The University and the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute recently released the second edition of LSU 100, which recognizes the fastest-growing businesses that are at least 50 percent owned by a University alumnus.
The LSU 100 will be honored at a reception March 23 at the Renaissance Hotel.
The Daily Reveille chatted with a few of the alumni business owners about success stories and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
 
Business: Lyons
Alumnus owner: Hugh Raetzsch, class of ’93, management
What it is: Lyons is a wholesale grocery distributor that focuses on selling products to convenience stores.
How LSU prepared him: Raetzsch majored in management, and a significant part of his job is managing people. He said his curriculum was directly related to his work.
Advice for students: “Everything changes, and if you’re not changing with things or making changes, eventually things will get past you. With changes come risks, but there’s a lot of risk in not changing. … Don’t be afraid to take chances and make changes.”
 
Business: Excalibur Exhibits
Alumna owner: Peggy Swords, class of ’71, fashion merchandising
What it is: Excalibur Exhibits creates custom trade show display designs for face-to-face marketing
How LSU prepared her: Swords majored in fashion merchandising, and said the concepts of design and creativity play into her work, as well as fundamentals such as using colors and textures. The marketing component of fashion merchandising prepared Swords for calculating business spending and balance sheets.
Advice for students: “It’s never gonna be the perfect time to get started, and you’re never gonna have everything in place and everything just so. You have to just start and take that leap of faith.”
 
Business: MESH
Alumnus owner: Brian Hanlon, class of ’84, graphic design
What it is: MESH is a full-service advertising and marketing agency that specializes in tasks from creative print ads to public relations and social media.
How LSU prepared him: Hanlon learned core graphic design skills as a graphic design student. Since then, technology has changed and he’s adapted his skill set to encompass elements of writing and strategic planning.
Advice for students: “Never be afraid to take that plunge. Go ahead and go out on your own. If you’ve got an idea, or a passion, or a desire to do something, do it. … Take that leap — it’s far more rewarding than you could ever imagine.”
 
Business: Cane River Pecan Company
Alumnus owner: Jady Regard, class of ’92, psychology
What it is: Cane River Pecan Company sells gourmet pecans as corporate and professional gifts.
How LSU prepared him: Receiving an undergraduate education taught self-discipline, and being in Louisiana has provided valuable contacts, Regard said. His psychology degree has been useful in making sales to different people.
Advice for students: “Being an entrepreneur is fun, but it’s not for the faint of heart. You have to be incredibly disciplined, and you have to have a solid game plan. You have to be dedicated to your niche.”
 
Business: Bizzuka
Alumnus owner: John Munsell, class of ’82, finance/marketing
What it is: Bizzuka designs websites to match clients’ marketing efforts. Bizzuka creates custom site designs, but allow clients to control the site content through a Web content management system.
How LSU prepared him: Munsell said he calls upon virtually every aspect of his collegiate experiences every day. He constantly uses skills from programming and accounting courses, though he said he wishes he had paid more attention in those classes.
Advice for students: “You will make mistakes, but learning from mistakes is the key ingredient to becoming a success. You only fail if you quit, and for the true entrepreneur, quitting is not an option.”
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]