4 Louisiana billionaires make Forbes' wealthiest list
Gayle Benson and Todd Graves aren't the only billionaires in Louisiana, according to Forbes' latest billionaires ranking.
Two more South Louisiana residents made this year's list.
Todd Graves
Graves, 53, is the 293rd richest person in the world as of Monday. He's worth $9.5 billion, Forbes says.
The Baton Rouge resident founded Raising Cane's nearly 30 years ago and remains the CEO.
He's a longtime Bacchus krewe member and tells Axios he's a fan of the fried shrimp poboys from Domilise's. Go deeper
Gayle Benson
Benson, 78, added another billion to her net worth last year, coming in at a cool $7.1 billion. She's ranked 460 as of Monday.
She lives in New Orleans and owns the Saints and the Pelicans. She's the first woman to be the principal owner of both an NFL and NBA team.
Benson grew up in Old Algiers. She previously worked in jewelry sales, real estate development and interior design, according to her official bio.
William Goldring
William Goldring, 82, lives in New Orleans and is worth an estimated $7 billion, Forbes says. He's the 467th richest person in the world.
The Tulane grad is the chairman of the Sazerac Co., which owns about 500 alcohol brands and a dozen distilleries around the world. Go deeper
His brands include Pappy Van Winkle, Southern Comfort, Buffalo Trace and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. Last year, his company bought the BuzzBallz line, Forbes says.
Gary Chouest
Gary Chouest, 80, is worth $2 billion and is ranked 1,763 on the world's billionaires list.
He is the owner and president of Edison Chouest Offshore, which Forbes says owns more than 200 offshore vessels for the oil, gas and wind power industries.
The Cut Off resident also owns a stake in Bollinger Shipyard Group, Forbes says.
And he was once a minority owner of the New Orleans Hornets.
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USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
Taylor Swift, her masters and when spending tons of money is good for your mental health
Taylor Swift, her masters and when spending tons of money is good for your mental health Show Caption Hide Caption Taylor Swift's no longer the youngest self-made billionaire Taylor Swift was once the youngest self-made woman billionaire at 35. The new record holder, according to Forbes, is Lucy Guo, 30, the co-founder of Scale AI. unbranded - Entertainment With one major purchase, Taylor Swift made her "greatest dream come true." The music mogul bought the masters to her first six albums after they were bought by Scooter Braun − someone Swift has publicly criticized − in 2019. Following Braun's purchase of her masters, the singer embarked on a crusade to reclaim ownership of her artistry, going so far as to re-record those albums and release them with the designation "Taylor's Version." But now, it's all over. Late last month, Swift revealed in a lengthy statement on her website that, thanks to negotiations with the private equity firm Shamrock Capital − and, presumably, a boatload of cash − all that music that once belonged to Braun is hers now. Shamrock Capital purchased the master rights to Swift's first six albums from Braun's Ithaca Holdings in 2020. "To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it," Swift wrote. "I will be forever grateful to everyone at Shamrock Capital for being the first people to ever offer this to me. The way they've handled every interaction we've had has been honest, fair, and respectful." She added: "This was a business deal to them, but I really felt like they saw it for what it was to me: My memories and my sweat and my handwriting and my decades of dreams." Swift clearly has impressive business acumen. After all, she had the highest-grossing tour of all time. Forbes estimates her net worth at $1.6 billion. In October 2024, the publication designated her the world's richest female musician. What's clear from her statement, however, is that, for her, buying these masters was much more than a business decision (though financial experts agree it probably will help her make more money in the long run, too). It was about her peace of mind: Finally, she has the satisfaction of knowing her music is hers. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping It Together newsletter Let's be real: Most of us will never make Swift-sized purchases like this. That's because most of us will never have Swift-sized bank accounts. But the singer buying her masters, as well as her rationale behind the decision, does raise an important question: When is it wise to shell out major cash for something that holds deep meaning for you? When is peace of mind worth a dent in your bank account? It's a difficult question, and the answer isn't so cut-and-dry. "What she did was buying back her power, which is extremely emotional, especially for women, but it's so empowering that you're getting control of your own destiny back. For Taylor, it's a very big thing ... but she could afford to do that," certified financial planner Melissa Cox says. "For other people, people that don't have Taylor Swift kind of money, it's just going to depend on what it is that we're purchasing and why." Taylor Swift and what her masters purchase means Swift hasn't revealed how much she spent on her masters. Still, it's safe to assume those masters weren't cheap, with some outlets estimating the singer spent up to $360 million for them. A source close to the negotiations told USA TODAY any rumored price range reported is "highly inaccurate." But regardless, the sale price is sure to have been hefty. Kristen Kelly, co-founder of the financial education resource The Wall Street Skinny, says that, even though this purchase was clearly quite emotional for Swift, it makes good business sense too. The power of Swift's brand lies in her ability to control her narrative. Owning the masters to her first six albums is an important piece of that puzzle. More: Taylor Swift owns her music catalog following masters controversy with Scooter Braun "Her whole business, her whole everything is her brand. ... This was just such an important strategic decision for her overall," Kelly says. "Honestly, even if she had to pay more, I think it was probably still the right move strategically." Not to mention, the purchase also sends a powerful message − to the music industry and to other artists, both established and up-and-coming. "She's opened the eyes of other music artists as well, and, because she's doing that, she's kind of pushing back on the industry," certified financial planner Monica Dwyer says. "It kind of feels like the industry is more powerful than the individual." How to know when a big purchase is really worth it Though most of us will never spend money like Swift, the pop star's business dealings carry important lessons about personal finance, mental wellbeing and what purchases are really worthwhile. Sure, we might not ever buy master recordings, but we may have to decide one day if we're going to buy a dream car. Or a dream home. End of an Era: How Taylor Swift's record-shattering tour put fun, freedom centerstage Being able to discern when something matters enough to you to warrant its hefty price tag is crucial. "Let's face it, a lot of our decisions are not made by the logical side of our brain," Dwyer says. "The richer and richer you become, the less you have to worry about those little incidental things. The cost of our home repairs, electric, gas, food, those kind of things are not a thought in Taylor Swift or very, very wealthy Americans' minds." Here are some important considerations when deciding whether or not to make a big purchase: Consider the staying power of what you're buying. "You can spend money in the sense that you go out, you go to a Peter Luger Steakhouse, you buy steak, you eat it, it's gone," Kelly says. "This is something that she's putting money into, and it's holding value the same way you buy into a house and that value goes up." "You can spend money in the sense that you go out, you go to a Peter Luger Steakhouse, you buy steak, you eat it, it's gone," Kelly says. "This is something that she's putting money into, and it's holding value the same way you buy into a house and that value goes up." Ask yourself: Would I be OK if what I buy becomes worthless? "What happens if the value goes to zero?" Kelly says. "Is that something you can live with?" "What happens if the value goes to zero?" Kelly says. "Is that something you can live with?" Give yourself time to think it over. "Sometimes what I'll do is, if I'm shopping on a website, I will put something that I want into the cart, but I won't buy it," Dwyer says. "I wait a week and I say to myself, 'Do you remember even what you put in that cart?' And if it's still something you want, and you remember it a week later, then it's worth purchasing." Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri
Associated Press
13 hours ago
- Associated Press
NFL teams with female owners holding controlling shares or decision-making power
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Forbes
19 hours ago
- Forbes
20 Underrated Leadership Habits That Drive Team Performance
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Over time, that kind of atmosphere supports resilience and performance. - Mo Khan, One of the best ways to get a team on the same page is to literally sit down and accurately assess the team and the work. Leveraging Thomas Patterson's The Four Helpfuls—what's right, what's wrong, what's missing and what's confused—will pave the way to deeper insight and understanding for the team. Determining what's most important, listing out action steps and making improvements is key. - Kevin West, Invisible Insights Inc. Leadership integrity is crucial. Real leadership isn't about titles—it's about trust. Does your walk match your talk? Make sure you keep your word, own your mistakes, and live your values. High integrity + high energy = a leader people want to follow. - Bill Koch, Bill Koch Leadership Coaching It is the mental stability of the leader that has a profound impact on team performance, because the leader sets the emotional tone of the team. 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It's free and it goes a long way! - Ellen Lail, Lail Coaching, LLC Regularly asking for—and genuinely listening to—team feedback is an underrated leadership habit. It builds trust, signals respect and uncovers valuable insights. Leaders who embrace this habit foster openness, loyalty and sustained high performance within their teams. - Peter Boolkah, The Transition Guy One powerful leadership habit is consistently demonstrating that you value your team members' ideas, contributions and potential for greatness. It's not just about acknowledgement—it's about making people feel seen, heard and genuinely supported in achieving their goals. Leaders who do this drive sustained performance and loyalty over time. - Cheri Rainey, Rainey Leadership Learning The most effective and underrated leadership habit is checking for understanding. After every important communication, the key behavior is to simply ask, 'What did you understand from what I just said?' It's ridiculously simple but amazingly powerful in avoiding problems and delays. - Adriana Gattermayr, BTS Make the emotional climate in your team or organization a priority and habitually check in with people to see how they are (really) doing. The emotional state is a main driver of performance and depends on how psychological needs are met. Focusing on the people instead of the numbers will improve the numbers. - Thomas Gelmi, Movadis AG
