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Andrew Somoza with Voxa, John Souza with Social Media Marketing University, Craig Williams and Neil Howe with Global Authority Agency

 

Craig Williams, Neil Howe, John Souza, Andrew Somoza

Craig Williams, Neil Howe, John Souza, Andrew Somoza

 

Andrew Somoza/Voxa

Andrew Somoza, former CSO of AchieveIt and Co-Founder/VP of Sales at Vendormate, has  joined Voxa as Chief Sales Officer. Andrew has a long track record of growing early stage  tech startups into successful companies. A proven entrepreneur, Andrew has over 15 years  of experience in sales leadership and business development.

“Andrew’s background and  expertise is exactly what we need to support our sales team and fuel our growth,” said Johnson  Cook, founder and CEO of Voxa, the world’s first automated CRM assistant. Voxa is intelligent  integration for e-mail to CRM, natural language task triggers, and actionable analytics from  where sales people and knowledge workers spend more time than anywhere else: e-mail. “With  Andrew on board, we can accelerate toward our goal of increasing productivity and providing  accurate metrics for sales teams everywhere.”

At his last endeavor, AchieveIt, Andrew was  employee #2. Under his leadership, AchieveIt’s sales doubled in 2012 and quadrupled in 2013.  Prior to AchieveIt and Vendormate, Andrew has held various sales management positions with  Lancope, Borland Software Corporation and Starbase Corporation. Somoza is a graduate of  Georgia Institute of Technology with a BS in Management, minor Economics/Marketing.

Andrew  and his wife, Jessie, have three daughters. He is an active member of Christ the King Church  and has served on the Board of Directors for Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and Georgia  Tech’s Alexander-Tharpe Fund. Andrew is a regular speaker at Georgia Institute of Technology,  University of Georgia, Technology of Association of Georgia and an active investor in early stage  technology companies.

www.voxa.com     Linkedin (Voxa)    Linkedin (Andrew)     Twitter

 

John Souza/Social Media Marketing University

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-27-14 John Souza 1

John Souza is the Founder and Chief Strategist of Social Media Marketing University (SMMU). Under his leadership, SMMU has provided training courses and done-for-you solutions to customers across the globe, and has quickly become a trusted authority in social media. He’s been featured by Fox Business News, Fast Company, Inc., Forbes and Mashable. In 2011, John Souza was named “Social Media Marketer of the Year” by the Tech Marketing Awards presented annually by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), and more recently SMMU won the 2013 About.com Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Online Education Site.” Over 125,000 students have learned how to grasp and leverage the potential of social media marketing through his firm’s award-winning Social Media Certification and Training programs.

SocialMediaDayAtlanta.com   Linkedin   Facebook   Twitter   Twitter (John)

 

Craig Williams/Global Authority Agency

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-27-14 Craig Williams 1Craig, husband of one, father of four, is a consummate connector,1st generation social entrepreneur, and a true creative, working within the margin of safety while mastering his circles of confidence. Organically creating history by powerfully influencing culture.

www.GlobalAuthorityAgency.com     Linkedin     Twitter

 

 

Neil Howe/Global Authority Agency

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-27-14 Neil Howe 1Neil Howe is a sought after online media strategist in the local business marketplace. He is famous for creating wildly profitable media campaigns that transform small business owners into the celebrity authority in their market. Neil is originally from Scotland but calls Atlanta home after spending almost 20 years stateside.
He is married with 7 children and loves to help entrepreneurs with families make the breakthrough to success.

www.GlobalAuthorityAgency.com      Linkedin

 

 

 

Sarah Tourville with Media Frenzy Global, Karen Cashion with Greater Alpharetta Tech Network, Benjamin Yin with Generations Financial, LLC, Ford Fry with Rocket Farm Restaurants, Mark Shaver with Buckhead Paws, Michael Crandal with Crandal Hospitality

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Group 1

Michael Crandal, Sarah Tourville, Mark Shaver, Karen Cashion, Ford Fry, Ben Yin

 

Sarah Tourville/Media Frenzy Global

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Sarah Tourville 1Sarah is a highly driven communications professional with over 17 years experience in the  Telecommunications and wireless industry in Europe, Middle East and North America. She has led  strategic PR and Marketing campaigns for major Fortune 500 companies including Motorola, Nokia  (Symbian), Convergys, Ingenico as well as high growth technology players Destiny, Esri, Ingenico, Stratix,  Zmags and the industry association, The GSMA. Sarah has extensive knowledge of mobile platforms, applications, devices, network infrastructure, VoIP, mobile email, moble video, mobile TV,  ecommerce, mcommerce and mobile payments.

Sarah founded and managed an independent communications technology company for 7 years, as well  as held senior marketing and PR positions accountable for hitting revenue targets. She is a personable  and tenacious individual with excellent communication skills and a result’s driven approach to business,  who consistently works to the highest possible standards. Lastly, she is the co founder of the Greater  Alpharetta Tech Network (GATN), supporting 900+ technology companies in the Greater Alpharetta  region.

 

Karen Cashion/Greater Alpharetta Tech Network

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Karen CashionKaren Cashion is a law partner at Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC in Alpharetta, Georgia. Karen has over 16 years of  legal experience representing businesses. Karen’s practice focuses on providing corporate and technology  law services to her business clients, including corporate formation; corporate start-up and business law  advice; dispute resolution; and negotiating and drafting software licensing and development agreements;  managed services agreements; vendor and reseller contracts; employment agreements; nondisclosure  and noncompetition agreements; and other complex commercial and technology agreements. Karen  previously served as Assistant General Counsel for EarthLink, Inc.

Karen received her Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Emory University, where she  graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Karen received her J.D. with high honors from Duke University School of Law,  where she served as Senior Editor of the Law & Contemporary Problems Journal. She is the author of  “Starting a New Business in 2013?” in the Fulton County Women’s Journal, May/June 2013 edition, and  she is a frequent CPE and CLE speaker on managing corporate litigation risks and costs. Karen currently serves as Secretary of the North Fulton Bar Association, President and Founder of  the new Greater Alpharetta Tech Network, and as a Commissioner on the City of Alpharetta Planning  Commission. Karen also serves on the board of the Alpharetta Technology Commission. Karen and her  husband Richard and two children are longtime residents of the city of Alpharetta.

www.GATNconnect.org     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

 

Benjamin Yin/Generations Financial, LLC

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Ben Yin 1My father passed away in 1985 with no life insurance and left my mother with a struggling  restaurant and 2 small children. 2 days later, my mother decided to join New York Life so  that what happened to her wouldn’t happen to anyone else; 29 years later, she is still  using her story to convey the importance of proper planning. 

From our sweat and tears,  my mother and I formed Generations Financial, where your success is our mission. We  provide individuals and families with estate planning, financial planning, retirement  solutions, and risk management strategies. We provide businesses with succession  planning and insurance solutions for their employees. In each and every case, we seek to  build an enduring relationship where we fully understand your vision, custom design  strategies and solutions that are suited for your circumstances, and then implement those  plans with impeccable service and integrity.

Generations Financial springs from a family legacy making us exceptionally attuned to the importance of good planning and the lifelong benefits it can bring. We are not after a quick ride on the rapids. We will work with you to lay the groundwork for increasing success that can be passed down the stream of generations. 

Like you, we are committed to our families. Like you, we care  about our community. With Generations Financial, you will never be treated like another number in the system or another product on the assembly line. Our commitment to our clients is paramount. If you thrive, we will thrive. We want for you, your family, and your business to have the highest possible degree of security and growth so that we can all live balanced & abundant lives. Plan for today.
Plan for tomorrow. 
Plan for GENERATIONS

Corina Chou and Benjamin Yin are agents of New York Life Insurance Company. Generations Financial is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Company or its affiliates. Corina Chou is not affiliated as an investment adviser with a registered investment advisor.

www.PlanforGenerations.com     Linkedin     Twitter

 

Ford Fry/Rocket Farm Restaurants

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Ford Fry 1Ford Fry’s culinary inspirations cover many years and much of the country: from eating out with his family as a child in Texas, to studying at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, to spending time as a fine dining chef in Florida, Colorado and California—and eventually as a corporate chef in Atlanta. Although the corporate chef position didn’t stick, Fry’s love for Atlanta stuck with him and it has proved a recipe for success. Fry and his restaurants have been included in numerous national and local publications, such as Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Chicago Tribune, Cooking Light, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Esquire, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, Sky, Southern Living and the Washington Post. Accolades for Fry and his restaurants include: • October 2012 – The Optimist named the Best New Restaurant of the Year by Esquire magazine • 2013 – Fry named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards for Outstanding Restaurateur • June 2013 – The Optimist named one of the 70 Best Restaurants in the World by Condé Nast Traveler magazine • September 2013 – The Optimist was on the cover of Bon Appétit and named the seventh Best New Restaurant in the country by the magazine • October 2013 – King + Duke selected as one of the Best New Restaurants of 2013 by Esquire magazine • November 2013 – Fry wins seventh annual Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Award for Restaurateur of the Year • November 2013 – Fry named Empire Builder of the Year by Eater Atlanta • Invited to cook at the Beard House on multiple occasions.

January 2007 Fry put down roots in Atlanta with the opening of his first restaurant – JCT. Kitchen & Bar – a place that’s as warm and friendly as its owner.  The menu is reminiscent of traditional family favorites and features ingredients from regional fields and farms. Regulars love JCT.’s refined comfort food, from fried chicken with bacon mac and cheese to deviled eggs with country ham to the restaurant’s famous “angry” mussels. The upstairs bar serves up small plates, cocktails and amazing views of the Atlanta skyline for a more casual dining experience. JCT. Kitchen & Bar is the kind of place locals take their out-of-town guests for a classy Southern experience. “I want to create restaurants that strike a timeless emotional chord – restaurants that don’t pander to trend, but draw generations of families together,” says Fry. Fry’s culinary vision always begins with ingredients and dishes that are central to the Atlanta community and Southeastern region. He sources local ingredients not only because they taste better but because it allows him to partner closely with suppliers and honor local harvests. He then utilizes classical European techniques in his preparation resulting in dishes that are approachable and uncomplicated yet entirely new to his guests.

www.FordFry.com     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

 

Mark Shaver/Buckhead Paws

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Mark Shaver 1I had a long career as a corporate executive, working with Coca-Cola, Baskin Robbins, and RJ Reynolds.  An interesting twist to that career is that I spent 15 years of it living and working overseas, including  general management assignments in Seoul, Korea; Lahore, Pakistan; and Moscow, Russia. I returned to  the States in 2004, settling here in Atlanta. The reason I chose Atlanta was pretty much the Chamber of  Commerce reasons: cost of living; climate; good people; great airport; opportunity.

In my last corporate role, as General Manager of Country Operations for Reynolds, I was in charge of a  business unit doing $500 million in annual revenue and oversaw about 800 people in 22 different offices  across Russia. It was a big job, demanding and exciting. And that afforded me the opportunity to travel  the breadth of Russia. But what I’m doing now with Buckhead Paws is so much more personally rewarding: we get to take care  of critters; we’re able to be of service to our clients; and we help 11 people earn a living. We get to be outdoors and taking care of pets is a great way to meet new people.

www.BuckheadPaws.com     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

 

Co-Host: Michael Crandal/Crandal Hospitality

Buckhead Business RadioX 04_22_14 Michael Crandal25+ years of successfully building and maintaining exemplarily management teams by identifying talent, mentoring — and monitoring accountability for terrific results with a style of leadership based upon positive support and empowerment, rather than fear or micro-management.

 

A compelling speaking style before large audiences. Ability to communicate, lead, and gain confidence from reporting at regular Board of Director meetings, annual shareholders / membership meetings, presenting staff training / leadership / business ethics seminars – to offering the keynote address at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management MBA Conference.

Engaging, upbeat and sincere personality in interacting on a personal level throughout every day with every person encountered, while consistently bringing sound business savvy & financial acumen to the table. Expertise in creating, presenting, gaining ultimate approval — and then monitoring unwavering adherence to both Operating and Capital budgets. An experienced strategic planner who has developed and successfully implemented meaningful 5+ year Capital Reserve Plans and ongoing Cash Management Programs.

BY THE WAY: Just in case you were wondering, the letters after Michael Crandal, CNG stand for: Certified Nice Guy. Self-certified, by the way. But, a nice guy nonetheless. He and his wife, Kim, have recently moved to the Buckhead area of Atlanta, GA.

I PRESENT CUSTOM DESIGNED LEADERSHIP / ETHICS / MOTIVATIONAL WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS AND KEYNOTE SPEECHES. I’ve proudly completed my book, LIFE’S 10-POINT MUST SYSTEM (available NOW on amazon.com) — I continue to author management / leadership magazine articles — accept speaking engagements, and present custom designed Leadership / Ethics workshops to clients around the country. My wife has recently accepted the position of Town Club Manager with the Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta, GA and we have moved from our home in Palm Desert, CA.

I now consider meaningful relationships (Atlanta based) where my proven Executive Committee level leadership expertise is best utilized. I EFFECTIVELY ENHANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM PRODUCTIVITY & ENTHUSIASM THAT PROVES CONTAGIOUS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION RIGHT DOWN TO THE ULTIMATE CONSUMER OF SERVICES.

www.CrandalHospitality.com     Linkedin

 

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-20-14 Group 4

Mark Shaver, Ford Fry, Michael Crandal (Co-Host), Ben Yin, Karen Cashion, Sarah Tourville

 

Cathy Hankinson with IMPACT Success Systems, Mary Blackmon with FarmStarLiving, Myiah Hughes with GyrlTalk, Camille Cooper with Endevvr

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Group

Cathy Hankinson, Camille Cooper, Tres Crow (Host), Myiah Hughes, Mary Blackmon

 

Mary Blackmon/FarmStarLiving.com

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Mary Blackmon 2

Founded by Mary Blackmon, Farm Star Living  is the new lifestyle brand that celebrates American farming and farmers with a goal to satisfy Americans eager to know who’s behind their food, where it’s grown, and how to support local farmers and farm-fresh food. Farm Star Living has also launched its free Farm Star Living app, which provides easy, quick access to hundreds of Farm-to-Table restaurants in major cities throughout the U.S. as well as hundreds of farms open to the public for exciting activities and fun. The web site  also offers insight into the vibrant farm- to-table scene, including a farm-to-table finder, profiles on great restaurants, the symbiotic relationships between chefs & local farmers, seasonal produce with spotlighted recipes, and a look at what’s trending in the kitchen of chefs.

Mary is a 3rd generation farmer from Arkansas, who left her hometown to pursue college and a career in advertising sales and marketing in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York City. She worked for publishing houses and internet companies (Wired, Walt Disney Internet Group, Vivendi-Universal Internet Group). In NYC in 2002, she founded Spa-Addicts.com, the first national discount site for the spa & wellness industry. She grew it into a multi-million dollar business and a leader in the industry, and attracted hundreds of thousands of women as well as sponsors including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, General Motors, Kimberly Clark, Allergan, AMEX etc.

In 2008, however, she learned most of her family farm bordering Ark / LA would be sold. Not wanting to lose the family heritage and farmland her family before her had so cherished, Mary, along with the support of her brother Douglas, was adamant to preserve and keep the remaining farmland. She then began making changes in her life so that she could move from Los Angeles back South in order to keep, operate and run the farm. She bought back her grandparents house and renovated it, and discovered that “saving the family farm” had changed her life forever – and for the better. Today she admits that she is happier than ever & inspired, loving the farming business and now launching Farm Star Living, which she felt compelled to create for the good of farming and the people she has met along her new path. She hopes that Farm Star Living will provide farmers the respect, acknowledgment and support they so deserve and attract new farmers as well as support the current ones.

​www.FarmStarLiving.com     Twitter     Facebook

 

Myiah Hughes/GyrlTalk App

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Myiah Hughes

Myiah Hughes is the Co-Founder of GyrlTalk App. GyrlTalk is a mobile social network created to serve as the primary communication suite for women and female driven groups and organizations. GyrlTalk enhances the social networking experience for a nice market, providing users a sleek and customizable interface that allows their conversations, expressions and soirees to meet seamlessly in the digital space. GyrlTalk automates keeping in touch with your girlfriends, offering a softer solution than putting her on your calendar. Additionally, GyrlTalk is committed to capturing the unique expressions of a diverse group of cultures and styles through its exclusive
in-app emoticon keyboard.

www.GyrlTalkApp.com     Linkedin      Twitter      Facebook

 

Camille Cooper/Endevvr

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Camille Cooper 1

Camille Cooper is the Chief of Staff for Endevvr, a summer business incubator for high school students which will be hosted on Georgia Tech’s campus this summer. She is currently finishing her last year at Kenan-Flagler, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill’s School of Business, where she is an active participant in Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity and Career Peers, the student arm of University Career Services. She has spent considerable time building and growing the entrepreneurial community at UNC, by leading teams to victory at local case competitions and redesigning first-year interaction with Career Services.

Camille’s exposure to the startup world began last summer when she joined the Endevvr leadership team at their pilot program in Boston, where she saw firsthand the kind of impact entrepreneurship can have on individual lives. Not only did she wear many hats herself (from Operations to Finance to everything in between), she also served as a coach and mentor to 30 students who were developing their own businesses over just a few short weeks. This year, Camille is taking on an even bigger leadership role, helping to build out a large part of the curriculum that teaches tactical, real-world skills like making resumes and writing for business.

In summary, Camille is on a personal and professional mission to make entrepreneurship education accessible to everyone – a mission she shares with the entire Endevvr team. As a young entrepreneur herself, she believes entrepreneurship is a skill and mindset that can be developed over time, and is eager to help cultivate those skills in high school students.

www.endevvr.com    Linkedin    Twitter    Facebook   Linkedin /Camille

 

Cathy Hankinson/IMPACT Success Systems

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Cathy Hankinson 1

Cathy Hankinson has a passion for helping people. As a powerful results-driven leader, her expertise is in creating Make-over Strategies that result in a roadmap taking you from where you are now to where you want to be with your business, life and money. Cathy spent her career building a solid, expansive network of trusted experts. She brings together people and resources to create powerful results.

Having become a Make-Over expert in the areas of image, money, and other life and business skills, Cathy created the Make-over Matrix™. She is also the Inventor of IMPACT The Money Mastery Game™ – the board game where players can play their “way to wealth.” It is a game that anyone can understand, regardless of education or experience. It is full of success principles for business, life and finances that many of us wish we had known sooner. That game recently became the catalyst for an upcoming new TV reality series, Project Launchpad.

As Executive Producer and Host, Cathy created a show where small business owners across the U.S. are the stars. This series showcases the riveting journeys of real people working to make their dreams a reality, their business into a success as a team of business experts guides them along the way. Share the triumphs, and the disappointments, faced throughout the journey of a typical entrepreneur.

Cathy’s is on a Mission to educate people of all ages on foundational success principles for money, business and life. Her greatest passion is to educate, inspire and empower people to be able to have freedom, choices, peace of mind and happiness. As a catalyst in the transformation process, Cathy hopes to empower others to unleash their full potential and become a greater contribution to our world.

www.IMPACTsuccessSystems.com     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

Linkedin  (Cathy)  www.ProjectLaunchpad.tv     Facebook

 

Atlanta Dealmakers-Ritz Group Radio 05-13-14 Group 2

 

Cassius Butts and David Perry with U.S. Small Business Administration SBA, Drew Tonsmeire with Kennesaw State University SBDC, Stephen Pararo with Pineapple House Interior Design, Pete Canalichio with Licensing Brands

David Perry, Cassius Butts, Pete Canalichio, Barry Flink, Stephen Pararo, Drew Tonsmeire, Rich Casanova

David Perry, Cassius Butts, Pete Canalichio, Barry Flink, Stephen Pararo, Drew Tonsmeire, Rich Casanova (Show Host)

 

Cassius Butts/U.S. Small Business Administration

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 Cassius ButtsCassius Butts was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2011. He is responsible for delivery of SBA programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. During his appointment, Cassius Butts has managed oversight of two record-breaking years for SBA Lending in Region IV; nearly $8 billion in SBA-backed loans to small businesses within the aforementioned eight states.

Prior to joining SBA, Cassius was employed as one of three Chiefs of the Real Estate Owned Division within the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development where he began his federal career as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2002. Previous to his civil-federal career, since 1992, Cassius has worked in leadership positions for Nations Bank, Fleet Bank and Bank of America (MBNA) as well as the City of Atlanta. In addition, as a small business owner and consultant, he co-founded CB Consulting Group, LLC, which primarily offered entrepreneurial, strategy and community engagement services.

As a strategist and advisor, Cassius has worked with many elected and appointed officials. He is the recipient of many honors and awards such as the U.S. House of Representative Proclamation recipient and was recently appointed to the National Partnership Council in March of 2013. Cassius is a 1994 graduate of Morehouse College, received his graduate degree from Clark Atlanta University’s School of Public Administration in 2002 and Certificate of Grant Writing from Emory University’s Life Learning Institute. He is a 2005 graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, and Leadership Atlanta (c/o 2012)- the nation’s oldest sustained community leadership program.

www.sba.gov     Linkedin      @SBAsoutheast     @CassiusButts     Facebook

 

David Perry/U.S. Small Business Administration

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 David PerryThe US Small Business Administration is an independent federal agency whose administrator is appointed by the President and is a member of the President’s cabinet. The agency’s primary focus is to help small businesses start and grow.

There are 68 field offices around the country that administer SBA programs to the public. David Perry is Deputy District Director for the US Small Business Administration in Georgia. As such, he manages day to day office operations and in conjunction with the district director ensures the delivery of SBA lending, business development and technical assistance programs in the state. He was appointed to this position in October 2010. Prior to that appointment, David was communications director for the SBA in the Southeastern United States. From 1999 until 2002, he was manager of marketing and outreach for SBA in Georgia.

David joined SBA in 1998 to lead SBA’s efforts at the Atlanta One Stop Capital Shop, an economic development center operated in partnership between SBA and the Atlanta Empowerment Zone Corporation. From 1983 until 1998, he was a domestic policy advisor to US Congressman W.G. Hefner from North Carolina. A native of North Carolina, he is a graduate of the University of North Carolina.

www.sba.gov/ga     Linkedin      Twitter     Facebook

 

Drew Tonsmeire/Kennesaw State University SBDC

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 Drew TonsmeireDrew Tonsmeire serves as the Area Director with the Kennesaw State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Under his leadership, KSU SBDC was awarded the 2014 Regional SBDC Excellence and Innovation Award by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

With more than eighteen years’ experience within the Georgia SBDC Network, his consulting expertise in strategic marketing, financial packaging, and overall business management has impacted thousands of business owners. His background includes service as President and CEO of a local Chamber of Commerce, as well as, experience in retail, manufacturing, and service environments. Committed to supporting entrepreneurship and small business, Drew is a member of the Board of Directors for the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. He is also actively involved with strategic planning, building relationships with community and business leaders, and stimulating entrepreneurship with Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State.

A certified instructor for Google, eBay University, and GrowSmart, Drew was recognized by the Georgia SBDC as the 2004 Consultant of the Year. He was also one of the recipients of the Project of the Year Award for 2011 for his team contributions in the Google training and consulting initiative. As a member of the planning committee for the national SBDC Association which annually, brings 1,500 SBDC professionals together for advanced training, Drew enjoys staying up- to- date on the latest in technology and strategic marketing and sharing his expertise with his team, colleagues and clients

www.georgiasbdc.org     Linkedin      Twitter      Facebook

 

Stephen Pararo/Pineapple House Interior Design

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 Stephen PararoPineapple House Interior Design is an innovative residential and boutique hospitality interior design and architectural specification firm. The organization offers turnkey construction, renovation and decorating services and works nationally and internationally.

Since every project is a unique reflection of their client’s needs and desires, Pineapple House designers work in a variety of styles. Pineapple House has been featured on eleven television networks and in over 100 magazines. They have received over thirty “Design Excellence Awards” by the American Society of Interior Designers and most recently, owner Stephen Pararo was honored as the first runner up for the State of Georgia’s “2014 Small Business Person of the Year.”

www.PineappleHouse.com     Linkedin      Twitter      Facebook

 

Pete Canalichio/Licensing Brands, Inc.

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 Pete CanalichioBest-in-class Fortune 100 business practices  Drive for bottom-line success At my best facing tough challenges—business turnaround, rapid growth, competitive outmaneuvering, team rejuvenation. Senior Executive with “crisis-tested” leadership skills and a history of delivering both quick wins and strategic long-term growth for companies as large as Coca-Cola and as small as a global marketing agency that I propelled to $2 million annual revenue (nearly 200% growth in 3 years).

Prior to The Blake Project and Licensing Brands, served as General Manager of CardScan, a $20 million global technology business unit of Newell Rubbermaid; there Pete rejuvenated the culture and rapidly recaptured 15 points of market share. Previously Director of Global Licensing; earned corporate MVP award for more than doubling royalty revenues and wholesale sales in 2 years.

Extensive success in Olympic and worldwide sports sponsorship and marketing, for 5 years with Coca-Cola and 3 years with Tula Communications. Achieved record-setting Olympic revenues and recognition; negotiated and managed numerous sponsorship and licensing agreements with high-visibility athletes and professional sports organizations (MLB, NHL, NASCAR, World Cup). Early career in corporate finance with Coca-Cola and as a Naval aviator, honing leadership and decision-making skills in high-stakes, time-critical environments.

www.BrandLicensingExpert.com     Linkedin      Twitter      Facebook

 

Barry Flink/Flex HR

Buckhead Business RadioX 05-13-14 Barry Flink 2Barry Flink has over 30 years of management experience in multiple industries. Concentrated in the hospitality, nonprofit and transportation markets, he has developed and implemented successful organizational change in a wide range of enterprises and organizations.

Barry has also served in a number of corporate executive positions. As Vice President, Human Resources for Well Fargo Armored Service Corporation, he reengineered the human resources department, and brought substantial cost savings to the Corporation. As Chief Personnel Officer of LEP Profit International, a global freight forwarder, Barry was a key player in the successful merger of the two companies. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Hoffman & Co. and has held senior management positions with Service America Corporation, the Greyhound/Dial Corporation, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inns Worldwide, and BellSouth Corporation.

Additionally, Barry is visiting professor of management at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and has served on the Board of Directors of both Georgia Tech’s College of Management and KSU’s Coles College of Business. He also is an Executive in Residence at KSU. A Society of Human Resources Management member since 1974. Barry is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (national business school honorary) He has served as a guest lecturer at 14 major universities in the United States and Canada and has published articles in several influential human resource journals. Barry was nominated in 2003 by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce as Outstanding Business Person of the Year.

Barry holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Tech with a double major in management and psychology and a minor in urban sociology. His MBA was earned in the state of Georgia’s first joint enrollment program, Georgia Tech and Georgia State. Currently he serves on several boards of directors, a mix of corporation and not-for-profit organizations. Barry is past Board Chair and continues to serve on the Board of the Edge Connection, a 501c3 organization in the micro-enterprise space. Barry and his wife, Vicki have one son, David and just celebrated their 40th anniversary.

www.flexhr.com     Linkedin      Twitter      Facebook

 

 

Austin Thompson of Thompson Management Consulting, LLC Katharine Mobley WeCareCard.com John Loud of LoudSecurity.com and Malika Bowling of Atlanta-RestaurantBlog.com

SAM_0373

Malika Bowling,  John Loud,  Katharine Mobley,  Austin Thompson


Austin Thompson/Thompson Management Consulting, LLC

Buckhead Business RadioX 05_06_14 Austin Thompson (1)Austin Thompson is the founder and CEO of Thompson Management Consulting, LLC, and the Visionary and Chief Organizer behind the company’s First Annual Entrepreneurship and Small Business Summit, in celebration of National Small Business Week 2014. In addition to small business consulting, Austin was appointed in December 2013 by Mayor Judy Jordan-Johnson of Lawrenceville, GA to serve a 4- year term on the Downtown Architectural Review Board.

Also a published Author, Adjunct Professor of Business at Shorter University, and community leader. Austin is a graduate of Keller Graduate School of Management, receiving his MBA and a Master of Project Management degree with honors in 2005, and has plans to pursue Doctoral studies in International Business very soon. He enjoys reading, sporting events, mentoring and inspiring young children, and meeting people from around the world.

www.TMConsultingLLC.com      www.nsbw2014.com

 

Katharine Mobley/WeCareCard.com

Buckhead Business RadioX 05_06_14 Katharine Mobley (1)Spending 15+ years in the advertising and PR world, Katharine Mobley decided it was time for a change, and became the Chief Marketing Officer, of WeCareCard, a revolutionary crowdfunding technology powered with a prepaid debit card.

 

She is using her previous experiences of working with some of the world’s largest brands; Coca-Cola, DASANI, Bank of America to name a few, to share the WeCareCard story. This is an exciting time for startups and a MUCH faster pace than 1999 – of course we were on dial up back then!  WeCareCard’s patent pending prepaid technology offers unique services to those participating in the rapidly growing crowdfunding market. WCC allows one cardholder to register a card in time of celebration or hardship, but allows multiple donors to donate through our secure platform. 
WCC is entering into two industries that have exploded in the last couple years – prepaid and crowdfunding. The prepaid industry is expected to top $594B this year, and the crowdfunding industry is expecting $5.1B in revenue.

Currently we are looking for personal investors, not your typical ‘startup’, as our team is lead by, Phillip Qualls CEO, a 20+ year veteran and serial entrepreneur in the technology, payments and financial sectors. Previously, Phillip was a partner of Money Network Financial, which was acquired by First Data in 2007. He continued to serve as acting EVP/ GM of Money Network for First Data until 2009, deepening his expertise in the FinTech sector.

www.WeCareCard.com     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

 

Malika Bowling/Atlanta-RestaurantBlog.com

Buckhead Business RadioX 05_06_14 Malika BowlingMalika Bowling was born in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, but only lived there for a couple months before being adopted by two wonderful, loving people. Had they not adopted her, she would have surely perished from the terrible living conditions in the orphanage where she was.

While in the orphanage, Malika was malnourished and mistreated to the point that when her adoptive parents came to get her, those managing the orphanage told them, “this baby will mostly likely die; you should choose another.” Determination led them to take their chances with her, literally smuggling her on a plane back to the United States. It was an incredible journey and they beat incredible odds, but that’s another story….

With a background in Marketing (Kennesaw State University), Malika has worked in Market Research and Product Development for varied industries including Transportation, manufacturing, and Consumer Packaged Goods. After being laid off in 2008, she decided to go into business for herself. She is currently a consultant in Online Marketing and a Freelance writer, having published her first book, Food Lovers’ Guide to Atlanta and her latest book Food Blogging 101 will be available in about a month.

She works for various clients, creating, writing and managing Blogs, Email Newsletters, Social Media profiles, as well as helping companies with Blogger Outreach, and other Internet Marketing efforts. Malika loves trying new foods and is quite an adventurous eater. She consistently seeks out hidden gems, and writes about them on her blog, Atlanta Restaurant Blog. She has served as a judge at many culinary competitions like the Taste of Atlanta, The Atlanta Cocktail Competition and Tech Chef. Recognizing the need to clearly define the standards for Food Bloggers, she founded the Association of Food Bloggers. The goal of the AoFB is to qualify reputable Food Bloggers and serve as a resource for tips and information on all things blogging related.

www.Atlanta-RestaurantBlog.com     www.AssociationofFoodBloggers.org     Linkedin     Twitter     Facebook

 

John Loud/Loud Security

Buckhead Business RadioX 05_06_14 John Loud (1)Locally owned, LOUD Security has been an Atlanta leading security and life safety company for over a decade. Recognized by numerous professional organizations, such as Honeywell and First Alert, for offering one of the best security systems in the business – including prices, products, service and professional system installation quality.

Over the years we have established a growing base of customers, increasing our numbers with sales and mergers, to include customers in fifteen states. Our local relationships have expanded with our memberships in the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, the Kennesaw and Acworth Business Associations and our participation in local events. You may have seen the LOUD Security panel van make a lap around the track at Turner Field. We also expanded our product line to include: access control, commercial fire, whole house audio, theater rooms, home automation, CCTV and central vacuum.

We are more than just a security company. Whatever your needs, LOUD Security has a custom solution. We’ve only come this far due to our loyal customers, and the tremendously talented and caring people that make up the LOUD Security staff. Together, they have contributed in such an important way by referring our services to their family and friends. Our goal is to make LOUD Security the first company you call for any of our family of services.

www.LoudSecurity.com     Twitter