Here in Baton Rouge we really think of ourselves as a big small town, where everybody knows everybody else. And Baton Rouge circles do tend to overlap, particualry in business. But there are so many small businesses out there you’ve likely never heard of doing really cool things and making their mark – literally – on the local economy and the world stage.  

Guy Barone is President and CEO of Xenetech Global, a local business with a worldwide reach that has made its mark with its laser and rotary engraving systems that can etch a design into just about anything you can imagine. Guy’s brother in law founded the company in the mid 1980’s. Today Xenetech sells to more than 7,000 customers as far away as Australia. 

Layne Zuelke is master engraver and owner of Southern Custom Engraving, which does engraving the old fashioned way. Layne’s craft is an ancient and venerable one – he hand engraves firearms, knives, tools and jewelry. Layne was formally trained as a jeweler some 30 years ago but has spent about half that time hand engraving, which he now does from his studio on Lobdell here in Baton Rouge. his specialty is in guns but he also cuts a variety of other objects from fine woodworking tools to watches and jewelry. 

Mansurs on the Boulevard was closed today so we recorded this episode of Out to Lunch in the boardroom at The Baton Rouge Business Report.