Discover Lafayette

Our guests are Ari Dolegowski and Jenée Naquin, husband and wife, as well as adventurers who have lived in Lafayette since 2020. The couple moved from New York City with their son, Noam, to be closer to Jenee’s family members who live in Eunice. Jenee is a brand stylist and digital content creator with vast experience in bringing luxury brands to life through digital marketing. A native of Eunice, she graduated from Loyola in New Orleans and then moved to NYC to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She worked in corporate design, has experienced living in a handbag factory in China in order to learn the ins and outs of the accessory manufacturing process, and was part of the team that built Jessica Simpson’s iconic handbag line. After 13 years in fashion design, Jenee founded her branding company, JSQ Creative Agency, in 2017. Ari is a Bio-Performance Therapist, offering transformative massage sessions with a tailored approach rooted in Physical Therapy and Eastern medicine through AriD Therapy & Training. He had the good fortune to apprentice as an assistant to a doctor of physical therapy and a Chinese medical practitioner. He attended traditional Chinese medical schools and studied massage therapy for a month in Thailand. A fellow who has walked an incredibly interesting life journey, Ari played pro soccer in Chile, Tel Aviv and the U. S. Along the way, he studied at Yeshiva University in Jerusalem. Ari taught high school Physical Education in New York City before settling on his career as a bio-performance/massage therapist. Ari and Jenée met and married in NYC after their early career international travels. While they both had strong ties to New York, they had decided it was time to move in order to pursue a different lifestyle than offered by the Big Apple. Pre-Covid, they had traveled to several places looking for a Utopian site. The onset of COVID and its shutdown of city life brought things to a head, as Jenée recalled, “If you were on the 15th floor of a highrise, like us, riding an elevator was a challenge. New York became intense and nervous. Much of the population moved out and a troubled, homeless population remained….all of a sudden taking a walk to the Park to get outdoors wasn’t fun.” Ari and Jenée took out a whiteboard and listed all the things they wanted in a good place to live. Louisiana fit the bill, and particularly Lafayette, as it was close to Jenée’s family. Ari was a bit nervous about the big move to Lafayette, in part because of mosquitoes, but also because of our very small Jewish community. “Thank goodness for the Temple Shalom in Lafayette!” About a year after the family settled in Lafayette, Ari turned to Jenée and shared how happy he was to be be here. Interestingly, Jenée also came to realize how important Judaism had become in her life. In NYC, there was vibrant Jewish community and they were surrounded by many other Jews, even sending their son to a Jewish school. She had fallen in love with the Jewish faith and lovely traditions. “It took me coming back to Cajun Country to realize that I was a Jew!” While she had initially resisted converting her faith from Catholic to Jewish while living in New York, Jenée began studying Judaism and has now converted and is an active member of Temple Shalom. Jenée Naquin and Ari Dolegowski in their backyard Sukkah (hut) talking about their Jewish faith during the weeklong festival of Sukkot in October 2023. Photo by Brad Bowie of The Acadiana Advocate. Jenée and Ari’s young son, Noam, whose nickname is “Kiki,” is also showing signs of being a creative entrepreneur. Learning how to juice satsumas and other fruits by his grandfather, Noam has made the local news several times due to the popularity of his fresh squeezed juice, marketed under the brand name Kiki’s Juice Box. “Noam is a born entertainer and this endeavor has been one of my favorite branding projects,” Jenée says. With the help of his mother, Noam has an active Instagram page which highlights his wares and he is learning how to successfully market his juice. For photographic samples of Jenée creative work, visit https://www.jeneesaisquoi.com/ and for her professional services, https://jsqcreativeagency.com/. To schedule an appointment with Ari, visit AriD Therapy & Training or https://www.facebook.com/aridtherapy.

Adam Daigle, Business Editor of the Acadiana Advocate, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the biggest business news of 2023. The #1 story of the year is the incredible strides made in 2023 insofar as job creation is concerned. Iberia Parish is on fire with the recent announcement of First Solar’s $1.1 Billion investment to take place on thirty acres at the Acadiana Regional Airport. First Solar will produce high-performance photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. The project is expected to be complete in the first half of 2026 and up to 700 high-paying jobs are anticipated to be created. This enterprise is unique in Louisiana in that it is tied to a new solar training program at UL-Lafayette where students will be educated on designing solar panels. First Solar was founded in 1999 and is among the top 10 solar panel manufacturers in the world. Along with this major announcement, other large regional employers include Amazon at 1300 employees and Stuller at 1500 employees, who have both exceeded projections for local employees. The #2 business story of the year is the large number of local restaurants which closed in early 2023, including the iconic Cafe Vermilionville, Lotus Garden, Grub Burger, The Point Seafood and Steakhouse, BJ’s Pizza, and Luna Bar & Grill. By July 2023, the number of closings had settled down. The #3 story of the year is the shake-up at the news desk at KATC, seeing the departure of longtime and popular news anchors Marcelle Fontenot and Jim Hummel who will be joining KADN in January 2024. The move is one being conducted nationally by KATC’s owner, E. W. Scripps Co., as a cost-cutting measure. While there will no longer be live news read by anchors at the 5 pm, 6 pm or 10 pm news slots, the company will invest in more reporters to cover breaking news stories throughout the day. Marcelle Fontenot and Jim Hummel recently announced they had resigned from KATC News and will be joining the news desk at KADN in Lafayette. The #4 story is the recently announced departure of Anita Begnaud, CEO of the Lafayette Downtown Development Authority, whose last day will be on December 20, 2023. Anita will be moving on to work with her former boss at One Acadiana, Jason El Koubi, as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Under Anita’s leadership, the DDA was instrumental in seeing the completion of a myriad of commercial projects in Downtown Lafayette which had languished for years. She brought energy and excitement to her role as CEO and will be sorely missed. Anita Begnaud, CEO of the Lafayette Downtown Development Authority since 2018, recently announce that she will be leaving to work with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership as VP of Marketing and Communications. The #5 business story is the explosive growth occuring in the corridor at Kaliste Saloom Road and Ambassador Caffery Parkway, including the opening this year of Topgolf on December 15 and Dave & Busters which opened November 27. Adam says attracting these type of entertainment venues “brings Lafayette up a class, akin to going from a Double-A to a Triple-A baseball club” as it causes investors to take a closer look at our market and reexamine what is possible in the commercial realm. Other important commercial additions include the recently opened Chimes Restaurant and the development of the Camellia Blvd corridor near Verot School Road which is filling in with medical offices and a new Rouse’s, expected to open in early winter. This whole corridor is now serving as the commercial core of Lafayette Parish, is easily accessible by other towns in the parish, and is the economic powerhouse of the Lafayette community generating tax dollars that would have seemed impossible just a few short years ago. As Adam says, “Costco is a sales tax machine!” Discover Lafayette is proud to name attorney Chris Granger as the recipient of our third annual Business Catalyst of the Year award. The owner of Maison Title real estate closing company and Seven Oak Grand Coteau, his property investment company, Granger has invested heavily in over 300 rental homes and has also been buying up properties for repurpose such as the former Jefferson Street Pub downtown and the old Petro House in Freetown which now houses Maison Title. Straw Cover Baking Co. recently opened up their wholesale bakery and flour mill in a former warehouse Granger purchased in Freetown at 111 Monroe Street. As a young man in his 30’s, Granger is making quite a business name for himself while revitalizing downtown properties which are prime for repurposing. Chris Granger of Maison Title and Seven Oak Grand Coteau has been named Discover Lafayette’s 2023 Business Catalyst of the Year. Discover Lafayette would like to express our deep appreciation of Adam Daigle and the entire team at the Acadiana Advocate for the ongoing support they have given our podcast over the past few years.   Adam publishes a business article each Monday which highlights our latest podcast guest. You can subscribe online at theadvocate.com/newsletters to receive the latest business news from the ADVOCATE each weekday.

Corey McCoy, CEO of KOK Wings & Things, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his unexpected journey into success as a restaurant entrepreneur. Growing up in a military family, he lived all over the country before moving to Lafayette to attend UL and become closer with his father. Corey served in the National Guard for six years while in school, with a top secret clearance as he worked as an Intelligence Imagery Analyst. KOK Wings & Things was founded in 2016, when Corey, Avery Bell, Tre’Jan Vinson and Jared Johnson were Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. fraternity brothers at UL – Lafayette and living together on a shoestring while attending college. The foursome would cook chicken wings and sauces for friends, beginning with the traditional wing recipe Corey’s dad provided them. They enjoyed hosting social events at their home to raise money for their fraternity. In order to pay for the cost of the food and supplies, they started charging for their wings. Word spread about the delicious wings and the “Kitchen on Klinton” thus began out of their home kitchen on Clinton Street. And things went smoothly until one day, the local police came knocking on their door, informing them that it wasn’t legal to operate a commercial kitchen out of their home. They realized it was time to ‘change up’ their operations. KOK began with an initial investment of $250 chipped in by the the partners. As Corey says, “It was everything we had!” In the beginning, the young men would put fryers in the back of a U-Haul as they went looking for customers. In time, they were ready for a food truck. Avery’s dad offered to help build a food truck on a flatbed trailer, which they found on Craig’s List. KOK would park for a few months at a time around Lafayette as they built up a dependable clientele for their wings and sauces. As KOK became more professional, their goals for growth did also. Once they saw that they had a viable business model, they worked to scale the operations From the beginning, the four young men divided up the tasks of running the business. Corey became the CEO (even when they were still cooking in the back yard) and was in charge of organizing the overall operations of KOK. Avery was in charge of ordering food and supplies, Jared was the Chief Financial Officer, and Tre’Jan was in charge of marketing. It gave them an organized method to focus on growth. Corey credits Heidi Melancon of the Small Business Development Center for helping KOK get their first loan, get free consultations, and get their business bearing. He also credits LEDA and the UL Business school for its help for which he will always be grateful. KOK didn’t charge sales taxes for the first two years. This turned around when Adam Curry, a CPA with Darnall, Sikes & Frederick, ordered a meal and realized that no sales tax was collected. He helped the partners get their tax and financial records in order and get their business model organized for a sustainable business model. The Lafayette location is in the former Gallagher’s Restaurant, which property is still owned by Nidal Baldeisi. He traded free rent for a few months in exchange for the KOK partners’ working to renovate the building as they built their profits. They rented fork lifts from Lowes, got family and friends to help, and they were off in pursuit of a successful brick and mortar business. Corey taught 8th grade history at Acadian Middle when he graduated from UL in 2016 as they built up their business. He worked until KOK turned profitable in order to ensure that he could make a paycheck. The first two years, none of the men took any paycheck from the business. With a solid track record of growth, KOK Wings now has locations in Lafayette, New Iberia and Baton Rouge. Corey and his partners have grown their company from the grassroots level into a multi-million-dollar company with over 50 employees. KOK Wings & Things sells much more than wings and sauces. Fried fish and small fish sliders are popular items on the menu, along with fried shrimp, and definitely worth checking out. There are 16 different sauces you can load your food with. “There are a thousand ways to eat KOK,” Corey says. KOK is also considering offering healthier options as they grow their menu. COVID presented challenges to KOK, particularly with the skyrocketing price of chicken in 2020. The partners also pivoted by opening up a drive through during COVID, which they found much easier to accommodate than many traditional restaurants due to their experience in running food trucks. The restaurant on University Avenue in Lafayette now seats approximately 300 people with the expansion made to the back of KOK during the COVID shutdown. KOK Wings & Things was Awarded the Young Entrepreneurial Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Louisiana District in May of 2022.  The KOK partners are committed to giving back to our community members most in need, and whenever possible have helped organizations such as Second Harvest by supporting efforts to get fresh food to people in Lafayette’s pervasive food desert in North Lafayette. This year, they founded KOK Cares, a nonprofit foundation run by Rayna Morrison, in order to give in a more organized and sustainable manner. In March of this year, Corey was honored as a Top 20 under 40 Acadiana Leadership recipient. He believes Lafayette should be championing our local young talented people, such as our artists, teachers, and business entrepreneurs, so that we can keep our youth here. KOK’s partners made a deliberate decision to stay in Lafayette and has built a multimillion dollar company. Corey says, “So many young people feel they have to move somewhere else to be special. That’s a problem. Whenever you feel you have to move to be special, that’s an issue. We could have had the same mindset. But we did it right here in the backyard of Lafayette and now we can affect all these other communities. Now we get to bring a piece of Lafayette to Baton Rouge. A piece of Lafayette to New Iberia, and wherever we get to grow. That should be important to Lafayette. Much more so than how to we get all these other people to pay attention to you. It’s by championing your own people do you get other people to pay attention to Lafayette. “We lose so many people to large cities. We say we’re fighting for our youth to stay here, but I get confused by those statements. Who are we promoting? You won’t attract young people just by landing new corporate businesses or real estate deals hoping it will get people to stay. All you’re doing with that is doing the same things the big cities do on a much larger scale…. that people are already moving to. The only way to compete is to do the things the large cities can no longer do, and that is to connect with the person inside the community. Lafayette is the perfect size city. I have lived all over the country and I love Lafayette. It is the perfect sized city. It’s not too small and it’s not too big. Individuals are still very, very important and can still make a huge impact and define what this city is. If we just spend all of our time worrying about drainage and real estate deals, we’ll be fighting for things that don’t really matter within the next 20 years. People feel they have to move somewhere else to be special and that’s a problem.” When asked by our sound engineer, Jason Sikora, what business advice Corey would give to up and coming entrepreneurs, he said, “Learn why the rules exist, instead of playing by the rules. Because often, people play by the rules the whole time and it keeps them from being able to grow. A lot of people whose business did grow didn’t play by the rules whatsoever. It’s more about learning why the rules exist so that you can understand the principle and know when to apply the rule and when not to apply the rule. I learned so much from growing KOK out of the backyard….much more than if I had earned an MBA or had a big check to go buy a physical location. Learning the ‘why’ is the most important thing.” For more information on KOK Wings & Things, please visit https://eatkok.com/. Thank you, Corey McCoy, for being you, sharing your story, and making Lafayette proud alongside your partners! We look forward to witnessing continued success from you, Avery Bell, Tre’Jan Vinson and Jared Johnson!

Our guests today are Jason Stoner and Stephen Rogers, who are well-known locally for their exceptional foodie and presentation skills! Jason and Stephen devise the menu, theme, and special tablescape (a blend of table and landscaping) in the weeks preceding each event; Jason captures the process with meticulous photography to heighten the sense of appreciation for each meal prepared with love. Jason is the chef and creator of the menu; Stephen is the master of planning the ambiance and theme of the evening and takes great care to select the perfect silverware, napkins, plates, drinkware, etc. The couple have hosted a Sunday Dinner at 6 p.m. once each month for the past few years that began in 2017 when they hosted a special birthday supper for their family. It was such a hit their children insisted on making the dinner a weekly celebration. Over time, the event morphed into a monthly affair that is closely followed by foodies. The waiting list of people hoping to attend speaks for itself. Thousands of people watch on social media to see what unique creation and decor these two will come up with! Only a few guests are selected each month so nabbing an invitation is a fete, to say the least! Jason and Stephen have never repeated a menu or theme. As an example, November 2023’s Sunday Dinner centered on a TexMex menu, featuring beef enchiladas on homemade tortillas and sour cream sauce, with assorted sides, all freshly prepared. The evening’s theme was Dia de los Muerxos, which originated in Mexico and is a days-long celebration in honor of family members who have passed away. The playlist was Tejano Classics on Spotify. The event was hosted in honor of Emmalyn Grace Quebedeaux, a young child who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma cancer. The lucky Sunday Dinner guests won the privilege of attending via a raffle in support of Moving Mountains for Emmy, a go fund me fundraiser in support of the little one’s medical treatments. For more information on how to contribute to Emmalyn Grace Quebedeaux’s medical expenses, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/moving-mountains-for-emmy Stephen spoke lovingly of the inspiration he received from his grandmother who was his ‘spirit animal,’ a flamboyant and creative woman who loved design. Her inspiration was still present whenJason and Stephen’s house sat under two feet of water after the 2016 flood; they realized that in rebuilding and reconstructing their home life, they wanted to use all of the beautiful things they had been keeping in the cabinets. They now utilize beautiful family china and glassware that they inherited from loved ones such as Stephen’s grandmother. And as Jason says, “We eat with our eyes first, so we always try to plate the meal over the top.” Jason always tries to source food items locally whenever possible, and he mentioned his love of City Girl’s Farm‘s edible flowers, microgreens, and herbs, as well as Coastal Plains Meat Company for their outstanding selections. Jason Stoner and Stephen Rogers have a choreographed effort they employ when hosting their monthly Sunday Dinner. Stephen meets the guests, gets them a cocktail and whisks them out of the kitchen so that Jason can complete the last minute cooking. They discuss ahead of time the flow they need for the evening to be a success. The team love what they do and hope to bring the Sunday Dinner to a new level with an anticipated YouTube show that documents the monthly event from start to finish. Jason Stoner is well-known locally as being one of the principals behind Foodies of Lafayette alongside Heidi McDonald. Foodies of Lafayette spotlights area restaurants and culinary experiences in a positive way and will not allow negative feedback to destroy their aim of promoting local treasures. The site currently has over 60,400 active followers on Facebook and is growing exponentially each month. Jason and Heidi also launched a Foodies of Lafayette website recently where you can purchase merchandise and enjoy recipes submitted from fans. In closing, we’d like to thank Jason and Stephen for the joy they bring to our local community. Their Sunday Dinner and love of food and beautiful design are treasures to be savored. Discover Lafayette is proud to showcase their loving contributions to our local culinary experiences.

Discover Lafayette welcomes Missy Bienvenue Andrade, CEO of the Community Foundation of Acadiana. Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA), founded in 2000, is a tax-exempt foundation whose core purpose is building legacies and improving communities by connecting generous people to the causes they care about. The organization focuses on the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin and Vermilion. The parish affiliates each have permanent endowed funds for their geographic region. Missy gave great credit to Raymond Hebert, its first CEO who served until 2022, for his leadership in building an organization that is healthy and ready to move on to its next chapter of philanthropic focus in Acadiana. As of 2022, CFA has received total gifts of $364,588,403.00 over its years of existence. Donations of all sizes are welcomed and “Donor Assisted Funds” or “Corporated Advised Funds” can be established at any level. Scholarships are also housed at the CFA. Missy explained that many times, a donor may want to make an end of the year contribution and wait until disbursing the funds until a later time; special requests and assistance from staff can help the donor make their wish come true in the timing that fits their desires. Donors can also make contributions and request that their funds be invested in the market, either under the direction of their own investment advisor or with the assistance of CFA professionals. Missy Andrade (left) pictured with Erica Ray, Carolyn Doerle, Missy Manuel and Carlee Alm-Labar at a recent groundbreaking of the Paul A. Doerle Farmer’s Market Pavillion at Moncus Park. Missy believes an important mission of the CFA is to define how the organization may best assist Acadiana nonprofits. She looked back on 2023’s SOLA Giving Day which raised the most money ever for local nonprofits, totalling $1,829,127.00. CFA runs the back office of SOLA Giving Day which has been wildly successful over the past six years. This year Venmo and Paypal were added as payment options and this appeared to eliminated barriers to giving; CFA saw people were giving contributions in the range of $5 and $10, as well as large sums, and the event experienced the highest number of people ever giving on a single day. CFA is entering a new phase of defining its mission. It recently hired Ekstrom, Alley Clontz & Associates (“EAC”) to assist in a comprehensive strategic plan for the organization as it determines how it can best serve Acadiana as it builds a bridge to an even more successful outreach. EAC has consulted on behalf of over 200 community foundations across the U. S. and abroad, and is a leader in its field. Rather than just studying other community foundations across the country, Missy emphasized that CFA want to ensure that our particular community needs are identified and addressed. This is Missy’s second appearance on Discover Lafayette, as we interviewed her a few years back when she was President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana. Missy Bienvenue Andrade previously served as CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana. You may here our earlier interview with her here The 91st annual Lafayette Civic Cup Awards will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at the City Club at River Ranch. This years award will be bestowed upon Rodney Savoy. The CFA is handling the event. The Savoy family donated the land and beautiful building on which CFA is housed. For more information on the Community Foundation of Acadiana, please visit https://www.cfacadiana.org/

Heather Courville, a local entrepreneur who offers beautiful handcrafted children’s clothing and accessories through her business, Banannie Bands, joins Discover Lafayette to share her journey in breaking into the business world as a seamstress who produces heirloom items. Heather had a booth at the Junior league’s Christmas show, Tinsel & Treasures, in September, 2023. The quality of her work, the beauty of her designs, and her endearing spirit made her the perfect guest as we enter the holiday season and people are looking for that perfect gift for a young family member. Where did her career journey begin? A very young, divorced mom who was short on funds but rich in time, Heather took sewing classes and began sewing gifts such as burp cloths, bibs and other baby items for her daughter and friends. Her hobby turned into a career upon the encouragement of Heathe, her then boyfriend and now husband, who announced one day that he had booked her at a craft show in Breaux Bridge. He said, “I have had bought you a 10′ x 10′ tent and 6 ‘ table, here’s the date of your craft show, and you will have to fill the table with baby items.” She filled the table with headbands and burp cloths, all priced at $5.00, and the items sold out fast. Heather made a grand total of $75 at her first show. But this young mother of a ten-month old, who was three months behind on her mortgage and about to lose her house, felt her entrepreneurial spirit lit on fire. She began booking craft shows anywhere possible every weekend….Baptist church parking lots, anywhere there was a show. Low on funds, she would buy scraps of material from Lola Pink Fabrics in Lafayette and would sew items that customers requested such as pacifier clips. She caught up on her mortgage and realized she could take care of herself and daughter. The business has grown exponentially since its early days. And her business paid for her wedding to Heathe! And as they say, the rest is history! Surviving the COVID shutdown was a challenge and Heather pivoted to making masks which sold at retail in Drug Emporium stores. She believes that God provided for her and her business and they both have survived. While she is not yet back to her all time high of eight employees, Heather does enjoy the help of other women who love sewing and she calls Banannie Bands a family business. Heather mentioned a former babysitter of hers…..Ms. Debbie, who makes up to 400 bibs at a time for Banannie Bands. Her mother-in-law also sews for her. Gerber baby diapers serve as the base for Banannie Band burp cloths. Heather has never wanted a ‘brick and mortar’ store because it would be too difficult to produce enough inventory to keep the store stocked. Heather always wants to focus on custom orders that meet the needs of her customers. She brought a custom order she would be delivering after our show finished to show me a sample of her work. Banannie Bands doesn’t sell on Amazon, but you can find creations locally at Trove & Company at 126 E. Bridge Street in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Annie Bannanie is the nickname of her oldest daughter, who is now 12 years, and the inspiration for her business name. Capri is her youngest daughter, four years old, and Heather still makes all of her clothes. Banannie Bands makes clothes for newborn children to 5 years of age. Heather is especially proud of her reversible rompers which give the choice of a Halloween outfit and then flipping it inside out to show a Christmas theme. Heather details how in the early days, she worked as a receptionist at a walk-in clinic while she was building her business as a side gig. She then worked for a beloved woman who was a dementia patient but never sewed while on the job….she always waited until her off hours to produce Banannie Bands’ crafted outfits and items. But when her patient had to move on to Assisted Living, Heather finally took the jump to supporting herself as the owner of Banannie Bands. To find out more about Banannie Bands, visit https://www.facebook.com/BanannieBands.

Noah Brandon, CEO of Unitech Training Academy, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to make education accessible to all. Noah graduated from the College of Business at UL-Lafayette and then went on to earn his MBA from Brown University and the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid Spain. Unitech Training Academy is a growing education institution that was originally founded by Noah’s mother, Deanna Head, in 1997, initially offering a Certified Nursing Assistant program. Today, the institution has six campuses across the state, online classes, and two early learning centers in Lafayette and Alexandria. Noah is an advocate for all post-secondary educational offerings and is active with One Acadiana’s Workforce Development Strategy to ensure that local employers can find skilled workers that fit market needs. Unitech staff partner with their students at Unitech to ensure that the soft skills needed to stay employed are learned while training for their new career. “There is a universal truth among all hiring managers: they want to hire people who make their lives easier, not harder. So when you’re interviewing for a job, your goal is not to tell them how great you are. Your job is to convince them that you are the answer to their problems and you’ll make their job easier.” The majority of students at Unitech are studying allied health field courses. Classes offered include Dental Assisting, EKG/Phlebotomy technician, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, medical billing and coding, as well as Massage Therapy, IT Technician, IT Support Specialist, and Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate. At any given time there are approximately 1100 students enrolled in what Noah calls a “rolling program of enrollment” that allows students to start classes each Monday. Noah’s mom, Deanna, created this model to allow students to start a new career and obtain an education as soon as possible. Unitech held its first graduation for the Unitech Leadership and Development Institute in October 2023. Noah is active in the community and serves as President of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. He was honored in 2022 as an Acadiana Top 20 under 40 Award Recipient. Noah Brandon spoke of his understanding of the importance of intentionality when dealing with others. Most of us carry around fears and insecurities, and it can show in our actions if people don’t know us. Especially as you move up the career ladder. Our insecurities can shape how people size us up. We may be shy but it can come off as aloofness. People may think, “You’re the guy in charge….you’re not supposed to be insecure!’ He believes that if you look at people with love instead of fear, it really changes the whole dynamic. “If I look at others and give them the benefit of the doubt…..it becomes so much easier to interact with people.” For more information on Unitech Training Academy, please visit https://unitechta.edu/ or https://www.facebook.com/UnitechTrainingAcademy/

“My Number 1 priority was not leasing my building. I didn’t want my power in business to be held in someone else’s hands. This was also the recommendation of the Louisiana Small Business Administration to me as I looked at securing my future: ‘You need to own the building!’ So I tell others: Own the building. When you do that, you stay to work a little bit longer. You pick up the slack where needed. For me….this investment is my whole retirement on the line.” Our guest is Denise Champagne-McClure, owner of The Coffeeweed Cottage in Lafayette, which opened on May 18, 2023. While Denise never earned a college degree, her business acumen can be put up against any individual who has earned an MBA. She works hard, she’s humble, she’s an incredible business entrepreneur, and has an eye for creating a successful business model. Coffeeweed Cottage’s name is derived from the term for chicory, the name of a coffee substitute from the roasted root of the chicory plant. Denise loves the taste of chicory coffee and wanted something unique and different associated with her shop. And trust us….the coffee is delicious! Denise’s store is at 410 Poydras Street, at the corner of W. Simcoe and Poydras Street in North Lafayette, not far from University Avenue near the Four Corners. She purchased the 3000 square foot property in 2022, the site of the oldest mechanic shop in Lafayette owned by a multi-general family business whose roots trace back to Cecilia where Denise grew up. Before finalizing her site selection, she drove around all areas of Lafayette Parish and knew that this oldest neighborhood in Lafayette, in the original  Vordenbauman Addition, in the area close to the Fightingville and LaPlace neighborhoods, was the exact right spot. With the help of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center and Lafayette Economic Development Authority, Denise was given guidance on how to open the business of her dreams. She brought a rich and varied business background that made her a good candidate for opening up this unique endeavor: she was trained in horticulture and had worked for Coburn’s for 15 years in bath/kitchen fixture sales, having moved up the ranks from the bottom up. Note: Denise shared her gratitude to Coburn’s for the experience they afforded her, as well as to the people at LEDA, especially Mark Mouton and Lauren Titus who helped her navigate the process of developing a three-year business plan and qualifying for a loan. Denise was inspired to reach her full potential when attending an Unleashed event by Dirk Beveridge. She realized that she could do anything she put her mind to when she heard his message about creating transformation through creating a culture of innovation and growth.  For more information on Dirk please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkbeveridge/ As with any entrepreneur, Denise has had to put all of her savings on the line, as well as mortgage her house to make this endeavor a reality. When you think about shopping options in Lafayette, as well as any other town, this is why it is important to think about shopping locally. Local vendors not only offer unique products, they give back to their community through donations to charities and in-kind contributions, and also sacrifice personally to ensure that employees who live in Lafayette are paid. Coffeeweed Cottage offers a unique array of services. One of the most unique services is their Grow Bar, where you can schedule a ‘plant bar’ for events as diverse as a bachelorette party, a team building event for work, a family get together, or birthday celebration. A $50 deposit for your event will go toward the cost of the event, where you and your friends can pick a favorite plant, a cute pot, and learn how to care for it. If your plant doesn’t make it, you have a 30-day guarantee to swap it out for another plant or have Denise and her team nurse it back it health! You can also shop till you drop at Coffeeweed Cottage! A beautiful selection of mugs, vases, books, candles, pots, and plants are available for purchase. In addition, businesses hold meetings at Coffeeweed, vendors share their treasured creations, and friends meet for coffee and pastries all the time! Words of Wisdom from Denise that she would share with her children as well as entrepreneurs: “Failure in something you believe in doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just means that that one venture didn’t go well. If you want something bad enough, you can do whatever you believe in……I want them to know that.” If you are looking for a unique place to be inspired, visit Coffeeweed Cottage. But be ready to have some time to enjoy a beverage, shop, find a plant to take home, and be inspired to make your home a more beautiful place. For more information about Coffeeweed Cottage, please visit https://www.coffeeweedcottage.com/. Or call (337)607-1410.

R. Hamilton Davis, known to everyone as “Hammy,” came from a large family with deep roots in Lafayette. In this special replay of our interview in 2018, Hammy shared his love of his family and community.  With a heart for working effectively in programs that directly improve the lives of those less fortunate than himself, Hammy spoke highly in this interview about Catholic Charities of Acadiana and United Way of Acadiana and their positive impact on our community. For the original show notes, please visit our website here.

Our guest is Caroline Trahan, founder and owner/operator of VibraFit. Caroline is a Corrective Exercise Specialist specializing in senior and women’s fitness. She brings a melded version of fitness, movement, and vibration platforms to our community. Caroline has been a personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and is a certified yoga instructor. Her dedication to vibrational fitness is a testament to its benefits for improving lymphatic drainage, reducing inflammation, improving muscle tone and bone density, and strength training. VibraFit is located at 301 W. University Avenue in Lafayette. Caroline’s team of professionals offer diverse and unique services which include the Energy Enhancement System, EB-Pro Ion Footbath/Detox, Oxy-Hydrogen Therapy, Molecular Enhancer/Tesla Cellular Energy, Infrared Body Wrap/Detox, and Endermology Facial/Firming Session. You’ll have to check it out for yourself to experience the Zen environment and peaceful setting it offers its clientele. Caroline brings a lifelong commitment to fitness and in helping others reach their fullest potential in health and wellness. To find out more about VibraFit, visit https://www.vibrafitlafayette.com/.