Some things you don’t think about until they stop working. Then you get a trickle from your shower head. Suddenly, all you can think about is what’s happening with the pipes underground. 

There’s money to be made in invisible industries. That’s true if you’re pumping water from a well — a technology as old as civilization itself — or driving engineered fluids underground to drill for oil. 

Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch both work in industries that sit mostly out of sight — below ground, behind fences, or buried in technical jargon — but when they’re needed, they’re really needed. 

Scott Russo is co-owner and water specialist at Waterboys LLC, a water well services company serving residential, commercial, and agricultural clients in Acadiana.

Most people get their water from large public or private utility systems. But more than 23 million U.S. households rely on private groundwater wells for their drinking water. That’s about 15 percent of the U.S. population who aren’t connected to municipal water systems and must maintain their own sources.

Waterboys, founded in 2020, offers well drilling, pump installation, maintenance, and emergency repair — often with Scott himself answering the phone at all hours. 

Water is a round-the-clock need, so Scott is always on call. 

Scott grew up in Kaplan, studied geology, lived overseas and in Las Vegas, and eventually found his way back home and into the water well industry. 

Zach West is president of Downhole Chemical Solutions, a Lafayette-based company operating in the hydraulic fracturing industry. Downhole plays a big role in the hydraulic part of fracking, providing the tech and engineering needed to get oil and gas out of the ground. 

The fracking boom revived the domestic oil industry over the last decade. The hydraulic fracturing services industry alone is estimated at more than $40 billion in size in 2025.

Downhole is an employee owned company with over 200 people on staff and serves a mix of major and mid-sized energy operators. 

Zach grew up in central Louisiana in a family of engineers, earned degrees in chemical engineering and business, and returned to Lafayette to build his company. 

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

Some things you don&rsquo;t think about until they stop working. Then you get a trickle from your shower head. Suddenly, all you can think about is what&rsquo;s happening with the pipes underground.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s money to be made in invisible industries. That&rsquo;s true if you&rsquo;re pumping water from a well &mdash; a technology as old as civilization itself &mdash; or driving engineered fluids underground to drill for oil.&nbsp;
Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch both work in industries that sit mostly out of sight &mdash; below ground, behind fences, or buried in technical jargon &mdash; but when they&rsquo;re needed, they&rsquo;re really needed.&nbsp;
Scott Russo is co-owner and water specialist at<a href="https://waterboysllc.com/"> Waterboys LLC</a>, a water well services company serving residential, commercial, and agricultural clients in Acadiana.
Most people get their water from large public or private utility systems. But more than 23 million U.S. households rely on private groundwater wells for their drinking water. That&rsquo;s about 15 percent of the U.S. population who aren&rsquo;t connected to municipal water systems and must maintain their own sources.
Waterboys, founded in 2020, offers well drilling, pump installation, maintenance, and emergency repair &mdash; often with Scott himself answering the phone at all hours.&nbsp;
Water is a round-the-clock need, so Scott is always on call.&nbsp;
Scott grew up in Kaplan, studied geology, lived overseas and in Las Vegas, and eventually found his way back home and into the water well industry.&nbsp;
Zach West is president of <a href="https://www.downholechem.com/">Downhole Chemical Solutions</a>, a Lafayette-based company operating in the hydraulic fracturing industry. Downhole plays a big role in the hydraulic part of fracking, providing the tech and engineering needed to get oil and gas out of the ground.&nbsp;
The fracking boom revived the domestic oil industry over the last decade. The hydraulic fracturing services industry alone is estimated at more than $40 billion in size in 2025.
Downhole is an employee owned company with over 200 people on staff and serves a mix of major and mid-sized energy operators.&nbsp;
Zach grew up in central Louisiana in a family of engineers, earned degrees in chemical engineering and business, and returned to Lafayette to build his company.&nbsp;
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://lafayette.servingsushi.com/">Tsunami Sushi</a> in downtown Lafayette. You can&nbsp;find photos from this show by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.astormorgan.com">Astor Morgan</a> at <a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2026/01/18/dig-it/">itsacadiana.com</a><a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2026/01/11/steel-towers-new-neighbors/"></a>

OUT TO LUNCH Business over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him for sushi at Tsunami in downtown Lafayette. 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 for sushi at Tsunami in downtown Lafayette. 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 for sushi at Tsunami in downtown Lafayette. 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 for sushi at Tsunami in downtown Lafayette. 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.

Dig It

When we talk about “growth,” we usually mean population, jobs, or maybe cranes on the skyline. But growth isn’t abstract — it’s physical. It’s steel. It’s dirt. It’s concrete. It’s towers you don’t notice and neighborhoods you drive past every day.

Christiaan's guests on Out to Lunch are both in the business of building up — literally. One builds the infrastructure that keeps business connected. The other builds the places people call home. Different materials, different risks — but surprisingly similar challenges.

Wiley Baxter is President and Owner of Custom Tower, a Louisiana-based company that designs, manufactures, and installs communication towers across the country. Wiley grew up in Pensacola, studied mechanical engineering at LSU, and spent time in corporate roles before buying Custom Tower in 2024, when its previous owners decided to retire.

Custom Tower builds the steel that holds antennas in the air — cutting, welding, galvanizing, assembling, and installing towers that can stretch hundreds of feet high. Their work is often for state and parish governments, and if everything goes right, you’ll never think about them at all.

Molly Creaghan is a regional manager at Dantin Bruce, a real estate development firm that handles projects from site selection all the way through leasing. 

Molly grew up in Baton Rouge, went to LSU, and started her career leasing apartments — discovering along the way that she really liked the puzzle of property management.

At Dantin Bruce, Molly oversees operations, marketing, budgeting, staffing, and owner relations across multiple properties. Their Lafayette project, Camellia Grove, is a 136-unit “built-to-rent” townhome community near River Ranch — a development designed to feel more like a neighborhood than an apartment complex.

Molly and Wiley are both examples of people in our community who are in occupations as vital as they are invisible. On Out to Lunch we love to take an oportunity to turn the spotlight on people who other media might not so readily acknowledge.

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.

When we talk about &ldquo;growth,&rdquo; we usually mean population, jobs, or maybe cranes on the skyline. But growth isn&rsquo;t abstract &mdash; it&rsquo;s physical. It&rsquo;s steel. It&rsquo;s dirt. It&rsquo;s concrete. It&rsquo;s towers you don&rsquo;t notice and neighborhoods you drive past every day.
Christiaan's guests on Out to Lunch are both in the business of building up &mdash; literally. One builds the infrastructure that keeps business connected. The other builds the places people call home. Different materials, different risks &mdash; but surprisingly similar challenges.
Wiley Baxter is President and Owner of <a href="https://www.custom-tower.com/">Custom Tower, a Louisiana-based company that designs, manufactures, and installs communication towers across the country</a>. Wiley grew up in Pensacola, studied mechanical engineering at LSU, and spent time in corporate roles before buying Custom Tower in 2024, when its previous owners decided to retire.
Custom Tower builds the steel that holds antennas in the air &mdash; cutting, welding, galvanizing, assembling, and installing towers that can stretch hundreds of feet high. Their work is often for state and parish governments, and if everything goes right, you&rsquo;ll never think about them at all.
Molly Creaghan is a regional manager at <a href="https://www.dantinbruce.com/">Dantin Bruce, a real estate development firm that handles projects from site selection all the way through leasing</a>.&nbsp;
Molly grew up in Baton Rouge, went to LSU, and started her career leasing apartments &mdash; discovering along the way that she really liked the puzzle of property management.
At Dantin Bruce, Molly oversees operations, marketing, budgeting, staffing, and owner relations across multiple properties. Their Lafayette project, Camellia Grove, is a 136-unit &ldquo;built-to-rent&rdquo; townhome community near River Ranch &mdash; a development designed to feel more like a neighborhood than an apartment complex.
Molly and Wiley are both examples of people in our community who are in occupations as vital as they are invisible. On Out to Lunch we love to take an oportunity to turn the spotlight on people who other media might not so readily acknowledge.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at&nbsp;<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/2026/01/11/steel-towers-new-neighbors/"> itsacadiana.com</a>.

Steel Towers, New Neighbors

People in Acadiana love restaurants. They love talking about them, reviewing them, arguing about them. They always seem to think they could run one. Hey, if you can cook, why not? 

Here’s the thing: Restaurants are famously unforgiving businesses. Margins are thin. Labor is hard to find and harder to keep. One bad weekend, one broken piece of equipment, one stretch of slow traffic — and suddenly you’re wondering why you ever thought this was a good idea.

And yet, people keep opening them.

Maybe that’s because a successful restaurant can be an institution, a fixture of community from generation to generation. Take Ton’s, the diner and plate-lunch place founded in 1963 by the grandparents of Christiaan's lunch guest, Hollie Girouard. 

Hollie grew up in the restaurant. Ton’s was her second home long before it was her responsibility. A volleyball scholarship brought her to UL, where she studied graphic design and imagined a future in the visual arts. But restaurant life always sucked her back in.  

In 2023, Hollie opened Ton’s Downtown in Downtown Lafayette. It’s got all the Ton’s staples people expect — gumbo, burgers, plate lunches — with a little bit of a Downtown twist. Belly up to the bar and you can grab fresh juice, vegan options, frozen coffee, cocktails, and late-night service on weekends.

Between the Broussard and downtown locations, Ton’s employs about thirty people. Hollie runs both, takes a long-term view of growth, and describes her downtown strategy as a “slow burn.”

Dillon Van Way is the founder of Uncle Bob’s Food Truck Roundup, a boutique food truck park in downtown Lafayette. 

A food truck park makes a lot of sense in Downtown Lafayette — a dense area with relatively high foot traffic and a reputation as a food destination. But Dillon will be the first tell you it’s not easy getting a no-brainer. 

Dillon is an architect by trade. And as you can by now guess, his name is not Uncle Bob. 

The food truck park grew out of a real estate project. Dillon redeveloped a building into apartments and found himself with a vacant adjacent lot. Rising construction costs and inflation made traditional development unattractive, so he tried something else: a carefully designed food truck park. Uncle Bob’s opened during Mardi Gras of 2025. 

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.

People in Acadiana love restaurants. They love talking about them, reviewing them, arguing about them. They always seem to think they could run one. Hey, if you can cook, why not?&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s the thing: Restaurants are famously unforgiving businesses. Margins are thin. Labor is hard to find and harder to keep. One bad weekend, one broken piece of equipment, one stretch of slow traffic &mdash; and suddenly you&rsquo;re wondering why you ever thought this was a good idea.
And yet, people keep opening them.
Maybe that&rsquo;s because a successful restaurant can be an institution, a fixture of community from generation to generation. Take <a href="https://www.tonsdrivein.com/">Ton&rsquo;s, the diner and plate-lunch place</a> founded in 1963 by the grandparents of Christiaan's lunch guest, Hollie Girouard.&nbsp;
Hollie grew up in the restaurant. Ton&rsquo;s was her second home long before it was her responsibility. A volleyball scholarship brought her to UL, where she studied graphic design and imagined a future in the visual arts. But restaurant life always sucked her back in.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In 2023, Hollie opened <a href="https://tonsdowntown.com/">Ton&rsquo;s Downtown in Downtown Lafayette</a>. It&rsquo;s got all the Ton&rsquo;s staples people expect &mdash; gumbo, burgers, plate lunches &mdash; with a little bit of a Downtown twist. Belly up to the bar and you can grab fresh juice, vegan options, frozen coffee, cocktails, and late-night service on weekends.
Between the Broussard and downtown locations, Ton&rsquo;s employs about thirty people. Hollie runs both, takes a long-term view of growth, and describes her downtown strategy as a &ldquo;slow burn.&rdquo;
Dillon Van Way is the founder of <a href="https://unclebobsroundup.com/">Uncle Bob&rsquo;s Food Truck Roundup</a>, a boutique food truck park in downtown Lafayette.&nbsp;
A food truck park makes a lot of sense in Downtown Lafayette &mdash; a dense area with relatively high foot traffic and a reputation as a food destination. But Dillon will be the first tell you it&rsquo;s not easy getting a no-brainer.&nbsp;
Dillon is an architect by trade. And as you can by now guess, his name is not Uncle Bob.&nbsp;
The food truck park grew out of a real estate project. Dillon redeveloped a building into apartments and found himself with a vacant adjacent lot. Rising construction costs and inflation made traditional development unattractive, so he tried something else: a carefully designed food truck park. Uncle Bob&rsquo;s opened during Mardi Gras of 2025.&nbsp;
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at&nbsp;<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/2026/01/04/tons-uncle-bob/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

Ton's Uncle Bob

Some people make a living building things. Others make a living making those things look good.

There’s more to decoration than meets the eye. Space has a tremendous impact on how we think and feel. Sometimes it really is all about appearances, and that’s true whether you’re picking out curtains for your living room or designing an arch of balloons for a wedding. 

Our own spaces can tell the world a lot about who we are. Take a look at my desk for instance, and you’ll know right away I’m not someone you’d hire to design your workspace. For that, you should probably call my guest Krysten Ledet  

Krysten is the founder and owner of Krysten Ledet Interiors, a full-service design firm that handles renovations, new construction, spec homes, commercial spaces, and hospitality builds. She grew up in New Orleans and earned her bachelor’s in interior design from UL Lafayette before pursuing a master’s degree. She’s a certified interior designer and licensed contractor—so she’s as comfortable knocking down your walls as she is selecting your wallpaper.

Krysten's design philosophy is shaped by her childhood in New Orleans and by Hurricane Katrina, which put 20 feet of water in her childhood home and left a lasting impression about what "home" really means. After stints working for commercial clients, she returned to residential design and eventually launched her own firm in 2020, partly to spend more time with her family and partly to stop commuting to Baton Rouge.

Bianca Russo is the owner of Louisiana Balloons Atelier, a custom balloon and event décor studio based in Sunset.

Bianca grew up in Brazil, where balloon décor is serious business—and also her family business. Her mother ran a balloon shop and passed down the craft, though Bianca initially took a very different career path, attending dental school before moving to Canada and eventually becoming a dental assistant in Las Vegas.

After relocating to Louisiana, Bianca opened her own balloon studio in 2025. Louisiana Balloons Atelier offers everything from simple foil balloons to fully customized installations for weddings, birthdays, graduations, divorces, sporting events—basically anywhere cake is served, balloons follow.

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.

Some people make a living building things. Others make a living making those things look good.
There&rsquo;s more to decoration than meets the eye. Space has a tremendous impact on how we think and feel. Sometimes it really is all about appearances, and that&rsquo;s true whether you&rsquo;re picking out curtains for your living room or designing an arch of balloons for a wedding.&nbsp;
Our own spaces can tell the world a lot about who we are. Take a look at my desk for instance, and you&rsquo;ll know right away I&rsquo;m not someone you&rsquo;d hire to design your workspace. For that, you should probably call my guest Krysten Ledet&nbsp;&nbsp;
Krysten is the founder and owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krystenledetinteriors.com/">Krysten Ledet Interiors</a>, a full-service design firm that handles renovations, new construction, spec homes, commercial spaces, and hospitality builds. She grew up in New Orleans and earned her bachelor&rsquo;s in interior design from UL Lafayette before pursuing a master&rsquo;s degree. She&rsquo;s a certified interior designer and licensed contractor&mdash;so she&rsquo;s as comfortable knocking down your walls as she is selecting your wallpaper.
Krysten's design philosophy is shaped by her childhood in New Orleans and by Hurricane Katrina, which put 20 feet of water in her childhood home and left a lasting impression about what "home" really means. After stints working for commercial clients, she returned to residential design and eventually launched her own firm in 2020, partly to spend more time with her family and partly to stop commuting to Baton Rouge.
Bianca Russo is the owner of <a href="https://louisianaballoonsatelier.com/">Louisiana Balloons Atelier</a>, a custom balloon and event d&eacute;cor studio based in Sunset.
Bianca grew up in Brazil, where balloon d&eacute;cor is serious business&mdash;and also her family business. Her mother ran a balloon shop and passed down the craft, though Bianca initially took a very different career path, attending dental school before moving to Canada and eventually becoming a dental assistant in Las Vegas.
After relocating to Louisiana, Bianca opened her own balloon studio in 2025. Louisiana Balloons Atelier offers everything from simple foil balloons to fully customized installations for weddings, birthdays, graduations, divorces, sporting events&mdash;basically anywhere cake is served, balloons follow.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at&nbsp;<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/2025/11/23/homey-helium/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

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