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>.

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.

Water Wings

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

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>.

Colorwheel of Fortune

Lafayette’s restaurant scene is famously difficult. There are more restaurants per person in the Hub City than there are in New Orleans, Austin and even New York City. Plus, you’re not just competing with the restaurant down the block. This is a place where everyone cooks. People set the standard in their own kitchens. 

So what do you do if you move to Louisiana from a culinary capital like New York? How do you get ahead? Well, to start, you don’t open a Cajun restaurant.

Peter Cooke made that decision early on, when he opened Park Bistro, a fine dining concept grounded in Italian cuisine that’s tucked into Lafyette’s Saint Streets neighborhood. 

Peter cut his teeth in high end cuisine in New York. At 25, he became the executive chef at Krupa Grocery near Prospect Park in Brooklyn and earned the restaurant a Michelin Star recommendation. He guided the restaurant through the pandemic and burned out. Plus, he married a girl from Louisiana. So he and his family relocated to Lafayette in 2022. Within a few months, he opened a restaurant and called it Park Bistro — a nod to his old New York neighborhood. 

Chances are, if you’re making a sandwich in Acadiana, you’re using Evangeline Maid bread. It’s a childhood staple known for its soft texture and surgary flavor. It’s white bread. The processed stuff that’s great for a grilled cheese sandwich or a dollop of barbecue sauce. Country bread it is not. For all its French heritage, artisan bread making has not really been a big thing in this neck of Louisiana. 

But that’s changing. One of the bakers behind a movement of craft bakeries is Chris Frazier of Boscoyo Baking Company. 

Chris got into baking while working in the construction industry in Austin. He and his partner Haley met, and then ran bakeries in Portland, Oregon but moved to Lafayette to be closer to family. They opened Boscoyo in 2023. 

Boscoyo zigs where white bread zags. They use stone milled whole grain flours and slow fermentation sourdough to make staples like Focaccia, Baguette, Ciabatta and their in-demand pan de campagne — the traditional french country loaf. They also offer pizza nights and cakes to fill out their business line. All of their baked goods are made with the same approach. No white flour and as much local sourcing as possible. 

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

Lafayette’s restaurant scene is famously difficult. There are more restaurants per person in the Hub City than there are in New Orleans, Austin and even New York City. Plus, you’re not just competing with the restaurant down the block. This is a place where everyone cooks. People set the standard in their own kitchens. 
So what do you do if you move to Louisiana from a culinary capital like New York? How do you get ahead? Well, to start, you don’t open a Cajun restaurant.
Peter Cooke made that decision early on, when he opened<a href="https://www.parkbistrolafayette.com/"> Park Bistro</a>, a fine dining concept grounded in Italian cuisine that’s tucked into Lafyette’s Saint Streets neighborhood. 
Peter cut his teeth in high end cuisine in New York. At 25, he became the executive chef at <a href="https://www.krupagrocery.com/">Krupa Grocery</a> near Prospect Park in Brooklyn and earned the restaurant a Michelin Star recommendation. He guided the restaurant through the pandemic and burned out. Plus, he married a girl from Louisiana. So he and his family relocated to Lafayette in 2022. Within a few months, he opened a restaurant and called it Park Bistro — a nod to his old New York neighborhood. 
Chances are, if you’re making a sandwich in Acadiana, you’re using Evangeline Maid bread. It’s a childhood staple known for its soft texture and surgary flavor. It’s white bread. The processed stuff that’s great for a grilled cheese sandwich or a dollop of barbecue sauce. Country bread it is not. For all its French heritage, artisan bread making has not really been a big thing in this neck of Louisiana. 
But that’s changing. One of the bakers behind a movement of craft bakeries is Chris Frazier of <a href="https://www.boscoyobaking.com/">Boscoyo Baking Company</a>. 
Chris got into baking while working in the construction industry in Austin. He and his partner Haley met, and then ran bakeries in Portland, Oregon but moved to Lafayette to be closer to family. They opened Boscoyo in 2023. 
Boscoyo zigs where white bread zags. They use stone milled whole grain flours and slow fermentation sourdough to make staples like Focaccia, Baguette, Ciabatta and their in-demand pan de campagne — the traditional french country loaf. They also offer pizza nights and cakes to fill out their business line. All of their baked goods are made with the same approach. No white flour and as much local sourcing as possible. 
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.instagram.com/giadamorganphotography/">Giada Morgan</a> at <a href="https://itsacadiana.com/2024/06/18/whole-grain-bistro/">itsacadiana.com</a>.

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