Biz Road to Recovery 2020 by Renaissance Publishing

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BUS INE SS E S DI S CUSS TH EIR ROAD TO RECOV E R Y

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adjust to ever-shifting standards of normalcy, businesses are finding innovative ways to adapt and position their teams for continued success. While the road to recovery may be paved with uncertainties and challenges unique to each industry, one thing is certain: New Orleans is no stranger to resiliency, and our professional community has all the expertise, prowess and determination needed to emerge stronger and more prosperous than ever. In this exclusive section, Biz New Orleans asked business leaders about their tactics for readjusting, working remotely and staying focused on their corporate missions during the historic COVID-19 pandemic.

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LAW FIRM

Litigating at a Distance In unprecedented times, adaptation and collaboration are key

SI NCE 1 9 8 9 , CHEHAR DY SHER M AN W I L L I AM S,

L.L.P., has served the Greater New Orleans region with integrity, professionalism and experience. The firm’s attorneys provide superior legal consultation in a variety of practice areas, ranging from Business & Corporate Law to Healthcare Law, Personal Injury to Estate Planning, and all types of Litigation. The attorneys of Chehardy Sherman Williams Law Firm strongly believe in the community and choose to give back by serving in charitable groups and educational institutions, on various councils and as regional leaders. They believe that giving back provides opportunities to become even more aware of the area’s assets and growth, effectively enriching their lives and providing needed services, assistance and encouragement to others. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Having litigators like James Williams, George Recile and Fred Herman as part of our litigation team has given Chehardy Sherman Williams national recognition as a top-tier litigation law firm. However, a significant number of our 58 attorneys practice non-litigation, “transactional law.” In the early stages of the pandemic, it became apparent that businesses would have numerous issues with government regulations and stay-at-home orders and the different types of government relief programs, including the CARES Act and various SBA loan programs. Therefore, we immediately created teams to focus on the issues facing our business clients.

Our attorneys have done their best to become experts in the ways the stay-at-home orders and PPP loans affect businesses. We have been proactively communicating with our business clients, keeping them up to date on a myriad of COVID-19 related issues through regular email newsletters. A large percentage of our business clients are healthcare providers and members of the tourism industry. Our attorneys had to become quickly educated regarding COVID-19 issues in those sectors. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? The Greater Metropolitan New Orleans Area is blessed with many excellent law firms. Recognizing this, Chehardy Sherman Williams has tried to distinguish itself by providing superior client service. The foundation of our client service during this unprecedented time was our willingness to meet with clients anytime and anywhere. We pride ourselves on being available 24/7 and offering to go to our clients rather than have them come to our office. We have always believed so strongly in face-to-face meetings, but during this time, we have learned to embrace web meetings and video conferencing. The pandemic has taught us that remote meetings utilizing the web and video conferencing can be equally effective, when necessary. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? Chehardy Sherman Williams believes that even as our community opens back up, COVID-19 issues will continue to affect our clients for a prolonged period of time. We believe that many clients will want to continue utilizing remote meetings as opposed to face-to-face, whenever remote meetings will be as effective, because they are perceived as safer, convenient and more economical. Internally, we are considering leasing additional space to enhance social distancing by our clients, attorneys and staff. Most attorneys I know believed, as did I, that the practice of law could not be accomplished remotely. The pandemic has taught us that while face-to-face interaction is still critical, there are many instances where remote interaction is just as effective, and if that is the only way to serve our clients, we will embrace it.

FROM LEFT: JAMES M. WILLIAMS, LAWRENCE E. CHEHARDY AND DAVID R. SHERMAN

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We pride ourselves on being available 24/7.

DAVID R. SHERMAN Partner

CHEHARDY SHERMAN WILLIAMS, L.L.P. 1 GALLERIA BLVD., SUITE 1100 • METAIRIE, LA 70001 • (504) 833-5600 • CHEHARDY.COM

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DMG Design+Build Puts the Customer First No matter the circumstances, the company prioritizes innovation and relationships

“ TH E CUSTOM ER ’ S CONTR A CTOR ” I S A L A BEL

DMG Design+Build has worked hard to earn. Ryan McCroskey, the company’s founder, saw a need for what he describes as a single place where a team of professionals can take a client’s vision from conception to completion under one roof in the Greater New Orleans area. DMG Design+Build has been an award-winning company year after year. In 2019 alone, the team garnered several notable honors and distinctions, including: placement in the Remodeling 550 and Qualified Remodeler Top 500, as well as being named General Contractor Magazine’s #1 pick for kitchen remodeling and an Inc 5000 fastestgrowing company. DMG has received two prestigious Chrysalis awards, and Ryan McCroskey has been recognized in PRO Remodelers’ 40 under 40. Even though 2020 is off to a rocky start for businesses worldwide, this team continues to push forward with new and exciting ideas to embrace the social and economic changes. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? We are launching a new division of DMG Design+Build called 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs. This new division is proving to be a hit amongst first-time home buyers and investors alike, but with people watching their money more closely during COVID-19, we want them to take advantage of this opportunity to achieve their goals. DMG’s 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs benefits the clients who want to build a home that fits their family and lifestyle while saving time

and money. We will have 11 plans for clients to choose from. It also allows those same clients to focus their attention and budget on customizing their chosen plan by working with our Designer to hand-pick the selections, materials, and finishes. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? One of the tools we use to accomplish successful communication is with our cloud-based Client Portal. The Client Portal is utilized throughout the entire project. This form of communication provides transparency between the client and DMG Design+Build with milestone logs during development of the project and daily logs once production is underway. The convenience of monitoring your vision come to life every step of the way could not be simpler, with 24/7 online access. Our Client Portal has allowed us to provide updates and communicate with our clients while social distancing. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? We are known for custom design, home construction and remodeling but we expect to see a continued move with our 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs whereby we may add more semicustom options. Our 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs allow a client to choose a plan that meets their expectations from our library of designs. As the home builder, we work with our client to customize the home’s selections, materials, and finishes. Our 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs offer clients the best of both worlds. They are able to achieve the vision for their new home without the timely investment to fully customize it. Since you are not beginning from scratch, there is both time and money saved. DMG’s core values remain the same: Through communication, build not just quality projects but quality relationships; Achieve excellence through teamwork; Honesty and accountability. We believe this new division will prove to be a much-needed benefit to our community. At the end of the day, the goal is to build the home you have always envisioned for you and your family. The home where holidays are celebrated with your family. The home where memories will continue for generations to come. The home where every detail is uniquely you.

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11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs is proving to be a hit amongst first-time home buyers and investors alike

”

RYAN MCCROSKEY, CEO

DMG DESIGN+BUILD 2345 METAIRIE RD. • METAIRIE, LA 70001 • (504) 275-6664 • DMGNOLA.COM

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A Polish is Worth a Thousand Words For Marion AlejosPuente, inspiration knows no borders

NE W O R L E A NS BA S E D A ND L AT I NA - O W NE D,

Passport Polish was born from founder and owner Marion Alejos-Puente’s love for both travel and nail polish. Each handmade product is inspired by a different country, and AlejosPuente determines the exact colors and shades by identifying a unique aspect of the polish’s namesake: everything from flags and national flowers to local agriculture have been represented in her extensive line. She’s constantly inspired by new cultures, cuisines and experiences and has traveled to 13 countries on her quest to find her next source of inspiration. Passport Polish is certified by Leaping Bunny cruelty-free standards, as Alejos-Puente carefully creates her ten-free, vegan polishes without formaldehyde, toluene, camphor or other harmful materials. As her business grows, she’s passionate about remaining environmentally and socially conscious, which led her to create a small business grant at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. It’s all part of an effort, she says, to keep our communities vibrant. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? When the news of the state shutdowns began, I thought my business was over with. I sell handmade nail polish. Who is going to want that during a crisis? However, with nail salons being shut down, my business began to thrive. I recently started to offer press on nails, and those took off immediately! I then shifted my strategy to offer nail kits with easy-to-follow

instructions for sizing and application so that people could do their own nails at home. It is a form of self-care and a tiny piece of normalcy for my customers during these uncertain times. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? A major lesson I have learned throughout this has been that you should always be ready to change your strategy at the drop of a hat. My initial plans for Spring 2020 were to expand to a full range cosmetic brand offering a wide variety of products. These last two months, I instead have spent most of my time making press on nails more than anything, and I have really enjoyed it! I know each set is going to bring some comfort to the customer it is being made for. A product that didn’t even account for much of my sales before has become a brand new baby that I have enjoyed watching grow. As far as new technology, I have done one-on-one Zoom tutorials with customers to teach them about nail care and give tips on making their nails last. I will also admit that I joined Tik Tok (like every other 30-something year old) to connect to a bigger audience (the kids are hilarious, too!) What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? Passport Polish started in my parent’s dining room, so I was familiar with working from home; however, meetings with my vendors and customers are now all on Zoom. Product photoshoots are also home based now. I do a series of backyard photoshoots to display current items for sale, and I post more videos of myself on social media announcing any updates. I usually like to display my work and not myself, so having more of an online presence has been a major shift, but I am happy to discuss my company! Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? I do expect my business to shift once nail salons open back up. I will go back to B2B sales with nail salons and then expand my cosmetic line. My hope is the customers I gained during this time will stick with us to see the new products that we have to offer!

MARION ALEJOS-PUENTE, OWNER OF PASSPORT POLISH

“ ”

...you should always be ready to change your strategy at the drop of a hat.

MARION ALEJOS-PUENTE Owner

PASSPORT POLISH CUSTOMERSERVICE@PASSPORTPOLISH.COM • INSTAGRAM @THEPASSPORTPOLISH • PASSPORTPOLISH.COM

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

JUNE 2020

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I N F O R M AT I O N T E C H N O LO G Y

Maintaining Secure Connections In times of disaster, RentA-Nerd, Inc. stresses the importance of cyber security

DAR R IN PIOTR OWSKI FOUNDED R ENT-A-NER D, INC. in 1997, hoping to provide New Orleans with access to a network of knowledgeable and honest computer technicians. The business was born out of his one-bedroom apartment, but within a few years had grown to include a physical storefront and several employees. Even after Hurricane Katrina, Rent-A-Nerd, Inc. quickly resumed operations and helped residents restore their technological needs as they returned to the city. Thrice named Top Information Technology Company by New Orleans CityBusiness, the Nerds are no strangers to enduring and overcoming periods of crisis, and Piotrowski has a few essential tips for business leaders shifting operations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Initially, we stayed busy helping our clients transition to working remotely. We are now back to providing local businesses with all their technology needs. We have also spent this time focusing on self-improvement, doing everything from attending virtual classes and webinars to studying and taking tests for new certifications. We are fully staffed and eager to help other local businesses return to their full capacity as well. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? We continued with our weekly staff meetings, though now they are held remotely via Microsoft Teams. We take this opportunity to share our

“wins” for the week and then discuss any issues, make announcements and problem solve. I added a weekly catch up meeting on Friday afternoons, which are less focused on work. We talk about what we are cooking and any new (or resurrected) hobbies. In a way, sharing our personal lives has made us an even closer-knit group. What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? As a technology company, we had an advantage, as we simply brought our laptops, monitors and desk phones home with us, and not much has changed in terms of how we do our work. Yes, we literally took the phones off of our desks—we use a VoIP (voice over IP) system, which has many useful features, like allowing us to replicate our office configuration remotely. Because technology is so important to all businesses, I want to stress the importance of protecting your data, both from disasters and cybercrime. Backup and recovery processes are vital, but business continuity — limiting downtime no matter the circumstances — can save businesses from expensive downtime in the event of a disaster. Rather than recovering data, data and access thereto is retained in near real-time. As for cybersecurity, hackers are more active than ever before since they know that people are tied to their computers and smart devices. It’s crucial to have the tools in place to offer protection from attacks, but it’s equally important to train your staff so they don’t open the door to cyber criminals. Your system is only as secure as your least proficient employee. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? With more people working from home, there will be an increased need for cybersecurity in the home. Many residences are using consumer-grade firewalls which are not effective versus cyber threats. Also in the home, there are many devices with low security measures in place connected to the same network as your office computer such as TVs, lightbulbs, cameras, etc. Prior to COVID-19, there was already an awareness for better cybersecurity in a business. The home is now an extension of the office and will need to have the same protections in place.

DARRIN PIOTROWSKI, PRESIDENT

“

The home is now an extension of the office and will need to have the same protections in place.

”

DARRIN PIOTROWSKI

President

RENT-A-NERD, INC. 2200 TULANE AVE #302 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70119 • (504) 454-6373 • RENT-A-NERD.NET

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Meet Adversity with Action Change is inevitable. The decision is yours to not only survive, but to thrive

S O C I A L D I S TA N C I N G P R OTO CO L S H A V E

presented an unprecedented disruption to businesses worldwide, but for The Stewart Lodges and countless others, it’s meant operations have been at a complete stop. The company prides itself on granting businesses a refuge from their busy lives in a setting that earns top marks for rest, relaxation, connection and contemplation. They’re just as eager to open their doors as much as businesses are ready to check in — but before they do, President & CEO Jennie Campbell is set on doing things the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons. To do so, she’s using her years of hard-earned experience and wisdom to inform her every decision. Ar e ther e any lessons y ou hav e lear ned? Both as business owners and individuals, we are always faced with challenges and adversity. Over the last 30 years, I’ve overcome both personal and professional adversities that initially made me feel hopeless and afraid of the future. Inadvertently, each incident left me with the wisdom and the guidance on how to handle lifechanging decisions and situations. Right now, the best way to move forward is to shift to our analytical minds and simplify the information around us. This is a time for business owners to reposition themselves to streamline their expenses and make decisions on the infrastructure of their organizations. It’s a time for spending with intent and purpose. Most importantly, it’s a time for being honest with yourselves about any obstacles that lie ahead and communicating openly and

honestly with your employees, clients, potential customers and stakeholders. How hav e y ou maintained a sense of company cult ur e? Our company culture has always been built around a core of trust and integrity. Business is people, and people are business. At the end of the day, the two will always be linked. As a company, we have continued to invest in our people. Whether you’re a business leader or an employee facing adversity, you have the opportunity to rise to the top by having solid integrity. That means doing what you need to do and should do before what you want to do — and doing it when no one is watching. For our company, that means showing up for ourselves and each other, whether or not we’re together in one room. This has been a time for strengthening our relationships by working together. As a business leader, go the extra mile and give your services back to your employees and the community, especially in areas of need. Show appreciation on all levels. Show patience and kindness in conjunction with strong decisions and leadership. Do y ou ant icipate y our business w ill change in any w ay when the communit y opens back up? If so, how ? Information is power. In this unprecedented situation, it becomes crucial for business owners to constantly evaluate, analyze and act based on the information available in their respective areas. As we reopen, do we see a correlation between business activity and the amount of COVID-19 cases, and if so, is that relationship positive or negative? Depending on what the numbers tell us and how our communities are impacted, we have to be willing to pivot our strategies. Anticipate that business will change — but do we know how? We can decide right now, definitively, that we will make the most socially responsible decision for both our employees and our clients. We can’t be paralyzed by fear of the unknown. We can, however, balance the impact of managing and mitigating the disease against economic viability until a vaccine is developed, implemented and tested. Moving forward for us is about looking, learning and making responsible decisions accordingly.

JENNIE M. CAMPBELL, CMP, CMM, PMP PRESIDENT / CEO STEWART STEELWOOD INVESTMENTS, DBA “THE STEWART LODGES”

“

Right now, the best way to move forward is to shift to our analytical minds and simplify the information around us.

”

JENNIE CAMPBELL, CEO & President

STEWART LODGES AT STEELWOOD 32311 WATERVIEW DRIVE EAST • LOXLEY, AL. 36551 • (251) 602-1300 • STEWARTSTEELWOOD.COM 44

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

JUNE 2020

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N O N P R O F I T O R G A N I ZAT I O N

See a Need, Make a Change United Way continues to focus on supporting vulnerable communities

UNI TED WAY OF SOUTHEAST LOUI SI ANA,

founded in 1924, is built upon a model to identify, assess and monitor the needs of our region. The nonprofit then funds programs, supports collaborations, convenes experts, advocates for change and fosters new and needed community services to address issues related to its mission, eradicating poverty. United Way works tirelessly to provide access to quality health and human services throughout its seven-parish service area and measures results to ensure an impactful and meaningful difference is made. As our communities adjust to life with COVID-19, that unwavering mission is more important than ever. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? COVID-19 has affected low-income households more than any. United Way’s mission is focused on eradicating poverty, so, in the immediate, we’ve increased our efforts to help families become more financially stable. The ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report, a study of financial hardship we began funding before the current situation even began, tells us one in two households were struggling to make ends meet pre-COVID-19, and those numbers are going up dramatically now. Hospitality workers represent a large portion of the demographic within ALICE population, so we immediately refocused our efforts to launch the Hospitality Cares Pandemic Response Fund and raised over $2 million in a matter of weeks. We pivoted to offering emergency assistance to struggling hospitality workers through the fund, and we’re on track to help more than 4,200 hospitality workers with one-time $500 emergency crisis grants. The fund is just one example of how we didn’t pause for a

minute. In light of everything, it’s been gratifying to know how quickly we can play a significant role in helping the families who need it most. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? When something of this scale and magnitude happens, we know ALICE households are already one check away from a crisis. This crisis reminded us our work is focused on the right issue, but we always have to be prepared to move immediately into relief, and ultimately, long-term recovery mode. We, like so many others, have jumped head first into collaboration through the Zoom universe. Our team switched into crisis response, which often requires a 24/7 work ethic, and looked for ways in which we could shift to continue to provide support to the community while following social distancing measures. For example, we rolled out a weekly financial education series through Zoom and Facebook live, developed innovative data storage procedures to help manage our child care provider assistance program, and transitioned our Kay Fennelly Summer Literacy Institute to an entirely virtual footprint to continue to offer much-needed supports to summer camp providers. As we transition into long-term recovery, we have plans to introduce additional virtual resources to individuals and families to support their health and educational needs. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? We’re an impact business that thrives on relationships: our staff spends a lot of time connecting personally with the campaigns they manage and partners we serve. That’s a big question mark for us now. People are craving those connections, but the rules and guidelines will be different. Fundraising, community impact work, and advocacy will change, and a lot of nonprofits like us will be thinking of more efficient and cost effective ways of doing things. We always have, but now in a different way. There are a ton of questions, but what we’re really focused on is staying on mission and on message. Regardless of what changes in the community, we are always ready to continue to generate an enormous amount of impact, virtually or otherwise, with each and every dollar we raise. The bottom line is; United Way is built for long-term recovery. We’ve been in existence for 95 years and will be around for 95 more years. The community can rest assured that our United Way is certainly up for the challenge of COVID-19 and is focused on what we can do to accelerate our recovery.

UWSELA PRESIDENT AND CEO, MICHAEL WILLIAMSON, PREPARES MEAL KITS FOR DELIVERY TO HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULTS AND INDIVIDUALS

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The community can rest assured that our United Way is certainly up for the challenge of COVID-19 and is focused on what we can do to accelerate our recovery.

”

MICHAEL WILLIAMSON President and CEO

UNITED WAY OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA 2515 CANAL STREET • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70119 • (504) 822-5540 • UNITEDWAYSELA.ORG BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

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Stretch, Strengthen, Live, Thrive High-level executive work doesn’t have to come with a physical cost

EX CEL L I NG AT ANY R OL E R EQUI R ES DEDI CATI ON

of the mind and spirit, but for executives who spend more than half of their days sitting hunched over a desk or keyboard, excellence can also take a physical toll. Recognizing the long-term effects that muscle imbalances and dysfunction could have not only on himself, but also on his peers and their employees, Matt Peale founded Athlete in the Game of Life, a customized program that that helps executives executives improve their health and quality of life. It’s not a weight loss program or sports performance training: instead, Athlete in the Game of Life enables participants to create healthy habits that will immediately benefit their range of motion and will stimulate neuroplasticity during the aging process. During the onset of COVID-19 and related stay-at-home orders, Peale’s program became more relevant than ever, as more and more people struggled to remain physically active while confined to their homes. Luckily, Peale was ready to adapt and make the most of the unexpected opportunity, allowing him to both expand his clientele and to help more professionals avoid the pains that come with extended work hours. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Athlete in the Game of Life was started partly as a response to the new environment of working from home on video conference calls. Business owners, executives and professionals were forced to transition into this new format of meetings, presentations and communications with their staff while running their companies. I saw an opportunity to provide a solution to pains in a person’s hips, lower

back, shoulders and neck caused by sitting for long hours. Staying constantly connected in your living room brings a whole new set of problems to life. You can’t truly ‘clock out’ and leave. By creating an online coaching program to work with successful executives and professionals on pain reduction and prevention, these people can work more effectively in their demanding careers. What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? My usual method of working with clients is hands-on and face-to-face in a health club or gym. It’s been that way in the fitness industry forever. Only seeing someone through a screen and not having close contact is unusual for fitness sessions. An entrepreneur sees opportunity within a challenge and takes advantage of it. Now, I use this new platform to expand the number of clients I can make a positive impact on. I’m genuinely excited for this new venture and process in changing the lives of some of the most well-respected executives and professionals across New Orleans, Louisiana, and the nation. People overall are more open to video communications than ever before. As in other previous crises, the businesses and entrepreneurs who can pivot the fastest are the ones who become the leaders and trendsetters. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? An enhanced service level in my coaching program, Compete as an Athlete in the Game of Life, is to meet a few times in a year in small group settings. Being isolated and stuck behind a camera becomes stale for humans, and we crave face-to-face interaction. Having this option for those that seek a more VIP experience as we reopen adds more value to what the program already brings solely online. Having multiple options on how to interact and get the best results creates more opportunity and excitement for clients looking for that exclusive niche. I anticipate having all the options levels full by the end of summer. It starts with an online community of successful executives and professionals wanting a higher quality of life.

“ ”

An entrepreneur sees opportunity within a challenge and takes advantage of it.

MATT PEALE Founder

Your pain and productiv ity are my concerns. Go to mattpeale.com today, and receive your free report, 3 Tips to Reduce Back Pain Your Doctor Doesn’t Know, guaranteed to help you overcome the pain of long hours sitting at your computer.

ATHLETE IN THE GAME OF LIFE (985) 377-9892 • ATHLETEINTHEGAMEOFLIFE@GMAIL.COM • MATTPEALE.COM 42

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

JULY 2020

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Care at a Distance In times of need, healthcare providers are finding new ways to support patients

W I T H F O U R L O CAT I O N S A CR O S S T H E S TAT E ,

InclusivCare is built on the principle of providing excellent healthcare for all, a mission made all the more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing primary medical services to underserved and low-income families became more essential than ever, and for guidance on how to assess and act, InclusivCare relied on its own core values: excellence, integrity, professionalism, diversity and teamwork. By embracing new and emerging technologies and relying on the tenacity and diligence of their care team, InclusivCare was able to not only continue service but to expand their reach and accessibility with long-term measures. The situation might have been unexpected and unprecedented, but Dr. Shondra Williams, CEO of InclusivCare, made sure that she and her team met this new challenge head-on. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? InclusivCare has never closed its doors for business since the pandemic began and has made several pivots. We mobilized quickly since many of our patients could be impacted, and we responded to their needs. Patients were concerned about access to information, so we developed a hotline that remains in place today for direct access to information. Patients were concerned about access to testing, and hence, weekly testing drives were erected and are still happening today. Patients were concerned about maintaining their healthcare but were afraid to come out; hence, we pivoted to telemedicine during week two of the pandemic. All of these measures allowed us to engage with our patients and the community to foster safety and to address exposure. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? We learned that our team was fit to handle a crisis. They responded with compassion, unity and

dedication. Our Board and Management Team developed policies that were employee-centered even before the CARES Act. We remained engaged with our team members and provided lots of information to ease their fears. We embraced telemedicine and mobilized the entire team to embrace the new way of serving patients. The next charge was to get patients used to seeing their doctors virtually. For some, it was and still is a challenge. Telemedicine is here to stay, and we are now getting our patients adapted to taking their vital signs at home. This is the wave of the future in healthcare. How hav e you maintained a sense of company culture? Company culture is a full-time responsibility with a lot of intentionality. We don’t let up. We live our core values daily, and that consequently allows our team members to adapt even in a crisis. We treat our employees well. We listen to them, and we give them a voice. They are our healthcare heroes. Communication is also critically important, especially as the pandemic presented different and often unpredictable circumstances. With a committed team, we have not experienced any negative impacts in terms of operational efficiencies. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? We have opened a new in-house pharmacy that will deliver high-quality and affordable medications right to the home. We are redesigning to avoid waiting rooms, incorporating touchless devices, and reducing fixtures and décor that can be cumbersome with maintaining infection control. We are stocking up on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and engaging new vendors who are reliable in a crisis. We are expecting to see patients in the clinics as required for direct observation and care in addition to telemedicine. We are finding that scheduling challenges are lessened with telemedicine, as patients are more apt to keep their appointments. We are anticipating that not only will COVID-19 testing be crucial for vulnerable communities, but we are also gearing up for vaccination once available. We continue to find ways to collaborate with our partners and are even identifying new partners. We are here for our patients. We will meet their needs no matter what. In fact, it’s our goal to become even better than we were before.

DR. SHONDRA WILLIAMS, CEO

“ ”

It’s our goal is to become even better than we were before.

DR. SHONDRA WILLIAMS CEO

INCLUSIVCARE CORPORATE OFFICE, 4028 US HWY 90, AVONDALE, LA 70094 • (504) 341-4006 • INCLUSIVCARE.COM BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

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ADVERTISING & D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G

A Perfect Pivot JB Communications creates website to support local-owned businesses

DUR I NG THE 25 YEARS THAT JB COMMUNI CATI ONS

has been in operation, JBC has helped countless local, out-of-state, and national clients improve their efficiency, visibility, and branding. Jacquie Bonano and her team offer integrated marketing, creative content, digital marketing, public relations, and web design services as prime mechanisms to help companies tell their unique stories, further positioning clients in the public eye and ensuring their long-term sustainability and growth. As they guided their clients through the murky marketing waters of COVID-19, they realized that there was more that they could do to help provide all local businesses with resources that support their Public Relations Crisis Management Plans and brand visibility. JB Communications is launching ShopLocalNOLA.com, an innovative, free database of verified local-owned businesses in the Greater New Orleans area. Their goal is to aid locally owned businesses in their recovery efforts with a free verified listing. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Our focus has always been on supporting businesses that need guidance while strengthening their brand and improving their visibility. Our digital portfolio has grown during this shutdown. We wanted to take it a step further to do our part to help the local economy by using what we know about our industry to create ShopLocalNOLA.com, a comprehensive directory that will help shoppers identify locally owned businesses in an easily navigable format. One of the things we worked really hard to accomplish during COVID-19, was keeping our clients visible through search engines, social media, and local resources. During our

research, we discovered that it is not easy to find an extensive list of verified locally owned businesses to patronize in the Greater New Orleans area. During times of crisis, it is imperative that businesses have more resources at their disposal to stay visible in the public eye. ShopLocalNOLA.com launched with over 1,000 listings, and local owned businesses can claim or add their listing for free. Are there any lessons you have learned? Many of the important lessons we learned during Katrina were useful for JB Communications and our clients as we navigated COVID-19. When the state governments began to announce closures, we went into overdrive and contacted our client base to assist with their communications and crisis plans. The most successful clients were those who had a predetermined Public Relations Crisis Management Plan in place beforehand. These clients were those who prioritized their digital presence, social media, and access to predetermined communication channels. This strategy includes making sure customer lists are updated and easily accessible. Those who did not plan ahead inevitably ran into roadblocks with internal and public communication. Disorganization, as we’ve observed, can be crippling to a business that is unprepared for the worst. The crisis has opened a lot of business owner’s eyes and has given us the opportunity to refine the crisis management plans and digital assets for clients who did not initially make it a priority. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? Since our inception, JB Communications has stayed ahead of the curve with modern marketing advancements. We started when traditional media was the primary means of business promotion and adapted as the marketing industry expanded tremendously by way of digital marketing. ShopLocalNOLA.com is a product of this knowledge and passion for advanced marketing. Our team had the ability and tools to create a resource that everyone can use during and after the reopening of the Greater New Orleans area. Shopping local is going to be so important to the recovery of our local economy, and we are so excited about the opportunity to support our local-owned businesses by developing a free, comprehensive directory. For us, the takeaway is that if you see a need for change in your industry, it is entirely possible to help implement that change. All you need is a little creativity and a lot of elbow grease.

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Shopping local is going to be so important to the recovery of our local economy.

”

JACQUIE BONANO Owner

JB COMMUNICATIONS 3331 SEVERN AVE., SUITE 204 • METAIRIE, LA 70002 • (504) 644-6288 • JBCOMMUNICATIONS.NET • SHOPLOCALNOLA.COM

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R E A L E STAT E

Closing the Digital Deal An industry built on in-person interactions embraces technological change

I NV ESTI NG I N COM M ER CI AL R EAL ESTATE I S ONE

of the most important decisions a company can make, which is why RE/MAX Commercial Brokers, Inc. is dedicated to helping clients navigate the process with the finest brokerage services and expertise available. Whether selling/purchasing or leasing a property, clients have turned to and trusted RE/MAX agents for their timely, responsive and professional service. The coronavirus pandemic left virtually no industry untouched, but the real estate business faced a unique set of challenges. How do you show and sell a property when you can’t see a client face to face? For RE/ MAX Commercial, the answer was to embrace their existing culture of sharing and learning and, in doing so, pushing themselves and their industry to become stronger than ever before. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? Necessity is the mother of invention. As an industry, real estate is not necessarily the first to adopt a change, and we tend to go with the times. This situation forced us to adapt more quickly, and every step of our process has been pushed into automation. There are three parts to the commercial real estate process. First, there’s Interest, which is the process of the client collecting information on the property. This is followed by Inspection, which is when the client wants to see and tour the property. Finally, there’s Investment, which is solidifying and closing the deal. On all three aspects, we learned we have to find a way to get the customer “in the space” without physically walking them inside. There were already some existing technologies and

there’s even more innovation now, which has necessitated the change from, “This tech might be nice to have,” to, “This is a must-have.” That includes technology like drone photography, high-end photography of floor plans and 3D walkthroughs. They’ve just become exponentially more important. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? Actually, we are communicating now more than ever. We previously had a monthly company-wide meeting that has become weekly. Those informal meetings that happen in the hallway aren’t possible anymore, so those conversations had to be restructured. The interesting thing is that the physical separation didn’t stop the need to communicate, and it all comes back to adaptation. The industry changed, so we changed as quickly as we could, too. Our profession was deemed essential in the CARES Act and we kept our offices open and tried to stagger employee time, we bought additional laptops and equipment, and we set up remote access to computers. Our staff and agents reacted as positively as possible and kept moving toward the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve been extremely fortunate with our agents and staff, and I’m extremely proud of how they took on the task. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? We are a “traditional” company that values the importance of giving personalized, face-to-face experiences while embracing technological and industry advancements. During COVID-19, we had the opportunity to embrace technology that drastically improves the user experience. These technical and virtual enhancements are post COVID-19 assets that are already making the commercial real estate leasing and buying process quicker and more convenient. It has forced the hands of the real estate community to explore opportunities that were not previously in our immediate focus. The catalyst, for me, was a telemedicine visit I attended early in the pandemic. It was eye-opening to watch the efficient and straightforward process. Virtual touring makes it easier to receive and distribute information and has streamlined the process for owners, sellers, brokers, and clients. We anticipate that there will be a lasting, positive impact from the technological transition that will make the process easier for all involved.

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We are a “traditional” company that values the importance of giving personalized, face-toface experiences while embracing technological and industry advancements.

”

RICHARD JUGE, CCIM, SIOR Owner

RE/MAX COMMERCIAL BROKERS 3331 SEVERN AVENUE SUITE 200 • METAIRIE, LA 70002 • (504) 838-0001 • NOLACOMMERCIAL.COM BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

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H E A LT H C A R E

Patient-Centered Excellence Continuous commitment to provide safe, high quality care delivered with compassion

THI BODAUX R EGI ONAL HEALTH SY STEM I S THE

most preferred and trusted health care provider in the Bayou Region. Their patient-centered approach puts your care and safety first. They are continuously increasing the scope of services they provide, investing in state-of-the-art buildings and facilities, and providing the latest and safest medical technologies. From cancer care and heart care to sports medicine, rehabilitation, and much more, Thibodaux Regional’s award-winning care sets the standard for care, patient experience, innovative wellness services, community involvement and outreach. While COVID-19 presented a wide range of challenges to hospitals and care providers worldwide, Thibodaux Regional once again demonstrated the focus, care and compassion that have earned them numerous awards and honors, in addition to establishing them as one of the most renowned healthcare providers in Louisiana.

In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Our staff and care providers are continuously engaged, and all leaders are focused on both shortterm and long-term planning. We have continued recruitment of key physician specialties to meet the healthcare needs of the region, and also pushed for continuation of construction, so we’ve been able to make significant progress on building our four-story Cancer Institute. Additionally, we instituted leadership in several key areas of our organization to help us continue operating effectively and efficiently. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? We’ve learned that certain organizational initiatives that we have implemented in the past have

prepared our entire organization to perform well in unexpected situations, like pandemics or other disasters. Also, we learned that expertise (24/7) can be brought to support your experience. As for technology, we’ve embraced telehealth, which has emerged as a sound means of connecting and communicating with patients. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? We’ve maintained our culture by remaining calm, focused and reassuring. Many of our team members worked long hours, and cooperation amongst the staff was exemplary. Providing positive feedback has been essential for showing our appreciation for our staff and frontline workers. We placed positive signage throughout our hospital facilities and videoed messages of gratitude and support. We’ve tried our best to recognize the efforts and impact of our staff however we can, through gestures as simple as providing snacks and distributing thank you notes. Overall, continuous communication with all team members has been key. Communication has been extensive and ongoing to ease the concerns of our team members and keep them informed. We’re utilizing many different methods such as Zoom meetings and social media. We’ve also established a feedback mechanism for staff to easily ask questions and offer suggestions. We’re staying connected to the community as well by proactively keeping them informed. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? We certainly expect changes as we adjust to a new normal. Although we can’t know for sure what those changes will be, we are confident that we will be able to adapt. The volume of patients and the number of people utilizing our Wellness Center and Fitness Center may change. Some patients may still have inhibitions and concerns over visiting COVID-19 “places” like hospitals. Protocols and procedures will change as we continue to prioritize the safety of our patients and staff while maintaining our standard of excellence. We know that patients need to receive timely care for underlying illnesses or they may put themselves in a compromising position or at further risk. Moving forward, we will continue to embrace telehealth and remain deliberate and careful in our strategies. Our focus will always be patient-centered excellence.

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Our agility and ability to adapt to disasters or other unprecedented events, such as COVID-19, enables us to remain focused on our mission.

”

GREG STOCK CEO

THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM 602 NORTH ACADIA ROAD • THIBODAUX, LA 70301 • (985) 447-5500 • THIBODAUX.COM 46

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

JULY 2020

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A CCO U N T I N G

Growth and Guidance Embracing change can lead to long-term success

FINANCIAL DECISIONS OF ANY MAGNITUDE

bring with them a series of complex, oftenintimidating questions that can leave anyone feeling unsure and overwhelmed. Shirley “Toni” McCord, CPA, APAC has offered clients peace of mind and trusted expertise for more than 20 years, whether clients own and operate small to midsize businesses or whether they simply need advice on handling household finances. The full-service public accounting firm provides a full range of consulting and advisory services to help clients navigate their most important decisions with ease and efficiency. Such guidance has become even more important as companies and families alike adjust to ever-changing business and financial situations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — so McCord and her team want to make sure that no one has to do it alone. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during Cov id-19? Forward is the only way to go! With tax filings due and clients needing assistance with their PPP applications, our team has been continually working. I fully expect the need for professional guidance will continue as clients tackle the Loan Forgiveness process. Our current business environment is “make or break” for small to mid-sized businesses right now…and we’re here to not only help businesses survive, but also thrive.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture? I believe company culture defines our work environment and our work ethic, especially during challenging times like this. Our services are essential and that makes each of our employees essential. As COVID-19 descended, I had the foresight to see both the needs of our team members and the needs of our clients. Making sure team members were paid so they could take care of their families, adapting to their remote locations so they could continue working, and giving balanced consideration with input from the team as we re-opened for face-toface meetings with clients…every step was created based on our company culture that values employees and clients alike. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? With any disaster, a vibrant and relevant accounting firm must pivot, not only for our on-going success, but as a model for many of the companies we serve. But change must be strategic, well executed and focused on attainable goals that are designed for growth. Embracing change is part of the new way of doing business. While it can be challenging, it can also cultivate answers to questions we haven’t even asked yet. It should add up to success and happiness for everyone including our employees, our existing clients and our future clients. I choose to be optimistic.

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: LESLEY-ANNE FRANKLIN; TERRY VIAL; TONI MCCORD, CPA; CHERYL MCGOVERN; BABETTE GRIFFIN; MELANIE FERGUSON

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We’re here to not only help businesses survive, but also thrive. SHIRLEY “TONI” MCCORD

SHIRLEY “ TONI” MCCORD, CPA, APAC 2908 HESSMER AVE. • METAIRIE, LA 70002 • (504) 888-8333 • TONIMCCORDCPA.COM BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

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LAW

Finding Power in Perspective The importance of staying focused and “reading the Zoom”

WHEN MI CHELLE D. CR AI G FOUNDED

Transcendent Law Group in 2014, she did so with a mission to provide the knowledge and expertise of a large law firm on a smaller, more personal scale. With innovation, flexibility and diversity, Michelle and her team have successfully helped small and medium-sized companies throughout the Gulf South Region solve complex problems with creative, high-level solutions. Transcendent’s leadership is experienced with am-law firms, trained in project management, and is armed with the tools to efficiently and effectively attack a problem from a legal and business perspective. The unique environment Michelle established from Transcendent’s early days left them prepared and poised for immediate action when COVID-19 interrupted day-to-day operations. In that way, Transcendent has served to not only counsel their clients through difficult and unprecedented decisions, but it has also become a shining example of how embracing modern business practices can yield outstanding results. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Transcendent has always been on the cutting edge of law firms. We pride ourselves on being modernized, and we’ve always had a flexible work environment. That has helped us to continue communicating seamlessly with clients without any break in service. Because we deal primarily with general counsel and labor and employment services, we’ve had a lot of questions about new laws and how they relate to business: questions about PPP, unemployment issues, return to work

issues, and liabilities associated with returning to work. So, we’ve been an asset to our clients by helping them navigate these new and tricky topics. There’s no rule book out there telling you what to do when there’s a pandemic, so we help with advising on safety in the office and employee concerns. We’re already capable of working in this manner, and we help our clients thrive by giving them the support and partnership they need to do the same. Are there any lessons you have learned? Every business is in varying phases of being able to go remote. A part of the service we provide is not only giving clients advice about employee relationships and litigation matters, but also giving them advice about what needs to happen next in the business to stay in the game. Some employers want this digital shift to be temporary. The first question should be: why? If employees are being productive and getting the job done, and you trust them to do so, why not implement a new model for the company that may be better for you long term? This can even help employers reduce overhead costs associated with office spaces. I’ve definitely learned that my role as a business partner involves helping clients push through these types of questions and find creative solutions. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? Regardless of where we are, Transcendent has always put people first. I never go into a conversation, whether it’s with my employees, assistants or lawyers, without saying, “How are you? Are things okay?” I make sure to read the room, so to speak, only now it’s reading the Zoom. The fact is that this is a hard situation not just because of the remote nature, but because we are in a pandemic, and there’s unrest in the nation over issues that must be addressed. All those things are going on at the same time and it is mentally and emotionally taxing for everyone. Our company culture has always been to take care of one another, pick up each other’s slack and give each other the space and time we need to be the best version of ourselves. We stay connected and keep each other on track. People also stagger going into the office, so if somebody needs or wants to go in, we make sure everyone has the space they need to get the job done safely. I want everyone to take care of themselves, live the flexible life they want to live while getting exceptional work done for the clients we serve.

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: LIUTING CHEN, RUBI BROWN, RICHARD MONTGOMERY, DANIELLE PATRICE PAYNE, MICHELLE CRAIG - FOUNDER AND MANAGING ATTORNEY PHOTO CREDIT: EZZIE SMITH, PROTOCOL PHOTOGRAPHY @EZZIESPROTOCOL

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There’s no rule book out there telling you what to do when there’s a pandemic. MICHELLE CRAIG Founder and Managing Attorney

TRANSCENDENT LAW GROUP 1441 CANAL STREET, SUITE 317 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112 • (504) 459-4557 • WWW.TLG.LAW 48

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

JULY 2020

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NONPROFIT

Making a Difference, Even at a Distance YEP continues to provide education, mentoring and job training to local youth

I M AGI NE A COM M UNI TY WHER E EV ER Y CHI L D HAS

access to the opportunities, education, mentoring and skills necessary to achieve their goals and reach their potential. Youth Empowerment Project works to make that world a reality. Since 2004, YEP has led local efforts to provide youth with the support and resources they need to strengthen their family and community ties and, ultimately, to help them actualize the full scope of their abilities. Now more than ever, that mission has become even more important, as the disparities that vulnerable youth face every day are heightened by the current coronavirus outbreak. And while they may have to adjust their approach, YEP remains steadfast in its drive and commitment to creating a better world for young people everywhere. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Youth Empowerment Project engages young people through community-based education, mentoring, employment readiness and enrichment programs. In these extraordinary times, we have adjusted our service delivery and operating procedures in order to respond to the pandemic. We have three priorities: protecting our participants and staff, continuing to provide essential services to the most vulnerable youth and families in our community, and ensuring organizational continuity. We are currently coordinating home internet access and online high school equivalency instruction for our students. Our instructors are offering online classes each week. Our staff mentors are providing phone and video mentoring services for each of their mentees. Enrichment staff will be offering two four-week virtual camp

sessions via Zoom, and our workforce development staff are connecting out-of-work youth to companies that are currently hiring. In addition to remote programming, our staff have been putting together individualized care packages for youth and their families since stay at home orders went into effect. We have also been helping families apply for critical social services like food stamps and unemployment. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? YEP has a really relationship-based organizational culture. In the office, we’re always checking in with one another. Because we’re a community-based nonprofit, the connections with other staff and with youth participants are really important to us, so the transition to remote work has been difficult for a lot of people. Now, we spend a lot of time on the phone and on Zoom calls. Ensuring that our participants have the technology at home to engage with staff and other youth online has been a really important focus. Many of us take an internet connection and a laptop or iPad for granted, but access has been a real issue for many of our participants. One of the first things we did was put a call out to our partners and supporters to get as many Chromebooks and prepaid hotspots as we could so that we could distribute them to families who didn’t have reliable home internet access. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? The way we operate has changed dramatically over the last couple of months. We quickly shifted to remote work and online service delivery in order to continue to serve our community’s most vulnerable youth and families. We will continue to serve as many of our program participants as possible through online services for as long as necessary and plan to resume in-person services as soon as it is safe to do so. Even after this first wave is past, we know that the social and economic fallout from this event will continue for many months to come. We expect that even more individuals and families will have need of our mentoring, education, employment readiness, and enrichment programming. And we are doing everything we can to ensure that we’re ready to respond and continue to fulfill our core purpose, which is to empower young people to improve their lives and the lives of others.

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We are doing everything we can to fulfill our core purpose, which is to empower young people to improve their lives and the lives of others.

”

DARRIN MCCALL Director of Programs

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (504) 522-1316 • YOUTHEMPOWERMENTPROJECT.ORG BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

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BIZ FORWARD

BUS INE SS E S DI S CUSS TH EIR ROAD TO RECOV E R Y

UNPR ECEDENTED TI M ES CAL L FOR UNPR ECEDENTED M EASUR ES. As our city, our state and the world

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CO N ST R U CT I O N

A People-First Approach Developing strong connections is the best way forward

CO N S T R U C T I O N P R OJ E C T S O F A N Y K I N D

are a major investment, so Mayer Building Company strives to provide reliable, high-quality service and expert guidance from the moment they meet a new client. Their capabilities span all aspects of commercial general contracting, retail construction, historic renovations, design/ build projects and more. The team’s years of collective experience and dedication ensure they can make any customer’s vision a reality on schedule, on budget and with no unexpected surprises along the way. Behind the scenes, Mayer Building Company boasts a supportive, unified work environment, which poised them for continued success even when COVID-19 disrupted traditional methods of meeting, collaborating and building. In the same way they tackle any project, Ryan D. Mayer and his team have set their sights on the future, moving onward and upward as they go. In what w ay s are you thriv ing and pushing for w ard as a business during COVID-19? In the early days of the pandemic, I made a list of goals for both myself and my company to focus on in the event we had downtime. As you can imagine, there was downtime. Among other things, I wanted to seek and obtain a new Mississippi license, OSHA 30 Hour professional certification, publish a couple of trade articles, maintain or try to maintain current staff levels, secure government assistance, increase my bonding capacity, tune up my online presence and newsletters, develop a new sales strategy to fit with the times, make charitable donations (even if minor), and spend most of my time focusing on people, not projects. I’d say the completion rate is at 85-90 percent. The net

result is that these accomplishments not only made me a stronger leader, but also allowed for deeper connections to my stakeholders. How hav e you maintained a sense of company culture? Along with the personal and professional objectives I identified, I asked my staff to cultivate their own goal lists for our company. I’ve also expressed to each and every one of them my gratitude for “sticking it out” with me. Our company culture is based on fairness above most everything, and during trying times, fairness always serves well. Other than that, we have been in the business of expressing gratitude to customers, trying to find out what will be helpful to them and accommodating those requests. Lastly, while the conventional construction technician doesn’t necessarily convey a “picture of health,” times like these helped us pay more attention to regular workaday best practices of hand washing, eating healthier and effectively using PPE. What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote w ork ing? Administratively, we had a smooth transition, but unfortunately, actual construction work cannot be done remotely. We excelled at maintaining CDC guidelines at our job sites, and our work schedules were adjusted for limited crews or trade-by-trade mobilizations. Our owners were apprised of (and appreciated) this adjustment. At one time, we had a person call in with a fever, so we shut down the job for a recommended period, disinfected surfaces with a qualified vendor, re-mobilized and still managed to complete the job to the customer’s satisfaction. I’m particularly proud of how we handled that. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any w ay when the community opens back up? If so, how ? I sure hope so. Change is good! I hope my staff is more tightly woven; I hope my subcontractors and vendors know I appreciate them; I hope my owners and design colleagues get a more robust sense of our customer advocacy. We’ve made some in-house promotions, and we set goals to participate in at least one additional staff volunteer day and one additional team-building day per year. More systematically, we’ve already streamlined our Bid Solicitation program and CRM, and we tuned up IT and online marketing. We hope to find a good, cheap cloud-based project management software by 2021.

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During trying times, fairness always serves well.

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RY AN D. MAYER OWNER

MAYER BUI LDI NG COMPANY 1000 NORTH BROAD STREET • NEW ORLEANS • (504) 315-8423 • MAYERBUILT.COM

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G I F TS & R E TA I L

The Gift of Generosity Bringing people closer, one gift at a time.

W H AT STA R T E D W I T H A S I NG L E H A ND M A D E

fruit basket in 1995 soon blossomed into a thriving business that has shipped custom gift baskets — and lots of love and smiles — all over the world. From client gifts and employee recognition to birthdays and other special occasions, The Basketry’s dedicated team hand selects each item that goes into their specialty gift baskets, ensuring that they arrive with a touch of kindness, a sprinkle of creativity and a burst of magic. The concept is inspired by owner Kristi Brocato’s passion for giving gifts that are simultaneously beautiful, thoughtful and personal to both the giver and the recipient. Those same values have made The Basketry’s services even more important in recent months, as friends, families and businesses find new, socially-distant ways to show their gratitude. Luckily, building bridges and making connections come naturally to Brocato, so no matter what message or feeling someone wants to express, she’s got a basket worth a thousand words. In what w ay s are you thriv ing and pushing for w ard as a business during COVID-19? Since March, we have had record sales. While we lost almost $40K going into March, we had a huge order for virtual meeting gifts that helped make up for the loss. Since COVID-19, our customer base has grown along with our website sales. Our clients are sending more gifts to employees for working at home as well as for virtual meetings. During this time, I find our customers more generous and thoughtful. We are fortunate that we already had a great website along with a successful digital marketing strategy, but we have made quick changes in-house to adapt to the new times.

Any new technology you’ ve embraced? Our website chat feature, Podium, has been a game changer. Customers are able to communicate with us through our social media and website, which allows us to help them 24/7. Without this technology, we would rely strictly on phone and email, so this allows us to reach more people. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? I am hoping that our new customers remain loyal to us as other businesses open up. We go above and beyond to create the most beautiful gifts with exceptional service. We celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, and that says a lot about the company and our team.

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We go above and beyond K R I ST I B R O CATO OWNER

THE BASKETR Y 12337 HIGHWAY 90 • LULING • (504) 309-7935 • THEBASKETRY.COM

From our Biz team to yours, we thank all those for sharing your stories our readers over the last few months!

BIZ FORWARD B USI NE SS E S D I S CUSS T H EI R R OA D TO R ECOV ER Y

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BIZ FORWARD

BUS INE SS E S DI S CUSS TH EIR ROAD TO RECOV E R Y

UNP R ECEDENTED TI M ES CAL L FOR UNP R ECEDENTED M EA SUR ES. As our city, our state and the world adjust to ever-shifting standards of normalcy, businesses are finding innovative ways to adapt and position their teams for continued success. While the road to recovery may be paved with uncertainties and challenges unique to each industry, one thing is certain: New Orleans is no stranger to resiliency, and our professional community has all the expertise, prowess and determination needed to emerge stronger and more prosperous than ever. In this exclusive section, Biz New Orleans asked business leaders about their tactics for readjusting, working remotely and staying focused on their corporate missions during the historic COVID-19 pandemic.

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B I Z F O R W A R D : T H E R OA D TO R E COV E R Y

CU I S I N E

One Step at a Time The only thing you can control is how you approach the unpredictable.

THR OUGHOUT HER CAR EER , K I M NGUY EN

has always embraced risk. Her fearlessness and determination, coupled with her drive to create a solid foundation for her family, propelled her through the ranks of the restaurant industry and led her to establish three successful restaurants with her husband, Luu Tran. When faced with the challenge of adapting to a global pandemic and a transformed business climate, Nguyen was ready to meet the task head on. It might have been impossible to prepare for, but with the livelihoods of so many riding on the decisions she made as a business owner and leader, Nguyen chose to persevere. After all, the ups and downs are all part of the process, and if Nguyen has it her way, this new challenge will lead to growth. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? We stayed open the whole time. During the restriction period, we followed guidelines and continued with takeout orders. It was essential for us to remain open. We closed down one location, but to stay afloat, we had to keep Magasin Kitchen open. It was a hard decision, and after discussing it with our staff, we decided to go day by day and fight. We all have families, and for my team, this was their only source of income. Filing for unemployment was not an option for them. We had the opportunity to remain open or

to close, and I was happy we stayed open. Our takeout has always been a considerable revenue source for business; although we lost half of our dine-in sales, we must say that we were incredibly blessed and received tremendous support from our landlord at South Market District. Are there any lessons you have learned? We learned that we couldn’t control a lot of things, and most importantly, we learned that our staff and community need us just as much as we need them. Samin Nosrat says the beautiful thing about cooking is that it’s a pretty quick process, and really, it doesn’t allow much time to get attached to the results: whether a dish stinks or turns out beautifully, you have to start over from scratch again the next day. So we start every day fresh and embrace the good, the bad, the new and the uncertain. I have to stick to that, because that will be the only way to survive. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? Our staff stood by us, and I’m beyond grateful we have them. They hung in there, helped out and did everything in their power as if the business was their own. Half of our staff is second and third generation, and the language barrier was a challenge. Still, the underlying language of love is so transparent, and they understood the importance of either thriving or failing together. What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? It has been great. I handle the internal side of the business, and given the time at home, I was able to come up with several side hustles for the industry, such as wholesale. I was able to link up with a high-reward networking program that can help us market the restaurant and allows diners to earn reward points. This has made me extremely productive, and I’m naturally the type of person always to have a plan in place, so I was grateful for the time.

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We start every day fresh and embrace the good, the bad, the new and the uncertain. K I M N G UY E N OWNER

MAGASIN VIETNAMESE CAFE/MAGASIN KITCHEN 611 O’KEEFE AVE. • NEW ORLEANS • (504) 571-5677

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FINANCIAL & I N V E ST M E N T S E R V I C E S

Investing in Relationships Communication and commitment can strengthen bonds during uncertain times.

AT TOUPS WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, every action and decision is made with the client’s best interest in mind. That’s not just because it’s their duty as a fiduciary wealth management firm, but because the financial advisors at Toups Wealth Management want to help every client pursue their goals and maximize their wealth. With over 20 years of experience, founder Troy Toups has guided clientele through the many highs and lows of the market by staying abreast of the latest shifts, trends and insights. That certainly hasn’t changed during the ongoing pandemic. Now more than ever, Toups and his team are refining and revamping their investment strategies to establish long term plans with the goal to help their clients feel more confident.

In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? These are challenging times for any investor. Some of the most important decisions investors can make happen during uncertain times. We’re making sure our clients know that we’re controlling what we can control. We’ve been able to alleviate some of the anxiety by reminding our clients who own individual stocks that the companies we are investing in will be around for a long time, and when the markets are down, we are adding to these companies. We have learned that certain market disciplines implemented in the past have prepared us for the unexpected and rapid market decline. Market volatility will always

exist, so it’s important to be prepared and take action when opportunity presents itself. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? Communication and flexibility have been key with the office staff and our clients. Making sure the office runs smoothly and that clients are not left in the dark has been of utmost importance. Most of our business is face-toface, appointment-based meetings. Out of consideration for our clients and staff, we switched to virtual meetings through Zoom, which we had not used prior. Having the ability to see us on the call seems to give the clients some relief, and we have been able to maintain our pre-COVID levels of availability and commitment to our clients. What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? We’ve had staff physically available at the office since March, while others worked remotely. We have always had the flexibility to work remotely, but until recently, we have not done so for this extended period of time. It has been helpful to have someone at the office to ensure business is being processed in a timely manner. It has also been helpful to our staff who usually drive longer distances to work, since this has allowed us more time to work for our clients instead of spending time on the road. While working remotely can present challenges such as lack of cohesion or elongated response times between staff, we have found that daily Zoom meetings have eliminated this concern. The biggest drawback has been not being able to shake hands or give a hug. Do you anticipate your business w ill change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how ? I believe the cautious measures we have taken will continue. I’m sure we will hold more face-to-face meetings, but I do believe that since clients have had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with technology for online meetings, that will continue to be an option. We’ve had to cancel a few of our events this year, and we are looking forward to having those gatherings again. As long as we can continue to make adjustments, I believe Toups Wealth Management will be able to meet future challenges head on.

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Be prepared and take action when opportunity presents itself T R OY TO U P S FOUNDER

TOUPS WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC 110 AVENUE OF OAKS • DESTREHAN • (985) 307-1169 • TOUPSWM.COM

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BIZ FORWARD

BUS INE SS E S DI S CUSS TH EIR ROAD TO RECOV E R Y

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T R A N S L AT I O N S E R V I C E S

more than ever we all need a reinforced sense of community. We’ve had to get creative with and change the delivery methods of our services in some instances, but it’s been invigorating to help people by providing critical access to information.

Stability in Flexibility Being open to change can reveal new needs and better solutions.

IF IT’ S WRITTEN DOWN OR SPOKEN AND NEEDS

translation—TNOLA Languages likely covers it. The company’s strategic collaboration with highly trained, experienced professionals with specializations in legal, medical, technical and educational fields gives clients across the Gulf Coast access to language assistance in more than 30 language pairs. TNOLA’s comprehensive services include translation with written documents such as contracts, medical records, and legal judgments as well as onsite or remote interpretation for meetings, hearings, depositions, medical appointments and much more. In addition to its legal, educational, and medical expertise, TNOLA is also a go-to resource for HR firms, insurance companies, and shipping and port services. Its on-demand, over-the-phone service and video conferencing has helped the company continue to provide services safely during the pandemic. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business throughout the pandemic? We are fortunate in the sense that demand for our services hasn’t gone away. There is always a need for communication, and even global pandemics don’t remove language barriers. In fact, in a time when it’s absolutely crucial that information be shared with all people, interpretation and translation services have never been more important. A large-scale health crisis like this has also brought to light where the gaps in those services are. Our vision is to create communities without language barriers, and I think now

What has been your ex perience w ith the change to remote working? We had a unique experience in that it didn’t require much change at all. We’ve always run a lean operation and were largely working remotely. Since much of what we do is either onsite at client locations or done remotely, our internal teams were well equipped for the shift. We definitely miss the human connection of being able to gather and interact for meetings, but we were already ahead of the curve in terms of remote collaboration. I’ve believed for a long time that traditional office space is in many ways outdated—especially in an age where most “office work” can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. My hope is that this experience will help us collectively re-evaluate how we use resources and eliminate some of the waste that happens with large offices. Are there any lessons you have learned over these last few months? Any new technologies or methodologies you’ ve embraced? The past few months have been a humbling experience in a lot of ways. I think the biggest lesson we’ve learned is the importance of remaining flexible. It doesn’t matter how much planning or forecasting you do. Something unexpected will inevitably happen and the ability to react in a flexible way is what will determine the outcome. Historically for us, the majority of our services were done at client locations. When those locations shut down, that work disappeared overnight. But rather than react rigidly and say, “Oh no, all is lost!” we were open to change and shifted our efforts to written translations. Every day brought new information that needed to reach people of diverse backgrounds. Being open to that shift and recognizing the need allowed us to diversify, and now, as more of the onsite work comes back, we’re finding ourselves in a more stable position than we were before the pandemic started.

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The biggest lesson we’ve learned is the importance of remaining flexible.

TNOLA LANGUAGES NEW ORLEANS, LA • (504) 444-2429 • TNOLA.COM

ANDR EW DAFOE FOUNDER & CEO

SPONSORED

BIZ FORWARD

BUS INE SS E S DI S CUSS TH EIR ROAD TO RECOV E R Y

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T E L E CO M M U N I C AT I O N S

A Culture of Connectivity Strong, steadfast values keep people and businesses united.

NOW M OR E THAN EV ER , PEOPLE AR E

relying on innovative technologies to keep them connected in both their personal and professional lives, and Cox Communications continues to play a key role by providing a full range of crucial digital services. Even before the onset of the pandemic, the company was making great strides in transforming New Orleans and other serviced areas into what Senior Vice President & Southeast Region Manager Anthony Pope calls “smart cities.” Their mission, which includes the superfast residential internet service G1GABLAST, is to create an infrastructure of cuttingedge technology that seamlessly unites businesses, schools, homes, hospitals and other essential industries. And to ensure customers receive the highest standard of service and support, Pope is careful not to lose sight of one of the most important pieces to the puzzle: Cox’s own employees. After all, the strength of the company — and the impact it has on those who rely on their innovation and efficiency — starts with the skilled workers who are making the technologies of tomorrow a reality today. In what ways are you thriv ing and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? The sudden and successful pivot of my employee base to a remote work strategy is pulling us forward in new and introspective ways. We’ve removed the tradi-

tional rigidity about where our employees work without sacrificing productivity, and we’ve improved the customer experience by emphasizing the quality of the job and virtual technical support to keep New Orleans safe. The world changed overnight, and in response, so did we. This has empowered us to continue meeting our customers where they are so they can work, play, teach and connect with friends and loved ones. How have you maintained a sense of company culture? At Cox, our values come first. Throughout 2020, we’ve remained very intentional in listening to our employees while offering clear guidance and support. As further care, we provided $1,000 to all full-time employees to help cover unexpected expenses related to the pandemic. We introduced flexible work options; are helping to cover elder and childcare costs; have rolled out heightened safety, mentorship and wellness programs; and are offering employees paid time off to vote. We’ll always remain very purposeful as to how we care for our people, even when we’re working together in new ways. I’m equally proud to share how these values flow into the neighborhoods we serve. Here locally, we’re championing social justice initiatives, stocking local food banks, feeding and providing PPE to healthcare providers and equipping low-income children with school supplies, portable devices and low-cost internet. Our One Call a Day campaign partnership with the New Orleans Saints is also helping us connect with area locals who are in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Our goal is to build bright futures for everyone. Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ ve embraced? Technology will continue to evolve, but our desire to connect with each other won’t. Our employees, customers, communities and vendors want to be seen…and deserve to be heard. We’re actively listening and in response, we’ll continue making significant investments in our network and other platforms to ensure you stay connected to what and who you care about most.

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We’ll always remain very purposeful as to how we care for our people, even when we’re working together in new ways.

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ANTHONY POPE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & SOUTHEAST REGION MANAGER

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VI RTUAL EVENT & MEETI NG MANAGEMENT

New Ways to Meet Innovative options in event hosting will pave the way for safe, engaging gatherings in New Orleans.

N O CC I I S A N E W O R L E A N S B A S E D D M C

(Destination Management Company) that provides virtual, in-person, and hybrid event or meeting needs. With over 30 years of industry experience creating memorable and successful events, NOCCI is known for its ability to host creative, and enjoyable conferences, conventions, festivals, and meetings, whether online, in-person, or both. The company and team prides itself on operating with integrity and enjoys well-established relationships with Louisiana’s finest and trusted suppliers. NOCCI is committed to excellence in planning, production, and delivering within the client’s budget every time. The team’s efforts go above and beyond to meet the specific needs of clients and their unique events. NOCCI is capable of handling virtual, in-person, and hybrid events as small as 10 participants or as large as 80,000. How has the pandemic aff ected your company and what do you foresee for its future in the event planning industry? NOCCI has erupted on the scene as the Gulf South leader of virtual and “hybrid events,” as we were the first to become Certified Virtual Event & Meeting Management Specialists. We have now successfully planned and managed many local and national turnkey Virtual Conferences & Meetings. We recently became Certified in Pandemic Meeting & Event Design. This provides us the know-how to ensure that the highly popular “hybrid” and in-person events we plan are held to the highest level of

protocol and safety. NOCCI collaborated with event and meeting planners from all over the country on the best way to tackle the new era of the hospitality industry we now know. This will help us focus on the parts that are critical not only to surviving in the short-term but creating a sustainable model for the future. Additionally, we saw the need to assist excited, yet struggling couples as they’re attempting to plan their weddings during the pandemic. NOCCI has developed a website of local partnerships offering all-inclusive, turnkey Micro Wedding Packages at MicroWeddingsNOLA.com. What role is your company playing in the recovery of the larger hospitality industry of New Orleans? NOCCI is deeply invested in seeing our city’s hospitality industry thrive. We are nothing without our partner businesses—they are our backbone. We have focused 100 percent of our sourcing needs on local companies and do not outsource to national companies. Our city, our culture is immensely important to us, and we infuse as much New Orleans as possible into each event we manage and produce. We have also joined forces with BRACE and NOLA Hospitality SAFE to help enforce protocol to protect the health of our industry’s people. How w ill the New Orleans event and meeting industry move forward and thrive in the months and years to come? We are hearing from our national conference and meeting clients that, while they are still motivated and excited to come to town, they will be coming in smaller numbers. The beauty in this is that now all-sized, beautiful New Orleans hotels can really shine while hosting these hybrid meetings. NOCCI is currently meeting with hoteliers to provide the necessary tools to transform a small to medium in-person event into a turnkey hybrid experience with live streaming to the attendees unable to join in person at this time. Everyone wins with this type of event thanks to longer room blocks and to the conventions that treat the in-person event as an incentive program and spend lavishly. The clients win because they get to explore any and all of our unique New Orleans hotels for their events that they may not typically experience with a larger group size.

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NOCCI is deeply invested in seeing our city’s hospitality industry thrive.

N I CO L E T U S A VP, SALES & MARKETING

NOCCI 1340 POYDRAS ST. #2130 • NEW ORLEANS • (504) 888-7608 • NOCCI.COM