---

What a fantastic end to an incredible journey! The last visit of the PlaidNation tour was at Launch Pad, a New Orleans based co-working environment where entrepreneurs, freelancers and creative professionals share collaborative workspace downtown.

LaunchPad is one of a few new, up and coming places where entrepreneurs are setting up shop and bringing New Orleans back to life. There's an incredible sense of community within the internet/creative/developer/freelancer population of NOLA, and the energy is inviting. There's also some sweet new tax incentives that are helping business people set their operations up here.

The Launchpad visit was a virtual interview-love-fest. We interviewed LaunchPad, they interviewed us. We interviewed Tiffany Starnes, and she interviewed us. And then we joined Jeremy Wright and Katie Del Guercio on the live LaunchPadTV show!

Thanks to Chris Schultz, Tiffany Starnes and the LaunchPad crew for a great end of tour visit!

Labels: new orleans

posted by darryl ohrt at 5:13 PM 3 Comments

---

The Make It Right Foundation was at the top of our list for visits while in New Orleans. Having seen photos of the stunning architecture and build plans for the lower 9th Ward, we couldn't wait to share the story.

Upon arrival to Tennessee Street, you can't help but be moved. It's heart wrenching to see the devastation, the abandoned lots, the spray painted warnings outside of still empty homes. And it's awe inspiring to see a street filling with abundance and hope. Construction vehicles move continuously up and down the street, from project to project. Residents are moving in.

The Make It Right Foundation is building several homes on Tennessee Street. These are no ordinary homes. These homes are LEED Platinum certified, have been built to survive future hurricanes similar to or worse than Katrina, and have been designed by some of the most prominent architects from around the globe.

We chatted with Executive Director Tom Darden about what the Make It Right Foundation is up to, the fashion-like trend curves of brand awareness that disaster or event oriented non-profits deal with, and what's in the future for the organization.

See the interview with Executive Director Tom Darden and Robert, a Tennessee Street resident who just moved into his new Make it Right home, on the PlaidNation wrap up video for New Orleans.

Labels: new orleans

posted by darryl ohrt at 4:55 PM 0 Comments