Chop Dawg CEO, Joshua Davidson joins Eric to share his story of growing through business as a young entrepreneur; from going door-to-door selling his website building services, to hiring additional employees and changing with technology to become a full service design and development firm.

Eric talks with Adam Gorlitsky, Founder of I Got Legs and closing event Keynote during this first installment of live interviews from Dig South, which took place in Charleston, South Carolina, April 25-27. Adam shares his story of a terrible accident that left him paralyzed and later led to an amazing discovery through new technology.

Adam Hudson, serial entrepreneur and Founder of Reliable Education joins Eric on the Show to talk e-commerce and highlight his course which teaches students across the globe how to build profitable Amazon businesses, generating reliable income streams.

TEDx speaker and author, Anne Grady joins Eric to share her story of turning her “mess into a message.” Just as a lobster sheds its shell, we often feel uncomfortable during times of growth. Anne’s formula provides encouragement for the entrepreneur facing obstacles and lights a path to get beyond the tough spots.

Langley Respess, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management at UBS joins Eric to talk about the entrepreneur’s risk, the life cycle of business and the steps business owners should take to save money now.

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The Kids Salon Co-Founder and CEO, Andrea Culpepper joins Eric to share her story, from graduating with a finance degree, to working for a consulting agency to following her dream of opening a salon. The plan? She knew from the start she wanted to own a business.

Build Your Best Business airs every Monday at 9:00 am and Thursday at 4:00 pm (EST) on Facebook Live.

To download this show and catch up on others, find us on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.

What story does your building or office communicate about your business? Candice Campbell, Founder and Creative Director of Nimble. Design Co. shares insight for aligning your company voice with all aspects of the business, including your workspace.

Planning today for tomorrow. Faye Sykes, NSSA, CLTC, National Social Security Advisor and CEO of Social Security Benefit Planners joins Eric to highlight steps all entrepreneurs can take to protect their retirement income.

Faye shares what inspired her to enter into this niche market and add on to her current services to help both new and existing clients and expand her business.

“The product will follow after the tribe.” Samantha Hodgkins, Founder and Chief FireStarter at SparkFire Active joins Eric to highlight strategies for releasing a new product into the market and tips for navigating challenges new startups often face.

During the show, Eric and Samantha discuss kicking the cube, the product creation process, and how giving to others brings business back to you in-turn.

“Everyday we strive to create awareness and reduce the stigma around epilepsy.” Aly Clift, Executive Director of Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia, joins Eric on the show to discuss the various types of epilepsy and how employers can be prepared to recognize and help employees dealing with seizures.

Aly also highlights the Foundation’s new initiative, EFWorks 4U, taking place on March 31st in Atlanta, geared towards educating employer partners and providing information on the benefits of hiring those with epilepsy.

Audra Richmond, Founder of Building Big Brands Agency, joins Eric to discuss why we need social equity and how entrepreneurs, small business owners and executive leaders can stake their claim. Audria details specific steps to building your personal brand through social media, marketing, content creation and website presence.

Timing is everything. Kenneth Joe Sr. shares what inspired him to run for office in South Fulton. What’s the difference between a county and a city? Eric and Kenneth discuss and talk leadership, transparency, budgets and more.

Husband and wife team, Scott and Sharon Specker with Five Star Painting of Suwanee join Eric and Susan in studio to discuss their move from the corporate world to individually owning a franchise. Scott highlights how his experience in social media and marketing translates across the board, but hiring is a whole new bear to tackle. Remember - the first 3 years of a new business are always the hardest!

“When you value a person for who they are, it will show up in your business.” Jason Adler, Professional Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with Adler Coaching Group highlights the importance of investing in your team to build a successful business. Eric, Susan and Jason discuss the cycle of business, putting people first and tips for creating a great corporate culture.

“Entrepreneurship is an art.” The best way to become a successful entrepreneur is to spend time with and learn from other successful entrepreneurs. Karen Robinson Cope, Rajan Palanisamy, Ajay Jindia and Amyn Sadruddin of TiE Atlanta join Eric and Susan to discuss getting connected, giving back and their upcoming conference, TiECON.

What’s really going on behind your latest selfie? 

Eric Holtzclaw and Susan McMullen talk with Larissa May, Founder of #HALFTHESTORY. Larissa shares the events that inspired her to start this social media movement and reminds us that there are two sides to every story. Often, we only see the “final success” for an accomplished entrepreneur; we rarely see the climb (and fall) it took to reach the top.

Listen in to hear the story behind  Think Ideally, how it got started and the important problem it's solving in the market today. Join us as Cara and Nicole share their innovative ideas that they are bringing to entrepreneurs and startup companies to help them grow their businesses in the technology space.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1R1LCjL

Join us on this episode for an in-depth education about the app development process as well as the story of how Adekunle was able to enter that highly-competitive market. Adekunle shares his interesting experience with his newest venture, Thoddy App, the problem that it is solving, and how it's currently doing within the marketplace.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1hHrLdg

This week’s guest on The Better You Project is the founder and CEO of Badger Freight Tracking, creators of the Badger Freight Tracking app. Their app provides an elegant solution to the drastic need for affordable real-time freight tracking in the transportation and logistics industry.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1LaUnUE

Mark joins us to share his entrepreneurial journey to developing My Cloud Cure into an innovative, successful business. He pulls back the curtain on the obstacles and the lessons learned in the process as well the big wins he achieved along the way. Tune in to discover some game-changing tips from Mark about developing a business, providing a great service to your clients and much, much more!

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1Vo1rri

On this episode of The Better You Project, Eric Atwood joins us to share his incredible journey. Eric is a writer, speaker, coach, facilitator and founder of New Thinking New Being. He has held director-level marketing and communication roles in the corporate world and founded three separate businesses. Eric is a Certified Speaking Circles facilitator, has lived in several countries and traveled worldwide.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1LCIeMc

We invited Lupa and was later joined by her daughter Claire, to talk about Lupa’s incredible journey, culminating to her organic and life-saving products on the shelves of over 20 Whole Foods stores in Georgia. Listen in as Lupa shares her inspiring experiences, working out of Progressive Medical as a lifestyle consultant and a natural food chef for cancer patients, as well the lessons she during that time. Don’t miss this informative episode that might just save your life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1OB9zzk

Tana is the author of the Graduate's Guide to Money, a book devoted to helping people understand the basics of money and money management. The material laid out in that book is everything Tana wishes she had known about money when she got out of college.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1O5xUOt

On this episode, Anna talks about following her passion and getting into the fashion industry to help people look their best and reflect who they really are and what they consider important. Listen in to find out how she was able to build her image consulting business and how you can follow in her footsteps and break into that unique market. Don't miss this fun  and informative episode as well as Anna's tips for aspiring image consultants.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1Nfxl4u

Jeff joins us to share his journey of building Moonlighting into a company, from coming up with the idea for the on-demand-workforce app all the way to getting funded and becoming a highly successful business. Listen in as he imparts some game-changing advice that is sure to help you build a successful company and a better you!

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1Jwe91q

We invited Geoff to talk about his incredible journey of founding and growing 352 into a highly successful business. Tune in to hear Geoff's his innovative ideas for expanding his company and creating a unique culture of success as well as sound advice that can  help you turn your business into a thriving enterprise. 

Professional home stager of vacant properties listed for sale and the pioneer of "virtual staging", Krisztina Bell provides her clients with over 10 years of experience in the real estate marketing and home staging business. Krisztina consults and teaches agents nationwide and globally in transforming any vacant property listing into a beautifully staged home through her two Atlanta-based companies, No Vacancy, Inc. (www.novacancy-atl.com) and Virtually Staging Properties, Inc. (www.virtuallystagingproperties.com).

Both her businesses provides clients with traditional home staging services as well as a patent-pending process called "virtual staging" that digitally transforms any photo of a vacant home into a more attractive 'virtually' staged listing online. Krisztina developed this process for agents and sellers as an economical marketing tool that instantly drives buyer traffic and sells vacant properties faster. Both of her companies consist of a team of professional home stagers and designers who along with her expertise and works have been featured in such publications as The New York Times, Realtor Magazine, Dallas Morning News, San Francisco Chronicle, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, FoxNews.com and CNBC.com.

Krisztina was co-host of the popular Atlanta radio show and featured online podcast available on itunes, "At Home With Paisley Radio Show" on www.AmericasWebRadio.com which featured interviews with high profile home, design and real estate industry experts as well as HGTV celeb hosts that provided listeners with practical advice and stylish living for the home.

Krisztina's Staging & Decorating Philosophy:

"I follow the golden rule of staging and that is 'Keep it Simple'. I go for classic styles and clean lines because it's all about making those first impressions count when selling a home or placing one large piece of artwork in an entry that says 'WOW' and starts a conversation. I tell clients that 'Less is Best' when staging a home AND 'Less is More' when it comes to decorating a home!"

Raj is a serial technology and real estate investor. His prior experience includes working as a Chief Engineer/Architect at Toyota, Westfield, General Motors, HP and has held various executive technology leadership roles at fortune 500 companies. He also ran a successful startup Deep Enterprise USA, Inc. providing end-to-end IT services to small & medium businesses (SMB) and writing white-label ERP and HRIS solutions such as eTime, Application Tracking Systems etc. In 2013, Raj won the prestigious VMware Innovation Award and was a finalist for the CIO of the Year Award presented by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Raj earned his Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Accounting from Bombay - Mumbai University followed by Masters in Computer Science from Saint Joseph University and completed Executive Masters in Technology Management from University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School.

Tara Pogoda, owns Fifth Element Ranch, in Loveland, Colorado.

She is an Advanced Eponaquest™ Instructor offering Equine Facilitated Learning for professional growth by breaking through barriers of self-doubt and fear; as well as healing the difficulties we all experience in life including grief, emotional distress and recovering from trauma.

Tara was the 2013 Colorado Women of Influence: Woman of Inspiration Award winner and is the host for the 2015 Women’s Leadership Summit on Courage, Power and Success.  She says: "I’m very passionate about empowering other women to live their best life by discovering their natural courage and power.

Collaborative Thought Leader, Felicia M. Phillips is an Author, Speaker, Mastermind Strategist, and business coach for more than 20 years. Felicia has been instrumental in coaching business executives on leadership development, relationship management and masterminding techniques for successful team building. Felicia is not only passionate about helping individuals obtain success through collaboration, she is also an advocate for the environment. In April 2011, Felicia was awarded The Phoenix Award by City of Atlanta Mayor, Kasim Reed for her commitment to sustainability in the City of Atlanta.

Felicia had a vision to empower women to be 21st Century leaders. She set out to make that vision a reality and Founded The Pink Power International Center for Women (PPICW). PPICW is based on the three pillars that transformed her business, technology, professional development and entrepreneurial resources. In August 2014, Felicia co-produced Pink Power: A MasterMind Conference for Women at Philips Arena.  The annual conference hosts hundreds of women who want to propel themselves to higher levels of success in business and in the workplace.

Sherry Heyl launched her first business during the recession of 2002 using her skills acquired as an IT Recruiter and team manager to help individuals rebuild their careers.

In 2005 Sherry recognized the rapid emergence of social technologies and the various ways these new technologies would change our people conducted business as well as the opportunities that would open up for individuals to start their own companies with minimal monetary investment. Sherry launched Concept Hub and became a passionate evangelist of Social Media dedicating her career to helping individuals and teams navigate through the various changes, get excited about the possibilities, take control of their lives, and reach their goals.

Sherry has launched conferences, led workshops, authored many varied articles, spoke at conferences small and large from East to West, and personally invested in launching start-ups and growing nonprofits. Sherry provides coaching through Concept Hub but is also the Managing Partner of Sensei Project, an agency launched in 2014 to align with brands large and small as a social media partner.

Amy Ramsey, The Business Doula, is a Business Coach and Launch Strategist who helps women birth the project that's in their heart.

She focuses on giving women the structure and tools they need to launch their business, from website creation to copywriting to coaching them through the mindset pieces that threaten to take so many women out of the game.

She's had fun leading women from the United States to Australia and many places in between. Helping women reframe the path to entrepreneurship as the birth it truly is has opened up a new conversation about what it really takes to be an entrepreneur.

Most recently, Amy has made the leap to take her business and life completely location independent. She and her dog Buddy are spending the year traveling, embracing the freedom of her business and the adventures along the way.

It's her goal to share her adventures and show other women what's truly possible when you finally decide to birth that business that's within your heart.

You can follow along on the adventure and get birthing support at www.amyramsey.net

Krystine Torella has been a real estate agent since 2002 and the proud of owner of her own Brokerage - Team Torella Realty since 2012.

She has been a resident of Cobb County since 1996 and a current resident of West Cobb County. Krystine is an affiliate of Homes for Heroes and donates 25% of her commission to Veterans, Teachers, Police, Fire and Healthcare workers who purchase a house with Krystine as their Real Estate Expert.

Krystine loves being able to give back to those who have given to me by protecting, educating, and healing her.

Krystine's other niche in the real estate market is that she helps people that are in distressed situations with their homes. She meets with the Sellers, discusses in depth what their situation is, and gives them options if they want to stay in their house if they want to sell.

She is considered "The Expert That Other Experts Trust" because she has aligned herself with several reputable Family/Bankruptcy/Divorce Attorneys as well as Certified Financial Divorce Professionals who have heard Krystine conduct Q &A sessions regarding short sales. She hase received several referrals from these experts and has proven that she does what she says she will do for their Clients.

Kristina Hays transplanted to the automotive industry after 17 years in sales and service in the telecom industry.

She learned the value of relationship building supported by technical knowledge and training. As the owner/operator of Speedy Transmission, Kristina utilizes a multitude of those skills.

Kristina moved, with her daughter, to Georgia from Ohio in 2010 to be closer to family.

Kristina enjoys working with people and handling the administrative and marketing tasks for Speedy. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities, especially water sports, scrap-booking, cooking, hiking and snow-skiing.

Website: www.SpeedyMarietta.com
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speedy-Transmission-Center-Marietta/139111369508753

Myra McElhaney is a writer and speaker who helps people to "Enjoy Life and Do Good" by working with purpose, living with passion and making a difference.

With over 20 years’ experience in keynotes, corporate training and writing, she is author of "Mama Always Says…" and "Musings on Major and Minor Matters that May or May not Matter" and co-author of "The Sun Sisters Guide to the Girlfriends Perfect Beach Vacation and CLIMB: Leading Women in Technology Share Their Journeys to Success.

A popular speaker for companies, associations and conferences, Myra is often asked to do keynote or breakout sessions on topics related to workplace relationships or topics specific to women. You can find information about her blogs and speaking topics at www.MyraMcElhaney.com

Sara Allegra is a licensed social worker and certified recreation therapist.

Sara has worked in the social service field for over 15 years as both a therapist and social worker working in hospital settings including UCLA Neuropsychiatric, Laguna Honda and Dekalb Medical.

In addition to clinical work, Sara has extensive consulting experience within the non-profit sector. She brings her advanced training and experience in social services as well a passion for supporting and empowering marginalized groups to the non-profit she founded in 2009, Sub-Saharan Education Project.

Fashion and design are in Melanie Mueller's blood. Her maternal grandmother hand knitted handbags and sold them in her tiny town of Calarca, Colombia -- a fact Melanie wasn't aware of until she launched her company Mel Boteri. Now Melanie proudly carries on her grandmother's legacy, designing custom, made-to-order fashion to help women around the globe express their personality and style.

Melanie had the "aha" moment to begin her company while earning her MBA at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. As part of the MBA program, Melanie had the opportunity to work with the Marketing & Business Development group for world-renowned designer Zac Posen in New York City. There she was, in the middle of the fashion capital of the world, and all she could find were one-size-fits-all, mass- produced designs that did not reflect who she was. Her frustration became the inspiration for Mel Boteri --the go-to luxury brand for custom and bespoke accessories. She laid the groundwork for the business during her last semester at Emory, and officially launched the brand with her first collection of handbags in the fall of 2009.

The brand's name is Melanie's way to honor her rich heritage. Mel is short for Melanie, the German name her father gave her, and Boteri stems from her Colombian mother's maiden name, Botero.

Mel Boteri has partnered with some of the world's biggest luxury brands, including Mercedes-Benz and Jet Senters Aviation to create both co-branded and private label accessories for a discerning and selective clientele.

In addition to entrepreneur, self-taught designer and Emory MBA, Melanie recently added author to her resume. Her "7 Secrets of Handbag Shopping" is the first of many bag guides created to provide an inside look into the fabulous world of handbags, while Mel Boteri's ezine, Best Dressed: Weekly Style Inspiration To Be YOUnique, has proven to be a source of style inspiration for women (and men) around the world.

Website: www.MelBoteri.com
Blog: shop.melboteri.com/blogs/mel-boteri-blog
E-Book: http://shop.melboteri.com/pages/7secrets
Ezine: http://shop.melboteri.com/pages/get-on-the-list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/melboteri
Instagram: www.instagram.com/melboteri
Twitter: www.twitter.com/melboteri
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/melboteri
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniemueller

Sidra is the founder of Markhor, a startup which works with indigenous craftsmen to make shoes for the modern gentleman. She grew up in a small Pakistani town.

Founded her startup by breaking the conservative norm of society and family. With a degree in Economics, Sidra leads product development and operations.

Sidra tweets as: @sidraqasim

Sean Flood is the CEO of The Gotcha Group, a marketing and transportation company currently operating on ten university campuses nationwide. Sean took his interest in sustainability back to his alma mater of FSU in 2009 and sat down with students to figure out their current transportation needs, 90 days later The Gotcha Ride launched their 100% electric free ride service on campus.

In 2014 Sean added an additional Eco-friendly means of transportation to the Gotcha fleet with the addition of Gotcha Bike, a free of charge bike sharing model for both universities and municipalities. Sean currently lives in Charleston, SC with his wife Jacklyn, three dogs and the cutest baby in the world, Knox. For more information on The Gotcha Group, please visit: www.thegotchagroup.com.

Natasha Bolden is no stranger to entrepreneurship as she aspired at an early age to be her own boss and later in life wanted to leave a legacy for her children.  Her life philosophy is … “Time waits for no one, live every day to the fullest ~ conquer your dreams and live life with purpose”.  She has packaged her plan and motivation for success into a three letter acronym, DPA symbolizing Dream-Plan-Action and believes following this philosophy and model is what gives her fulfillment and the success she has achieved thus far.

Planning parties, family reunions and weddings at the age of 10, Natasha Bolden is a planner by nature.  She is known for her astounding creativity and over the top event planning.  She began her professional career as an Event Consultant following her relocation from the Washington, DC metropolitan area to Atlanta, Georgia in 2000.  Natasha is a nationally certified Event, Wedding and Corporate Meeting Planner.  She also holds certifications in Project Management and Organization development from which she acquired during her twenty-three years of service and leadership with the Federal Government.  She has combined these and other skills along with her talents to form Phenomenal Events By Bolden and Company, a full service Event Management Firm that prides itself on nothing less than “phenomenal-ness”.

As President/CEO, Natasha uses her eye for detail, love of style, passion for beauty, commitment to excellence and unparalleled work ethic to define and interpret the style of each client and then creates timeless celebrations that are forever remembered.  Natasha brings over a decade of experience to the events industry and takes pride in her ability to motivate and inspire others to fulfill their dreams of entrepreneurship, she employs a great team of creative planners who believe in and support her vision to take every event over the top.  It is with great passion that she and her team provide clients with quality event planning they can trust.  After working in the event industry for many years; Natasha has established a reputation of being dependable and trustworthy.  She has produced and overseen numerous events. Natasha sees each event as a unique opportunity to design the experience of a lifetime, making every memory priceless.

Lola Wilburn is the owner of Sugar Pie Bakery, an online bakery specializing in a wide variety of sweets including pies, cookies, cakes and candies. Her 30+ years experience in a wide variety of roles ranging from secretarial to corporate facilities management of multi million dollar corporations was rewarding but did not satisfy her goal of owning and operating her own business. With a passion for culinary arts which she nurtured through academic studies and entrepreneurial ventures in specialty catering, she left the corporate world to focus solely on Sugar Pie Bakery in 2008. 

Sugar Pie Bakery delivers locally and ships nationally. In addition to private individuals, customers include business owners looking for delicious gifts for their customers and clients, stores, restaurants and organizations looking for fund raising ideas. 

Website: www.sugar-piebakery.biz 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sugarpiebakery1

Nadine Mullings is passionate about assisting small business owners to market and promote their businesses both online and offline. She works with small business owners, insurance agents, and real estate agents to attract new clients, get repeat business, and build a strong social network through proven online and offline marketing activities. 

With over 15 years of experience in marketing and an MBA with an Ecommerce specialization, Nadine uses her experience and education to assist small business owners to promote their brands using varies marketing tools and strategies including email marketing, social media marketing, relationship marketing and more.

Julie Kingsley is the Senior Vice President at bizzieMe™. Her background includes almost twenty years in education and an extensive experience with social media marketing. She lives in South Portland, Maine with her husband and two children.

Emily Bernhard has produced, directed and written documentaries for a broad range of clients including National Geographic, PBS, History, and NOVA scienceNow!. Her documentaries have won a number of awards including the Telly, two Cine Golden Eagles, the Science Journalists Award and a Boston/New England Emmy. Prior to that, she was Public Relations Director for a Maine-based marketing firm.

bizzieMe is creating branded digital games and activities for kids to use while they wait. Using a patent-pending digital platform, bizzieMe provides a relatively low-cost way for companies to engage and entertain kids with their brand.

Once the bizzieMe app is downloaded onto a mobile device, using geo-location technology, kids can access different branded content as they travel from place to place.

So, imagine you start your day with your daughter at the coffee shop. She opens the bizzieMe app on your family tablet and plays games and activities that teach her all about coffee, how it’s roasted, the countries where it’s grown and the people who live there. Then, maybe you go to a dentist’s office and she takes a virtual tour of her mouth through her bizzieMe app. Now she knows where plaque comes from and plays a digital flossing game while she waits for her appointment. Next, over lunch at a Mexican restaurant, you and your daughter use bizzieMe to play dots and blocks, learn about Mexican art and culture, and then create a drawing that you post on Facebook, or email to grandma. That afternoon, while waiting for dad’s flight to arrive at the airport, she uses bizzieMe to learn about flight – how lift happens, how planes are constructed, and why weather is important – all while playing digital games.

bizzieMe will be available in thousands of locations where all kinds of branded content will spark curiosity, create brand loyalty and enable users to engage in the world around them.
Founded and located in Portland, Maine, bizzieMe is a start-up digital media firm that is using patent-pending technology to help businesses stay relevant in the 21st century. By providing branded, educational and entertaining games and activities for venues as diverse as restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and airports, bizzieMe creates a great consumer experience, builds brand loyalty and boosts consumer advocacy.

Julie Bee’s was established after the company's founder, Julie Brown, was unable to find sustainable, fashion-forward shoes to wear to work and out with friends. She discovered that too many shoes today are made with little regard to the environment and the long-term effects on our communities.

We at Julie Bee’s believe that there is a better way to conduct business and create fabulous shoes. Our shoes are constructed with ecologically sustainable leathers and vintage pieces, providing a delightful visual and stylish appeal. Furthermore, Julie Bee’s footwear is handcrafted in America, which helps to reduce carbon emissions and support an employee friendly working environment while at the same time utilizing sustainable Italian leathers and processes.

The end results are stylish, fashionable,eco-friendly shoes made in the USA for the fashion- and environmentally-conscious. Try on a pair of Julie Bee's shoes today and you'll see how easy it is to benefit both your community and the environment - and look good doing it.

Joanne Funchess is the founder and owner of Joanne Funchess Custom Stationery, Greeting Cards and Invitations. Launched five years ago, her company created cards on a seasonal basis. It has since evolved to meeting client needs year-round, as well as providing them with a concierge mailing service.

Joanne has a background in print media, and has written promotional copy for one of the largest newspapers in the Southeast. She is a wife, mom of three (including twin boys - never a dull moment) and does not meet a stranger (something she's proud of)!

Website: www.joannefunchess.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joannefunchess.com

Twitter: @funchessjf

Monthly Newsletter Campaign: http://conta.cc/1mNZ2A0

Gavin McCulley is the Chapter President of Angel Capital Group – Charleston, a nationally syndicated group of over 200 angel investors.

In addition to serving as the Chapter's first president, Gavin is the Managing Partner of the Charleston based Private Equity Firm, Twin Rivers Holdings, whose investments range from digital media, tech start-ups, real estate development, film studios, restaurant chains, educational products, and manufacturing. Gavin is also the Co-Founder and Chairman of the South Carolina Film Council, a group that represents South Carolina's Film Industry and its Professionals in local and state politics.

Gavin served as an Officer in the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command, and served 2 tours of duty in Iraq and 1 tour in Afghanistan where he was decorated 3 times with the Bronze Star Medal. His passion for the Technology and Entrepreneur community, coupled with his focus on disciplined execution and operational excellence are his driving force. Gavin, his wife Michelle, and their daughters, Mila and Morgan live in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

He writes the Southern Seraph Blog – insights in raising Angel and Venture Capital. southernseraph.com, twinriversholdings.com @gavin_mcculley

Kashi Sehgal is Co-Founder & CEO of Gigabark (www.gigabark.com), an integrated mobile solutions company rooted in phone and text messaging technology. Kashi is also Executive Director for SouthWiRED (www.southwired.org) – one of the largest technology conferences in the Southeast. 

Kashi serves as Executive Director of the Campus Community Partnership Foundation (www.c2pf.org) that hosts the Mentor Walk (www.MentorWalk.org) which aims to reduce the high school drop-out rate in Georgia through various awareness-building touch points. She is Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships for Music For Tomorrow (www.MusicForTomorrow.org) which was launched to provide immediate financial assistance to jazz musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina and now provides economic opportunities for jazz musicians around the country. 

After spending time as a Management Consultant at Accenture, she now works with select clients specializing in strategic planning, visioning, communications planning, and startup and non-profit strategy. 

Kashi is actively engaged in the Atlanta community serving on various boards such as WonderRoot (www.wonderroot.org), Georgia’s WIN List, Fulton County Career & Technical Education and WINGS for Kids and committees such as the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Mobility Leadership Council, ChooseATL (www.chooseatl.com), Amplify 4 Good, and Lovett School’s Sustainability Committee. 

Kashi is a native Atlantan. She graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in Psychology and minors in Communication and Music. She attended Georgia Tech for graduate school in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She is a member of the 2013 LEAD Atlanta and LaunchPad2X classes and volunteers her time mentoring and with CARE, Acumen, and other organizations in her community.

Ursula Lentine is a certified Associate Pranic Healer, Pranic Healing teacher, licensed Minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, and Practitioner of Internal Family Systems.

She has facilitated over 1500 individual healing sessions and worked with 1000’s of people in groups, helping bring emotional, physical and spiritual balance to their lives. Ms. Lentine practices these and other forms of healing in her private practice as well as at The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta, and in Dr. Robert Springer’s medical office. She has facilitated a weekly group meditation since before 2009. Ursula answers the call to assist clients with the human longing for peace, clarity and wellness as a part of her life’s purpose.

You can learn more about how she can serve you at www.ursulalentine.com

Starting at age 8 with Leo’s Lemonade Stand, Jon became addicted to creating and building. While earning his BSBA in Entrepreneurship at Elon University, he and two partners were inspired to create DC Entrepreneurship Week to bring interested capital and resources in front of entrepreneurs. Past Entrepreneurship Weeks have successfully funded half of the presenting companies and Jon has reproduced the event model for over thousands of attendees across 8 cities, under the new brand Forward City.

His passion for connecting people and creating experiences lead him to create The TanZ Group in late 2013 with Sam Krichevsky and Aron Schoenfeld. As CBDO, Jon focuses on exploring new opportunities and partners to help create unique experiences and content to connect artists with their audiences.

Jon currently serves on the board for Elon University’s Doherty Center for Entrepreneurship, Dream Artist Music, and interim director for the Charity Lacrosse Foundation. As a philanthropist, he helps raise money and support for local charities in North Carolina and villages in Guatemala, Jamaica and Costa Rica. From Boston, Jon recently moved to Washington D.C. and enjoys playing guitar, practicing yoga, and feeding his addiction to gummy bears.

Joel Goobich is a big-picture guy with sharp insight into how the individual parts of a business work together to make a strong company. He’s tireless in pursuit of solutions to boost the growth and success of businesses small and large, helping them adapt to the changing business environment and, ultimately, putting them on track to a profitable transition and exit. From Service to Success Joel’s drive to solve problems and create positive change is evident from his background beginning with service in the Israeli army and his advanced degree in Applied Chemistry. His technical background and product development and innovation skills have resulted in multiple patents and trademarks. With this start, Joel has gone on to success in every type of business function from executive management, business development, operations and product development. A Born Entrepreneur He founded Colorations, Inc. in 1991 and built the company to a leading international brand of children’s art products. Using the first-hand knowledge gained from a rewarding and well planned sale of the company, he continued his entrepreneurial path. He now focuses his considerable business experience and knowledge on working with business owners to strengthen their businesses through his consulting and marketing firms, Big Picture Advisors and i3 Marketing. A Passion for Mentoring & Podcasting Over the course of his wide ranging career, Joel has devoted a considerable amount of his time to mentoring young adults and entrepreneurs, including his recent activities as a mentor at the Citadel College School of Business. Having dipped his feet in the world of radio and podcasting with his first podcast – Don’t Get Stuck in Your Business, Joel has recently dived head first into the unlimited potential that podcasting offers to impart knowledge to others. His most recent podcast BizBuzzCharleston provides behind the scene stories and context to what’s going on in the local business community of Charleston SC. His newest podcast project, Build Business Muscle explore the skills, assets and resources that business owners, executives and professionals need to grow a strong business core. A Fresh Perspective Armed with the knowledge that quality content marketing is a powerful tool, Joel has partnered with The Better You Network to create the BizBuzz Radio network which will host and curate leading business podcasts from around the country. Joel can be contacted through LinkedIn or via email at joel@bigpictureadvisors.com

After 25 years of Corporate America, Denise Cardin is now following her dream of owning her own business. It started in 2008 with a metro-Atlanta hiking group called Mongrels Mania. Denise knew shortly after creating the group that she was surrounded by some pretty awesome folks who wanted to be active with their dogs, with others, and have fun...to socialize their dogs in a positive way. So, upon losing her corporate job, she jumped at the opportunity to follow a dream. Inspired by and through the love of dogs, on 1/11/14, Bark Parc was launched with an entirely new concept in mind -- to address pet ownership as a whole. To uphold the ideals of that little neighborhood shop...to offer both friendly and caring service and the most wholesome quality foods and treats from the U.S. & Canada; to offer unique and different products made, whenever possible, by local cottage industries. And finally, to offer an outlet for the interactive dog lover...by incorporating her hiking group into the business plan and it's been further expanded to even urban and historic town walks. Bark Parc is approaching 600 members.

Kelly Azevedo is the founder of She’s Got Systems and an online business systems expert. Beginning in the corporate world, Kelly used her innate ability to create and utilize systems to streamline accounting, marketing, human resources and administrative departments before she sought out a more challenging environment. Kelly believes that every single online business needs systems to support clients, document results and dominate in the field. She’s Got Systems provides courses and programs in the easy to access and affordable System Academy as well as private coaching programs for clients worldwide. Kelly frequently writes for media outlets such as Forbes, the Washington Post and Women 2.0 and her unique brand of life work balance was featured in the New York Times.

Ashley Watkins, owner of Write Step Resumes, LLC, helps job seekers who are eager to make a career change build resumes that fascinate employers and increase their marketability to bring in more job offers than they could ever imagine. Write Step Resumes, LLC also offers interview prep to help clients tell an alluring story about their skills that grabs the employer’s attention and enhances the confidence needed to secure the careers they deserve. For the 10 years prior to starting her company, Ashley has been a team member in human resources departments in various industries including education, banking, manufacturing and non-profit healthcare. Ashley's career took a surprising turn when she moved to Birmingham, AL in 2007 for a recruiting job with a national healthcare non-profit organization after being laid off. It was at that moment she realized her true passion was helping others to boost their job search impact in order to better their lives and land their dream jobs. Ashley understands that job seekers are often denied opportunities for the careers they desire, not because of their credentials but due to poorly written career documents and lackluster interviewing skills. She prides herself on taking job seekers from the point of receiving no interview call backs at all to getting so many job interviews and offers they have to pray about which one to accept. Forget about that cookie-cutter, one-size fits all madness! She connects one on one with her clients to provide specialized services to fit each of their unique career needs.

Julie Lowe is a Social Media Strategist and the Founder of Socially Aligned. Julie creates social media strategies for busy entrepreneurs who desire more leads, more sales, and a real plan to grow their business! In addition to strategy development, Julie offers group coaching programs and digital training products for entrepreneurs. With 14 years of experience in advertising and marketing, Julie leverages a wealth of hands-on experience and proven results to help her clients succeed online. You can find Julie at SociallyAligned.com and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SociallyAligned

Ed founded 12Cube, the creator of the FoundMoney app, in 2012 to give consumers a better way to save money. Based on his experiences and what he learned through hundreds of interviews with consumers is that the traditional ways to build savings--budgets, financial plans and cutting back--didn't work. 12Cube's first product, FoundMoney, is focused on helping users make conscious decisions about their spending enabling them to spend on what matters to them, while saving on what doesn't. Prior to founding 12Cube, Ed worked for an online personal finance portal, ran a real estate investment firm and was a consultant at Bain & Company. Ed holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a degree in economics from Duke University. His favorite way to save is skipping expensive weekend lunches and instead taking his kids for a picnic in the park.

T. J. Gentle is the President & CEO of SmartFurniture.com, a venture backed Internet retailer and pioneer of Design on Demand®. SmartFurniture.com's Design on Demand Platform empowers customers to design and customize furniture. Since becoming the CEO, SmartFurniture.com has developed SmartProfile aPrescriptive Personalization application that uses proprietary technology to match furniture products to each customer’s unique profile and characteristics; launched SmartSpace, an innovative web application that empowers customers to see how customized furniture will look like in the context of their homes before ordering; and the Company has won numerous awards and industry recognition while experience a five fold increase in sales.

Happy Hour Confections is a full-service, gourmet bakery specializing in goods infused with craft beers, wines, and spirits. Located in Roswell, our mission is to make sweets full of richness, without being overwhelmingly sugary, to be more pleasing to the adult palate. Our products are available at select craft beer markets throught the Atlanta area, as well as through special orders. Find us online at HappyHourConfections.com, on Facebook at HappyHourConfections, Twitter @HappyHourSweets, and Instagram @HappyHourConfections

Tyler grew up with more energy and passion than most people knew how to handle. As a kid, his vitality was contagious and he freely spread his energy and optimism. Tyler continuously found ways to push his limits as far as he could, and he refused to take the "normal path" and sit on the sidelines of his own life. When he was a sophomore at The University of South Carolina, he started his own painting business with Young Entrepreneurs Across America. The year after that, he took on the role of mentoring five students, teaching them how to run their own successful businesses. It became apparent that helping others and showing them a different way to be "successful" was his passion. Giving others the energy and happiness to create their own path is one of his many gifts to world. After this, Tyler took a leap of faith and moved to Canada to intern under Jayson Gaignard (Founder of MastermindTalks). He helped to put on multiple conferences, events, and retreats. There he learned what made an exceptional conference that delivered the most value to all of its attendees from the best of the best. Tyler now speaks to and coaches students, businesses, and entrepreneurs across the country, teaching them the lessons he's learned on crushing conferences, expanding networks, and nurturing relationships. He is also a lifestyle coach and the founder of an amazing company that helps people get their first book on Kindle.

Rob Bellenfant is a 27-year-old entrepreneur and investor specializing in IT, sales, marketing and talent development. Rob is currently the CEO of TechnologyAdvice, a Brentwood-based IT marketing company focused on helping IT buyers find the best fit for their specific needs. Rob has created dozens of businesses over the last two decades, starting with a door-to-door venture selling handmade crafts in his neighborhood at the age of seven. He hired his first employee at age eight, started his first technology-based company at age 12, and sold his first business from his dorm room as an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Tennessee. TechnologyAdvice was one of five new investments Rob made during his time at UT, but was the only one that survived. The company, which was formerly known as Thrive Marketing Group, has been completely bootstrapped and has enjoyed an average revenue growth of nearly 60% over the past eight years. Rob is also passionate about angel and real estate investing, personal finance, traveling and spending time with his lovely wife, son and daughter.

Stan Bril is the founder and CEO of MCG Loan, a private commercial lending firm with a focus on real estate funding and small business funding. He has over 10 years of experience in finance and real estate and since founding MCG Loan has funded over $250M in transactions.

Klaus Obermeier is the CEO and President of Iotronics Corporation, an Atlanta-based company focused on applying Big Data methodologies to job search and recruiting. Previously, he co-founded Terratial Technologies, a mobile enterprise company for medical logistics applications. He sold his second start-up, SQLBench International, a load and performance testing company for $10 million after being in business for one year. He later raised $2.2M from an European investor for a VoIP start-up headquartered in Munich, Germany

Becky Davis is a leadership and business transformation coach who focuses on helping small businesses stay up after they start up. She is a speaker, coach, trainer and author of six books. MVPWork is a coaching and consulting practice for small business owners. They help strengthen your CEO skills so that you don't spend all of your time working as an employee in your business. To learn more, visit www.mvpwork.com.

Reverend Steven Marcus Shearod is the Senior Pastor of the Cathedral International Church, in Kennesaw Georgia. Pastor Shearod is a first generational spiritual son of Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr., the presiding Prelate of the Covenant Ecumenical Fellowship & Cathedral Assemblies. Over the past 25 years Bishop Hilliard, mentored, baptized, married, licensed, ordained, and apostolically installed Pastor Shearod. Rev, Shearod holds a BA in history from Rutgers University in New Brunswick NJ. 

Pastor Shearod has worked in the financial Services industry for close to 30 years. He currently serves as a financial sales consultant for Allstate insurance company. His sales and management accomplishments are numerous and he holds several national and statewide professional licenses, designations and certifications. Pastor Shearod serves and leads several community based board of directors, coaches a variety of grade school, high school and community youth sports, and is a member of the Cobb County Police department’s Chaplain’s ministry. 

Pastor Shearod is a retired and heavily decorated US Army officer, with close to 20 years service to our country. He and his wife Velicia, (a proverbs 31 woman) live in Kennesaw, Georgia. They have 3 daughters (Tiffany, Nasia, Nia) and several grandchildren. Pastor Shearod loves God, loves HIS Word and loves HIS people. Many know him by this salutation..."I love you and you can't do nothing about it." 

www.thecathedralonline.org 
http://www.campgideon.com/

Bob Holtz is the owner of DMAIC Consulting, a group of Lean Six Sigma Professionals who have achieved the Black Belt status in the Process Improvement discipline. The thrust of their focus is assisting small business owners with the daunting task of keeping their “eye on the ball” as they work to make their business fun, successful and profitable. Many business owners do not have efficient processes in place to optimize their skills and their employee skills. We assist in building a better business for them by keeping the focus on constant improvement. Bob's background has been in Process Improvement for the past 30 years always looking for a better way to improve processes. In many instances, through using Lean Six Sigma techniques he have saved these companies millions of dollars by making their businesses more efficient and profitable. He has always looked for the better mousetrap, but in the business world. He is Mr. Fix-it in business. The company's website, currently under construction is: DMAICconsulting.com.

Timothy Sykes is a millionaire stock trader, entrepreneur, speaker and author. As the co-founder of Millionaire Media and trading community Profitly, Tim dedicates much of his life to teaching others to trade the markets to achieve financial freedom. His company has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America, and he sits on the Young Entrepreneur Council for the most successful entrepreneurs in America under 40 years of age. In 2007 Tim penned his book, An American Hedge Fund, to chronicle his rise from a college student to a millionaire day trader to a hedge fund manager in his early 20s and the lessons he learned along the way.

Nancy McKinney is the owner of Fat Lady Baker. Fat Lady Baker started as a whole grain bread company and has now blossomed into prepared meals and a variety of baked goods. Their menus are uploaded weekly via facebook, email, or on their website, www.fatladybaker.com

9 years ago Alison went to a seminar to learn more about a service that she thought she could use to help her clients who were trying to become qualified to buy a home. Well she learned that fateful morning that everything her industry taught her about Credit was a LIE!! Everything the banking industry led her to believe was false. This was life changing! She took to the credit education industry quickly and changed her career. Having been mentored by one of the greats in this industry she now is wants to use her knowledge and experience and take it to the next level.

Jerod Frazier is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. In 2000 he graduated Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minor in Speech Communications and returned to Charleston with his wife, Jamilah. Since then he has been active consistently in his church and community.

He is the Minister of Social Justice at Charity Baptist Church; he serves on the Crime and Violence committee of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry, and is a member of the North Charleston NAACP.

His desire to serve the community lead him to go to law school and recently received his Juris Doctor from Charleston School of Law. Currently he interns at Uricchio, Howe, and Krell and lives in North Charleston with his wife and three children.

Venus R. Lockett is an Asset Building Coach “Ms. ABC” and the Founder of Urban Asset Builders, Inc., a for profit social enterprise with a nonprofit heart. Ms. Lockett is a passionate advocate for urban entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, and her personal mission begins with a focus on instilling a mindset that “credit” and “savings” are assets. She seeks to help improve the financial health of low-to-moderate income individuals and aspiring entrepreneurs, and empower them to build economic stability for themselves and their families; so they may contribute to the economic stability of our communities.

Ms. Lockett began her professional career 15 years ago as a Corporate Account Manager in the voice communications industry where she managed several high volume international VoIP accounts. She made her career change to the asset building arena 3 years ago and has volunteered as an educational facilitator and financial coach with organizations such as United Way of Greater Atlanta, The Center for Working Families, Inc. and Rainbow Village.

She is a trailblazer in the Greater Atlanta area where she has introduced collaborative asset building initiatives such as Prize Linked Savings and Metro Atlanta Saves. Currently, Ms. Lockett is the chairperson for Money Smart Week® Greater Atlanta, a campaign she initiated in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago with the support of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Money Smart Week® is a national one-week public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. Ms. Lockett is also launching her “Money Smart Clubs” program which seeks to financially educate and empower the family as a whole. Relating to asset building education and resources, Ms. Lockett brings a wealth of knowledge to her audience. She resides in the Greater Atlanta area.

www.UrbanAssetBuilders.com
www.GetMoneySmartAtlanta.com

Herbert & Wolf represents a fresh approach that delivers legal services and real solutions to the most pressing needs of small to medium-sized businesses. Say goodbye to hourly billing. With us, you’re never “on the clock.” We take our time and listen to our clients needs. Have no fear, with us, you will not be billed for any service you don’t specifically ask us to complete for your business. Our business is taking care of your business. John received his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech and completed law school at Georgia State University. He has been practicing law since 1994 and specializes in any and all the legal needs for small to medium sized businesses. John is the managing partner of Herbert & Wolf, LLC in Roswell, Georgia. A new venture, BeSureBusiness, LLC, is being launched in 2014 to compliment the efforts of the law firm to help small to medium size businesses remain competitive and successful.

Whether Wendy’s coaching her clients, speaking or training, this Joy Strategist has a way of delighting her clients and colleagues with her passion for positivity and possibilities. For over 25 years, her commitment to being the spark that lights your fire has supported scores of creative entrepreneurs in shifting their thinking and their life to create more joy and fulfillment. As she turns the next page to support the world in flourishing, the possibility of more people letting her merge into traffic becomes a reality.

Lisa Calhoun is founder and CEO of leading national b2b marketing company Write2Market, recognized in 2013 as one of the Top 100 Agencies in the U.S. by Agency Post.

Imagine running a wildly successful business that doesn’t feel like work at all. Or running an amazingly successful business from your laptop from unbelievable locations. Our guest today can show you exactly how to do this. Stephanie Donegan is known as the Marketing Maven.

When it comes to helping business owners turn their businesses that look more like jobs into businesses that provide freedom, she’s your go to girl!

Stephanie has 10 years of experience in sales and marketing, helping major Fortune 500 telecommunications companies get their message and their brand out to the masses.

She’s been featured on NBC, CBS and Fox Business just to name a few.

And in 2013 Stephanie launched The Marketing Maven Show, an Itunes Podcast, helping entrepreneurs learn how to effectively market their business in order to increase opt-in’s and sales and live a life of financial, lifestyle and time freedom that they desire.

Reverend Miller B. Murphy is the Director of Communications at Connie Maxwell Children's Home.

Children have a safe, secure, loving environment at Connie Maxwell.  It is a home for some children who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected and some who have been placed by loving caregivers going through difficult situations. In addition to the main campus in Greenwood, Connie Maxwell Children's Home provides residential care and family support through satellite locations in Chesterfield, Mauldin, Orangeburg and Florence.

Each year more than 200 children of diverse needs and backgrounds call Connie Maxwell home. Some children stay as little as a few months, others for many years. Some arrive alone, others with siblings. Most are between the ages of six and eighteen. Children who remain through high school graduation receive financial support for college. The Connie Maxwell Children's Home Family Care Program exists to restore families with hope, comfort. and shelter while they locate the resources they need to move toward successful independent living.

Relief and assistance are provided to single-parents from all walks of life so each family can focus on resolving their individual crisis and temporary instability. While the parent works toward setting goals with the guidance of dedicated and supportive staff; she lives in a comfortable residential setting with her children.

Heidi Allstop is the founder of SpillNow.com, a confidential place for young adults to “spill” about life get advice from peers. A psychology graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison and a former crisis counselor, Allstop felt the urge to start Spill while struggling with her own feelings of isolation in college. She expanded Spill to 150 college campuses in 15 countries, winning global awards for the number of potential suicides prevented in the college setting. Outside of Spill, Allstop enjoys writing, cooking, and helping other entrepreneurs.

J.Christopher’s Chief Operating partner is Jeffrey “Jay” McCann. A hardworking and motivated individual, Jay has had a history of turning around struggling units in national chains such as Chili’s, Steak n Ale, Hooters and Malone's, an Atlanta based restaurant group. Results are achieved through the hiring and development of caring employees and the execution of the basics of good food and good service.

Dan Popovic has over 20 years’ experience in Product Innovation. He is an avid endurance athlete having participated in hundreds of road races, cycling events and triathlons. Dan also has 10 years’ experience in managing road races and his most notable event is the Atlanta BeltLine Running Series, which was developed to support the $4B dollar project.

Nathan Derrick is the Co-Founder and CEO of SupplyHog, an online building material Supplier. SupplyHog gives contractors access to a wide range of brands alongside great customer service. Products that exist nowhere else online are sold through SupplyHog, which is aiming to become the one stop shop for anything construction.

Desiree founded Bella Web Design in 1998 following a successful career as a flight attendant for United Air Lines and an analyst for Delta Airlines. Since the company’s launch, Desiree created a track record of success and profitability for Bella Web, which has helped over 1,000 companies build and maintain a strong online presence with services such as compelling web design, web hosting, ecommerce, automated marketing, SEO, email marketing, and social media coaching. Desiree is also an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant (ICC).

A Business Strategist and a domain expert in Corporate Business Development, Sales, Marketing, Small Business Formation and Entrepreneurship. With a record of achievement and demonstrated sustainable success of growing companies which generate multi-million-dollar revenues.

Mel has over 20 years of tactical experience in both revenue acceleration and corporate development of early stage and emerging growth companies. Executing business expertise to drive sales, increase profit margins, and deliver operational effectiveness through strategic planning.

Currently, Mel is the Regional Director of the SC State Region Small Business Development Centers. He is responsible for all business consulting activities in a seven county region dedicated to improve the economic conditions of small business enterprises by empowering them in accessing resources to enhance their market penetration opportunities as well as sources of capital for their operations and growth.

Previously, Mel was a Senior Advisor for AMPIRIX a “Go to Market” consultancy for the architectural, engineering and construction industry. He was also the Director of Business Development for Satellier, a multinational solution provider of building project documentation and digital design support services provided to the AEC industry.

In 2009, Mel founded Visually Intelligent Solutions, Inc., a technology start-up offering consulting, training and design support service for the AEC community. The company offered engineering software, facility management solutions, 3D design visualization services, computer-aided design, process workflow analysis and implementation.

Prior to this, Mel was the Director of Business Development for RAND IMAGINIT, the world’s largest integrator of engineering software, where he planned, directed and coordinated sales activities of 50 + offices located throughout North America, Asia and Australia.

Brett Massey is the owner of Huck’s General Store, nestled between the mountains, lakes, and rivers of beautiful North Georgia. It is an old-time general store located on Main Street in the quaint town of Blue Ridge.

Sajan George founded and leads Matchbook Learning, a unique national non-profit blended school turnaround management organization, the first of its kind that targets turning around our nation’s worst (bottom 5%) public schools with a model that blends the best of online and face-to-face instruction.

Matchbook Learning has launched three successful school turnarounds in Detroit, MI and has plans to expand nationally.

Prior to founding Matchbook Learning, CEO Sajan George was a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal (“A&M”) where he led the Firm’s Education Practice. In that role, he led a diverse group of talented turnaround professionals across the U.S. in running entire K-12 public school districts.

DoItInPerson.com is an online event platform that allows people to create, manage and promote events and communities. We bring all of the fragmented pieces of the event space together; from creating and managing your community, sending newsletters, booking speakers, selling tickets, adding sponsors to managing partnerships. We believe that events have relevance and meaning; you do not just attend an event; you experience a community.

Terence Lester is a native of Atlanta, GA. He has a strong passion for family, God, and seeing the change through tangible acts of kindness. Lester is happily married to his friend, Cecilia Lester, and they enjoy parenting their two wonderful children, Zion Joy Lester, and Terence II. One of Terence’s greatest passions involves connecting creativity to the mission of God, and moving people to love people where they are.

Additionally, Terence holds four degrees, has spoken locally & nationally, and has written several books.

Instagram: @terencelester
Facebook: terence.lester.9
Twitter: imTerenceLester

 

Karen Hypolite, Ph.D. is the inventor and designer of the Schalero TM. Dr. Hypolite invented the Schalero - Scarf. Shawl. Bolero. All-In-One; under Divine Inspiration. The Schalero TM is a 3 in 1 patent-pending garment that instantly transforms from a bolero/jacket to a scarf or a shawl with a quick tug and a pull.

Robbin Jorgensen, President and Founder of Ignite The Next International is known as the “own your power” coach for women. As a certified coach and motivational speaker, she feels called to help women discover, step into and own the fullest expression of who they are, so they can achieve their greatest potential. Through her personal story and experience, she offers women a roadmap to change and strategies that ensure they get there. You can learn more about her work with women at www.ignitethenext.com Ignite The Next International is a global organization that empowers women around the world. We work with professional women to reclaim their power, embrace their wisdom, and build confidence so they can become the leaders of tomorrow. We believe a woman standing in her power can change the world and when women realize their full potential, companies become stronger, societies are transformed, and global solutions are created.

Clayton Ivey is Founder & Senior Partner of Express Business Solutions, a full service digital marketing agency. With offices in Midtown Atlanta, Express is the GoDaddyTM of the Southeast. For over 7 years, Express has specialized in website design, mobile app development, and social media marketing for small business owners. The firm goes even further by helping entrepreneurs navigate the vast world of internet technology, tablets, smartphones, and how this technology can make business operations more efficient and profitable. At Express, their in-house developers, graphic artists, and staff believe in not only completing your project fast, but also ensuring that the project gives you a return on your investment. By investing into its customers first, Express has a stellar list of clients who include Georgia Tech, Tic Tac, Mrs. Smith Pies, NFL players, and even national organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Most of all, Express has been a driving force behind many small entrepreneurs and emerging companies in the Southeast.

Natasha Bowen is the Chief Visionary at Visionary People, a Business Management Consulting Firm specializing in helping companies get in position for success. Visionary People places companies and their owners on the paths of the least resistant.

Natasha is a Business & Marketing Strategist that enjoys working with companies and their owners who are ready to apply strategy and simplicity to growing their business. With over 15 yrs of experience with critical thinking, crisis management, process improvement and creative thinking she holds a Masters Degree in Business & Marketing. Natasha launched Visionary People in 2007 and since then has taken the company to pivotal heights.

 

Monica L. Ponder, MS, MSPH is a health and scientific communications professional residing in Atlanta, Georgia.

Monica has worked in health communications for nearly 10 years and also leads several community initiatives under the arm of her consulting company, MLP Communications. MLP Communications is an emerging leader of health communications in metro-Atlanta, with an impressive portfolio of events, successful partnerships and campaigns. Monica Ponder is a healthcare researcher and thought leader in reaching vulnerable and high-risk populations. As a health scientist, she designs and implements health initiatives that predictably translates into business success. Trained professionally as a chemist and epidemiologist, Monica specializes in translating scientific information into various communications products.   Monica has worked as a health communicator with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and, prior to joining CDC, she worked as a Public Health Liaison/Epidemiologist with the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness and lead clinician engagement for the health department. Trained in radio/television production, Monica also spent time developing health stories for WAGA/FOX-5, an Atlanta television news station. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Communication at Georgia State University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, blogging, and hanging with her daughter, Lindsey.

After a number of years as a practicing clinician, in 1987 Kathy Colbenson became the CEO of CHRIS Kids and found her calling.

CHRIS Kids offers a values-driven Family of Services that provides trauma-informed, strength-based services through a counseling center, a training institute, eight group homes, a supportive housing apartment complex for single and parenting youth of ages 17 - 24, adoption services, and a host of in-home services designed to help children, youth, adults and families unlock their potential for self-sufficiency and good citizenship.

You can learn more by visiting our website at www.chriskids.org

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and join us on LinkedIn

Ms. Kashima Peters is the founder of The Social Hostess. She brings 13 plus years of hospitality and customer service experience to the company and the industry. Kashima Peters created the Social Hostess as a bridge between concierge services and professional event planning.

The Social Hostess was established in 2011 to meet the growing need for event and party assistance. The Social Hostess services for corporate and residential clients in support of small in and large events.  The company positions itself so that the event host is able to enjoy their moment and accomplish each event goal by taking care of the logistics of the event.

Please visit www.MySocialHostess.com and like The Social Hostess, LLC on Facebook

 

Laura Putnam is a mom first to her two girls, lovingly known as Sunshine 13 and Peanut 11.  Together with her maple syrup making husband, they live in the Hudson Valley in NY.

Founder of Finding Home - blog and interior decorating business, Laura scours the countryside hunting for vintage treasures to create her vintage meets traditional, with a little modern edge, style. Her blog is about the stories of the journey we are all on to feeling we belong, toward being our most true selves, and trying to make the place we live in, our homes, be where we feel most comfortable.  She has built a business that allows her to pursue her creative interests while still keeping family first - always seeking more and more to find a full sense of home.

Visit her website Finding Home Online

Lisa Wise is a social worker and nonprofit administrator with more than 30 years of experience in the fields of human services and community development.

Lisa currently serves as Executive Director of Initiative for Affordable Housing, Inc. in Decatur, Georgia.  The agency provides housing and social services for homeless families, affordable housing for low-income individuals and families, and employment and training for individuals with little or no work experience.

Since she took the helm in 1992, Initiative has grown from one house and one homeless family to a multi-faceted agency that improves and strengthens the lives of homeless and low-income women, children and families through affordable housing, enhanced life skills and employment.

Providing employment was the motivation behind Initiative’s re:loom project, a program that helps homeless adults transition into a life of stability.  Re:loom employs and empowers homeless and low-income individuals through weaving beautiful, one-of-a-kind products out of donated upcycled materials.

Recently, Lisa and the re:loom employment program were chosen by Sara Blakely and Spanx as the Fall 2013 Leg Up winner which acknowledges female entrepreneurs and their businesses/products.

www.affordablehousingatl.org
www.reloom.org
facebook.com/reloom
twitter.com/re_loom
pinterest.com/re_loom

Nathan Daley, age 27, is the owner of Rising Sun Enterprises.

Rising Sun Enterpirses is an up and coming company that provides highly innovative product designs and strategic marketing techniques to insure clients’ success with the main goal of increasing long-term profitability.

Daley is also a products engineer. He can be reached at info@khymera.com

http://dreammc.wix.com/khymera

Diana Keough is Founder and CEO of ShareWIK Media, a health and wellness content production company that uses the power of personal stories to Engage, Educate and Inspire healthy living.  ShareWIK syndicates its content to media outlets, and licenses its proprietary educational modules to employers, benefits providers, corporate wellness platforms, and other channels within the healthcare industry.

Diana is also a Pulitzer-prize nominated medical journalist whose byline has appeared regularly in numerous print publications and on NPR.
She is a regular guest lecturer in the Emory journalism program, a TEDx presenter, popular conference speaker and mom to four sons.  Her first book, “The Grass is Green Enough Right Here,” is scheduled to be published in 2014.

sharewik.com 
@dikeough
@sharewik  
https://www.facebook.com/ShareWIK
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=19044041&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Dawn Belisle has been baking and selling her cakes since 1998.

She is an attorney by day and a baker by night. Dawn learned to cook and bake from her mother which encompasses a blend of Caribbean and Latin foods indicative of her family's native home of Belize.

Dawn recently entered the cupcake arena, and loves it. Baking is her passion, her love, and she wants it to become her future full-time endeavor.

You can find Dawn on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Lan Bercu was born and raised in Vietnam, a country that has suffered from one thousand years of perpetual war. At a young age, she was inspired by the Chinese classic -Sun Tzu’s Art of War. The messages instilled the principles, and strategies that would allow her to overcome tremendous hardships, enabled her to not only survive, but to thrive in the battlefields of school, the corporate world and the entrepreneurial race.

Lan is founder and president of Lead Across Cultures is an international speaker, seminar leader and expert on Sun Tzu’s Art of War and its modern business applications, cross-cultural competence and global leadership development. She travels from Atlanta to Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City to Washington DC to assist her clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies including Intel, Bayer and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney to a variety of business associations. In her earlier years,  Lan was an entrepreneur and public relations executive. She also provided consultancy to expatriates and their families in Southeast Asia including Hyundai, Honda and Nippon.

She holds a Master of Business and Administration degree from Kennesaw State University and specializes in Organizational Behavior and Global Leadership Development.

Lan is an active member of the National Speakers Association USA, Global Speakers Federation and the American Society of Training and Development. Lan has been featured in Financial Business News Channel, Vietnam Investment Review and Entrepreneur magazine. For more information, visit: LeadAcrossCultures.com

East Cobb Fitness brings personal fitness training to your home or work.  We work with people at ALL fitness levels so no worries.  You will not be overworked.  Especially starting out.  Our focus is on SAFE training for ALL AGES.  Always a flat rate of $40/hr.  Bring a friend and SPLIT the cost or workout with your spouse for the same $40.  Very affordable for most everyone.  Never any contracts or fees.  Always pay as you go.  All equipment is PROVIDED.  All you need is yourself.  Available Monday – Friday as early as 5am until 7pm at night. In business for 25 years.  And, if you are OVER 50 years old, we SPECIALIZE in exercise programs for adults 50+.  Serving Cobb and North Fulton counties.

Mike the trainer – owner of East Cobb Fitness Personal Training.  The trainers that COME TO YOU in your time and at your place…home or work.  All equipment is PROVIDED!  Call East Cob Fitness for convenience, value and safe exercise programs @ 404-384-5915 or check out their website at www.eastcobbfitness.com