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>.

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.

Homey Helium

Farming isn’t what it used to be.

Louisiana has lost thousands of small farms over the last few decades. The average farmer is over 58. Land prices keep going up, commodity prices keep wobbling, and modern farming techniques are about scale, not stewardship of the land. The small independent farmer — the icon of the American landscape — is by and large disappearing. But not everyone is signed up for extinction. 

Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch are young cattle farmers who have thrown out the conventional big ag playbook, putting their sweat equity into sustainable practices that emphasize high standards of animal care and meat quality. 

Their meat story starts with a meet-cute in an animal science lab.  Molly (Abshire) LeJeune met Hayden LeJeune while at McNeese State.  She is from Little Cypress, Texas, where her family owned a big piece of land her grandfather once farmed. The land stayed in the family even after the farming stopped, which meant Molly grew up with a kind of open-ended question: What should this land be?

That question followed Molly into high school, where her family started buying beef from a woman practicing sustainable agriculture. That was Molly’s lightbulb moment. “I think I could do that,” she thought. By the time she graduated, she’d decided she wanted to farm — and not just farm, but farm differently.

At McNeese, Molly built her own curriculum — regenerative farming, soil biology, direct-to-consumer models. 

Meanwhile, about 80 miles east, Hayden LeJeune was growing up on a rice, crawfish, and cattle farm in Richard, Louisiana. Like a lot of farm kids, he wanted to stay on the land — but the math didn’t work. Most small farms can barely support one family, much less two. So Hayden went to McNeese for agribusiness, figuring he’d become a feed rep or crop consultant and farm on the side like everybody else. Then he met Molly.

By the time they graduated, Hayden’s dad decided to get out of cattle — and handed his son a small starter herd. Today, Molly and Hayden run Cypress Prairie Farms, a regenerative beef operation in Richard with about 40 head of cattle on 70 acres. No pesticides, no fertilizers, no grain byproducts, no antibiotics. Their cows rotate on pasture to rebuild soil, reduce pests naturally, and create something rare these days — a farm that is building land instead of depleting it.

At Cypress Prairie Farms, Molly and Hayden sell everything from steaks to marrow bones to beef shares at local farmers markets and online. Their beef is USDA processed, dry aged for flavor, and delivered with the kind of transparency you only get when you personally know the people raising your dinner.

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.

Farming isn&rsquo;t what it used to be.
Louisiana has lost thousands of small farms over the last few decades. The average farmer is over 58. Land prices keep going up, commodity prices keep wobbling, and modern farming techniques are about scale, not stewardship of the land. The small independent farmer &mdash; the icon of the American landscape &mdash; is by and large disappearing. But not everyone is signed up for extinction.&nbsp;
Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch are young cattle farmers who have thrown out the conventional big ag playbook, putting their sweat equity into sustainable practices that emphasize high standards of animal care and meat quality.&nbsp;
Their meat story starts with a meet-cute in an animal science lab.&nbsp; Molly (Abshire) LeJeune met Hayden LeJeune while at McNeese State.&nbsp; She is from Little Cypress, Texas, where her family owned a big piece of land her grandfather once farmed. The land stayed in the family even after the farming stopped, which meant Molly grew up with a kind of open-ended question: What should this land be?
That question followed Molly into high school, where her family started buying beef from a woman practicing sustainable agriculture. That was Molly&rsquo;s lightbulb moment. &ldquo;I think I could do that,&rdquo; she thought. By the time she graduated, she&rsquo;d decided she wanted to farm &mdash; and not just farm, but farm differently.
At McNeese, Molly built her own curriculum &mdash; regenerative farming, soil biology, direct-to-consumer models.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, about 80 miles east, Hayden LeJeune was growing up on a rice, crawfish, and cattle farm in Richard, Louisiana. Like a lot of farm kids, he wanted to stay on the land &mdash; but the math didn&rsquo;t work. Most small farms can barely support one family, much less two. So Hayden went to McNeese for agribusiness, figuring he&rsquo;d become a feed rep or crop consultant and farm on the side like everybody else. Then he met Molly.
By the time they graduated, Hayden&rsquo;s dad decided to get out of cattle &mdash; and handed his son a small starter herd.&nbsp;Today, Molly and Hayden run<a href="https://cypressprairiefarms.com/"> Cypress Prairie Farms, a regenerative beef operation in Richard with about 40 head of cattle on 70 acres</a>. No pesticides, no fertilizers, no grain byproducts, no antibiotics. Their cows rotate on pasture to rebuild soil, reduce pests naturally, and create something rare these days &mdash; a farm that is building land instead of depleting it.
At Cypress Prairie Farms, Molly and Hayden sell everything from steaks to marrow bones to beef shares at local farmers markets and online. Their beef is USDA processed, dry aged for flavor, and delivered with the kind of transparency you only get when you personally know the people raising your dinner.
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/2025/11/16/down-on-the-farm/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

Down On The Farm

We often think of “doing good” as the business of nonprofits. You start a foundation, apply for grants, hold gumbo cook-offs, and hope the IRS sees things your way. But what if you didn’t need tax-exempt status to make the world better? What if turning a profit and doing good weren’t opposites — but the same business plan? Turns out, a lot of small business owners in Acadiana are already doing it. No mission statements, no donor walls — just good work disguised as work.

Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch Acadiana both run for-profit businesses that exist for something bigger than the bottom line. One makes magic — literally. The other runs a thrift store that funds community support. And both have built businesses around something very simple: joy and generosity.

If you’ve been to a library show, a school assembly, a corporate retreat, a kid’s birthday, or a surprise party gone slightly off the rails — there’s a decent chance you’ve seen this man making balloon animals. Mitch Richard is the owner of MLR Magic. He grew up in Kaplan, where he was a consummate class clown. 

Mitch's real stage debut came in 7th grade, when a teacher gave him the first five minutes of every class to “energize” the students — on one condition: Mitch had to keep a B average. By 16, he learned balloon art from Darcy Guidry — the legendary balloon guy at Hub City Diner — and started performing professionally a few years later. He’s now been “Mitch the Magician” for 25 years, doing more than 150 shows a year across Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida.

Mitch's company company books not just himself, but other performers, too. And while he performs everywhere from corporate parties to kids’ camps, his favorite shows are at assisted living facilities, where he says “people need to laugh the most.”

If Mitch works his magic through wonder, Lori Guillory works hers through generosity. Lori is the owner of Calvary Thrift, a faith-based thrift shop in Lafayette. 

Lori also runs Camp Calvary, a Christian summer camp, and Calvary Creek, an 8-acre event venue. 

Lori is a UL Lafayette grad, a lifelong thrifter, and — by her own admission — someone who didn’t set out to run more than one business, but kept doing it because she saw needs that weren’t being met.

Calvary Thrift employs eight people, sources locally donated goods, and donates profits into groups like The Hub, The Outreach Center, church ministries, and rent-assistance programs. 

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 often think of &ldquo;doing good&rdquo; as the business of nonprofits. You start a foundation, apply for grants, hold gumbo cook-offs, and hope the IRS sees things your way. But what if you didn&rsquo;t need tax-exempt status to make the world better? What if turning a profit and doing good weren&rsquo;t opposites &mdash; but the same business plan? Turns out, a lot of small business owners in Acadiana are already doing it. No mission statements, no donor walls &mdash; just good work disguised as work.
Christiaan's guests on this edition of Out to Lunch Acadiana both run for-profit businesses that exist for something bigger than the bottom line. One makes magic &mdash; literally. The other runs a thrift store that funds community support. And both have built businesses around something very simple: joy and generosity.
If you&rsquo;ve been to a library show, a school assembly, a corporate retreat, a kid&rsquo;s birthday, or a surprise party gone slightly off the rails &mdash; there&rsquo;s a decent chance you&rsquo;ve seen this man making balloon animals. Mitch Richard is the owner of <a href="https://mlrmagic.com/">MLR Magic</a>. He grew up in Kaplan, where he was a consummate class clown.&nbsp;
Mitch's real stage debut came in 7th grade, when a teacher gave him the first five minutes of every class to &ldquo;energize&rdquo; the students &mdash; on one condition: Mitch had to keep a B average. By 16, he learned balloon art from Darcy Guidry &mdash; the legendary balloon guy at Hub City Diner &mdash; and started performing professionally a few years later. He&rsquo;s now been &ldquo;Mitch the Magician&rdquo; for 25 years, doing more than 150 shows a year across Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida.
Mitch's company company books not just himself, but other performers, too. And while he performs everywhere from corporate parties to kids&rsquo; camps, his favorite shows are at assisted living facilities, where he says &ldquo;people need to laugh the most.&rdquo;
If Mitch works his magic through wonder, Lori Guillory works hers through generosity. Lori is the owner of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CalvaryThriftStore/">Calvary Thrift, a faith-based thrift shop in Lafayette</a>.&nbsp;
Lori also runs <a href="https://registermykid.com/">Camp Calvary</a>, a Christian summer camp, and <a href="https://calvarycreek.com/">Calvary Creek</a>, an 8-acre event venue.&nbsp;
Lori is a UL Lafayette grad, a lifelong thrifter, and &mdash; by her own admission &mdash; someone who didn&rsquo;t set out to run more than one business, but kept doing it because she saw needs that weren&rsquo;t being met.
Calvary Thrift employs eight people, sources locally donated goods, and donates profits into groups like The Hub, The Outreach Center, church ministries, and rent-assistance programs.&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/2025/11/09/its-magic/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

It's Magic

There's a temptation in business to want everything fast. Fast growth, fast profits, fast success. But the most durable things—the things that actually last—are often built slowly and with intention.


My guests on this edition of Out to Lunch understand that patience is a strategy. Both came to their current work almost by accident. And both are choosing growth on their own terms.

Allyson Romero is the founder of Grow Leadership Coaching. She spent eight years teaching in Lafayette public schools and later moved into management roles in the private sector. Allyson thrived as a manager, but it wasn't until she received leadership coaching as part of her own professional development that something clicked.  She realized she loved coaching, she was good at it, and it aligned with who she actually was. When she was laid off in 2024, instead of looking for another management job, she took it as a sign to start Grow Leadership Coaching.

Grow Leadership Coaching is a local firm that offers individualized coaching to help managers and executives maximize their performance and reach their goals. They work on skills like effective communication and time management through one-on-one sessions or team coaching. 

Most of Allyson's clients are already in leadership roles, and she's intentional about finding the right fit—she meets with prospective clients first to make sure it's a good match for both of them. Right now, it's a side venture for her, but one she's committed to growing with intention and a strong reputation.

While Allyson is sizing up the right client, Mary Hays is getting runners into the right pair of shoes. Mary is the owner of Geaux Run by Fleet Feet in Lafayette. 

Mary has been active her whole life—cross-country runner in high school, swimmer, golfer, paddleboarder. But she spent her career at Teche Electric before being hired as manager of Geaux Run in 2012. She bought out the shop’s owners to become sole proprietor. When the opportunity came to join the Fleet Feet franchise in 2018, she was strategic about it — and she didn't sacrifice local control. 

Geaux Run is a specialty athletic shoe and apparel retailer focused on proper fit. They carry running shoes, socks, GPS watches, inserts — everything the avid runner needs. What sets them apart is their commitment to fitting. They use 3D foot scans to ensure every customer gets the right shoe for their needs. The store also hosts free demo runs when new shoes release, collaborates with podiatrists and physical therapists to offer their customers discounts, and is a major sponsor of local running clubs and youth programs like Girls on the Run.

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.

There's a temptation in business to want everything fast. Fast growth, fast profits, fast success. But the most durable things&mdash;the things that actually last&mdash;are often built slowly and with intention.
 My guests on this edition of Out to Lunch understand that patience is a strategy. Both came to their current work almost by accident. And both are choosing growth on their own terms.
Allyson Romero is the founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grow-leadership-coaching.com/">Grow Leadership Coaching</a>. She spent eight years teaching in Lafayette public schools and later moved into management roles in the private sector. Allyson thrived as a manager, but it wasn't until she received leadership coaching as part of her own professional development that something clicked.&nbsp; She realized she loved coaching, she was good at it, and it aligned with who she actually was. When she was laid off in 2024, instead of looking for another management job, she took it as a sign to start Grow Leadership Coaching.
Grow Leadership Coaching is a local firm that offers individualized coaching to help managers and executives maximize their performance and reach their goals. They work on skills like effective communication and time management through one-on-one sessions or team coaching.&nbsp;
Most of Allyson's clients are already in leadership roles, and she's intentional about finding the right fit&mdash;she meets with prospective clients first to make sure it's a good match for both of them. Right now, it's a side venture for her, but one she's committed to growing with intention and a strong reputation.
While Allyson is sizing up the right client, Mary Hays is getting runners into the right pair of shoes. Mary is the owner of <a href="https://www.fleetfeet.com/s/geauxrun/">Geaux Run by Fleet Feet in Lafayette</a>.&nbsp;
Mary has been active her whole life&mdash;cross-country runner in high school, swimmer, golfer, paddleboarder. But she spent her career at Teche Electric before being hired as manager of Geaux Run in 2012. She bought out the shop&rsquo;s owners to become sole proprietor. When the opportunity came to join the Fleet Feet franchise in 2018, she was strategic about it &mdash; and she didn't sacrifice local control.&nbsp;
Geaux Run is a specialty athletic shoe and apparel retailer focused on proper fit. They carry running shoes, socks, GPS watches, inserts &mdash; everything the avid runner needs. What sets them apart is their commitment to fitting. They use 3D foot scans to ensure every customer gets the right shoe for their needs. The store also hosts free demo runs when new shoes release, collaborates with podiatrists and physical therapists to offer their customers discounts, and is a major sponsor of local running clubs and youth programs like Girls on the Run.
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/2025/10/19/geaux-grow/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

Homey Helium

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