In the wake of the seventh annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (March 20-27 – hope you didn’t miss it), it seems extra fitting to celebrate Chef Emeril Lagasse’s exciting milestone. Not only because the restaurant that started it all – Emeril’s New Orleans – celebrated its silver anniversary during NOEW on March 26, but because Lagasse is such a celebrated example of the New Orleans entrepreneurial spirit – that desire to take what you know and “kick it up a notch.”
I got my start in the publishing world thanks to an entrepreneur in California who took a chance as a young man from Ireland and created a publishing company focused on trade magazines covering the local residential homebuilding industry. Peninsula Publishing celebrates its 25th anniversary this year as well. When I started there were two magazines – they now have seven.
While I loved writing about the booming residential industry of California in the ’90s, what really attracted me to Biz New Orleans was the chance to write about a region where not just one, but every industry is booming.
As I sat at the opening festivities of FilmWorks New Orleans last month, GNO, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht talked about how diversified this city has become – noting the burgeoning film industry, tech industry and expanding medical and tourism industries. I have to say, after experiencing the residential industry downturn in California and how much it negatively impacted the state, I can say from experience how important it is not to put all your eggs in one basket (happy Easter!)
My Southern California days behind me (except for the inevitable summer trip, when 70-degree weather becomes too big of a draw) I am honored now to call New Orleans my home and am completely in love with where I live – Uptown, just off Carrollton Avenue. Speaking of booming! This corridor is exploding in a big way. If you want to learn how, make sure to pick up the April issue of New Orleans Magazine. I’m proud to have bylined an article all about it.
By the time this comes out, we will be well into working on the May issue – all I can share is it will take a bit of a unique, and timely, spin on local entrepreneurism. As always, continue to send story ideas, events and news items. I promise we look through every one.
Happy reading!
