How do you convince a customer to buy a service they don’t know they need?  That’s often the steepest hill to climb for businesses that offer improvements on existing products.

If solving a problem is the surest path to success, then satisfaction in the market can be a real hurdle. But if what you do works that much better than what’s available, you’re bound to blow the competition away…or maybe blast it away.

Greg Free from General Abrasives, the dry ice cleaning company that can clean your $750,000 Mercedes

Greg Free is in the media blasting business. His company, General Abrasives, is unique in the Acadiana market. You can find pressure washers and other surface cleaning companies, but Greg’s company uses dry ice. The technique is powerful. Dry ice leaves no water or chemicals behind, it kills bacteria and mold and can even deodorize smoke. It’s a faster, cleaner process than what’s typically available.

Greg started the business after working in IT at casinos. And it’s what he saw happening when people didn’t walk out of the casino with a pocketful of winnings that sparked his interest in developing a better cleaning technique. It’s a ghoulish origin story but a lesson that there’s a business opportunity in almost every human activity, even a very sad one.

Michelle Thomas Parker, her company Southern Mixx brings the party to your place

Believe it or not, when Michelle Thomas-Parker launched SouthernMixx Bartending Services in 2018 there was a gap in the local party market: for mobile bartending. In a state known for partying, there were relatively few companies that offered full-service bartending that could flex to meet events, big and small. Michelle had spent 30 years in the hospitality industry and saw how a personal touch or a twist could make a difference. So when she saw an opening in the event market, she seized on it.

SouthernMixx specializes in customizing bar service. Michelle and her team take the same level of care for weddings and backyard parties that you typically see with caterers. They design menus and specialty cocktails that enhance an event experience.

Michelle Thomas Parker, Greg Free, Christiaan Mader, Out to Lunch at Tsunami Sushi

Out to Lunch Acadiana is recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. Photos from by Astor Morgan.