If you live in New Orleans, you know how this goes. You’re out one night, having a few drinks, when someone says, “You know what would be a great idea…”

In the morning – or maybe later in the week when you go to do the laundry – you find the napkin in your pocket with this great idea sketched out on it. What do you do then? Do you put the clothes in the laundry and the napkin in the trash? Or do you decide to actually do something with the napkin?

Suppose you choose the latter. Who do you ask if this really is a good idea? Who can advise you and get you to the next step? In New Orleans that person might be Luke Hooper.

LUke Hooper from F10 Designs explains how to play his new 3D game

Luke is the founder of Factor 10 Design. Taking ideas from the cocktail napkin stage through design and manufacture is what they do at Factor 10.

Jaime Glas is one of those people who had a great idea that is now a product. Her idea might not have started out on a cocktail napkin, but it did start out on an oil rig.

Jaime Glas and her Haute Work overalls at Commander’s Palace

In 2010 Jaime was an engineer working for Chevron. She found that the coveralls that she had to wear – which were designed for men – looked bad and were dangerous to wear because they weren’t designed for a body like hers. So Jaime started a company that makes flame resistant safety wear, for women. Safety wear that fits. Looks good. And works.

The company is called Haute Work, and if you’ll pardon the metaphor and pun, the company is on fire.

Peter Ricchiuti, Jaime Glas and Luke Hooper Out to Lunch

Of all the super powers you could have, there’s nothing quite as powerful as a great idea. Everything from democracy to the toothpick started out as just an idea. People with great ideas, and the ability to turn those ideas into real things, are not the sole province of Silicon Valley. We have our fair share of talented creators and manufacturers right here in New Orleans. Jaime Glas and Luke Hooper are ample proof of that.

Photos over lunch at Commander’s Palace by Jill Lafleur.

Check out more lunchtime conversation about great ideas by New Orleanians.