angishields, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Rome-Floyd Chamber Small Business Spotlight – Hillery Sawyer of Speakcheesy and Alma Roman of Farmer’s Insurance

May 22, 2020 by angishields

Rome Business Radio

Rome-Floyd Chamber Small Business Spotlight - Hillery Sawyer of Speakcheesy and Alma Roman of Farmer's Insurance

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Hillery Sawyer – Speakcheesy, Owner

Speakcheesy was founded in 2014 as a spark of an idea between three friends. Rome did not offer a late-night food option and they wanted to fill that need. What better than cheese and bread to get you through a late night in our downtown hub? Hot late-night food wasn’t the only dream, the friends wanted to create a concept that was versatile, appealed to the masses, provided comfort and took you down memory lane with the nostalgia of childhood. Together the friends incubated the idea, the name, initial menu, and branding, in just a few short weeks, by hosting a late-night pop-up grilled cheesery on Broad Street allowing customers to vote for their favorite original grilled cheese recipes with their dollars. The friends learned a lot about cheese, each other, and business over the six months they spent popping up on Broad Street. At the end of 2014 the friends chose different careers, but this was still a dream Hillery wanted to make happen! She partnered with local non-profits like the Chieftains Museum and growing local festivals like Going Caching to get the word out about her unique concept. By winter 2015, now sole owner, Hillery Sawyer had raised the $8,000 she needed to bootstrap this business from the help of friends and a quick repay loan from the Maker village. She successfully paid the loan off by March of 2016 and started booking around Rome from the parking lot of Redmond Regional to River Dog Outpost and headed off down the road to Atlanta, Athens, and even South Carolina. Now equipped with a new Teammate and husband, Benjamin Mitchell who dreams of cheese right alongside Hillery they set off for Speakcheesy’s Spring Music and Craft Festival US road tour taking the truck across state lines to over 15 music and art festivals across the south in order to fuel their expansion into a commercial prep kitchen and gastropub. In summer of 2019 Speakcheesy had the opportunity to partner with local brewery Rome City Brewing to make their gastropub dream a reality right here on Broad Street across from the space they hosted their very first pop-ups six years ago. Hillery’s heart is as big as it is cheesy. You can support Speakcheesy’s growth and journey by trying one of our many gourmet grilled cheeses or full menu at RCBC, ordering curbside or delivery, or simply grabbing a t-shirt or gift certificate for your friends and family!

Alma Roman – Farmers Insurance, Alma Roman Agency, Agent/Owner

Roman is one of 9 siblings born in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico to a blue-collar mother and father who migrated to the United States in search of the “American Dream”. At 9 years old, she moved to Rome in 1993 and she has considered it her home ever since. She graduated from Rome High School in 2002. After High School, she chose to be a stay at home mother to raise both of her children, Javi Roman (14) and Katelyn Roman (17). In 2004 through 2007, she worked in the medical field, working for The Harbin Clinic interpreting for the growing Spanish speaking population of Floyd County. From 2007 to 2009, she worked in retail and customer service for Lowes Home Improvement. From 2009 until now, she entered what she considers to be her career position, the insurance industry. She began in customer service and became the only team member in the history of Alfa insurance in Georgia to start as a Customer Service Rep and earn the position of business Owner/Agent. In 2016 she opened Farmers Insurance – Alma Roman Agency on 5 W 5th Ave, Rome, GA. She is happily married to Joel Paul McCool, and proud mother to 5 children: David McCool (11), Savannah McCool (20), Kassidy McCool (15), Katelyn Roman (17), and Javier Roman (14).

GWBC Radio: Shonnie Alridge with Trinity First Realty Services

May 22, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Shonnie Alridge with Trinity First Realty Services

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Enthusiastic, approachable, and professional are some of the words that best describe Atlanta native Shonnie Alridge. With a background in Sociology, Shonnie has a proven record as a top-notch Sales Professional in the Atlanta area for the past 18 years.

Shonnie grew up in College Park, Georgia, and maintains a strong connection with the community through Real Estate sales and community outreach. As the owner of Trinity First Realty Services Inc. (TFRS), she has also opened a Georgia approved real estate school, Trinity First Realty School. The school is approved for a 3 hour continuing education (CE) course.

In addition, Shonnie shares her market expertise by periodically instructing homebuyer courses for NID companies. Prior to joining TFRS, Shonnie was a student at the State University of West Georgia. There she studied and developed an interest in human social behavior especially the study of the origins, organization, institutions, and development of human society.

Her Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology has afforded her the skills to learn the needs of each of her clients and the ability to be a highly efficient listener. This has proven to be the sole reason that creates such a perfect match for her client’s specific goals.

Connect with Shonnie on LinkedIn and follow TFRS on Facebook and Instagram.

Show Transcript

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here another episode of GWBC Open for Business. And this is going to be a good one. Today, I have with me Shonnie Alridge. And she is with Trinity First Realty. Welcome.

Shonnie Alridge: [00:00:31] Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Thanks for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:34] Well, before we get too far into things, tell us about Trinity First Realty. How are you serving folks?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:00:41] Yes. Well, we are a real estate brokerage firm here in Atlanta, Georgia. And so, we supply our clients with expertise in real estate. So, whether our client is wanting to sell real estate, purchase real estate, or perhaps find some office space, some retail space for their business, we are their go-to for that.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:04] So, you do both residential and commercial?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:01:07] Yes.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:09] And do you have a specialty? Do you work with like new homebuyers or people who relocate? Like what is your profile of a typical client for you?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:01:19] Well, actually, our typical client is an array of consumers. We don’t have a specific area. We have clients who have an interest in purchasing new construction or purchasing real estate as a piece of investment property. And so, we are just able to service them all. Just a different array of people, we’re able to service them.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:46] Now, how do you get into the real estate business?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:01:50] Well, funny story. My mother actually was a real estate agent in the ’80s and ’90s. And so, I was actually her assistant and didn’t really realize it at all. And when I was in college, she encouraged me to become a licensee. I did that. And I’ve been practicing real estate ever since I was a licensee back in 2002.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:16] And then, as part of your business, you also help other people get into the real estate business, right?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:02:23] Yeah, absolutely. So, we actually have an office. We have agents in our office, and they’re here working hard. And so, we make sure that we are able to provide them with training. And if they have any questions about moving through their contract, their transaction, we’re here to help them. So, yeah, it’s been a great one for us, and we’ve done well. We’ve done very well with assisting people to reach their goals, their real estate goals.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:57] Now, how has this pandemic impacted your business?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:03:02] This pandemic, it’s really unfortunate. It truly is. And it impacted us right away. However, there are some standards of business that we’ve been practicing anyhow as far as just making sure our clients are able to view homes. Usually, our out-of-state clients, we are doing virtual tours. So, what we’re doing now is is doing virtual tours for everybody. And if a client is concerned about listing their how right now in this pandemic climate, we just make sure that people who are entering the home have on a mask, have worn gloves, shoe covers, and that everyone understand what we’re doing. We’re trying to protect the health of everyone else. And we’re also trying to reach their goal of selling their home or purchasing now.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:50] So, you’ve been kind of practicing some of these safety measures just in the past in a different way. You just had to make some small adjustments to do it for this. That’s funny.

Shonnie Alridge: [00:04:02] Yeah, exactly. So, I remember hearing on the news when the pandemic has finally. It was on the news and everyone was like, “Oh, we can’t find an N9 mask,” and I thought to myself, “Oh, my gosh. I already had them.” So, certain things, I already had. I already has two covers. I already had gloves. And so, we just make sure we just pass along to our clients and our agents, and make sure that they use it when they’re out in the field.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:27] Now, do you have any advice for the listeners out there running a business that in order to be safe, things that you’ve learned that make your clients feel more comfortable and safe?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:04:38] Yes. I would say, first of all, let them know that you care. Let them know you care and you understand that they have a concern. And then express to them what you’re doing to help them to feel more comfortable. Express to them that you are steadfast on supplying gloves if they don’t have it. They don’t have a mask, you have one for them. Let them know that you’re there for them. And I think a lot of times, people will feel more comfortable just hearing it. They still want to reach their goals. We just don’t want to be hurt in the process. So, I just say show that you care, express that you care, and that’s the beginning part of it right there.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:20] So, now, can you talk about the GWBC? How has that organization helped you through this crisis?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:05:28] It’s a great organization. I’m so happy to be a part of it. And as soon as the pandemic hit, we began receiving e-mail and notifications of, “Hey, how are you doing? What can we do to help?” And I mean, it’s just like one big family. I would encourage anybody who’s listening to gather some more information about the organization and see where you can become a part of it. But it’s great to be able to know that you’re not the only one feeling the way you’re feeling. At some point, you may feel a little sad and down, and you’re wondering, “Am I the only business owner that has been impacted by this and feeling this type of way?” And with GWBC, you’re receiving e-mails, you’re receiving a phone call, people reaching out, asking, “Are you okay? What do you need?” And that means so much just right now.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:24] Now, in your business, you’re a woman-owned business, and you decide to get involved with GWBC. What would you tell other female-owned business owners about the importance of getting involved in an organization like that?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:06:40] Well, I think for female business owners that you have to understand, if you want to expand your book of business, it’s important to be involved with an organization. And it’s also equally important to have a specific socioeconomic set aside that you identify with. So, whether it’s women-owned, or Veteran-owned, or what have you, it’s important to have those things, to be considered to be a serious business out here, serious about handling their business. And so, I would encourage any women, any women on business to seriously consider becoming certified. Do it now. Especially right now, while we had time on our hands, a little bit more time on our hands, go ahead and do it now, become involved, and you’ll see that when you are checking off boxes on applications for more business, you’ll see where they’re going to ask you about your socioeconomic status, and you can check off certified women-owned business.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:40] Now, has there been any silver linings of going through this? Are there anything that you’ve kind of stumbled upon now during this crisis that you might be able to take with you when the crisis is over?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:07:52] Yeah. I would say yes, actually. I love when I’m faced with the challenge, actually, and I can get through a challenge because it showed me what I’m made of. And so, I would say even going through this, I had a moment where I was just a little bit stuck, but I decided to push through anyhow every day, and I decided to make decisions based on my business and not feel like I was stagnated. So, I just really learned, once again, what I’m made of, that I’m strong, I’m resilient, and the people around me are the same.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:30] Now, how did you keep your team motivated and keep their morale high during this challenging times?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:08:37] Well, it was pretty tough, but we had to get on top of it. So, what we did was our agents, we have office fees in our office, so what we did was we waived the fees for three months to just soften the blow for them. And so, that really helped as well. And so, we just make sure that I encourage everyone to read, do some research, listen to a webinar, and then share with me what they learned, so we can bounce off each other with positive information, informative news on how we can continue to do business, how we can continue to educate our clients and just keep them busy. It is good to be busy. For me, I’m happier when I’m productive. Most of our agents are the same way. So, we just try to stay productive and report to each other on a daily basis.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:32] Well, congratulations on your success and great job hanging in there.

Shonnie Alridge: [00:09:37] Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:37] And it is challenging times, but I find that business owners are pretty resourceful folks, and they always find a way.

Shonnie Alridge: [00:09:46] That’s right.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:48] Now-

Shonnie Alridge: [00:09:48] That is exactly right.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:49] If there’s somebody who wants to learn more about your organization or wants to talk to you about purchasing or selling property, is there a website?

Shonnie Alridge: [00:10:00] Oh, yes, absolutely. If there’s anyone who’s out there who wants to learn more about Trinity First Realty Services, you can visit our website at trinityfirstrealtyinc. And the First is spelled out. So, trinityfirstrealtyinc.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:16] Good stuff. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today.

Shonnie Alridge: [00:10:21] Thank you so much for allowing me to. I really enjoyed it.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:24] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Open for Business.

About Your Host

Roz Lewis is President & CEO – Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and a member of the WBENC Board of Directors.

Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.

During her career she has received numerous awards and accolades. Most notable: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion award; 2017 inducted into the WBE Hall of Fame by the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce and 2010 – Women Out Front Award from Georgia Tech University.

She has written and been featured in articles on GWBC® and supplier diversity for Forbes Magazine SE, Minority Business Enterprise, The Atlanta Tribune, WE- USA, Minorities and Women in Business magazines. Her quotes are published in The Girls Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business book by Susan Wilson Solovic and Guide Coaching by Ellen M. Dotts, Monique A. Honaman and Stacy L. Sollenberger. Recently, she appeared on Atlanta Business Chronicle’s BIZ on 11Alive, WXIA to talk about the importance of mentoring for women.

In 2010, Lewis was invited to the White House for Council on Women and Girls Entrepreneur Conference for the announcement of the Small Business Administration (SBA) new Women Owned Small Business Rule approved by Congress. In 2014, she was invited to the White House to participate in sessions on small business priorities and the Affordable Care Act.

Roz Lewis received her BS degree from Florida International University, Miami, FL and has the following training/certifications: Certified Purchasing Managers (CPM); Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD), Institute for Supply Management (ISM)of Supplier Diversity and Procurement: Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta (DLAA), Negotiations, Supply Management Strategies and Analytical Purchasing.

Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.

About GWBC

The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®) is at the forefront of redefining women business enterprises (WBEs). An increasing focus on supplier diversity means major corporations are viewing our WBEs as innovative, flexible and competitive solutions. The number of women-owned businesses is rising to reflect an increasingly diverse consumer base of women making a majority of buying decision for herself, her family and her business.

GWBC^® has partnered with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation through our guiding principles to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

YHFRE E9: Appraisals in the Age of Covid-19

May 22, 2020 by angishields

Tucson Business Radio

YHFRE E9: Appraisals in the Age of Covid-19

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AlexanderTapia, Certified Residential Appraiser
Associated Residential Appraisers of Southern Arizona
4651 N. 1 Street Avenue, Suite 205
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-318-6000
appraiser@gmail.com

About the Host:

Carol Nigut, Realtor® ABR, ePro, GRI
Your Home for Real Estate at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
2890 E. Skyline Drive #250
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-448-6033
yourhomeforrealestate@gmail.com
www.yourhome4realestate.com
https://t.co/Ytqo2gMWBB
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Google | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Zillow |

Originally from the Chicago area, Carol is a former educator and small business owner who has lived all over the United States, buying and selling property with each move. Knowing what it’s like to go through the process drives her commitment to her clients. Trusted for her knowledge, integrity, and diligence, Carol is one of a small percentage of Arizona Realtors® who have earned the GRI (Graduate Realtor® Institute) designation, making her uniquely qualified to serve and protect her clients through every phase of their real estate transaction. As an ePro professional, she also has the skills to take full advantage of the digital environment and social media marketing platforms which have become the backbone of the Real Estate industry. Dedicated to her clients, profession, and community, Carol serves on the Professional Development Committee of the Tucson Association of Realtors, as a sponsor of Meet Me at Maynards and a volunteer at Tucson Meet Yourself, and the Tucson Folk Festival. To learn what her clients have to say about working with Carol, check out her reviews on Google, Yelp, and Zillow.

Carol provides residential real estate services throughout the greater Tucson area, She works with both buyers and sellers, first-time home buyers, vacation/second home buyers/sellers and investors. If you, or someone you know, are looking for an energetic Realtor@ who cares about their clients and is dedicated to superior customer service, please contact Carol and give her the opportunity to become “Your Home for Real Estate”.

Justin Miller with CARE for AIDS

May 22, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Justin Miller with CARE for AIDS

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In 2007, Justin Miller co-founded CARE for AIDS as a junior at Vanderbilt University. CARE for AIDS exists to empower people to live a life beyond AIDS. He became the full-time CEO in September 2009 and has since led the organization to grow to over $4.5 million in annual donations, 68 centers in East Africa, 200 employees, and more than 20,000 families served.

Justin received a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University in Economics and Human and Organizational Development and an MBA from Goizueta Business School at Emory University. In October 2019, Justin and his co-founders released their first book, Beyond Blood: Hope and Humanity in the Forgotten Fight against AIDS.

Justin and his wife of ten years, Lindsay, live in Atlanta, Georgia, where they attend Renovation Church. They are the proud parents of a 5-year-old daughter, Addison, a 2-year-old son, Logan, and a newborn son, Finn. Justin serves on the board of his daughter’s school and his alma mater, Landmark Christian School.

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

About the nonprofit organization CARE for AIDS
What led Justin to start CARE for AIDS
How the organization has grown since it was founded in 2007
About the book Beyond Blood: Hope and Humanity in the Forgotten Fight against AIDS
Justin’s best advice for those looking to start a nonprofit

About Our Sponsor

OnPay’s payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.

Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

BRX Pro Tip: Don’t Be the Low Cost Option

May 22, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio: Nancy Gamble with Hire Profile

May 21, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Nancy Gamble with Hire Profile

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Nancy Gamble brings people together. She uses her connective superpowers for good as the founder and CEO of Hire Profile Inc., a certified woman-owned business. This former California girl got her Marketing degree from CSU Long Beach, then worked in Los Angeles, London, and Atlanta where she lead the Creating Staffing Team at Aquent.

Strong industry vision and general bad-assery led Nancy to launch Hire Profile in 2003. When she’s not matching Atlanta’s top creative talent with its leading creative and marketing employers, Nancy is a NPCC volunteer and chairs the AIESEC Life National Mentorship Program. She lives in Alpharetta with her husband, and their rescue dachshund mix, Scruffles.

Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn and follow Hire Profile on Facebook and Twitter.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of the GWBC Open for Business. And this will be a fun one. I have with me today Nancy Gamble. And she’s with a company called Hire Profile. Welcome, Nancy.

Nancy Gamble: [00:00:31] Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:34] Well, before we get too far into things, tell us about Hire Profile. How do you serve your clients?

Nancy Gamble: [00:00:41] Hire Profile is a staffing and recruiting agency. And we specialize in the marketing, advertising, graphic design and public relations fields. We help our clients who are either corporate marketing departments, design studios, ad agencies, production companies find freelancers to help them in a pinch, cover long-term contracting needs, and also permanent searches for their employee.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:07] And how did you get into this line of work?

Nancy Gamble: [00:01:10] Well, interesting story, I am a Southern California native. I was living and working in Los Angeles in the advertising industry at BBDO and some other agencies out there, and Saatchi & Saatchi, Team One, and decided after a visit to Atlanta that that was home, and I just missed my calling somehow and had to get out here. So, I moved out here, and I was recruited by a company to start their kind of high-end creative division of their existing company to recruit and serve the advertising industry. So, my past experience made me a good fit, and they taught me recruiting, and I have never looked back. I decided to start my own firm in 2003 and have been at it ever since.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:59] Now, how does somebody get on your radar? How do you find the talent you need for the companies you serve?

Nancy Gamble: [00:02:09] Great question. Multipronged approach, of course. There’s no one source that covers everything that we would look for in a week, a month or a year. But number one is referrals. We take our referrals very seriously if we have either a client or existing candidate, someone we know through business colleagues that says, “You need to talk to this person,” I can guarantee you that we will talk to them.

Nancy Gamble: [00:02:34] Then, the next would be, obviously, we have collected over a very deep pool of existing freelancers who, sometimes, we call permalancers. They’re always kind of on the hunt for their next gig. And so, they are a very reliable resource for us. We have job seekers that are in between jobs. They might see our posting on our social media, they might connect on LinkedIn, and then we invite them to apply. And then, of course, we go out and we headhunt from companies in the right industry for what our clients are looking for and with the skills that we need. Of course, we use all the tools. Everyone knows about LinkedIn, Indeed, things like that. But I would say that our number one is those personal relationships and those custom referrals. That’s what we spend most of our time generating.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:25] And then, what are the trends you’re seeing during this pandemic? Are people hiring now? Are people like on pause? What is kind of the state of the industry as you see it? Because I would imagine you’re kind of-

Nancy Gamble: [00:03:35] Oh, that-

Lee Kantor: [00:03:35] You’re getting the first look, right? You’re that the headlights on this thing.

Nancy Gamble: [00:03:40] Yeah. We, oftentimes, are. This is my second big disaster. If you count 9/11, I guess it’s the third. But obviously, the economic recession, the financial one is acting in a very similar way in that the first people to often be cut are the existing contractors. They boil things down to their core W2 staff. However, then, they realized that work still needs to go on, and they start slowly adding back contractors. That, usually, is the first line of defense in that they don’t really want to jump in with full-time W2 employees when they’re unsure and uncertain of their own future. So, they may say, “Well, let’s start with a part-time contract. We’ll get a consultant on this project.”

Nancy Gamble: [00:04:30] So, if somebody is looking for work at this time, you need to really be versed on how you want to market yourself as a consultant, or contractor, or the gig economy, be part of that. Know what you’re worth. Know what they’re going rates are. Talk to someone like myself, or a recruiter, or hiring manager to kind of get a feel for what people in your line of work are getting per hour.

Nancy Gamble: [00:04:57] So, yes, contacting will probably be the first thing that will ramp up, but I will say, companies are hiring. They had holes in their team before this started. Obviously, some industries are doing great in this economy, and some are just not as affected by downturn as they are by having to accommodate working from home and figuring all that out. But I feel like we’re past that point now. Those companies have now kind of figured this out, and they’re ready to get back to work.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:28] Now, what type of skills are you seeing that people need during this time?

Nancy Gamble: [00:05:34] Digital. Digital skills. Now, of course, we’re in a narrow market, so we are not involved in finance, and nurses, and all these other areas. But within the marketing and advertising design, a lot of communications, a lot of digital content, and digital project management. Just digital marketing, management. How to not only enhance but increase the flow and the clicks for their online presence because a lot of companies that no longer operate or have very limited access to a brick and mortar way to sell their products are really ramping up their e-commerce, and making sure their websites are up to date, and ready to receive a lot of traffic, and create those messages that may need to go out to their customers, explaining how things are going to be different now and in the future. So, communications and digital are really key areas right now.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:32] Now, in your world, do you hire a lot of … are your workers remote workers? So, they’ll kind of seamlessly fit into this during this transition, or they have to be face-to-face in an office?

Nancy Gamble: [00:06:46] That has really helped us in the fact that most of our … not most. I was a good percentage of our contractors were already at home when this hit. Those that had to transition to being at home for the first time had to work it out, and be flexible, and really show a lot of initiative and extra communication because these companies that always required workers to be onsite were learning as they were growing. So, they were learning it together and figuring it out together. And it made them, I think … actually, their bond is really close.

Nancy Gamble: [00:07:24] The companies that have fought this for many, many years – working from home – have kind of had to come to accept it. And I do believe that many are realizing that this is a very viable way to run your business and that this could be what their future looks like whole or in part as they figure out how to either scale back their commercial office space, they may decide to put their teams on rotation where there could be a blue team and a red team, and the blue team is Monday and Wednesday, and the other team is Tuesday and Thursday, and everybody’s home on Friday. They have to spread their desks. They might be putting up Plexiglas. They just may not be able to do everything the way they used to. And these freelancers, and contractors, and W2 employees are having to go with the flow and really adapt to whatever environment they’re put in.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:22] Now, in your organization, when this went down, was there a big kind of transition for you? Or it sounds like your business kind of can adapt to this situation pretty easily based on what you do and how you do it.

Nancy Gamble: [00:08:39] Well, to say we’re completely unaffected is not accurate. However, already since 2003, we have been a work-from-home business. So, as far as our work environment, our communication tools, and our way of communicating with each other with our client has not changed. So, for us, very minimal impact there. Obviously, we’ve had some business downturn. I would be lying if I said some clients haven’t had to cancel a search or, at least, put it on hold, and we have a couple contractors who were released. But for the most part, we have stayed very steady. In fact, we had some upticks in our contract work. And so, we are secure, and safe, and so happy for that.

Nancy Gamble: [00:09:23] I would say the future is still unknown. We hope that people now that Georgia, at least, is on the cutting edge of opening up, we are hopeful that business will return to normal, and we can all get back to what we love to do and find people big, and wonderful, new opportunities and jobs. We’re spending a lot of our time right now helping candidates that are furloughed and laid off to improve their resumé, to guide them, have them be prepared. We’re giving talks on being prepared for the recovery, job searching in a tough time, and things like that. So, we’re trying to reach out and help as much as we can.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:02] Now, are you seeing a shift in the marketing messaging that’s happening now in terms of companies? Maybe at one point, it was a lot of, “Hey, buy my staff.” And now, it’s more of, “Hey, we’re all going through this tough time together and we’re here to help.” Like, are you seeing a shift in the messaging?

Nancy Gamble: [00:10:19] Absolutely. And those that don’t shift are standing out like really sore thumb. So, the shift is not only a trend. It’s like people who don’t shift to, “We’re here for you. We care. We want you to be well over anything else,” those people are really going to damage their brand because they didn’t shift. So, we really encourage all businesses to not be silenced. That’s another thing that is happening in some cases. Some people don’t know what to say and feel that if they’re not selling their products, what else are they going to talk about?

Nancy Gamble: [00:11:00] So, you have to not only come up with what you want to say to your existing clients, and prospects, and any of your other stakeholders, but let them know that you are still here, that you’re going to be here when they’re ready, and that you actually care about them. And those types of messaging makes key … excuse me. Key communication people within your organization are very vital right now because that messaging is maybe all you have until business starts to boom. So, it’s a really important thing, having your crisis communication linked into your organization and be ready. We don’t know. This could all happen again, and it could be a deja vu. So, be ready with how you want to communicate to your prospects and customers.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:50] Now, talk about GWBC. How has that organization helped your business?

Nancy Gamble: [00:11:58] Oh, GWBC has always been something that we are certified with and been a very important part. It’s a great door opener for getting into large corporations to value a diversity program. And they also put a lot of learning and training out of their members. Obviously, things like this are unique to GWBC. And so, we are our proud members. And I think the fact that most people are really looking at their networks, and they’re looking at the connection and the human connection they’ve made over the years will make organizations like GWBC a vital part of your business plan going forward because you can pick up the phone, and call them, and that you sat with at several luncheon, and be able to say, “Hey, I’m struggling right now. I need to talk to a few women who own businesses. How can we get together?” And I think that that network is there for you, and you don’t realize how important it is until you don’t have it when you go through something like COVID-19.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:03] Now, Nancy, if somebody wanted to learn more and have more substantive conversation with you or somebody on your team, is there a website?

Nancy Gamble: [00:13:12] Sure. You can go to www.hire-profile.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:18] Well, good stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your insights and your story today.

Nancy Gamble: [00:13:24] My pleasure. I love what you do. Keep doing it.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:28] Thank you. All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on GWBC’s Open for Business.

About Your Host

Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.

During her career, she has received numerous awards and accolades. Most notable: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion award; 2017 inducted into the WBE Hall of Fame by the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce and 2010 – Women Out Front Award from Georgia Tech University.

In 2010, Lewis was invited to the White House for Council on Women and Girls Entrepreneur Conference for the announcement of the Small Business Administration (SBA) new Women-Owned Small Business Rule approved by Congress. In 2014, she was invited to the White House to participate in sessions on small business priorities and the Affordable Care Act.

Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.

About GWBC

Natasha E. Davis with Impact Branding Consulting

May 21, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Natasha E. Davis with Impact Branding Consulting

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Impact Branding Consulting is a Brand Development & PR Management Consulting Firm equipped with Consultants, Marketing Specialists, Executive Coaches, Project Managers, Technology Experts and Professional Development Specialist. Their niche’ is Helping Healthcare Reach Higher Heights.

Natasha E. Davis, is a Branding Strategist and Corporate Trainer. As a certified expert in email & social media marketing, branding, speaker, author and trainer, she thrives on fixing problems and eliminating frustrations for companies and their executives.

Over the past 13 years, Natasha has worked with several companies, executives and business owners to assist them in enhancing their leadership potential, team structure, brand equity, brand loyalty, customer satisfaction and marketing strategy through the power of impactful branding.

Having authored and published two books on personal and company branding strategy, she’s earned awards and recognition for her abilities, talents and skills. Her clients affectionately refer to her as “The Chief Visionary” because of her ability to quickly identify issues, find solutions, get results and improve outcomes.

Through the application of her Brand First PrincipleTM and Proactive Pivot StrategyTM her clients experience a 30% reduction in waste, 45% increase in productivity and 28% increase in profit margins.

Follow Impact Branding Consulting on Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What is Branding?
The difference between Branding and Marketing
How does employee engagement Impact the Brand?
What are the 3 types of Brands that everyone should know?
How to convert employees to Brand ambassadors.

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing… Not You

May 21, 2020 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing... Not You

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BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing… Not You

Stone Payton: [00:00:00] Welcome back to BRX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, the way that we have things framed up, the way we try to go to market, we believe that the hero in the story, at least, a hero in our marketing should be anybody but us, right? Say more about that.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:20] Right. I don’t know if it’s a strategy word, but it’s just a way of thinking that I’m kind of borrowing from Donald Miller with Story Brand. And he talks about sales and marketing material or any kind of written material. And the hero of the journey of the sale is not you. You’re not the hero. The client is the hero. You are the guy that helps the client achieve their goals. So, when you position yourself as the guide, you’re not talking about yourself anymore. You’re talking about the ways you can help the client achieve their goals. It’s not about how great you are, what you’ve done in the past. None of that matters. It’s helping guide the client from having a problem to have a success. So, that’s the difference in kind of the mindset. And that’s how you frame the conversations in terms of what’s in it for the prospect, not what’s in it for you.

Stone Payton: [00:01:17] And that is just so wholly consistent with the way that we go to market anyway and execute on the work that we do, right? We don’t try to be the personalities on the radio show. And all of our shows are designed to support and celebrate the guests and position the host as the hero that’s making that opportunity available. So, to me, everything you just said about the marketing aspect of what we do is just wholly consistent with the way we choose to execute on our mission and purpose.

CTWJ Ep18: Franny Giangrasso, Marketing Director for Spenga

May 20, 2020 by angishields

Tucson Business Radio

CTWJ Ep18: Franny Giangrasso, Marketing Director for Spenga

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Franny Giangrasso

7621 N. Oracle, Suite 150
Oro Valley
520.402.6100
https://spengatucson.com/
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram |

I am currently the Marketing Director for Spenga. I have been working with the Franchisee for 5 years with other businesses. I live on Long Island, NY. SPENGA’s philosophy is based on the 3 pillars of fitness: spin, strength, and flexibility. Besides fitness, we want a deeper connection with the community. SUPERGA will be located in Oracle Crossings next to TREK and Dog utopia.

About Your Host

Jaime Overturf
Farmers Agent, Entrepreneur
2555 N Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 293-2900
joverturf@farmersagent.com

As a local Farmers® agent in Tucson, AZ, Jaime Overturf helps customers identify the insurance coverage that best fits their needs. This process is straightforward and personalized to help make them more informed about their insurance options.

Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that’s auto, home, life, business insurance and more. You can connect with Jaime on Facebook.