Biz Talks

The recent controversy surrounding Mignon Faget’s departure from its longtime Magazine Street location has reignited a larger conversation: What happens when local businesses find themselves competing with national brands for increasingly valuable real estate? As program director of the Urban Conservancy’s StayLocal initiative, Maryann Miller works to support and strengthen locally owned businesse...

Formerly known as Churchill Technology & Business Park, the newly named Churchill Innovation & Research Campus — or CIRC — encompasses 480 acres with the potential to attract new businesses, advanced manufacturing, research and investment. But this is about more than a name change. What will it take to turn that potential into jobs and economic growth? And what makes this site competitive...

What if local businesses could help keep New Orleans powered during outages — while lowering energy bills for everyone? That’s the idea behind the newly approved $28 million Neighborhood Power Plan. But how exactly would it work, and what could it mean for local businesses and residents? Garreth Johnson of Together New Orleans joins us to explain the ambitious initiative, which aims to create the...

Hint:  Part of the answer, Grant Clayton says, has to do with a certain mega home-search company. But he argues there’s a better way — and he’s proving it. The Northshore resident launched 1 Percent Lists with his wife in 2015, and today the company is approaching 80 franchises nationwide. On this week’s Biz Talks, Clayton explains why he believes a 1% commission is more than fair, what consumers...

Andy Weiner, president of RockStep Capital, has built or acquired about 10 million square feet of shopping centers across the country — including New Orleans’ 250,000-square-foot Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. In this week's episode, Weiner shares what’s next for the landmark riverfront property, the unique strengths that continue to attract retailer...

On Sept. 2, The Pelican Institute released its summer 2026 Louisiana Economic Report and it showed some really good news, including that the state is currently outperforming other states in the region. The report found, among many other things, that Louisiana’s economy grew at a 2.9% annualized rate in early 2026 — faster than Texas (+0.9%), Tennessee (+1.2%), and Mississippi (+2.5%), and the 6th-...

Celebrating 100 years in business this year, Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald (BMF) has helped some of the region’s, and nation’s, biggest brands find success — including names like Brennan’s, Tabasco, K&B Stores, Wesson and Coca-Cola. This week, BMF Co-Founder and Co-CEO Virginia Miller joins the firm’s President of Marketing and Advertising Ron Thompson to share their top tips for success, along w...

For our 300th episode, we brought back one of our most popular contributors — in print and on Biz Talks — Frank Rabalais, who has spent years pushing back against New Orleans’ notorious “attitude problem.” Now, as optimism and confidence are taking hold, Frank argues that it’s time to stop simply hoping for growth and start thinking strategically about how to make it happen. His idea: Take advanta...

Digital content creators wield influential power in the marketplace — power that local businesses, understandably, are looking to harness. But how do you find the right creator? What’s the difference between an influencer and a content creator? And what are some common mistakes and misconceptions to avoid? How much should you expect to pay? Bianca Cook, founder of The Nola Collective shares everyt...

The future of THC-infused beverages is again in a precarious position, but this time the threat is coming from the national government. While a federal ban on hemp-derived products is set to take effect on November 12 unless Congress acts, Jacob Landry, co-founder of Urban South Brewery explains why his company is moving forward and has just launched its third THC-infused brand. Landry shares what...

Since 2024, the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program has been holding a lottery where lucky winners receive a grant of up to $10,000 to install a Fortified roof on their home — thus qualifying for lower home insurance rates. For those that don’t win the lottery, however, or who received a grant, but it fell short of covering the costs, FHLB Bank of Dallas is offering grants of up to $17,000 per home th...

The Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE) has worked since 1985 to ensure that Louisianans have an equitable, affordable and environmentally responsible energy system. As one of the largest data centers ever to be built heads to Louisiana, the AAE has big concerns, and they are far from alone. Senior Government Affairs and Policy Advisor for AAE Jackson Voss shares his thoughts on last week’s New Y...

Orleans Parish public schools — all 66 of them — have been raking in the wins, among the latest being ranking in the 99th percentile nationally for growth in reading and 98th percentile for math growth. This places the district among the fastest-improving large urban districts in the country. This week, we sit down with NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore to learn what has been...

While much attention has been given to a paper by Tulane University published in May that proclaimed New Orleans’ future as being “past the point of no return,” today’s Biz Talks guest sees much more hope. A veteran of the environmental field working in New Orleans for 18 years, Emily Snyder is the Program Manager at Urban Conservancy, a local nonprofit that runs multiple initiatives to strengthen...

One of New Orleans' most recognized luxury brands, Adler’s Jewelry may be closing its retail locations following Coleman Adler II's retirement, but this is not the end of the story. Tiffany Adler is continuing her family legacy with the launch of two new businesses. She shares all the details, along with what it was like growing up an Adler, in this week’s Biz Talks.

From July 20-22, more than 1,000 chamber of commerce leaders from around the U.S. and Canada will be in Downtown New Orleans for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) annual conference. Our own New Orleans Chamber is playing host to this gathering of influential economic executives and President and CEO Sandra Lindquist is excited to roll out the welcome mat. She shares the big...

First impressions matter, but when it comes to exterior beautification efforts many times it’s just not in the budget. But for small businesses and commercial property owners in New Orleans East and Lower Ninth Ward, help is here. The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority ( NORA) is offering substantial grants through its 2026 Façade RENEW Plus Program. The deadline to apply is coming up fast though...

Celebrating 102 years of service, the Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) is one of the largest and most influential volunteer organizations in the region — but it’s also evolved in exciting new ways. Today’s membership, activities and events may just surprise you, and brand-new President Shelby Faget Wynne explains why if you’re looking to boost your career, you need to take another look at the J...

From June 16-18, more than 90 CEOs of Black-led Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) alongside funders, policy makers and industry partners from across the country, will gather for three days of programming at The Westin New Orleans. The ONWARD 2026 Annual Conference is hosted by the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. The organization’s president and CEO, Amber Banks, joins us...

In its 38-year history, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has brought hundreds of events to New Orleans, resulting in a $4.2 billion in economic impact for the State of Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area. What’s coming next? President and CEO Jay Cicero shares some big wins coming into town next month and later this fall.

Only 5% of Black students in the U.S. meet ACT college-readiness benchmarks, which means missing out on college acceptances and scholarships. After New Orleans native Angelica Harris — a straight-A student — scored a 16 out of 36 on the ACT, she built her own test-prep system, raised her score to a 32 and earned more than  $1.5 million in scholarships . Harris then took her system and built a nati...

Local businesswoman and alcoholic alternatives advocate Monica Olano — owner of three businesses, including Cali Sober Market in Metairie — has experienced first-hand the effects of the changes Louisiana’s legislature made to the hemp-based product industry in 2024. The changes, she said, are negatively impacting local bars and restaurants, as well as consumers, and causing the state to lose money...

Native New Orleanian Ryan Rogers recently became the first comedian from the Gulf South to headline a global network comedy special. He is also the founder of the LGBTLOL Queer Comedy Fest, returning next month here in New Orleans June 4-7. This week he helps us understand where New Orleans fits in with the national comedy scene, along with what it takes to succeed in this industry and how he’s he...

Nausea is one of the most common complaints for expectant mothers, and one Northshore mom-turned-entrepreneur has created a tasty remedy for it. Jamie Steele is the creator of YumMum, ginger-based gummies designed to get the job done while tasting like an actual treat. Not just for pregnancy, these gummies are good for all forms of nausea — traveling kids, chemotherapy treatment, you name it. Stee...

There are only two dates left this season for the Young Leadership Council’s (YLC) Wednesdays at the Square, a free outdoor concert series at Downtown’s Lafayette Square Wednesday nights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. YLC Executive Director Allison Hotard shares why you don’t want to miss these last two concerts, along with how the concert series is going and why this year is going to be an especially big...