[02:47] — My Whole Life’s Plan B
From an unexpected pregnancy 7 years apart to raising grandkids instead of retiring at 60 — happiness is the ability to adjust, not money or cars.
[04:00] — The Partner Split That Doubled His Income
After 16 years together, his law partner split out of the blue. Scary at first, but it gave him autonomy and doubled his income the first year.
[09:25] — The Bank Called the Loan in 30 Days
When the bank changed presidents and called their loan, he learned to never rely on one bank. He now does business with four different banks.
[11:33] — Katrina: Buy a House Unseen and Keep Moving
Bought a house over the phone, set up in St. Rose, and was one of the first businesses back in Mid-City. Now: 2 generators, laptops for all, and backups everywhere.
[14:58] — Persistence vs. Stubbornness
Persistence listens with empathy and communicates. Stubbornness just nags. Raise your voice and communication stops.
[16:58] — Leave Your Ego at the Door
You need a healthy ego to lead and make the final call, but talking down to people kills buy-in and loyalty. 10 minds are better than one.
[23:08] — The Team That Never Left
Lawrence 37 years, Deborah 36 years, Carmen 25 years, Allison 24 years — he credits them for his success in law and in life.
[27:15] — Change or Go Stagnant
If you’re not changing, you’re not moving forward. Roll out one change at a time, research the ripple effects, and don’t overwhelm your team.
In this episode of From NOLA with the Forstalls: Chats with Chip, Jonathan Forstall sits down with his father, Chip Forstall, for a conversation about Plan B, adapting to change, and learning how to move forward when life throws the unexpected at you.
Chip shares personal stories about divorce, rebuilding his law practice, raising children and grandchildren, navigating Hurricane Katrina, and learning that happiness is often tied to the ability to adjust. From business lessons to family life, he explains why success is not just about having a perfect plan, it’s about being able to think, adapt, make changes, and keep going when Plan A falls apart.
This episode dives into resilience, leadership, failure, ego, business growth, and the importance of learning from mistakes. Whether you’re a business owner, parent, attorney, entrepreneur, or someone facing uncertainty in your own life, this conversation offers real wisdom on how to stay prepared, stay humble, and keep moving forward.
