Grant Cardone Returns Home to Lake Charles for Historic 50-Year Homecoming

LaGrange High School and McNeese State alumnus to be honored by his hometown, receive Key to the City and help launch a regional initiative investing in Southwest Louisiana's next generation.

LAKE CHARLES, La. — September 2026 — Fifty years after graduating from LaGrange High School, international entrepreneur, bestselling author and business leader Grant Cardone is coming home to Lake Charles for a milestone celebration honoring how far one hometown kid can go—and inspiring the next generation to go even further.

On Friday, October 16, 2026, Cardone will return to the community where his story began for a historic 50-year homecoming bringing together LaGrange High School, McNeese State University, civic leaders, entrepreneurs, businesses, students and community changemakers from across Southwest Louisiana.

Presented by Beauty of Life Foundation, founded by fellow Lake Charles entrepreneur Trisha Nguyen, the homecoming will celebrate Cardone's Louisiana roots while focusing squarely on the future: creating opportunity, developing future business leaders and showing young people what is possible when ambition is matched with education, mentorship and action.

The celebration is expected to include Cardone's return to LaGrange High School, recognition from his alma mater McNeese State University, special legacy honors and a Key to the City presentation by Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien.

For Cardone, the milestone is deeply personal.

“Everything I've done started with a kid from Lake Charles who wanted more for his life. I was raised here by an amazing family, graduated from LaGrange 50 years ago, went to McNeese, and I had no idea then where this journey would take me. Lake Charles gave me my start. To come back home and be recognized by the schools and the city that helped shape me is a huge honor. But I don't want this to just be about celebrating what I did. I want every young person in Southwest Louisiana to see what's possible and say, ‘If that guy from Lake Charles could do it, why can't I?’ Think bigger, take bigger swings and never let where you start determine where you finish.”— Grant Cardone

Nguyen, herself a Lake Charles entrepreneur, created Beauty of Life Foundation to help educate, develop and empower future business leaders. She is sponsoring Cardone's homecoming as a catalyst for a broader investment in Southwest Louisiana's next generation.

“This is more than a celebration of where Grant Cardone started. It is about using the power of his return to show the next generation what progression can look like—and what becomes possible when an entire region invests in their future.”— Trisha Nguyen, Founder and CEO, Beauty of Life Foundation

From Homecoming to Impact: #Project10XSWLA

The homecoming will also anchor #Project10XSWLA, a 30-day regional impact challenge created in honor of Cardone's 50-year homecoming and inspired by his 10X philosophy of thinking bigger, taking massive action and refusing to settle for ordinary results.

Beginning September 15, 2026, #Project10XSWLA will mobilize leaders, businesses, institutions, professionals and residents throughout Southwest Louisiana to generate measurable human-capital investment for the region's next generation.

The goal is to turn a one-day homecoming into a lasting movement.

Complete challenge details will be announced prior to the September 15 launch.

Asset to Society 100

The October 16 celebration will also feature the inaugural Asset to Society 100 Ceremony, recognizing 100 proven leaders from across Southwest Louisiana who have demonstrated leadership, achievement and commitment to their communities.

The initiative asks one powerful question:

What happens when 100 successful leaders unite behind one mission—the future of the next generation?

Through the initiative, business and community leaders will have an opportunity to participate at the Future of 1, Future of 10, Future of 100, Future of 1,000 and Future of 10,000 sponsorship and investment levels.

Together, the homecoming, #Project10XSWLA and Asset to Society 100 are designed to create something larger than a celebration of one successful Lake Charles native: a demonstration of what can happen when hometown success comes back home and invests in who comes next.

The official October 16 schedule, event locations, registration information and participation details will be announced following final stakeholder confirmation.

About Grant Cardone

Grant Cardone is an entrepreneur, private equity fund manager with over $5 billion in assets under management, bestselling author, business educator and founder of the 10X movement. A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Cardone graduated from LaGrange High School in 1976 and later attended McNeese State University. From his beginnings in Southwest Louisiana, he went on to build a global business platform spanning real estate, sales training, business education, media and live events.

Known worldwide for his 10X philosophy, Cardone has built his career around challenging entrepreneurs and individuals to expand their thinking, increase their targets and take massive action toward creating economic freedom and lasting success.

About Beauty of Life Foundation

Beauty of Life Foundation, founded by Lake Charles entrepreneur Trisha Nguyen, is dedicated to investing in human potential and helping educate, develop and empower future business leaders. Through education, leadership development, entrepreneurship and community collaboration, the Foundation seeks to create opportunities that strengthen the next generation and the communities they will lead.