Biz Talks

Since Hurricane Katrina, the issue of whether New Orleans has too many judges, and if so, how many, has been bantered around. But now, in the current session, the house is debating one bill, and the Senate has already passed another that aims to cut judges from New Orleans courts based on what BGR says is incomplete data. What could this mean for our courts and our city’s finances? BGR President a...

We all know we live in one of the culinary capitals of the world, which makes it so shocking that the region does not a major wholesale food production incubator! Well, that is going to change soon –  and our guest today is a huge part of it. Annalisa Kelly, JEDCO’s director of strategic initiatives and policy, has taken the lead on development of the Greater New Orleans Food & Beverage Incuba...

The start of hurricane season is June 1, kicking off a long summer of anxiety for the region, but we’re focusing on the good news, and that is that The Greater New Orleans region is served by two levee authorities — Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East and  West. This week, we’re talking about SLFPA — West, which encompasses more than 80 miles of levees, floodgates and floodwalls pr...

A lot! It’s been a busy year at the largest mall in the Greater New Orleans area as Lakeside has welcomed one new retailer after another. As the regional director of retail leasing for the Feil Organization, New Orleans native Tricia Phillpott is the woman behind these wins — the person tasked with finding and securing new retailers. In this week’s BizTalks, we chat about the mall’s newest tenants...

New Orleans-based TikTok creator Tamsy Kambi ( @tamlovestoeat ) is a food and lifestyle creator known for spotlighting restaurants, cultural events, and local experiences.  She recently joined other creators and lawmakers in Washington, D.C. for a conversation on how content creators and social media is shaping modern business and culture. Tamsy shares her experiences in D.C. and what drives her t...

David Skinner, general manager of the Saenger Theatre, shares some surprising information about how New Orleans stacks up against other national markets in Broadway ticket sales. He also shares some fun insights into the shows in the upcoming 2026-27 season (including one he can’t see enough).  

A new partnership between Loyola University and Freret Street live music club Gasa Gasa is offering students the opportunity to get direct, real-world experience by participating in every part of the process of operating a live music venue. The forces behind Gasa U —Loyola’s director of the School of Music and Theatre Professions Kate Duncan and industry veteran and endowed professor Jonathan McHu...

The 29th return of the New Orleans French Film Festival — one of the longest-running international language festivals in the U.S. — is March 19-24 and this year there will be some big firsts, along with one-of-a-kind cultural events that bring the films to life. Sharing all the fun is Dodd Loomis, the executive director of New Orleans Film Society.

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is fast approaching (March 9-14), and one of the biggest pieces of news in this ecosystem lately was this fall’s launch of the New Orleans Entrepreneurship Council (NEC). The council is designed to bring area stakeholders and organizations together to unify and amplify their efforts with the goal of attracting, retaining, and growing entrepreneurial talent in the regi...

Having workforce challenges? There’s a new tax credit for Louisiana employers who provide work-based learning experiences for apprentices, interns and youth workers. Now you can build your future workforce while saving money. To explain how this works, we’re joined by two members of Leaders for a Better Louisiana — who took the lead drafting this legislation and working to pass it— Barry Erwin, ch...

In December, Louisiana led the nation in flu cases. The first wave hit hard — especially with one specific population. Are we heading to a second wave? What can you do now to protect yourself? Dr. Jordan Harry, medical director of quality and student health at   Ochsner Urgent Care & Occupational Health, shares his expertise on this week’s Biz Talks.

Two New Orleanians – attorney Tim Kappel, and his client, Cyril Vetter – are at the heart of a high stakes legal battle that has been waging for years between musicians and music publishers/studios. On Monday, Jan. 12, a federal appeals court upheld a major ruling in U.S. copyright law affecting the ownership rights of songwriters over their songs — and all creators over their work. In this week’s...

Marking five years in business next month, Baldwin & Co. is a Black owned café and independent bookstore on Elysian Fields — but that’s just the beginning. Jerid Woods, customer relations and partnership manager, shares how the company’s mission — helping individuals improve their lives and achieve economic independence through the power of books — plays out through an incredible array of proj...

Five months into his new role as head of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Jim Cook shares what this year will bring for the upcoming Omni New Orleans Hotel, as well as how the now-increased capital plan is coming along and his thoughts on the future of the River District.

How does Biz New Orleans choose the elite group of honorees each year? What does it take to be named CEO of the Year? Editor Kim Singletary explains the process, along with how you may have a say over next year’s picks. She also breaks down the highlights of this year’s class and why their inspirational stories provide the perfect inspiration to help you dominate in 2026.

On Dec. 9, New Orleans & Company launched Vision 2035: a plan created with big local stakeholders to make the city a better place to live and visit. What are some of the biggest goals of the plan and where do we start? Walt Leger III, CEO of New Orleans & Company, shares his thoughts.

A week into ICE’s “Operation Catahoula Crunch,” New Orleans’ immigrant community, along with businesses that employ immigrants, are feeling the effects. This week, Mayra Pineda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, pushes back against misinformation online and shares what she’s hearing from area businesses and what the chamber is doing to support New Orleans’ only gr...

Today is Giving Tuesday  https://www.givingtuesday.org/ , which strategically falls toward the end of the year, providing the last chance to take advantage of tax benefits for charitable giving for the year. This week, Biz Talks welcomes Shayna Lear Harvey, partner and president of Wealth Management fro JECohen. She shares the new rules for giving for 2025, what changes are coming for 2026 and fou...

Founded by New Orleanian Geoffrey Meeker in 2012, French Truck Coffee has become a local coffee success story with now 13 locations across New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Memphis. Last month, Meeker stepped away as CEO, handing the company over to long-time partner Bobby Winston and his brother Sam. Together, the Winstons share their thoughts on how coffee is changing and what they envision for the f...

As parents and area schools look ahead to next fall, BizTalks caught up with Kaitlin Karpinski, executive director of Rooted School New Orleans. Located on the campus of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), this two-time “Most Innovative Charter School” winner allows students to start taking college courses on day one, as well as offers 15 different industry-based certifications. Karpinski s...

The holiday season is upon us, which includes the national marking of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29. How do local businesses promote what their offerings in a way that translates to sales? Two media experts from Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) join us on Biz Talks to share their top tips for success.

A former funeral home on Camp Street has been transformed into Delaporte Manor — described by its creator, Andrew Preble, as part haunted house, part immersive theater and part escape room. Only running until Nov. 8, tickets are going fast for this one-of-a-kind attraction. In this week’s BizTalks, Preble — who has run an escape room business called Escape My Room in New Orleans for 10 years — sha...

From Oct. 23-27, New Orleanians will have special access to more than 130 top films from around the world — including 19 world premieres — that reach across every age, genre and interest. The action at the 36th annual New Orleans Film Festival will also continue off the screen at elaborate parties, workshops and meet and greets hosted at venues throughout the city. On this week’s BizTalks, New Orl...

On Oct. 16, the Jefferson Performing Arts Center will host the 15th annual Economic and Real Estate Forecast Symposium, a full-day event presented by the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (NOMAR) and its Commercial Investment Division (CID). In this week’s BizTalks, NOMAR Symposium committee member Paul Richard and symposium speaker Michael Sherman offer a sneak peek into where the...

A new, free event created by and for young Black women business leaders across Southeast Louisiana is happening on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The event, entitled Power in Our Hands: An Afternoon for Young Black Entrepreneurs, is the latest project from a local nonprofit called Women With a Vision. Program Manager Kennadi Robinson explains how this marketplace/entrepreneur showcase/ne...