We all know raising kids takes a village—but what if you’re the one building that village? What if you're the one creating the spaces where children feel safe? Daycare Tessa Holloway is the Owner and Director of Kidz Karousel, a network of early learning centers with nine locations across South Louisiana. What started as a personal decision to save her children’s daycare in Port Allen has grown into one of the region’s most recognized family-centered childcare businesses. Tessa and her husband built Kidz Karousel around the needs of families, because they were one. Today, Kidz Karousel is a sought-after partner for major employers like Woman’s Hospital and Our Lady of the Lake. Daddy When we talk about building stronger communities, we often start with kids' education, mentoring and opportunities. But what if we went one step further and invested in the people raising them? That’s exactly what Levar Robinson is doing with Fathers on a Mission. After years of mentoring youth, Levar realized the deeper need wasn’t just helping kids—it was supporting their dads. Today, he leads a growing nonprofit that empowers fathers to be more present, more prepared, and more connected. And in doing so, he’s reshaping what family support looks like in Baton Rouge—and soon, across Louisiana. Parenthood isn’t easy—it takes dedication, patience, and a whole lot of support from the community around you. Levar and Tessa are both showing us that building stronger communities starts at home—whether that’s creating safe, nurturing spaces for kids or empowering the fathers who shape their lives. Their work is a reminder that real change happens when people step up, not just to fill a need, but to build something lasting for families and the whole city. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only a particularly hard-hearted human could see a dog or cat in trouble and not want to help. Maybe you’d share a post on social media. Or make a donation to a shelter, or a Go-Fund Me for a pet. But would you contemplate turning your back on your current career and dedicating your professional life to saving the lives of thousands of pets? That’s what J.T Hackett did. (J.T’s real name is Jacelyn, but everybody calls her J.T.) For 12 years J.T. was co-owner of Petz Plaza, a pet-focused business that provides services like daycare, boarding, and grooming. That’s a business that’s focused on fortunate pets. In 2019, J.T turned her attention to less fortunate pets when she became the Director of Programs at Baton Rouge’s Companion Animal Alliance. The Alliance is a shelter that takes in over 9,000 stray or abandoned animals a year. In 2024, J.T. became the organization’s Executive Director. I mentioned that J.T was co-owner of Petz Plaza. The other co-owner of the business was her husband, Michael Hackett. When the Hacketts sold the business to private equity, Michael turned his attention to other successful ventures. Among them, he bought into The Main Squeeze – a juice franchise that started life in Lake Charles and now has stores spread across the country. In 2021 Michael decided to turn his expertise at business into a business. He founded a consulting company specializing in branding, public relations, business development and community outreach. The company is simply called Hackett Consulting and its wide range of clients include Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge, Our Lady of the Lake, a local automobile dealership, a mortgage lender, a concierge nursing group, and The Baton Rouge Area Chamber. What is as remarkable as the scope of these businesses is the fact that when a company hires Hackett Consulting they get Michael Hackett. He is the company. There are a lot of variations to marriage. There are couples whose marriage is a mystery, who seem to have nothing in common. At the other end of the spectrum there are couples like the Hacketts, who seem to have everything going for them. Typically, we have guests on this show who don’t know each other. We invite people to lunch who we think would get along, and could benefit professionally from knowing each other. Today we’ve worked backwards. We knew you J.T. and Michael get along, and that they benefit professionally from knowing each other. What we didn’t know is that their dedication - not just to each other and to business success, but to higher ideals and to Baton Rouge – is inspiring. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asking for help isn’t always easy, but sometimes, it’s the smartest thing you can do, especially when it comes to learning. Amanda Martin learned that firsthand as a parent. When her kids hit middle school, she started looking for academic support — something beyond worksheets and flashcards. She found that the tutoring landscape felt outdated and uninspired. So Amanda decided to build the kind of place she wished existed: Studyville — a modern, membership-based tutoring lounge where students can get expert help with homework, test prep, college admissions and more, all in a space that makes learning feel engaging. Some people join an organization just looking for a job. They’re in and out. Others stay long enough to build a career. And in rare cases, they end up shaping the future of that organization from the top. That’s exactly the story of Alicia Vidrine. She started at the Tiger Athletic Foundation as an intern during her last semester at LSU, and over the years, she climbed the ladder step by step. Today, she’s the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Under Alicia’s leadership, TAF has expanded beyond funding facilities. Today, it helps power scholarships, operations and long-term support for student-athletes, all while adapting to a changing landscape in college sports. Working your way up the ladder in your career is never easy. It doesn’t matter if you can see the rungs of it from the start, or if you have to build your own ladder as you climb it. Both Amanda and Alicia exemplify this journey of growth and perseverance. Alicia climbed her ladder all while adapting to the ever-evolving world of college athletics. And Amanda built hers when looking for a better way to support her kid's education. Both of them saw opportunities to make a difference in their fields and took the bold steps necessary to bring your visions to life. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food is culture. It’s memory and identity. But turning tradition into innovation takes more than a good recipe. It takes creativity, grit, and a deep understanding of what people crave. Yvette Bonanno knows that well. She grew up in the Baton Rouge restaurant scene and that early exposure sparked a lifelong love for food. Today, she’s combining that experience with cutting-edge food production as the founder of Crave-a-Ball, a Baton Rouge-based company turning classic Louisiana dishes into hand-held, deep-fried, ready-to-serve balls. Yvette’s aiming to build Crave-a-ball into the next great Louisiana food brand. In business, longevity is no accident. It’s the result of resilience, reinvention, and often, a strong sense of purpose passed from one generation to the next. Darren Pizzolato grew up in the heart of a legacy: Tony’s Seafood. Darren was born into the business—literally—and has never worked anywhere else. Over the years, he and his family expanded Tony’s Seafood into one of the largest seafood markets in the region, known for its live catfish, award-winning boiled crawfish. Darren's family was also a driving force behind the launch of Louisiana Fish Fry, a brand that went on to become a national staple before the family sold it in 2018. Today, he’s helping shape the next chapter of that legacy in collaboration with Yvette’s company Crave-a-ball. Food has always been more than just fuel here — it’s a connector, a tradition, and a way to bring people together. And once a tradition is started, it’s easy to follow along and stick with it. From Tony’s Seafood, a Baton Rouge staple that has kept the community coming back for decades, to Crave-a-ball, a new venture that is pushing the boundaries of boudin ball flavors, both companies are continuing the legacy of their families while adding to decades-old recipes. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entrepreneurship can start in a lot of different ways. Sometimes it starts with a tiny idea that just grows alongside a community. Other times, it comes from a personal need—something you realize just isn’t out there yet, and you decide to build it yourself. That’s exactly what happened with Abbey Lovett. She’s a mom of two who saw something missing in the Baton Rouge business scene: a flexible, supportive workspace built with women in mind. So, she created Pathos Collective—a space that gives members 24/7 access to: a coworking area, a fitness center, professional development events, and is even working on bringing in in-house childcare. Since launching in November 2024, Pathos has hosted multiple sold-out events and has already grown to over 30 members. Some entrepreneurs start by spotting a gap in the market and figuring out how to fill it. Others follow a passion that ends up turning into something much bigger. Jenni Peters is definitely in that second group. She fell in love with running back in grad school, and that passion eventually led her to open Varsity Sports, a specialty running store in Baton Rouge. What started as a shop for serious runners has grown into a welcoming hub for the whole fitness community—offering everything from shoes and gait analysis to group runs for people at all levels. Now with locations in Baton Rouge, Mandeville, and New Orleans, Jenni hasn’t just built a business—she’s built a community. At the core of any great business is the ability to really connect with people. Whether it’s through a product, a service, or just creating a space where folks feel seen and supported—those connections are what make businesses thrive. And that’s definitely true for both Abbey and Jenni's businesses: they've both built something that goes way beyond business. Whether it’s a coworking space or a running store, when you create a sense of belonging, you’re building something that lasts. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.