so commonplace now, it’s hard to fathom. But that’s pretty much the story of Jerry Smith-Guidry, who was one of the very first people to teach yoga in Lafayette. A self-described “type A” personality, she discovered wellness and yoga in 1989 and fell in love. She went on to create the yoga program at Red Lerille’s Health Club here in Lafayette. 
Today, Jerry runs <a href="https://acadianayoga.com/">Acadiana Yoga &amp; Wellness</a> studio, which she founded in 2009. Acadiana Yoga offers a range of wellness services, including yoga classes, massage, reiki, pilates and more. It’s also the only Yoga and Pilates mat certification in Lafayette. 
Meat
It’s one thing when you’re introducing something new, and another thing entirely to introduce something misunderstood. Like bologna. Yes, bologna. And if you’re eating a slice of cajun smoked bologna made by Ross Brown, go ahead and get rid of any preconceived notion of how that sausage is made.
This is <a href="https://www.bougiebologna.com/">Bougie Bologna</a> — High grade stuff made from pork shoulder. 100% free of byproducts, mechanically separated meats, and the unmentionables you usually find in bologna with the first name O-S-C-A-R.
Ross got into making bologna to convince his wife to like it. He learned the process from YouTube and started selling at a local bar — the Freetown Boom Boom Room in Lafayette. It caught on. And in 2022, Bougie Bologna was born. Ross quit his job offshore and has moved into bologna full time.
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 itsacadiana.com.

Meat Movement

America has had a complicated relationship with Downtowns. When we invented the suburbs in the mid-20th century, Downtowns were left behind, only to make a roaring comeback in the 21st century. 

That story should sound familiar for folks in Lafayette. Lafayette’s Downtown was left for dead in the 1980s and 1990s. It was practically a no-man’s land in the late 20th century but started coming back to life at the turn of millennium. 

That turnaround didn’t come from nowhere. In 1983, some local business leaders created Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, a nonprofit group that promotes activity and commerce in Downtown Lafayette, sort of like a chamber of commerce.

Most folks know DLU by its major public programs like Downtown Alive! and most recently the building of an inclusive playground at Parc Sans Souci.

Today, DLU is headed by Jessica Hauerwas, who took over as DLU’s executive director in 2023.  Jessica comes from a marketing background. She moved to Lafayette from Houma to go to UL and got jobs in marketing and business development at Acadiana Center for the Arts, Brand Russo and LogoJet. 

Jessica got involved in DLU as a board member, becoming board president. Her job today is to promote Downtown as a destination and community asset and to raise money for DLU’s programs and activities. 

American Downtowns can be pretty old. That’s why folks left for the suburbs in the first place: lots of cheap, new stuff. But Downtowns have great bones and great buildings. Putting them back into proper form is a great way to freshen up the built environment and create a sense of place.

For that kind of work, you’ll need an architect. Nic Bourque, is an architect’s architect. Fun fact: Nic was the first person to receive a master’s degree in architecture from UL. From there, he worked as a staff designer in Baton Rouge before returning to Lafayette to open his own firm in 2013. 

Nic joined veteran firm Holly & Smith Architects in 2022, where he now serves as its studio director. 

Holly & Smith have earned a reputation for restoring forgotten buildings, particularly in Downtowns and main streets. They work mostly on commercial projects, with some residential contracts mixed in. They’ve carved out a niche for themselves in sustainable design and specialize in using passive climate control systems, landscaping and shading to achieve comfortable interiors with a smaller carbon footprint. The firm has locations in Lafayette, New Orleans and Hammond.

Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in  downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show  by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

America has had a complicated relationship with Downtowns. When we invented the suburbs in the mid-20th century, Downtowns were left behind, only to make a roaring comeback in the 21st century. 
That story should sound familiar for folks in Lafayette. Lafayette’s Downtown was left for dead in the 1980s and 1990s. It was practically a no-man’s land in the late 20th century but started coming back to life at the turn of millennium. 
That turnaround didn’t come from nowhere. In 1983, some local business leaders created <a href="https://downtownlafayette.org/">Downtown Lafayette Unlimited</a>, a nonprofit group that promotes activity and commerce in Downtown Lafayette, sort of like a chamber of commerce.
Most folks know DLU by its major public programs like <a href="https://downtownlafayette.org/downtown-alive/">Downtown Alive!</a> and most recently the building of an inclusive playground at<a href="https://downtownlafayette.org/venue/parc-sans-souci/"> Parc Sans Souci</a>.
Today, DLU is headed by Jessica Hauerwas, who took over as DLU’s executive director in 2023.  Jessica comes from a marketing background. She moved to Lafayette from Houma to go to UL and got jobs in marketing and business development at<a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2019/07/03/les-arts-des-acadiens-out-to-lunch-its-acadiana/"> Acadiana Center for the Arts</a>, <a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2020/10/27/pandemic-pivot/">Brand Russo</a> and LogoJet. 
Jessica got involved in DLU as a board member, becoming board president. Her job today is to promote Downtown as a destination and community asset and to raise money for DLU’s programs and activities. 
American Downtowns can be pretty old. That’s why folks left for the suburbs in the first place: lots of cheap, new stuff. But Downtowns have great bones and great buildings. Putting them back into proper form is a great way to freshen up the built environment and create a sense of place.
For that kind of work, you’ll need an architect. Nic Bourque, is an architect’s architect. Fun fact: Nic was the first person to receive a master’s degree in architecture from UL. From there, he worked as a staff designer in Baton Rouge before returning to Lafayette to open his own firm in 2013. 
Nic joined veteran firm <a href="https://www.hollyandsmith.com/">Holly &amp; Smith Architects</a> in 2022, where he now serves as its studio director. 
Holly &amp; Smith have earned a reputation for restoring forgotten buildings, particularly in Downtowns and main streets. They work mostly on commercial projects, with some residential contracts mixed in. They’ve carved out a niche for themselves in sustainable design and specialize in using passive climate control systems, landscaping and shading to achieve comfortable interiors with a smaller carbon footprint. The firm has locations in Lafayette, New Orleans and Hammond.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live at the <a href="https://acadianacenterforthearts.org/">Acadiana Center for the Arts</a> in  downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show  by <a href="https://www.astormorgan.com/">Astor Morgan</a> at itsacadiana.com.

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