Essay Becoming the creative epicenter of the South - Baton Rouge Business Report
In this essay, Kenny Nguyen, CEO and co‑founder of the creative agency ThreeSixtyEight, argues that Baton Rouge has the potential to become the South’s creative epicenter. He begins with a personal anecdote about a successful movie producer from Baton Rouge who now works elsewhere, illustrating a broader talent‑outflow problem confirmed by a Baton Rouge Area Chamber study (8 people leave for every 1 that arrives). Nguyen highlights the city’s resilience through recent crises—natural disasters, cultural awakenings, and the pandemic—yet stresses that fear and complacency hinder progress. He contrasts a stagnant mindset (“what if it doesn’t work?”) with a brave one (“what if it does work?”) and identifies concrete barriers: low voter turnout, lack of merit‑based leadership, litter and crime, and insufficient investment in creative talent. Nguyen proposes a set of actions: encourage active citizenry and informed voting, combat litter to boost community pride, adopt the optimistic “what if it does work” mindset, and invest in the local startup ecosystem through angel networks like Red Stick Angels and mentorship via organizations such as BRAF. He offers to share a curated list of 100 influential Baton Rouge community members to foster connections. The essay blends data, personal experience, and a call to collective action, aiming to inspire residents to re‑invest their talent and transform Baton Rouge into a thriving hub for technology, entertainment, media, arts, and food.
Topics
Talent Drain vs. Creative Potential in Baton Rouge
Discussion of the outflow of creative talent from Baton Rouge, supported by Chamber data (8 leave, 1 arrive) and personal anecdotes of successful natives working elsewhere.