Foundations of Success

It’s small businesses that make the economy go round. In Southwest Louisiana, we are blessed to have many extraordinary small businesses and small business leaders. We even have business building resources available at McNeese’s SEED Center. 

There are locally owned gift shops, wine bars, restaurants, hair salons, art studios, plant nurseries and more. If you can think of a service, there’s probably a locally owned business that does it. If there’s no business like it here, new businesses and concepts are coming to the area all the time. We even have GOAT YOGA! Discover more about three prominent entrepreneurs in the area and how they found success. You might just learn how to turn that idea of yours into reality as well. 

ERIC AVERY – Crying Eagle Brewery

by Katelynn Mouton 

Starting a business in the food and beverage industry is rarely a straight path. For the founder of Crying Eagle Brewing Company, the journey has been defined by hard-earned lessons, a steep learning curve and a commitment to building something bigger than a single moment of success. 

Crying Eagle’s Eric Avery says the question he gets asked most often is his “why” behind opening the brewery. 

“The answer is simple, and a bit cliché,” Eric says. “My answer’s always been to make a difference. If you’ve ever experienced a local brewery, you understand the profound impact it can have on a community.” 

Eric points to the way breweries naturally build camaraderie, something he says few businesses are able to do at the same level. What surprises many, however, is that brewing was never a lifelong ambition. “If you had asked me 15 years ago what my life would look like today, the last thing I would’ve said was owning a brewery,” he says. 

Eric’s unexpected path into the restaurant and brewing industry didn’t begin with a detailed roadmap, but rather a willingness to step into a complex and demanding industry.   

“The biggest lesson was realizing how much you don’t know until you’re actually in it,” he says. “From operations and regulations to consistency day after day, there’s an incredible learning curve in this industry.” 

Behind the atmosphere and experience is a constant balance of logistics, staffing, compliance and customer expectations. In Louisiana, Eric adds, there is also the complexity of an often political beer industry. 

Despite the challenges, he says early struggles became part of the foundation rather than setbacks. 

“I’d love to have gotten it all right from the beginning,” Eric explains. “But the mistakes and challenges helped build our story, added character and made us stronger.” 

Over time, Eric says success has been shaped less by single breakthroughs and more by consistency and culture. 

“Team unity is everything,” he adds. “If your team isn’t aligned, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. You also need a strong, community-driven mission and kindness at the center of everything you do.” 

To aspiring entrepreneurs, Eric’s advice is direct: do the work before you start. 

“Do your due diligence, find a mentor and be prepared to work extremely hard,” he says. “People often underestimate how demanding business ownership really is.” 

And, on difficult days, Eric says this perspective is what helps keep him grounded. “I treat them as God building me up to strengthen my character and force me to completely trust in Him.”  

When asked what’s next, Eric says his mind races with ideas for growth and expansion, but his focus has shifted toward longevity. 

“I want to build a business that will last generations, not one that will be the next overnight sensation,” he says.

” We are building on a very strong foundation and my hope is that the community associates the Avery family name and the Crying Eagle brand with a level of trust. 

Learn more about Crying Eagle Brewing Company and their two Lake Charles locations by visiting cryingeagle.com. 

TUWANNA GUILLORY-AUGUST – The  Guillory-August Allstate Agency

by Kerri Cooke 

Tuwanna Guillory-August says entrepreneurship is the perfect fit for her because she is a people person and loves forging relationships with clients and the community. She founded her business, The Guillory-August Allstate Agency, in 2019“ with a vision to create an agency that felt warm, welcoming and community focused.  

Tuwanna knows that selling insurance might not sound very exciting to some people, but she has purpose in doing it. “Protecting families, homes, businesses and futures is incredibly important to me, especially here in Southwest Louisiana where we know firsthand how unpredictable life and weather can be.” 

The No. 1 lesson Tuwanna has learned through entrepreneurship is resilience. You must keep showing up day after day no matter the circumstances and learn to adapt to new challenges. She also acknowledges that the way you treat people is essential in business. “Treat people well—customers, employees, community partners—and that will always come back around.” You must also not wait until all circumstances are perfect to start a business. You will learn along the way. 

Five tips Tuwanna says are the keys to success: 

• Stay authentic. 

• Be visible in your community. 

• Invest in your team. 

• Don’t be afraid to market yourself. 

• Outwork your excuses. 

However, there are some things to consider before deciding if owning a business is a fit for you. It’s a hard task running a company. “Social media often shows the glamorous side of entrepreneurship, but behind the scenes there are long hours, sacrifices, stress and moments of doubt,” Tuwanna says. “Most days require me to be in the office for at least 12 hours, and even when I’m not physically there, the business is always on my mind. You have to believe in your vision before anyone else does. In the beginning, you may wear every hat—owner, marketer, customer service rep, recruiter, problem solver—all at once.” 

As a minority business owner, Tuwanna says representation is critical to inspire future generations. “It’s important for young people in our community to see someone who looks like them building a successful business, leading a team and creating opportunities for others. If you ever wonder why you see me on so many billboards, this is why. When they see my face, I want them to imagine themselves up there and work towards success at a high level. I also think minority-owned businesses bring unique perspectives, culture and connection to the communities they serve. Supporting diversity in business strengthens the entire community.” 

What makes the journey worthwhile to Tuwanna is the relationships she forges along the way. “I’ve met so many incredible people through this journey—customers and business partners who have become real friends, employees who feel like my actual family and community leaders who inspire me. I genuinely enjoy being part of people’s milestones and important moments which include helping first-time homebuyers, celebrating marriages and new babies, supporting families after storms. Another rewarding part has been building a workplace culture people enjoy being part of. Watching my team grow, succeed and feel valued means a lot to me.” 

While exact definitions of success may vary from person to person, it’s the ability to make a difference in the community that fuels Tuwanna. Work is less of a chore when you have a why, and Tuwanna’s why is service.

For more information, call the Guillory-August Allstate Agency at 337-305-7676.

KOURTNEY DENISON – KD Floral & Events  

by Kerry Andersen 

Kourtney Denison began her entrepreneurial journey as a creative outlet, helping loved ones celebrate important moments with beautiful flowers. “One day, it was family and friends. The next, strangers were trusting me with the most important day of their lives and telling others to do the same,” she says. “Seeing the joy people had when they walked into a room I transformed made me realize that I could build a business around the hobby that I love, and KD Floral & Events was born.”  

What makes Kourtney’s founder’s story compelling is that, while building her company, she was also a critical care nurse working in the ICU at a local hospital. She describes the decision to leave that career behind earlier this year as both difficult and defining. Yet, she discovered her two worlds weren’t that different. “Being a critical care nurse taught me how to stay calm under pressure, think quickly and care deeply for people,” she says. Those traits carried over to KD Floral & Events and help shape her work ethic and instinct for problem-solving. 

As a self-taught floral designer, Kourtney says her biggest obstacle to success was finding confidence in herself and her work. She won a scholarship to train with a renowned florist in Maryland, and says the experience gave her the courage to move forward. “That’s when I realized people were hiring me for my creativity, my vision and the experience I brought to their events.” 

Behind the scenes, Kourtney says there’s often a big misconception about the floral and events industry. She says, “It’s so much more than just ‘playing with flowers.’ What people don’t see are the early mornings at wholesalers, late nights designing, long hours of installations, client meetings, budgeting, staffing and solving problems.”  

Being a bride herself added an important perspective from the other side of the bouquet. “It’s critical to feel heard and understood throughout the process because flowers become part of the visual memories people carry forever,” Kourtney says. “While choosing centerpieces and decor, couples are also creating a specific feeling for their wedding day.” 

Kourtney says the hardest part of running a small business in Lake Charles is navigating uncertainty. Hurricanes, economic ups and downs, and inevitable moments of self-doubt have tested her more than once. What keeps her going is community and consistency. “Southwest Louisiana is a place where relationships matter. In Lake Charles, people truly rally around small businesses, and I’ve felt that support firsthand,” she says.  

Kourtney’s advice to young entrepreneurs is direct: stop waiting for perfection. “The opportunities I was hoping for were on the other side of simply believing I was capable of them. Consistency is non-negotiable; show up for your idea even when it is small, when no one is watching and, especially, when it’s not profitable yet. That’s where most people quit. Protect your energy, because burnout doesn’t build sustainable businesses. If you stay consistent long enough, you become someone who knows how to build things that last.” 

KD Floral & Events is located at 4215 Common Street in Lake Charles (by appointment). Reach Kourtney at 337-513-1354, visit kdfloralandevents.com, or follow along on social media: Facebook KD Floral and Events, Instagram @kd_floral_and_events_llc, and on TikTok @kdfloral.