LABI Newsroom.

• Reboot the Boot

  March 6, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack As a dad, one of my duties at home is to be a “fix-it” guy. While I may not be the handiest person out there, I can usually put some “MacGyver-esque” skills to the test and find… (Continue)

• Smoke ‘Em Out Once And For All…

  February 16, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack It has become a new national pastime for folks to spend time bemoaning the rise of “partisanship” and to complain about how divided the country has become. This mantra has been bought hook, line and sinker by… (Continue)

• Spend it Differently This Time Around…

  January 26, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack The 2018 crisis will be filled with plenty of drama, finger pointing and inflammatory rhetoric. Every (former, current and future) politician will say it is the other (former, current and future) politician’s fault for the deficits and… (Continue)

• Helping Any Way We Can

  January 19, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Since 1975, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has made it our mission to serve our diverse business membership by working towards the singular goal of fostering a climate for economic growth by consistently championing… (Continue)

• A Bridge to Nowhere…

  January 10, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Tax reform. It’s a phrase frequently promised by politicians regardless of political ideology. No matter if you are a liberal, a conservative or identify as an independent voter, you probably want it also. In fact, who in their… (Continue)

• Resolutions for 2018…

  December 28, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Ah yes, it is that time of year again where we all end up giving ourselves “the talk.” You know the one I am referencing… that tough talk where we make new year resolutions, either publically or… (Continue)

• A Time and Place for Everything

  December 22, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack We have all heard the advice that there is a time and place for everything. This advice, stemming from a proverb found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, reads: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under… (Continue)

• Dewey Defeats Truman

  December 1, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Headlines often set the tone and narrative for a reader before they ever devour any of the information in an article. Headlines can clearly summarize the contents and give the reader a quick taste of what’s in… (Continue)

• Thanks to the Role Models Among Us

  November 20, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack In 1993, professional basketball star Charles Barkley made headlines when he used a Nike commercial to say, “I am not a role model…. just because I can dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids……. (Continue)

• Go Vote This Weekend and Support Constitutional Amendment #1

  October 11, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack If his prediction holds true for Saturday’s turnout, it would mean that 85% of the roughly 3 million registered voters in Louisiana will simply not vote at all. Another way of looking at it is that over… (Continue)

• Fight Poverty With Good Jobs

  October 6, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack A recent report released by 24/7 Wall Street, a national financial news and opinion research company, states that Louisiana is the fourth poorest state in the country. This sobering report comes on the heels of another recent… (Continue)

• Small Business Success Begins with Tax Reform

  September 28, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Each year on April 15th, you can easily get overwhelmed when trying to personally file your taxes. Am I eligible for a certain tax credit? Do I have the right documents to justify all my expenses and… (Continue)

• A Reputation Worth Changing

  September 12, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack “Your brand name is only as good as your reputation.” – Richard Branson Louisiana’s brand is strong in many ways. Our culture is second to none, and our people are inviting and entertaining. We are rich in natural… (Continue)

• Guest Column: The Not-So-Silent Partner

  May 1, 2017

  By: Renee Amar Sunday, April 30th kicked off National Small Business Week. This is a week for us to celebrate our job creators and innovators. This is a week when we honor the nation’s and our state’s entrepreneurs and small… (Continue)

• Anonymous Sources

  April 20, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack As the pressure mounts on the media for social media clicks and reader attention in a highly competitive marketplace, anonymous sources have become more frequently used by some writers to get stories out quickly and sell certain… (Continue)

• A New Beginning

  April 13, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack This weekend, Christians all over the world will be celebrating the most important holiday of the church calendar. It marks the resurrection of Jesus, who died for our sins and rose on the third day, in fulfillment… (Continue)

• The Same Old Game Plan

  April 4, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack It’s time to face the truth we have long avoided: Louisiana cannot tax, spend and mandate its way to prosperity. For decades, one politician after another has tried every idea under the sun to make the Baton Rouge-heavy,… (Continue)

• Here We Go Again

  March 22, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Here we go again. In just a few weeks, the Legislature will be back in session. It has only been a month or so since they met and addressed the most recent shortfall, which was the 15th mid-year… (Continue)

• Thinking Outside the Box

  March 9, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack In the 1970’s, management consultants started using a new metaphor to convince companies they needed to think about their problems and potential solutions in a whole new way. To illustrate their point, they began to use what… (Continue)

• Take the Time to Do it Right

  January 31, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” His point is clear: take the time on the front end to adequately prepare for… (Continue)