Our guests today all focus on helping people. One helps PTSD traumatized Veterans who have put their lives on the line for us and our way of live. Another  works with individuals, helping them improve and find new answers to dealing with today’s challenges. The third helps firms use innovation and imagination in advertising to get attention and grow their companies.

Our first guest, Joe LaBranche, is Vice President / Director of Warrior2Citizen, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping returning Veterans deal with the effects of PTSD and combat stress.The program targets troops during that critical transition period in the weeks after returning home by providing high quality, focused psychological and spiritual counseling for the warrior and their family in a peaceful setting that will nurture the healing process without outside distractions.  This is accomplished with one-month long residential programs filled with counseling sessions, interactive family activities and outdoor exercise in beautiful surroundings.

Joe discusses the unique challenges faced by today’s soldier and how their program is changing lives of not just the warrior but also their family.  Contact Joe if you need help at joe.w2c@gmail.com or if you wish to contribute to this worthy cause, visit the organizations website at www.warrior2citizen.org.

Adrian Queenan is the founder and President of ExpandaBrand, an innovator in branding impact, product introduction, attracting attention at trade shows and high impact point of sale marketing. He is responsible for many of the signage innovations commonly used today.  His approach to customer service is a big differentiator he says. By ensuring clients get solutions, not just marketing materials is key. Even where those solutions may range from a simple banner to working with the client to integrate trade show builders, I&D services, and event planning, ExpandaBrand will go the extra mile for clients. Adrians’s approach to business brings not just an incredibly talented team in on the project but also a mindset that delivers fresh, attention-arresting signage approaches to his customers. Get in touch with Adrian a 678-597-4265 and visit their website at www.expandabrand.com.

Tiffany Massie, Hypnotherapist and Success Coach, has been helping Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, physicians and individuals achieve greater personal and professional success by helping them eliminate subconscious barriers since 1985. She has authored two books and has proven time and again her approach works because it changes beliefs. Once beliefs are changed, making the changes you need to make to achieve grater personal and professional success is easy.

Contact Tiffany at 770-956-0554 and visit her website at www.marianmassie.com

Wayne Carrel, Director, of the Johns Creek Foundation explains how this non-profit organization started, how it helps non-profit organizations in Johns Creek fund their activities through direct grants and discusses how a unique partnership of private donors, businesses and government has made Johns Creek one of the cities in the Atlanta region with a robust arts council, symphony and school outreach programs. As a non profit organization, learn how you can apply for grants and businesses and individuals discover how you can help by getting involved and contributing.

Wayne Baughman is the Music Director of the acclaimed Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra that puts on fantastic events in the Johns Creek area where our own version of the Boston Pops delivers great music that has people dancing in the isles.  Their school programs expose students to music and give them a way to connect with an aspect of the arts that otherwise may be missed. It’s been very well received and more events are planned. With some 100 musicians to draw from, the Symphony can produce large and small events tailored to different events in the Johns Creek area and puts on many free programs for those who want to listen to great music by a fantastically talented group of professionals.  A beneficiary of grants from the Johns Creek Foundation, the Symphony is growing and thriving at a time so many areas are having to disband their orchestras and end music in schools.

Patricia Royak Owner and President of the The Royak Group, has been a highly respected name in IT recruiting and career management since 2002, bringing 20+ years of sales and marketing expertise to create IT solutions tailored to individual company and candidates requirements.  Patricia strives for integrity in information technology by providing best of practice solutions to our customers.

She discusses what the challenges employers face today finding the level of talent who are both technically expert but also able to play a broader role in a company, lead with excellence and communicate effectively and reveals the best strategies for attracting that type candidate. For IT professionals, discover how The Royak Group helps you maximize your career growth at any stage of your career.  Learn why The Royak Group invests in their candidates, providing insights, sage career guidance and counseling to senior and fast-rising IT professionals who want to maximize their career, potential and marketability. Find out what changes you can make that pays off quickly and find out where most candidates seem to have challenges that hold them back and how to overcome them.

The Royak Group delivers prime candidates that are a perfect cultural and technical fit to companies seeking the top candidates for top IT positions.  770-772-5111 www.theroyakgroup.com proyak@theroyakgroup.com.

John Lucht, Managing Partner of Smith & Howard, an Atlanta accounting and advisory firm with over 90 associates, discusses issues his firm is seeing across all industries and business size. Included among those issues are tax uncertainty, healthcare reform implications, short-term versus long-term strategy of business owners, and how to get the most out of your professional service advisors.

John was the practice leader for the firm’s Accounting, Advisory and Assurance Services group. He has experience with a wide range of industries in the privately-held, middle market sector. John spends time with owners and executives of businesses, listening to and advising them on both short and long-term strategy for growth and success.

Smith and Howard has been the recipient of several important honors in the past few years, including being named a “best of the best” firm in the nation by a leading industry publication, as well as this year’s recognition by the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta for the best corporate volunteer campaign of the year. The firm also has received consecutive annual recognitions by the AJC as a Top Work Place in the Atlanta region. 404-874-6244 jlucht@smith-howard.com www.smith-howard.com

Doreen Morgan is an Investment Banker with over 10 years experience in the Franchise Industry. She heads up the Franchise M&A Division with Woodbridge International; a Global Mergers and Acquisition firm dedicated to the representation of privately held middle market companies in eight countries.

Doreen discusses what is happening in the M&A market today, what kind of deals are being structured, what the multiples are being obtained and where money is waiting for good investments and the future of franchise M&A outlook over the next few years.

Of particular interest to franchisors who are privately owned will be the details of what to expect and how to prepare your franchise so you maximize your gain when you finally sell your company.

Any franchisor or company owner thinking of franchising their company will learn a great deal about the specialized world of franchise mergers and acquisitions.

She specializes in Sell-Side representation and has a solid a track record in exit strategy and negotiation. (678) 710-2801 or doreenmorgan@woodbridgegrp.com www.woodbridgegrp.com.

Nothing happens until someone makes a sale and Sandler Sales Training works with small and large firms to help them sell more, more consistently and with less effort. Understand how following a system for business development can help you be more efficient, effective helps grow your bottom line.  Companies typically struggle with one or more of the three things that drive their economic engine:  management, sales or customer service. Honest communication focused on the customer or prospect is critical to succeed in today’s competitive environment. Sandler Training in Alpharetta has programs that help your entire organization get and keep more customers over the long term. Lisssa Versteegh, President of Georgia Sales Development Inc. explains how they transform sales effectiveness by taking a holistic approach to management, sales and customer service so everyone is on board with what it takes to get and keep customers in today’s competitive market. If you find you must sell on price, Lissa has the solutions that will move the conversation from commodity to custom crafted so you sell at higher margins. www.georgiasales.com and lissa@sandler.com or calling 770-475-3835 will put you on track for greater success in 2013.

Jim McElroy, Franchise Development for UPS Stores Area Office covering Georgia, N. Carolina and parts of North Florida, explains why so many people find a terrific opportunity as a UPS Store franchisee and find an alternative to just going back into the corporate world. Surprisingly affordable and an exceptional opportunity for returning Veterans, the economics and long term asset created by owing a franchise are eye opening. Learn much more about the opportunity and how to learn more by contacting Jim at 770-645-2513 X 204 or via email at: jmcelroy@theupsstore.com. Also, visit www.upsstore.com for added information.

Meredith Martini is the “Chief PlayWorker” with Playworks Group, a team building firm that helps company employees connect at a human level. Through individualized programs, Playworks helps coworkers in groups from 6 to a 1000 or more find out how to relate to each other as people, have fund doing so and use the opportunity to develop a sense of engagement with the company that pays back in improved communication and cooperation. You can reach Meredith at meredith@playworksgroup.com or 678-907-7132 and from www.playworksgroup.com.

Guests Lisa Machado, CSA – Visiting Angels – Living Assistance Services; Chris & Sherri Maner – Smooth Transitions – Moving for Seniors; Laura Cayce – CaraVita Home Care discuss Senior Assisted Living and the services helping individuals and families with life’s transitions.

Lisa, Laura, Sherri and Chris discuss the unique challenges faced as our population ages and the range of services that have sprung up to help individuals and families cope with age-related issues. Surprisingly broad in scope, there are many senior assisted living programs now available to help seniors remain in their homes for as long as possible.  And, when it becomes necessary for seniors to move to facilities that can cater to their special needs, our guests discuss options for dealing with every aspect of what can be a stressful time.

Today’s families are frequently not in the same city, even state, where their aging parents live and find helping with these changes almost impossible.  Our studio guests offer many options to provide the level of caring and care that today’s time-stressed families want to provide but cannot and the various programs that can help financially.

Laura Cayce has a master’s degree in social work and gerontology, and she is also certified as professional geriatric care manager. Her passion lies in her work with seniors and families. She is able to carry out this passion daily through her work with her family owned company, CaraVita Home Care.

She has served as social worker and care manager for the past 8 years helping seniors and their families during difficult life transitions. Her clinical experiences include working for a geriatric inpatient psychiatric hospital, serving as a case manager at a skilled nursing and rehab hospital, providing  social worker home visits for various home health agencies, and serving with the Texas Medicaid Community Waiver Program (Providing in home care for individuals with low-income).

Lisa Machado -Lisa is a graduate of Shippensburg University (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania) and in 1994, she received her MBA from Kennesaw University (Kennesaw, GA).  For more than 20 years, Lisa has worked in business in various capacities.

Lisa is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  She is married with three children.   Lisa and her husband, Mario, own and operate Visiting Angels, located in Alpharetta, GA, since 2005.  It is one of 14 Visiting Angels franchises in Georgia. Lisa is a Certified Senior Advisor, a member of the Aging Services Network of North Fulton and a member of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Chris & Sherri Maner – Chris holds a Degree in Finance from Auburn University.  He worked for one of Atlanta’s largest credit unions for the past 25 years -15 of which were spent managing the Collection Department that included foreclosure dispersal-clean outs and renovations.  His vast experience gives Chris the expertise and contacts needed to handle the needs of senior clients and their families.

Sherri started her career at the same credit union as Chris after graduating high school.  After 29 years, she retired as the AVP of Operations where she managed 28 metro Atlanta offices with over 100 employees.  Through the course of Sherri’s career, she had a large focus on the senior cliental which included the financial and personal situations they faced as they aged.

Although Chris and Sherri are trained and licensed senior move managers, they have first-hand, personal experience with challenges seniors and their families encounter when the need to downsize and relocate arises.  Their unique insight ensures they will care for you and your treasures every step of the way as if you were part of their family.

You can follow Smooth Transitions of Greater Atlanta on Facebook, LinkedIn or visit their website at www.seniormoversofatlanta.com .

What is your Buzz and how can using Buzz make selling simpler, easier, faster and even have prospects calling wanting to buy your product?

Buzz is the latest evolution of Steve’s proven approach to business and success that goes back years. In fact, he’s written two books already on some of his philosophy including “Bass–Ackward Business” and “The Power of Helping Without Hustling.” They discuss the fundamentals of Steve’s proven sales approach that transforms how you sell and people decide to buy – from you – and how you can tap into that powerful, non-manipulative strategy. Steve is working on this third book on Buzz but we’ll let him tell you about it!

Focusing on coaching and helping develop sales forces sell more, faster and easier is his passion, learn hot to sell with Buzz at his seminars or through individual coaching.

Steve Beecham is well known to many who got their mortgage from his company (Steve was one of the top 5 loan officers and his company one of the top 5 mortgage companies in Georgia and still actively helping people get mortgages today.)

He’s also well known for his charitable work serving non-profits through board memberships with the Ron Clark Academy, N. Fulton Charities and the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation.

Get in touch with Steve and find out what your Buzz is and how to put it to work for you at http://www.bassackwardbusiness.com/ or email him at steve@hometownmoney.com.

The Johns Creek Convention and Visitor Bureau (www.johnscreekcvb.com) plays an important role in the business community of Johns Creek. Visitor bureaus are generally thought of as resources for people on vacation, but they are so much more. In Heather’s segment of the show, she discusses how the visitors bureau promotes business and community involvement through events and outreach.

Heather is the Managing Partner of HeBlanc, LLC.  She provides consulting services to corporations and non-profit organizations, working regularly with executives from a variety of fields and industries to help create real world solutions in business development, marketing, and organizational leadership.

Prior to her current position, she served and led efforts for several organizations and their clients, including Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, DreamPower, Innotrac Corp, GP Communications, Edward J. DeBartolo and the US Government. Raised in a military family, Heather graduated Magna Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University and lives with her husband in Suwanee.

You can reach Heather at heather@johnscreekcvb.com

Franchises as an option for returning Veterans with Bill Williams

Today, there are many alternatives to working for someone else from buying an existing business, starting one or being a franchisee. Bill Willams of Axxiom Franchise Advisors, LLC, in his segment of the program, discusses the advantages of being a franchise owner and the misconceptions people have regarding franchise and franchise brokers. Not limited to just muffler shops and fast food, franchises almost any business one can imagine.

Active with Veterans groups in the area and a Vietnam Veteran himself, Bill discusses at length the coming wave of service personnel re-entering the civilian world and why they have skills that make a franchise an excellent option for finding a new career. (Note, they also bring skills and maturity that any employer would be delighted to see in their candidates so it’s not just franchises who would like to see Veterans in their ranks.)

Learn how the franchise community and other organizations have developed special plans to make owning a franchise affordable for our returning Veterans through substantially reduced fees, financial assistance programs and more.

Axxiom Franchise Advisors LLC  (www.axxiomfranchiseadvisors.com) and Bill’s email is bwilliams@axxiomfranchiseadvisors.com.