Megan Manning studied dance and business at Marymount Manhattan College in New York, New York, embracing the duality of her love for both art and commerce. Her husband, Michael Manning, has a background in operations and marketing from a career in advertising. Together, the New Orleans couple created Cucuron (cucuronshop.com), an online platform that connects art lovers with artists, making the process easier for both parties. The company is named for a market in a small village in Provence, where Megan and Michael were inspired to create Cucuron. “I really understand the artist’s journey,” says Megan, who spent years living the artist’s life as a freelance choreographer and nanny. “And the vulnerability of making something, putting it in the public eye, and trusting someone else to represent you.” A Hammond native, Megan worked as an investment banker after an injury, then as a Pilates instructor, eventually landing at her family’s Hammond-based business, Ross and Walls Paper Products. “I went from the very entry-level sales job to CEO and learned a tremendous amount,” says Megan. “I got to work with great people that taught me along the way. So, after that, it was like, what’s next, right?” Megan prepared the company for sale and took some time off for maternity leave. “While I was integrating our family company into the parent company, I worked remotely in France for the summer,” says Megan. “That area of France, Provence, is known for the markets, so we would take the kids and explore.” The idea for Cucuron struck when, after spying a collection of beautiful, glazed ceramics, Megan had a realization. “In my mind, I was like ‘Why would I even shop here?’” she says. “I’m gonna be here for the next couple of weeks, transporting two kids in car seats, there’s no way I’m gonna buy a piece of ceramic and cart it all over Europe. I looked at my husband and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could curate the best of local art and offer it to be shipped?’” They went for it and decided to focus on New Orleans and the South, harnessing the underrepresented talent in the region. “It’s a slightly crazy journey,” says Megan. “And being able to surround myself with people who are passionate about what they do has been a huge blessing.”
Cucuron
@cucuronshop
cucuronshop.com
