Christa Cotton, the visionary behind El Guapo, a premium bitters, syrups, and mixers brand, has earned her spot on the prestigious Inner City 100 (IC100) Awards list. Her ingenuity transformed El Guapo from a flourishing wholesale business to a direct-to-consumer powerhouse during the 2020 pandemic. By pivoting quickly, she tripled the company’s growth in just nine months. Innovation, for Christa, means honoring cocktail culture while pushing boundaries with top-tier ingredients and a strong sustainability commitment. As El Guapo continues to expand, she’s focused on sharing New Orleans flavors globally, tapping into the growing demand for zero-proof beverages, and scaling without sacrificing quality. Christa’s advice to fellow entrepreneurs: stay flexible, know your 'why,' and always prioritize quality. Her journey is a reflection of resilience, creativity, and the power of adaptation. Read More

Among its devastating effects, Hurricane Katrina had a destructive impact on regional employment. The storm, and its aftermath, eliminated more than 190,000 jobs in New Orleans alone. In the months following the disaster, employment rolls fell precipitously and remained stubbornly low, even as investment in the city began to increase. Now, over 10 years later, the New Orleans economy is bouncing back, and a focus on clusters and entrepreneurship are some of the major drivers of the city’s post-Katrina growth. Read More

Well before the recession, many post-industrial cities were reeling from population losses. Read More

It’s been almost a decade since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf region. Since then, the New Orleans area has shown promising signs of turnaround. Read More