Click here to listen to the podcast.

In today's business podcast, we will discuss brainstorming possibilities that could help rebuild New Orleans after the devestation of Katrina.

I don't claim to be an expert on this subject, nor do I claim to know the answer. However, I do believe, as you will hear in this podcast, that someone has to do SOMETHING, instead of sitting in committees and arguing among councils. And that someone needs to be entrepreneurs and businesses that can revitalize an important part of our country.

After I finished business podcasting about New Orleans, I found a very interesting article about why giving money to third world nations doesn't change their economic status.

I found a strange correlation between what he wrote about these poor countries and what is being written about New Orleans. The argument seems to center around how much money should New Orleans get, and what should be done with it. However, if this article by Rob May on Businesspundit.com is accurate, throwing money into New Orleans won't change its situation.

What New Orleans needs is revitalization via business opportunities.

The problem is, of course, how can you have a business, if you don't have anyone living in the city to become employees or consumers? Its a cart and horse issue; the population can't survive without businesses returning, but businesses can't return until there's a population to run and be served by these businesses.

I think Donald Trump offers a solution...

I mention something that Donald Trump (of "Apprentice" fame) did in his autobiography that has always stuck in my mind. The City of New York had a project it just could never finish. It lingered on and on, until Trump said, "Just give it to me and I'll do it myself."

And he did it - on time, under budget.

Maybe returning New Orleans into an economically thriving center shouldn't be left to the politicians or the government. Maybe it should be left to the brainstorming entrepreneurs and the risk-taking businesses. We discuss many business ideas that could be utilized to revitalize New Orleans and benefit your business at the same time.

I am posting another streaming version of this audio podcasts here in this post, with the ability for you to add your comments and ideas at any point within the audio.

You can post a text, audio or video commentary, and everyone will be able to review it. This is something new from my friends at innerTOOB, partners with us in the International Podcasting Expo, October 20-22, 2006.

The podcasting seminar schedule is filling up, and Elisabeth Lewin of Podcasting News will be our "Grand Marshall", opening up with the 8pm Public Keynote Address. Its open to everyone, so come and join us. Go to http://www.InternationalPodcastingExpo.com to find out more.

Until next week, this is Penny Haynes, of 1st Podcast Publishing and Digital Business Books (DigBizBooks.com).

You can read the article by Rob May here...
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