Episode 82 Andrew Crawford - ”Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home”

Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home

Entrepreneur and Multiple Local Business Owner Andrew Crawford, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:

0:26 1. Andrew, you are part of the Atkins-Crawford family, one of the most philanthropic and important families in the history of Shreveport. Can you talk some about your family’s history in the community and just some about how you were raised?

6:35 2. You are owner or part owner of 3 Rhino Coffees, Cuban Liquor, Jacquelyn’s Café and the Crawford Design Group. I’ve read or listened to numerous interviews with you and building community is a theme you come back to quite often. How do you explain your commitment to this community and your almost unmatched drive to give back to it and make it better?

10:35 3. Many cities similar-sized to us have large universities and/or sports teams that bring the community together. We probably will never have either of those things in Shreveport-Bossier. What do you see that can help unify us more in the future as a community or help bring us together more than we are today?

12:06 4. As you well know, one of our major issues is the fact that we export so much of our talent. In your opinion, how do we do a better job retaining our best and brightest?

13:28 5. You've been back since 2010. In the thirteen years since you've been back here, do you feel like things are better than when you arrived back home?

14:46 6. As you look around at our community, what are some of the things that concern you the most?

21:28 7. How do we produce more Andrew Crawfords?

24:45 8. What gives you hope that we’re headed in the right direction?

25:56 9. What conversations, if any at this point, are you having with your kids about their city, their community?