IN THE BIZ EN T REPRENEUR
A Year of Extremes 2021 featured enormous entrepreneurial successes… and challenges BY KEI T H TWITCHE LL
22
BIZ NEW ORLEANS
DECEMBER 2021
I L L U ST R AT I O N B Y T O N Y H E A L E Y
Keith Twitchell spent 16 years running his own business before becoming president of the Committee for a Better New Orleans. He has observed, supported and participated in entrepreneurial ventures at the street, neighborhood, nonprofit, micro- and macro-business levels.
Compounding this was Hurricane Ida, which displaced many people for weeks it’s a good time to remember the biggest entrepreneurial stories of a year that most – with some still unable to return home – and interrupted cash flow for many operof us want to forget quickly. Between Ida, the delta variant and everything else, ations that were already teetering on the brink. Unfortunately, businesses across perhaps the biggest story of the year is all sectors found Ida to be the last straw that we all survived! and have announced that they will not One bright spot in 2021 was the “Silicon reopen. Micro-entrepreneurs appear to Bayou.” Levelset, a New Orleans software have been particularly impacted by the firm, sold for a local record $500 million storm. Ironically, this may help alleviate to a California tech company. Progress workforce issues for businesses that do in establishing our region as tech hub survive, as employees and owners alike has been inconsistent, and this event is a find new jobs. potential accelerant for opportunity and Hurricane Ida also put a glaring spotinvestment in the sector. light on infrastructure issues that plague Video game development retained its the region, particularly the power grid. leading role in the local tech industry, with While the storm devastated areas west established firms such as inXile, Testronic of the city, the immediate metro area did and Turbosquid continuing to thrive. In October, nationally known video game devel- not suffer grave damage, and the big story was power remaining out for a week or oper Jeff Strain announced that he would be launching his next venture, Possibility Space, longer in many places. For companies with national clients and connections, from in downtown New Orleans. investment firms to manufacturers, this While opportunities for entrepreneurs kind of interruption is more than just a of color and female entrepreneurs still hardship. lagged in general, the gap in New Orleans Indeed, going back to where we started, is less than many other cities, and success when asked whether Levelset would stories including Nelson Burton, Keiana continue to maintain its headquarters in Cave and Troy Henry (whose team was New Orleans, founder Scott Wolfe made recently selected to develop the former Six Flags site) helped demonstrate the diver- it clear that such would be his preference. But he cautioned that an unreliable sity of opportunities here. Taking this one infrastructure could force the company to step further, Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA, began expanding his inno- reconsider. How the infrastructure issue is vative methods of bringing STEM educaaddressed will be one of the biggest stories tion for young people of color to other of the next few years. The good news is cities, while also launching a community that the rebuilt levee system held. Progress technology hub in New Orleans East. seems to be occurring, albeit slowly, at Another sector experiencing notable the Sewerage and Water Board. However, expansion in 2021 was hotel/motel, with despite increasing calls to strengthen the everything from national chains to local electrical grid – particularly by moving boutique hotels opening their doors. With more of the power lines underground – the hospitality industry still struggling Entergy has yet to announce any specific considerably, each new venture represents plans, and has previously indicated that it a strong statement about the future of considers underground lines prohibitively tourism in New Orleans. One major challenge confronting hospi- expensive. The creativity and perseverance of tality and many other sectors continues entrepreneurs in metro New Orleans to be staffing shortages. A recurring story continues to be tested, and so many still throughout the year was workers who manage to follow their dreams and inspiused forced time off during the pandemic to explore better employment opportuni- rations. We can all hope that 2022 will bring fewer obstacles and far more success ties. In addition, some of the workforce stories. n continued to stay home rather than face COVID-19 exposure. For many restaurants, retail operations and other lowerwage businesses, the resulting worker shortages have led to curtailing of hours and even outright closures. AS WE ENTER THE FINAL MONTH OF 2021,
