Hi, it's Peter Ricchiuti. I’ve got a scenario I want to run by you, and I want your opinion.

Here’s the situation: It’s morning. I get ready to leave the house. I pick out an outfit, get dressed, I look great. Then my wife says, “You can’t go out looking like that. That shirt doesn’t go with those pants. That tie is hideous. And 1998 called and wants its jacket back.”

So, here’s my question. If I think I look great, do I look great? Or is there such a thing as objective, universally agreed style, and could I, in that case, actually look terrible? Not just to my wife, but to everybody. What do you think?

On this edition of Out to Lunch, I put that question to Tracee Dundas. 

Tracee is founder and Executive Producer of New Orleans Fashion Week. She’s the Fashion Correspondent at WVUE-TV, Fox 8, she’s the Program Coordinator at Dress For Success, and for the past 22 years has worked as a freelance fashion writer and editor at Renaissance Publishing. Tracee also produces fashion shows and other fashion events for regional clients, including Essence Festival.

If you’re a woman of color with larger breasts, and you want to wear certain fashion-forward clothes you see in stores, or on Instagram, you might run into a snag. And that is, getting your breasts to work with that dress. You can do it - but a bra is not going to work. You’re going to need something called boob tape.

There’s a good chance you already know what boob tape is. If you don’t – it’s tape. That holds breasts in place. It looks a bit like duct tape. But when you’re done with it, it peels off your breasts without peeling your skin off with it.

When Kaelin Bass went looking for boob tape, all she could find was tape that was too small to do the job for her breasts. And it was all made to match skin tones that weren’t hers. So Kaelin created her own boob tape. And in 2020 she started her own company, KM Boobies. Today you can find KM Boobies Boob Tape all over, including on Amazon and at Walmart. Kaelin is selling up to 4,000 rolls of boob tape a month.

In business – like pretty much everything in life – you enjoy the greatest security when things are predictable. When you know what’s coming around the corner, when you know what tomorrow’s going to look like, you can plan for a known future.

Well, fashion is the exact opposite of that. The only way fashion moves forward is by changing. And the only way to stay relevant in the fashion business is to stay ahead of the trend and embrace the unpredictable. It's not a business lifestyle for the faint of heart.

Tracee and Kaelin are both carving out successful careers in this world: they're both creating businesses and products that weren’t there before they came along. And they're both doing it from here in New Orleans.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

Hi, it's Peter Ricchiuti. I&rsquo;ve got a scenario I want to run by you, and I want your opinion.
Here&rsquo;s the situation: It&rsquo;s morning. I get ready to leave the house. I pick out an outfit, get dressed, I look great. Then my wife says, &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t go out looking like that. That shirt doesn&rsquo;t go with those pants. That tie is hideous. And 1998 called and wants its jacket back.&rdquo;
So, here&rsquo;s my question. If I think I look great, do I look great? Or is there such a thing as objective, universally agreed style, and could I, in that case, actually look terrible? Not just to my wife, but to everybody. What do you think?
On this edition of Out to Lunch, I put that question to<a href="https://www.instagram.com/fashionablyyoursnola/?hl=en"> Tracee Dundas</a>.&nbsp;
Tracee is founder and Executive Producer of <a href="https://neworleansfashionweek.com/">New Orleans Fashion Week</a>. She&rsquo;s the Fashion Correspondent at WVUE-TV, Fox 8, she&rsquo;s the Program Coordinator at <a href="https://neworleans.dressforsuccess.org/">Dress For Success</a>, and for the past 22 years has worked as a freelance fashion writer and editor at Renaissance Publishing. Tracee also produces fashion shows and other fashion events for regional clients, including Essence Festival. If you&rsquo;re a woman of color with larger breasts, and you want to wear certain fashion-forward clothes you see in stores, or on Instagram, you might run into a snag. And that is, getting your breasts to work with that dress. You can do it - but a bra is not going to work. You&rsquo;re going to need something called boob tape.
There&rsquo;s a good chance you already know what boob tape is. If you don&rsquo;t &ndash; it&rsquo;s tape. That holds breasts in place. It looks a bit like duct tape. But when you&rsquo;re done with it, it peels off your breasts without peeling your skin off with it.
When Kaelin Bass went looking for boob tape, all she could find was tape that was too small to do the job for her breasts. And it was all made to match skin tones that weren&rsquo;t hers. So Kaelin created her own boob tape. And in 2020 she started her own company, <a href="https://www.kmboobies.com/">KM Boobies</a>. Today you can find KM Boobies Boob Tape all over, including on Amazon and at Walmart. Kaelin is selling up to 4,000 rolls of boob tape a month.
In business &ndash; like pretty much everything in life &ndash; you enjoy the greatest security when things are predictable. When you know what&rsquo;s coming around the corner, when you know what tomorrow&rsquo;s going to look like, you can plan for a known future.
Well, fashion is the exact opposite of that.&nbsp;The only way fashion moves forward is by changing. And the only way to stay relevant in the fashion business is to stay ahead of the trend and embrace the unpredictable. It's not a business lifestyle for the faint of heart.
Tracee and Kaelin are both carving out successful careers in this world: they're both creating businesses and products that weren&rsquo;t there before they came along. And they're both doing it from here in New Orleans.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at&nbsp;<a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/12/16/you-look-fabulous/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

You Look Fabulous

When you’re talking with someone and they want to know what final conclusion you want them to draw from your conversation, they might ask you, “What’s the bottom line?”

The origin of the term, “the bottom line,” is business accounting. It refers to the literal bottom line of a financial statement - a company’s profit or loss. This literal bottom line is what we typically regard as the sole point of a business: the bigger the profit, the better the business.

But today there are also businesses we refer to as Triple Bottom Line. These companies have three equal categories of success: profit, people, and purpose.

Both of Peter's guests on Out to Lunch today have founded triple bottom line companies here in New Orleans.

Along with his partner, Charon Flowers Maple, Spencer Davis co-founded Bypass Lines in 2020. Bypass Lines works with local restaurants, caterers and retailers. It promotes them to customers who support non-profit causes. Each time Bypass Lines delivers food or products to these customers, they give a portion of the proceeds to the customer’s chosen charity.

As of right now, Bypass Lines report they’ve supported over 100 catering businesses, delivered over 1,000 online food orders, and over $1m has been processed through their platform.

Lauren Darnell founded her company, Porch & Okra Consulting, in 2023. Porch & Okra’s clients are mainly restaurant owners and other hospitality industry leaders looking to expand diversity, and improve conditions for employees in the hospitality and restaurant business - one of the most vital sectors of the New Orleans economy. 

How many of us care enough about other people to devote our professional lives to helping them? Not many. Spencer, Lauren and their companies, Bypass Lines and Porch & Okra Consulting, are exceptions to the rule. Making other people’s welfare the focus of a business - and putting people and purpose on an equal plane as profit - is ambitious. It’s hard work that requires multiple levels of planning and execution.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

When you’re talking with someone and they want to know what final conclusion you want them to draw from your conversation, they might ask you, “What’s the bottom line?”
The origin of the term, “the bottom line,” is business accounting. It refers to the literal bottom line of a financial statement - a company’s profit or loss. This literal bottom line is what we typically regard as the sole point of a business: the bigger the profit, the better the business.
But today there are also businesses we refer to as Triple Bottom Line. These companies have three equal categories of success: profit, people, and purpose.
Both of Peter's guests on Out to Lunch today have founded triple bottom line companies here in New Orleans.
Along with his partner, Charon Flowers Maple, Spencer Davis co-founded <a href="https://www.bypasslines.com/">Bypass Lines </a>in 2020. Bypass Lines works with local restaurants, caterers and retailers. It promotes them to customers who support non-profit causes. Each time Bypass Lines delivers food or products to these customers, they give a portion of the proceeds to the customer’s chosen charity.
As of right now, Bypass Lines report they’ve supported over 100 catering businesses, delivered over 1,000 online food orders, and over $1m has been processed through their platform.
<a href="https://laurenakdarnell.com/">Lauren Darnel</a>l founded her company, <a href="https://www.porchandokra.com/">Porch &amp; Okra Consulting</a>, in 2023. Porch &amp; Okra’s clients are mainly restaurant owners and other hospitality industry leaders looking to expand diversity, and improve conditions for employees in the hospitality and restaurant business - one of the most vital sectors of the New Orleans economy. 
How many of us care enough about other people to devote our professional lives to helping them? Not many. Spencer, Lauren and their companies, Bypass Lines and Porch &amp; Okra Consulting, are exceptions to the rule. Making other people’s welfare the focus of a business - and putting people and purpose on an equal plane as profit - is ambitious. It’s hard work that requires multiple levels of planning and execution.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/12/02/profit-people-purpose/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

Profit People Purpose 

When we text each other we use acronyms and abbreviations like OMG and LOL to convey meaning and emotion. And then there’s IRL – In Real Life. We use that to signal that we know the difference between the digital universe and reality.

Online, you can play a first-person-shooter game with other people. In real life, you can join the US military and learn to use an M4 assault rifle. It’s the standard issue weapon designed to shoot and kill enemy combatants. It doesn’t get much more IRL than that. Right?

Well, not exactly. You see, it turns out that buying guns and ammo to train soldiers for combat is expensive. Training soldiers on simulated weapons is cheaper. And you can hook up a simulated weapon to digital equipment that gives trainers all kinds of information about the trainee’s performance.

Here's the thing, though. You can make a fake gun that looks, feels and makes a noise like a real assault weapon, but it doesn’t actually perform like an assault weapon. Because when you fire it, it doesn’t kick back.

Or at least it didn’t, until Hahnville High graduate Kyle Monti invented and wrote the patent for the Electromagnetic Recoil System. This technology now forms the basis of Kyle’s New Orleans company, Haptech. Haptech creates warfighter training technology. In 2023 the company was awarded an $11m contract to develop weapon simulators for the US Army and Marine Corps.

The entertainment industry also seems determined to blur the line between the digitally delivered universe and IRL. In the movie theater, and in what we now call home theater, visual effects and sophisticated sound systems are designed to give us an immersive experience. The creators of the content and the hardware want to make us feel like we’re really there - whether that’s on a football field or another planet.

It hasn’t always been this way. If you’re old enough, you might remember going to Blockbuster and renting a movie on videocassette, which you’d bring home and play on a small TV with a single small speaker. If you were immersed in anything back then, it was the fun you were having watching the movie with your friends or family.

Eden Chubb is trying to bring that kind of immersive experience back. Her Garden District store, Future Shock Video, has over 2,000 titles on VHS and DVD that you can rent by the week.

Kyle's digital weapons business and warfighter training technology might tempt us to say, “This is not your grandfather’s New Orleans.” But, actually, Haptech's office is on Andrew Higgins Boulevard. Whether that’s coincidence or intentional, it makes the point that New Orleans is no stranger to innovative military design and manufacturing.

And when we’re talking about Eden's movie rental business, there’s no doubt - it’s intentionally your grandfather’s New Orleans.

These two folks couldn’t be in much more unrelated types of businesses, but they’re both making equally unique contributions to the economy and lifestyle of our unique city.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

When we text each other we use acronyms and abbreviations like OMG and LOL to convey meaning and emotion. And then there’s IRL – In Real Life. We use that to signal that we know the difference between the digital universe and reality.
Online, you can play a first-person-shooter game with other people. In real life, you can join the US military and learn to use an M4 assault rifle. It’s the standard issue weapon designed to shoot and kill enemy combatants. It doesn’t get much more IRL than that. Right?
Well, not exactly. You see, it turns out that buying guns and ammo to train soldiers for combat is expensive. Training soldiers on simulated weapons is cheaper. And you can hook up a simulated weapon to digital equipment that gives trainers all kinds of information about the trainee’s performance.
Here's the thing, though. You can make a fake gun that looks, feels and makes a noise like a real assault weapon, but it doesn’t actually perform like an assault weapon. Because when you fire it, it doesn’t kick back.
Or at least it didn’t, until Hahnville High graduate Kyle Monti invented and wrote the patent for the Electromagnetic Recoil System. This technology now forms the basis of <a href="https://haptechdefense.com/">Kyle’s New Orleans company, Haptech</a>. Haptech creates warfighter training technology. In 2023 the company was awarded an $11m contract to develop weapon simulators for the US Army and Marine Corps.
The entertainment industry also seems determined to blur the line between the digitally delivered universe and IRL. In the movie theater, and in what we now call home theater, visual effects and sophisticated sound systems are designed to give us an immersive experience. The creators of the content and the hardware want to make us feel like we’re really there - whether that’s on a football field or another planet.
It hasn’t always been this way. If you’re old enough, you might remember going to Blockbuster and renting a movie on videocassette, which you’d bring home and play on a small TV with a single small speaker. If you were immersed in anything back then, it was the fun you were having watching the movie with your friends or family.
Eden Chubb is trying to bring that kind of immersive experience back.<a href="https://futureshockvideo.biz/"> Her Garden District store, Future Shock Video</a>, has over 2,000 titles on VHS and DVD that you can rent by the week.
Kyle's digital weapons business and warfighter training technology might tempt us to say, “This is not your grandfather’s New Orleans.” But, actually, Haptech's office is on Andrew Higgins Boulevard. Whether that’s coincidence or intentional, it makes the point that New Orleans is no stranger to innovative military design and manufacturing.
And when we’re talking about Eden's movie rental business, there’s no doubt - it’s intentionally your grandfather’s New Orleans.
These two folks couldn’t be in much more unrelated types of businesses, but they’re both making equally unique contributions to the economy and lifestyle of our unique city.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/11/18/irl/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

The common wisdom we’re taught when starting up a business is, “Solve a problem that needs solving.” But the truly exceptional success stories of our time have not followed this advice.

When Coca Cola came along, nobody who was enjoying a long, cool glass of lemonade was clamoring for a sweet, syrupy, brown drink. When Uber came along people weren’t fantasizing about getting into a car with a total stranger. And when Jeff Bezos started selling books online, nobody in their right mind would give their credit card number to a person they didn’t know on the world wide web.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t Bezos’ ability as a salesman that convinced people to trust Amazon, it was the invention of a piece of software called “encryption” that made it safer to give your credit card to Amazon than to a server in a restaurant.

Today there are other online companies poised to capitalize on the next technological change to e-commerce. One of those is a local startup called Cucuron, an online art gallery based in New Orleans, founded by Megan Manning. 

You might ask, “How many people are going to pay $2,000 for a piece of artwork based on a photo on a phone?” Maybe not a whole lot, but… When augmented reality and virtual reality become a part of our device’s operating system – which they definitely will at some point – looking at a piece of art online will be exactly, in every way, like looking at a piece of art on the wall in a gallery.

Whether or not Cucuron becomes the Amazon of art is unknowable. But it’s building the architecture ready for the day when buying art online is as second-nature as buying the shoes, furniture, and mattresses people at one point said they would never buy online.

Over 55% of e-commerce shoppers say the reason they buy online is, “home delivery.” Maybe it’s the legacy of the pandemic, maybe it’s the influence of Gen Z., but more of our lives these days seem to be home-centric.

Very few New Orleanians know more about the many notions of “home” than Kristin Palmer. Kristin was Executive Director of an organization called Rebuilding Together. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Kristin led over 10,000 volunteers who rebuilt hurricane-damaged structures so New Orleanians could come home.

In 2010 Kristin was elected to the New Orleans City Council. She represented District C which includes the French Quarter, the Marigny, Treme, Bywater and Algiers.

In 2014 she founded Bargeboard, a home renovation and restoration company whose goal is to keep Old Algiers affordable and accessible through historic renovation, recycling and reuse. Bargeboard is a culmination of a lifetime of Kristin’s New Orleans-centric personal and professional passions.

In the 1940’s, Abraham Maslow, a psychology professor, came up with a pyramid-shape explanation of human existence which has come to be known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. On the bottom level of the pyramid are the most basic needs, including shelter – a home. At the top is something Maslow called Self Actualization, which includes creativity, like producing art.

Maslow’s interpretation of human existence has become a foundational teaching in understanding human motivation and behavior. But, if any place on earth was to challenge Maslow’s conventional wisdom, it would be New Orleans. Here, our homes are of course vital, but an equally vital part of our lives - that makes New Orleans New Orleans - is music, beauty, and art.

So, although both Megan's and Kristin's businesses – Bargeboard and Cucuron – theoretically represent the extreme poles of human existence, our lived experience here in New Orleans rates them as equally essential to our everyday lives.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

The common wisdom we’re taught when starting up a business is, “Solve a problem that needs solving.” But the truly exceptional success stories of our time have not followed this advice.
When Coca Cola came along, nobody who was enjoying a long, cool glass of lemonade was clamoring for a sweet, syrupy, brown drink. When Uber came along people weren’t fantasizing about getting into a car with a total stranger. And when Jeff Bezos started selling books online, nobody in their right mind would give their credit card number to a person they didn’t know on the world wide web.
At the end of the day, it wasn’t Bezos’ ability as a salesman that convinced people to trust Amazon, it was the invention of a piece of software called “encryption” that made it safer to give your credit card to Amazon than to a server in a restaurant.
Today there are other online companies poised to capitalize on the next technological change to e-commerce. One of those is a local startup called <a href="https://cucuronshop.com/">Cucuron</a>, an online art gallery based in New Orleans, founded by Megan Manning. 
You might ask, “How many people are going to pay $2,000 for a piece of artwork based on a photo on a phone?” Maybe not a whole lot, but… When augmented reality and virtual reality become a part of our device’s operating system – which they definitely will at some point – looking at a piece of art online will be exactly, in every way, like looking at a piece of art on the wall in a gallery.
Whether or not Cucuron becomes the Amazon of art is unknowable. But it’s building the architecture ready for the day when buying art online is as second-nature as buying the shoes, furniture, and mattresses people at one point said they would never buy online.
Over 55% of e-commerce shoppers say the reason they buy online is, “home delivery.” Maybe it’s the legacy of the pandemic, maybe it’s the influence of Gen Z., but more of our lives these days seem to be home-centric.
Very few New Orleanians know more about the many notions of “home” than Kristin Palmer. Kristin was Executive Director of an organization called Rebuilding Together. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Kristin led over 10,000 volunteers who rebuilt hurricane-damaged structures so New Orleanians could come home.
In 2010 Kristin was elected to the New Orleans City Council. She represented District C which includes the French Quarter, the Marigny, Treme, Bywater and Algiers.
In 2014 she founded <a href="https://bargeboardnola.com/">Bargeboard</a>, a home renovation and restoration company whose goal is to keep Old Algiers affordable and accessible through historic renovation, recycling and reuse. Bargeboard is a culmination of a lifetime of Kristin’s New Orleans-centric personal and professional passions.
In the 1940’s, Abraham Maslow, a psychology professor, came up with a pyramid-shape explanation of human existence which has come to be known as <a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html">Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs</a>. On the bottom level of the pyramid are the most basic needs, including shelter – a home. At the top is something Maslow called Self Actualization, which includes creativity, like producing art.
Maslow’s interpretation of human existence has become a foundational teaching in understanding human motivation and behavior. But, if any place on earth was to challenge Maslow’s conventional wisdom, it would be New Orleans. Here, our homes are of course vital, but an equally vital part of our lives - that makes New Orleans New Orleans - is music, beauty, and art.
So, although both Megan's and Kristin's businesses – Bargeboard and Cucuron – theoretically represent the extreme poles of human existence, our lived experience here in New Orleans rates them as equally essential to our everyday lives.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/11/11/algiers-art/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

Algiers Art

What is fear?

Fear is a natural response to a perception of danger. All creatures on earth have it. We use fear to spur us into action - to run or take other steps to save our lives.

There are many studies listing specific fears of different societies. Believe it or not, here in the United Sates, one of our greatest fears is public speaking. In numerous studies, the fear of public speaking ranks number one – higher even than the fear of death.

I’m not a psychologist, sociologist or neuroscientist so I’m not about to embark on an exploration of why that is, but I do know there are ways to conquer this fear. And it is worth conquering. The inability to express yourself when you have something to say can severely impact your career.

In New Orleans, Chris Trew is an improv comedian who, alongside his comedy career, has turned his talents toward teaching communication skills. Chris conducts workshops for people in business. His goal is to help a business person become a better communicator, a better leader in their field, and to learn to embrace and enjoy attention rather than fear it.

In the world of New Orleans comedy, comedian Nicolo Giardina is known as “Pickle.” The name was inspired by a rap song and cemented by fellow inmates when Pickle spent time in jail, the result of a decade-long career in sales - in the drug business.

Today, rather than sit around and wait for the phone to ring to be booked at a local comedy club, Pickle has crossed over to the other side of the microphone and produces comedy shows. These shows are principally called Roast Beefin’. 

Roast Beefin’s are comedy roasts where two comedians battle each other in a kind of cutting competition. You can see Roast Beefin’ mostly at the Hi Ho –Lounge - where it’s been anchored since 2020.

Although producing comedy shows in what is principally a music venue and bar in St Claude might sound like a fun way to make a living, Pickle describes the local comedy industry as “competitive and ruthless.”

In 1946 a show opened on Broadway called Annie Get Your Gun. A number of songs from that show have survived to this day. Maybe the most well-known is a song called “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” On the one hand the song is a love letter to the world of live performance. And on the other, it’s a wry observation of the kind of addiction behavior that seems to underlie the world of entertainers.

This verse might say it best:
“Even with a turkey that you know will fold
You may be stranded out in the cold
But still you wouldn't change it for a sack of gold
Let's go on with the show”

Chris and Pickle, as producers of comedy in New Orleans, have both chosen a tough path. But although it might sound trite, it’s true – somebody has to do it. We need comedy, and comedy demands comedians. 

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

What is fear?
Fear is a natural response to a perception of danger. All creatures on earth have it. We use fear to spur us into action - to run or take other steps to save our lives.
There are many studies listing specific fears of different societies. Believe it or not, here in the United Sates, one of our greatest fears is public speaking. In numerous studies, the fear of public speaking ranks number one – higher even than the fear of death.
I’m not a psychologist, sociologist or neuroscientist so I’m not about to embark on an exploration of why that is, but I do know there are ways to conquer this fear. And it is worth conquering. The inability to express yourself when you have something to say can severely impact your career.
In New Orleans, <a href="https://christrew.net/">Chris Trew </a>is an improv comedian who, alongside his comedy career, has turned his talents toward teaching communication skills. Chris conducts workshops for people in business. His goal is to help a business person become a better communicator, a better leader in their field, and to learn to embrace and enjoy attention rather than fear it.
In the world of New Orleans comedy, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nicolo.giardina.54/">comedian Nicolo Giardina is known as “Pickle.</a>” The name was inspired by a rap song and cemented by fellow inmates when Pickle spent time in jail, the result of a decade-long career in sales - in the drug business.
Today, rather than sit around and wait for the phone to ring to be booked at a local comedy club, Pickle has crossed over to the other side of the microphone and produces comedy shows. These shows are principally called Roast Beefin’. 
Roast Beefin’s are comedy roasts where two comedians battle each other in a kind of cutting competition. You can see Roast Beefin’ mostly at the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hi.ho.NOLA/"> Hi Ho –Lounge</a> - where it’s been anchored since 2020.
Although producing comedy shows in what is principally a music venue and bar in St Claude might sound like a fun way to make a living, Pickle describes the local comedy industry as “competitive and ruthless.”
In 1946 a show opened on Broadway called Annie Get Your Gun. A number of songs from that show have survived to this day. Maybe the most well-known is a song called “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” On the one hand the song is a love letter to the world of live performance. And on the other, it’s a wry observation of the kind of addiction behavior that seems to underlie the world of entertainers.
This verse might say it best: “Even with a turkey that you know will fold You may be stranded out in the cold But still you wouldn't change it for a sack of gold Let's go on with the show”
Chris and Pickle, as producers of comedy in New Orleans, have both chosen a tough path. But although it might sound trite, it’s true – somebody has to do it. We need comedy, and comedy demands comedians. 
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at<a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/10/21/thats-funny/"> itsneworleans.com</a>.

That's Funny

When you have a business that sells a product, you have two choices. You can try and sell it to everyone earth, like Coca Cola, or you can concentrate on a more targeted market.

The Coca Cola model is called Mass Marketing. The targeted approach is called Niche Marketing.

Sometimes businesses say they have a niche market as a euphemism for the fact that very few people are buying their product. But there are businesses whose products are legitimately very niche. Like, for example, human breast milk.

Human breastmilk is intended to be consumed orally by human offspring. But it also has other applications. For example, it can be an ingredient in medicinal soap.

When Shay Franklin had a baby, she discovered she was an over-producer of breast milk. When her 4 month of old daughter, Nova, was diagnosed with psoriasis and eczema, Shay used her surplus supply to make breastmilk soap.

The soap worked miracles for baby Nova’s skin condition, and Shay started selling her bars of soap to other people in need, on Tik Tok and at local farmer’s markets. But even an over-producer only has so much breast milk. So, Shay came up with other recipes. Today her company, Shay’s Organics, has a line of skincare products including soaps, scrubs, cleansers, body butter, and more.

It seems popular these days for people who care about their diet to eat what is called a “plant-based diet.” If there’s a growing number of people who predominantly eat plants, in a sort of horticultural revenge, there’s also a growing interest in plants who eat meat.

Beyond the well-known Venus Fly Trap, there are in fact a whole range of carnivorous plants. And there’s a niche market of folks who love and care for them. Locally, these folks shop at a business called, We Bite Rare & Unusual Plants.

The owner of We Bite is Carlos Detres.

One of the knocks against living in a small city like New Orleans – compared to, say, Los Angeles or New York - is the limited range of goods and services available in a smaller place.

The logic is, with a smaller population you have a smaller market to sell to. At some point the scale just gets too small to sustain a business for products that aren’t in great demand.

But when your whole reason for existing at all is a niche market – say, Black and Latina women with discerning organic skincare tastes, or self-identifying strange and peculiar people looking for carnivorous plants and fellow travelers – traditional market logic ceases to apply.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

When you have a business that sells a product, you have two choices. You can try and sell it to everyone earth, like Coca Cola, or you can concentrate on a more targeted market.
The Coca Cola model is called Mass Marketing. The targeted approach is called Niche Marketing.
Sometimes businesses say they have a niche market as a euphemism for the fact that very few people are buying their product. But there are businesses whose products are legitimately very niche. Like, for example, human breast milk.
Human breastmilk is intended to be consumed orally by human offspring. But it also has other applications. For example, it can be an ingredient in medicinal soap.
When Shay Franklin had a baby, she discovered she was an over-producer of breast milk. When her 4 month of old daughter, Nova, was diagnosed with psoriasis and eczema, Shay used her surplus supply to make breastmilk soap.
The soap worked miracles for baby Nova’s skin condition, and Shay started selling her bars of soap to other people in need, on Tik Tok and at local farmer’s markets. But even an over-producer only has so much breast milk. So, Shay came up with other recipes. Today her company, <a href="https://shaysorganics.com/">Shay’s Organics</a>, has a line of skincare products including soaps, scrubs, cleansers, body butter, and more.
It seems popular these days for people who care about their diet to eat what is called a “plant-based diet.” If there’s a growing number of people who predominantly eat plants, in a sort of horticultural revenge, there’s also a growing interest in plants who eat meat.
Beyond the well-known Venus Fly Trap, there are in fact a whole range of carnivorous plants. And there’s a niche market of folks who love and care for them. Locally, these folks shop at a business called, <a href="https://www.webitenola.com/">We Bite Rare &amp; Unusual Plants</a>.
The owner of We Bite is Carlos Detres.
One of the knocks against living in a small city like New Orleans – compared to, say, Los Angeles or New York - is the limited range of goods and services available in a smaller place.
The logic is, with a smaller population you have a smaller market to sell to. At some point the scale just gets too small to sustain a business for products that aren’t in great demand.
But when your whole reason for existing at all is a niche market – say, Black and Latina women with discerning organic skincare tastes, or self-identifying strange and peculiar people looking for carnivorous plants and fellow travelers – traditional market logic ceases to apply.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at itsneworleans.com.

Niche New Orleans

If you’ve lived in New Orleans for any length of time, you’ve experienced your share of natural disasters. We even measure time here by hurricanes. We put events in context by describing them, for example, as “Before Katrina” or “After Ida.”

After each one of these disasters, affected homeowners make a claim with their insurance company. Now, I don’t like to generalize, and I don’t have any statistical information to back this up, but I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me on this… Even though insurance companies are technically in competition, the ones who are still writing policies in Louisiana seem to have adopted increasingly sophisticated justifications for reducing the amounts of money they pay out after a disaster.

Most of us who make claims and get denied throw up our hands and say, “What can you do?” But Jonathan Frazier is not taking “denied” for an answer.

Jonathan is Co-Founder of Forefront 360, a company created by a team of former insurance adjusters whose aim is to provide tools and services to property owners to get their property insurance ducks in a row before a storm hits.

So that when it comes time to make a claim, the insurance company doesn’t have a way to wriggle out of it.

When we’re not dealing with the preparation for, or aftermath of, a disaster, we New Orleanians are justifiably well-known for our propensity to celebrate the pleasures of life. 

One of those pleasures is going out to eat. When it comes to your favorite restaurant, you might be familiar with who owns it, the names of the chefs, bartenders, and your favorite servers. But one question you probably can’t answer is, “Who built the kitchen?” 

There’s very little more vital to the operational success of a restaurant than it’s kitchen. In New Orleans - and around the country too - a company called The Kitchen Guys has been designing and building commercial kitchens for 50 years. One half of their nationwide business is here in New Orleans, so there’s a pretty good chance The Kitchen Guys had a hand in building the kitchen at your favorite restaurant.

The President of the Kitchen Guys is Dustin Bennett.

In most places, people like to categorize things into groups of two. Black or white. Tall or short. Rich or poor. And so on. In New Orleans, we have our own pairs of things we use to bracket life here. But you’ll notice we don’t use the word “or” to differentiate elements. We use the word “and” to amplify them.

Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. The Marigny and The Quarter. The Saints and The Pelicans. Although it might seem slightly less obvious, two other significant, quintessential New Orleans experiences are hurricanes and restaurants.

Although one is something nobody wants to experience and the other is something we all love to experience, they’re both woven into the fabric of life here. Living in New Orleans means at some point in your week you’ll be considering a restaurant, and at some point in your life you’ll inevitably be affected by a natural disaster. So it's good to know Dustin and Jonathan have our back.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

If you’ve lived in New Orleans for any length of time, you’ve experienced your share of natural disasters. We even measure time here by hurricanes. We put events in context by describing them, for example, as “Before Katrina” or “After Ida.”
After each one of these disasters, affected homeowners make a claim with their insurance company. Now, I don’t like to generalize, and I don’t have any statistical information to back this up, but I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me on this… Even though insurance companies are technically in competition, the ones who are still writing policies in Louisiana seem to have adopted increasingly sophisticated justifications for reducing the amounts of money they pay out after a disaster.
Most of us who make claims and get denied throw up our hands and say, “What can you do?” But Jonathan Frazier is not taking “denied” for an answer.
Jonathan is Co-Founder of <a href="https://forefront360.com/">Forefront 360</a>, a company created by a team of former insurance adjusters whose aim is to provide tools and services to property owners to get their property insurance ducks in a row before a storm hits.
So that when it comes time to make a claim, the insurance company doesn’t have a way to wriggle out of it.
When we’re not dealing with the preparation for, or aftermath of, a disaster, we New Orleanians are justifiably well-known for our propensity to celebrate the pleasures of life. 
One of those pleasures is going out to eat. When it comes to your favorite restaurant, you might be familiar with who owns it, the names of the chefs, bartenders, and your favorite servers. But one question you probably can’t answer is, “Who built the kitchen?” 
There’s very little more vital to the operational success of a restaurant than it’s kitchen. In New Orleans - and around the country too - a company called <a href="https://www.thekitchenguys.com/">The Kitchen Guys</a> has been designing and building commercial kitchens for 50 years. One half of their nationwide business is here in New Orleans, so there’s a pretty good chance The Kitchen Guys had a hand in building the kitchen at your favorite restaurant.
The President of the Kitchen Guys is Dustin Bennett.
In most places, people like to categorize things into groups of two. Black or white. Tall or short. Rich or poor. And so on. In New Orleans, we have our own pairs of things we use to bracket life here. But you’ll notice we don’t use the word “or” to differentiate elements. We use the word “and” to amplify them.
Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. The Marigny and The Quarter. The Saints and The Pelicans. Although it might seem slightly less obvious, two other significant, quintessential New Orleans experiences are hurricanes and restaurants.
Although one is something nobody wants to experience and the other is something we all love to experience, they’re both woven into the fabric of life here. Living in New Orleans means at some point in your week you’ll be considering a restaurant, and at some point in your life you’ll inevitably be affected by a natural disaster. So it's good to know Dustin and Jonathan have our back.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at<a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/10/07/kitchen-disasters/"> itsneworleans.com</a>.

Kitchen Disasters

In the course of childhood, we have innumerable experiences.

We spend a portion of our adult lives trying to recover from the ones that scar us. But there are also positive experiences. Joyful times and meaningful relationships stay with us. They come to define happiness.

For Brittney Hawkins Dobard, one of her happy-place emotional touchstones was with her grandmother in her kitchen, baking cookies.

As a kid, Brittney called her grandmother, “MoMo Gerald.” As an adult, Brittney was in car sales.

When you’re a car salesperson, your customer spends a bunch of time waiting around. To make the wait less painful, Brittney started bringing her customers homemade cookies. Like MoMo Gerald used to bake.

In 2019, Brittney realized her cookies were so popular - and she enjoyed making them so much - that she quit selling cars and started up NOLA Cookie Co.

Today NOLA Cookie Co cranks out up to 800 cookies a week. They sell them from their website, ship them across the country, and supply the Virgin Hotel with 300 cookies a month.

Margie Tillman Ayres called her grandmother, “Granny.”  But she started out following her in grandfather’s footsteps, as a jewelry designer.

It was only when Margie was struggling and out of necessity took a job in the art department at Jazz Fest that she discovered how much she enjoyed recreating her childhood days with Granny, painting, making sculptures and puppets.

In 2014 Margie made it official – she become an artist, muralist and illustrator, starting up her own company, Margie and The Moon.

You’ll see Margie’s work all over New Orleans – from murals at places like the restaurant Mr. Mao and music venue The Broadside – to her scenic work in movies and TV shows that are shot here. You’ve probably also seen her commercial work as an illustrator and her graphic designs for companies as diverse as Pyrex and Trader Joe’s.

Margie’s style is immediately recognizable. It’s a unique whimsicality executed with realist perfection. Margie is currently committing this style to canvases as she moves away from illustration and toward selling her pieces as fine art.

When you’re a parent or grandparent, you know that your kids or grandkids are constantly observing you. And absorbing everything. At least until they’re teenagers, when that totally flips. But when they’re young kids you never know what seemingly inconsequential thing you say or do is going to stick with them and resonate through their lives. And maybe even form the basis of an entire career.

Brittney and Margie's grandmothers, MoMo Gerald and Granny, might be  surprised at the influence they’ve had on their grandaughter's lives and careers, but they’d certainly be proud. 

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

In the course of childhood, we have innumerable experiences.
We spend a portion of our adult lives trying to recover from the ones that scar us. But there are also positive experiences. Joyful times and meaningful relationships stay with us. They come to define happiness.
For Brittney Hawkins Dobard, one of her happy-place emotional touchstones was with her grandmother in her kitchen, baking cookies.
As a kid, Brittney called her grandmother, “MoMo Gerald.” As an adult, Brittney was in car sales.
When you’re a car salesperson, your customer spends a bunch of time waiting around. To make the wait less painful, Brittney started bringing her customers homemade cookies. Like MoMo Gerald used to bake.
In 2019, Brittney realized her cookies were so popular - and she enjoyed making them so much - that she quit selling cars and started up <a href="https://www.nolacookieco.com/">NOLA Cookie Co</a>.
Today NOLA Cookie Co cranks out up to 800 cookies a week. They sell them from their website, ship them across the country, and supply the Virgin Hotel with 300 cookies a month.
Margie Tillman Ayres called her grandmother, “Granny.”  But she started out following her in grandfather’s footsteps, as a jewelry designer.
It was only when Margie was struggling and out of necessity took a job in the art department at Jazz Fest that she discovered how much she enjoyed recreating her childhood days with Granny, painting, making sculptures and puppets.
In 2014 Margie made it official – she become an artist, muralist and illustrator, starting up her own company, <a href="https://margieandthemoon.com/">Margie and The Moon</a>.
You’ll see Margie’s work all over New Orleans – from murals at places like the restaurant Mr. Mao and music venue The Broadside – to her scenic work in movies and TV shows that are shot here. You’ve probably also seen her commercial work as an illustrator and her graphic designs for companies as diverse as Pyrex and Trader Joe’s.
Margie’s style is immediately recognizable. It’s a unique whimsicality executed with realist perfection. Margie is currently committing this style to canvases as she moves away from illustration and toward selling her pieces as fine art.
When you’re a parent or grandparent, you know that your kids or grandkids are constantly observing you. And absorbing everything. At least until they’re teenagers, when that totally flips. But when they’re young kids you never know what seemingly inconsequential thing you say or do is going to stick with them and resonate through their lives. And maybe even form the basis of an entire career.
Brittney and Margie's grandmothers, MoMo Gerald and Granny, might be  surprised at the influence they’ve had on their grandaughter's lives and careers, but they’d certainly be proud. 
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/09/23/like-grandma-did-it/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

Like Grandma Did It

No matter which side of the political fence you’re on, there’s probably one thing you and your friends on the other side agree on. And that is, you can’t believe anything you see, read, or hear in the news anymore.

At least, you don’t believe anything on the channels they subscribe to. And they don’t believe anything anyone says on your side.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was an organization that researched issues and published unbiased facts, without ideological partisanship or a devotion to page-views or ratings?

Well, guess what? There is! And it’s right here in New Orleans. It’s the Bureau of Governmental Research. The name might not have the zing of an exciting-sounding operation, but BGR’s reporting has a multi-million dollar impact, in New Orleans and beyond.

BGR’s President, CEO, and current Samuel Zemurray Chair in Research Leadership, is Rebecca Mowbray.

It’s hard to overstate the amount of time each of us spends doing research these days. We’ve shortened the term “research” to simply “search” and, if you’re like most people, you search e-commerce sites; you search restaurants to go out to eat, or delivery services to order in; you search for a plumber, you search the news, the weather, and the list scrolls on…

This is mostly time you spend alone. But when you look up from your computer or your phone, maybe you’d like to discuss your opinions with another person. Or, maybe you’d like to learn from an expert – an actual human - whose knowledge comes from education and experience, beyond the internet.

If you’re a woman in New Orleans, there’s a place where you can do all of this. It’s called Salon22. Salon 22 is a professional women’s club and idea hub, co-founded by 4 women - one of whom is Salon 22’s CEO, Fay Kimbrell.

Because in our regular lives most of us tell the truth most of the time, we tend to believe other people are telling us the truth most of the time, too. But, when it comes to news or information sources, it’s a different story. According to Pew Research, 86% of Americans get at least some of their news online. But only 7% of us trust that what we’re seeing is true. So, the cliché complaint, “Nobody believes anything anymore,” is actually pretty accurate.

Here’s another interesting statistic. Do you know what the most trusted online news site is? The Weather Channel.

So, if you want trusted, reliable information, other than the weather, where do you go? One answer is, the Bureau of Governmental Research. And if you’re looking for a place to sit and absorb this information, or people to network with, to learn from and discuss things with, you can go to Salon 22.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

No matter which side of the political fence you’re on, there’s probably one thing you and your friends on the other side agree on. And that is, you can’t believe anything you see, read, or hear in the news anymore.
At least, you don’t believe anything on the channels they subscribe to. And they don’t believe anything anyone says on your side.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was an organization that researched issues and published unbiased facts, without ideological partisanship or a devotion to page-views or ratings?
Well, guess what? There is! And it’s right here in New Orleans. It’s the <a href="https://www.bgr.org/">Bureau of Governmental Research</a>. The name might not have the zing of an exciting-sounding operation, but BGR’s reporting has a multi-million dollar impact, in New Orleans and beyond.
BGR’s President, CEO, and current Samuel Zemurray Chair in Research Leadership, is Rebecca Mowbray.
It’s hard to overstate the amount of time each of us spends doing research these days. We’ve shortened the term “research” to simply “search” and, if you’re like most people, you search e-commerce sites; you search restaurants to go out to eat, or delivery services to order in; you search for a plumber, you search the news, the weather, and the list scrolls on…
This is mostly time you spend alone. But when you look up from your computer or your phone, maybe you’d like to discuss your opinions with another person. Or, maybe you’d like to learn from an expert – an actual human - whose knowledge comes from education and experience, beyond the internet.
If you’re a woman in New Orleans, there’s a place where you can do all of this. It’s called <a href="https://www.salon22nola.com/">Salon22</a>. Salon 22 is a professional women’s club and idea hub, co-founded by 4 women - one of whom is Salon 22’s CEO, Fay Kimbrell.
Because in our regular lives most of us tell the truth most of the time, we tend to believe other people are telling us the truth most of the time, too. But, when it comes to news or information sources, it’s a different story. According to Pew Research, 86% of Americans get at least some of their news online. But only 7% of us trust that what we’re seeing is true. So, the cliché complaint, “Nobody believes anything anymore,” is actually pretty accurate.
Here’s another interesting statistic. Do you know what the most trusted online news site is? The Weather Channel.
So, if you want trusted, reliable information, other than the weather, where do you go? One answer is, the Bureau of Governmental Research. And if you’re looking for a place to sit and absorb this information, or people to network with, to learn from and discuss things with, you can go to Salon 22.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at<a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/09/16/facts-friends/"> itsneworleans.com</a>.

Facts & Friends

Before the advent of e-commerce, the only way you could buy something was to go to a store. 

Manufacturers wholesaled products to retailers, and retailers added a profit margin, which became the price consumers paid.

When e-commerce came along, some manufacturers realized they could cut out the middleman - and the term “direct to consumer” was born.

Because consumers are used to paying retail, manufacturers who sell direct-to-consumer charge retail prices - substantially increasing their profit margin. If this model works for furniture, electronics, and sports shoes, why couldn’t it work for art?

Artists typically get paid nothing at all for their work, until their artwork sells, at which time they give the retailer – typically a gallery owner – 50% of the sale price.

New Orleans artist Amanda Stone Talley is rewriting that business model. She cuts out the retail middleman by having her own gallery. And she’s built a website with an e-commerce function that offers a direct-to-consumer experience that’s as easy as shopping on Amazon.

If you don’t like business as usual, start your own business, and do it your own way. That was Michael Newcomer’s response to moving to New Orleans. He was planning on working as an actor in what he thought was going to be a thriving, well-paid theater scene.

When he got here - after being an actor in Los Angeles and New York - Michael found the New Orleans theater scene was neither thriving nor well-paid. So, in 2022 he co-founded, and today is Executive Director of, Crescent City Stage.

The company bills itself as Louisiana’s first fully professional regional theater, offering paid Theatrical Union jobs.

In the early days of the mostly tech-driven entrepreneurial renaissance of the early two-thousands, we heard a lot about “disruption.” Ride-sharing disrupted the taxi industry. Streaming disrupted the music industry. Food delivery services disrupted the restaurant industry.

When entrepreneurs went looking for financial backing back then, if investors didn’t see a potential for disruption, they didn’t see potential for success. Today we don’t hear much about disruption. Not so much because everything has been disrupted already, but because this kind of up-ending, innovative business thinking has become normalized.

So, when people like Amanda set about disrupting the commerce of art, or Michael set sabout disrupting the landscape of local theater, we no longer look at it as revolutionary. But, actually, it is revolutionary. And it takes the same level of vision and courage as it always has to forge a new path.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

Before the advent of e-commerce, the only way you could buy something was to go to a store. 
Manufacturers wholesaled products to retailers, and retailers added a profit margin, which became the price consumers paid.
When e-commerce came along, some manufacturers realized they could cut out the middleman - and the term “direct to consumer” was born.
Because consumers are used to paying retail, manufacturers who sell direct-to-consumer charge retail prices - substantially increasing their profit margin. If this model works for furniture, electronics, and sports shoes, why couldn’t it work for art?
Artists typically get paid nothing at all for their work, until their artwork sells, at which time they give the retailer – typically a gallery owner – 50% of the sale price.
<a href="https://amandatalley.myshopify.com/">New Orleans artist Amanda Stone Talley </a>is rewriting that business model. She cuts out the retail middleman by having her own gallery. And she’s built a website with an e-commerce function that offers a direct-to-consumer experience that’s as easy as shopping on Amazon.
 If you don’t like business as usual, start your own business, and do it your own way. That was Michael Newcomer’s response to moving to New Orleans. He was planning on working as an actor in what he thought was going to be a thriving, well-paid theater scene.
When he got here - after being an actor in Los Angeles and New York - Michael found the New Orleans theater scene was neither thriving nor well-paid. So, in 2022 he co-founded, and today is Executive Director of, <a href="https://www.crescentcitystage.com/">Crescent City Stage</a>.
The company bills itself as Louisiana’s first fully professional regional theater, offering paid Theatrical Union jobs.
In the early days of the mostly tech-driven entrepreneurial renaissance of the early two-thousands, we heard a lot about “disruption.” Ride-sharing disrupted the taxi industry. Streaming disrupted the music industry. Food delivery services disrupted the restaurant industry.
When entrepreneurs went looking for financial backing back then, if investors didn’t see a potential for disruption, they didn’t see potential for success. Today we don’t hear much about disruption. Not so much because everything has been disrupted already, but because this kind of up-ending, innovative business thinking has become normalized.
So, when people like Amanda set about disrupting the commerce of art, or Michael set sabout disrupting the landscape of local theater, we no longer look at it as revolutionary. But, actually, it is revolutionary. And it takes the same level of vision and courage as it always has to forge a new path.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://thecolumns.com/">Columns in Uptown New Orleans</a>. You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.lafleurphoto.com/">Jill Lafleur</a> at <a href="https://itsneworleans.com/2024/09/09/cut-out-the-middleman/">itsneworleans.com</a>.

Cut Out The Middleman

OUT TO LUNCH finds economist and Tulane finance professor Peter Ricchiuti conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Olreans. In his 14th year in the host seat, Ricchiuti’s learned but uniquely NOLA informal perspective has established Out to Lunch as the voice of Crescent City business. You can also hear the show on WWNO 89.9FM.

OUT TO LUNCH finds economist and Tulane finance professor Peter Ricchiuti conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Olreans. In his 14th year in the host seat, Ricchiuti’s learned but uniquely NOLA informal perspective has established Out to Lunch as the voice of Crescent City business. You can also hear the show on WWNO 89.9FM.

Tulane finance professor Peter Ricchiuti conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch at Commander's Palace restaurant.

It's New Orleans: Out to Lunch

OUT TO LUNCH finds the country's most entertaining finance professor Peter Ricchiuti conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch. Each week Peter invites guests from the New Orleans business world to join him for a midday bite. CEO's, startups, managers, musicians, biomed needle-movers, tech success stories and entrepreneurs of all stripes put aside the elevator pitch and talking points and actually enjoy themselves. It's business, New Orleans style. 
You can also hear the show on WWNO 89.9FM.

OUT TO LUNCH finds the country's most entertaining finance professor <a href="https://freeman.tulane.edu/faculty-research/finance/peter-ricchiuti">Peter Ricchiuti </a>conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch. Each week Peter invites guests from the New Orleans business world to join him for a midday bite. CEO's, startups, managers, musicians, biomed needle-movers, tech success stories and entrepreneurs of all stripes put aside the elevator pitch and talking points and actually enjoy themselves. It's business, New Orleans style. You can also hear the show on <a href="https://www.wwno.org/show/out-to-lunch">WWNO 89.9FM</a>.

It's New Orleans: Out to Lunch

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