A few weeks ago I had the
opportunity to find myself in lovely New Orleans for a Pulitzer family reunion.
My grandfather was the oldest of twelve brothers and sisters so there are a lot
of cousins as a result; and we thoroughly enjoy getting together regularly.
Before arriving in the
Crescent City one of my cousins [Carol Pulitzer]
emailed me she was moving back to "NOLA" (New Orleans, Louisiana).
She said NOLA was experiencing a renaissance technologically, entrepreneurially
and artistically. I was intrigued. I emailed another cousin [Alexa Pulitzer]
who's a 3rd generation New Orleanian and she enthusiastically confirmed it. Now
I was hooked on finding out more.
Alexa, who has her own
incredibly successful brand of beautiful stationery, mousepads, party cups and
other items, introduced me to The Idea Village
Co-Founder/CEO Tim Williamson. So, while there, before the reunion festivities
kicked-off, I walked a few short blocks from our hotel (the Monteleone, which
by the way charges an outrageous $10
a day per device to access the
Internet!) to their lofty space.
The next two hours flew
by in what was one of the most friendly and interesting meetings I've been
party to in a while.
The first 20 minutes or
so were filled with "oh so your cousin is..." and "I went to
school with your cousin ______ " and "my wife went to school with your
cousin _____." I was struck by the similarities of "who do you
know" and "what high school did you go to" between this town with
French origins and the country where I now live (France). I guess some old
habits die hard! Fortunately I had all the right answers. But there is
something to be said for Southern hospitality and, of course, Entrepreneurial
friendliness.
After introductions went
around, Tim provided me with an excellent background and overview on The Idea
Village and the city. Next Communications Manager Cameron Yancey offered the point-of-view
of a native New Orleanian on the city's new growth. The Idea Village is home to
several Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and one of them, Kevin Wilkins, provided
insights as a recently relocated Mid-Atlantic experienced business manager.
And without further ado,
here are the findings:
