John Ray, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Joshua Kornitsky on EOS and Growing Entrepreneurial Teams

March 12, 2026 by John Ray

Joshua Kornitsky, EOS Worldwide, on the Entrepreneurial Operating System and Helping Leadership Teams Get Aligned, Accountable, and Healthy (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 945) with host John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Joshua Kornitsky on EOS and Growing Entrepreneurial Teams

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Joshua Kornitsky, EOS Worldwide, on the Entrepreneurial Operating System and Helping Leadership Teams Get Aligned, Accountable, and Healthy (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 945)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Joshua Kornitsky, a Professional EOS Implementer with EOS Worldwide. Joshua works with entrepreneurial leadership teams to help them get aligned on vision, build discipline and accountability, and function as a healthy, cohesive team.

Joshua’s path to EOS is anything but theoretical. Growing up in a family-owned auto dealership business that ultimately failed, Joshua learned that a good product and a strong market alone are insufficient. After years in technology leadership and IT consulting, he became CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of an Alpharetta company that had hit a growth ceiling. That company brought in an EOS implementer and grew by more than 25 percent. Joshua describes the experience as “the lights coming on in a dark movie theater.” He went on to co-found a simulation training software company, ran it on EOS from day one, and eventually became a franchised EOS implementer himself.

On this episode, Joshua explains why EOS succeeds where other programs fall short, walking through its five foundational principles: simplify, delegate, predict, systemize, and structure. He uses the Four Seasons Hotel as a case study in process discipline, explaining Isidore Sharp’s approach to systematizing the predictable to humanize the exceptional. He also addresses the major misconception business owners have about process documentation, that it has to be exhaustive, and explains why getting 20 percent of documentation done can deliver 80 percent of the compliance benefit.

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Joshua came to EOS as a practitioner before becoming an implementer, having lived through both a family business failure and a successful EOS-driven turnaround as a company CTO, which shapes how he guides leadership teams today.
EOS addresses three core challenges: getting leadership teams aligned on vision, building discipline and accountability (traction), and developing the trust and openness that make a team genuinely healthy.
One of the most common but underappreciated problems in growing companies is a lack of shared language and definitions. When different leaders use different terms for the same concept, communication complexity multiplies across every department.
The process documentation hurdle is largely a misconception: EOS targets roughly 20 percent documentation to achieve 80 percent compliance, focused on core processes that touch the whole business, not a comprehensive operations manual.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Joshua Kornitsky
02:13 How Joshua helps entrepreneurial leadership teams with vision, traction, and health
03:16 Joshua’s career arc: family auto dealerships, technology leadership, and discovering EOS
05:03 Experiencing EOS firsthand as CTO and co-founding a company built on EOS from day one
06:31 Common signs that a business needs help: running 90 hours a week with no end in sight
07:48 Why EOS outlasts flavor-of-the-month programs: 25 years of timeless business methodology
09:00 The shared language problem: how misaligned definitions multiply across a company
10:08 The five foundational principles of EOS are simplify, delegate, predict, systemize, structure
12:07 Why entrepreneurs are often blind to process: they master what works and rarely document it
13:43 The 20/80 rule for process documentation: enough to get compliance without writing a manual
16:00 The Four Seasons Hotel and the concept of systematizing the predictable to humanize the exceptional
18:29 Why not every entrepreneur has found EOS yet: they are still in problem-solving mode
20:19 The book Traction and the difference between self-implementing and working with an implementer
21:07 Walking through Vision, Traction, and Healthy as the three pillars of EOS
25:02 A client success story: a 50-plus-year-old accounting firm that graduated from EOS in two years
27:31 How to reach Joshua Kornitsky and connect with EOS Worldwide

Joshua Kornitsky, Professional EOS Implementer

Joshua Kornitsky is a Professional EOS Implementer, business advisor, and leadership facilitator who helps entrepreneurial leadership teams gain clarity, strengthen accountability, and work together more effectively.

With more than two decades of experience across entrepreneurship, technology, and organizational leadership, Joshua brings a practical, operator’s perspective to the challenges growing companies face. Early experience in a family business environment, followed by technology leadership roles, shaped his focus on clear communication, disciplined execution, and healthy leadership dynamics.

Joshua first experienced the Entrepreneurial Operating System as a member of a leadership team, later helped build and scale a company running on EOS principles, and ultimately chose to dedicate his work to guiding other leadership teams through the process. He also hosts business and leadership conversations through Business RadioX, connecting leaders through thoughtful dialogue and shared experience.

LinkedIn | YouTube

EOS Worldwide

Joshua helps people get what they want from their businesses by providing a complete system with simple, practical tools built around three principles: Vision, Traction, and Healthy.

Vision focuses on getting leadership teams fully aligned on where the organization is going and how it will get there. Traction helps leaders build discipline and accountability so they consistently execute on that vision. Healthy centers on developing a functional, cohesive leadership team, recognizing that most business challenges are ultimately people challenges.

When leadership teams are aligned, accountable, and working well together, the entire organization gains clarity, executes more effectively, and moves forward with greater consistency and confidence.

Website

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Renasant Bank has humble roots, having started in 1904 as a $100,000 bank located in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, boasting over $26 billion in assets and more than 280 offices offering banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from the commitment of each banker to invest in the communities they serve, which in turn helps them better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, their banking professionals understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.

Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

With over 900 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!

The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their respective markets, communities, and professions. There is no discrimination based on company size, and there is never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.

John Ray, host of North Fulton Business Radio, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors — **John Ray, host of *North Fulton Business Radio* and Owner, Ray Business Advisors**

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, which is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the author of the five-star-rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.

Your Book Is a Business Asset, Not Just Art with Anita Henderson

March 11, 2026 by John Ray

Anita Henderson, The Author's Midwife, on Writing a Book That Builds Authority and Attracts Clients, and Why You Shouldn't Let AI Write It (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 164), with host John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Your Book Is a Business Asset, Not Just Art with Anita Henderson

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Anita Henderson, The Author’s Midwife, on Writing a Book That Builds Authority and Attracts Clients, and Why You Shouldn’t Let AI Write It (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 164)

Anita Henderson joins host John Ray on The Price and Value Journey podcast to make the business case for something a lot of professional service providers keep putting off: writing their book. Anita founded The Write Image Consulting and she is the creator of the Write Your Life Author Coaching Program, and she’s spent 25 years helping professionals, consultants, coaches, and executives turn their expertise into published books that build credibility and open doors. She also happened to be John’s own book coach for The Generosity Mindset, so this conversation carries the weight of firsthand experience on both sides of the table.

The core argument Anita makes is that a book isn’t really about book sales. The royalties on 200 copies won’t feed the bulldog, as John puts it. The real return comes in how the book enhances your positioning. A well-written, well-produced book makes you an authority in your space, not just another expert. Anita walks through how the book functions as a marketing asset, a client attraction tool, and a platform builder, with a $25 book sale potentially leading to a $250 hourly client, a $2,500 project, or a $25,000 speaking engagement.

Anita and John also get into the practical realities of the writing process itself: why outlining before you write saves you years of false starts, why professionals skip over critical steps in their own process without realizing it, what accountability actually looks like when the deadline pressure hits, and why using AI to write your book creates legal and platform risks you may not have considered. Anita also names who should not write a book right now and what the honest first step looks like for those who are ready.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of the Business RadioX® podcast network.

Key Takeaways You Can Use From This Episode

A book’s business value has almost nothing to do with royalties. By positioning it as a client attraction tool and an authority builder, the $25 book sale can pave the way for much larger engagements.
“Author” is the root word of “authority.” A book signals that you’ve worked on organizing and documenting your expertise in a way a podcast episode or LinkedIn post simply cannot replicate.
Start with an outline and treat your book like a product. Knowing who you’re writing for and what transformation you’re guiding them through before you write a single chapter prevents years of false starts.
Experts routinely skip over steps in their process because they’ve been doing it so long they don’t see the gaps. Fresh eyes from a coach or editor catch what you can’t see in your own work.
Using AI to write your book isn’t just a creative shortcut; it creates real risk. Amazon and literary contests now require disclosure of AI-generated content, and platform consequences can follow, such as disqualification from contests or removal of listings from the platform if the disclosure is not made.
Not everyone should write a book right now. If you’re still developing your methodology or have no plan to use the book as a business tool, Anita’s honest advice is to wait until you do.

Anita Henderson, The Write Image Consulting, LLC

Anita Henderson is the CEO and Founder of The Write Image Consulting, LLC, and the creator of the Write Your Life Author Coaching Program. Known widely as The Author’s Midwife, she is a book publishing strategist and storyteller at heart who helps C-suite executives and entrepreneurs create books that inspire, inform, and transform audiences. Her approach as an author coach is equal parts therapist, honest critic, and kick-in-the-pants accountability partner. Helping leaders create books that impact their industry and boost their credibility requires this approach.

Anita has spent 25 years helping professionals, consultants, coaches, and executives transform their expertise into published books, with results that include multiple award-winning and bestselling titles. Her clients come away with more than a finished manuscript. They gain greater visibility, a stronger speaker platform, and deeper credibility in their industries.

An eight-time published author herself, Anita Henderson brings a distinctive combination of big-picture strategic thinking and unrelenting attention to detail to every project. Her background spans corporate marketing, communications, and PR, and she has also worked as a freelance writer, ghostwriter, podcast host, and keynote speaker. She co-founded Write Books That Sell Now, LLC, an online learning platform for aspiring and published authors, and she is the creator of the Book Your Success author program.

Anita’s philosophy, that it’s bigger than the book, reflects her conviction that a well-written, well-produced book is not a destination. It’s a leverage tool for the brand, speaking opportunities, and other revenue streams an author wants to build.

Connect with Anita Henderson: Website | LinkedIn

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey — John Ray, Author of *The Generosity Mindset* and Host of *The Price and Value Journey*

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is a podcast show host and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 900 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

John Ray is the author of the five-star rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to them. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset®, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you provide to clients, which allows you to price your services more effectively in order to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver outstanding value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

Your combination of these elements is unique in your industry. There lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Email

Business RadioX®: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

3–5 Years Before Exit: Alignment, Pricing, Sales, Branding

March 11, 2026 by John Ray

What Business Owners Should Be Doing 3–5 Years Before Exit, with Lynda Martin, John Ray, Mary Dombrowski, and Jeff Armacost (The Exit Exchange, Episode 25)

North Fulton Studio

3–5 Years Before Exit: Alignment, Pricing, Sales, Branding

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What Business Owners Should Be Doing 3–5 Years Before Exit, with Lynda Martin, John Ray, Mary Dombrowski, and Jeff Armacost (The Exit Exchange, Episode 25)

This episode of The Exit Exchange reprises a live XPX Atlanta luncheon featuring Lynda Martin, John Ray, Mary Dombrowski, and Jeff Armacost on what business owners should be doing three to five years before exit.

The conversation focuses on four areas that can materially affect valuation long before a company goes to market: leadership alignment, pricing, sales, and branding. Rather than rehashing legal and tax issues, this panel looks at the less obvious drivers of enterprise value, the ones that often take years to strengthen and do not always show up clearly on a balance sheet at first glance.

Lynda Martin discusses the importance of leadership-team health, alignment, and process discipline in building a company that is less dependent on the owner. John Ray explains why pricing is one of the most direct levers for improving margins and strengthening valuation. Mary Dombrowski explores how sales structure and business development systems create transferable value. Jeff Armacost shows how branding helps buyers and the market see the fullest true story of a company’s value.

This is a practical conversation for business owners who want to build a stronger, more salable company well before the transaction process begins, and for advisors who help them prepare early instead of scrambling late.

The host of The Exit Exchange is John Ray, and the show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®. John Ray Co. is a Gold Sponsor of XPX Atlanta.

Key Takeaways From This Episode

Most owners start thinking about exit too late. Real value improvements usually need years, not months.
Leadership alignment matters because buyers want a business that can run without the founder carrying everything.
Strong sales systems create transferable value by making revenue more consistent and less owner-dependent.
Pricing is one of the most direct ways to improve margins, but it only works when the company can explain and defend its value.
Branding helps buyers and the market see the fullest true story of the business, which can strengthen both growth and valuation.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction
00:24 Opening and why owners need to think earlier about exit
02:23 Panel introductions
06:21 Lynda Martin on leadership alignment, process, and reducing founder dependence
09:27 John Ray on the importance of pricing strategy and why pricing affects valuation
18:35 Mary Dombrowski on sales structure, founder dependence, and transferable value
28:03 Jeff Armacost on branding, positioning, and telling a stronger story
33:44 Examples of how alignment, pricing, sales, and branding changed exit value
44:01 Where to find the panelists
46:44 Close

Lynda Martin, EOS Worldwide

Lynda Martin

Lynda Martin has been walking alongside small and mid-sized business owners since the late 1990s, helping them navigate growth, challenges, and big decisions with clarity and confidence. Over the years, Lynda has provided steady guidance to leadership teams during nearly a dozen successful business exits. For the past 13 years, Lynda has served as an EOS Implementer®, bringing practical wisdom, honest conversations, and proven tools to help companies become stronger and healthier. Known for her calm presence and no-nonsense insight, Lynda helps leaders build businesses they’re proud of and lives they enjoy.

Website | LinkedIn

John Ray, John Ray Co.

John Ray

John helps professional service business owners increase enterprise value years before exit through pricing strategy. Pricing is often the most direct lever for raising margins without adding headcount, and stronger margins translate into a stronger valuation. He advises consultants, attorneys, coaches, and fractional executives on value-based pricing, proposals, and business development. John brings 13 years as an independent business owner advising expert practitioners, plus earlier finance and M&A experience, including at J.P. Morgan. He is the author of The Generosity Mindset and host of two podcasts, The Price and Value Journey and North Fulton Business Radio.

Website | LinkedIn

Mary Dombrowski, Strategic Inflection Advisory

Mary Dombrowski

Mary Dombrowski is the founder of Strategic Inflection Advisory, where she partners with business owners to build scalable, salable companies well before they’re considering exit. As a strategic advisor, Mary specializes in creating business development and sales structures that generate transferable value. Her work transforms founder-dependent businesses into assets that can operate—and sell—without the owner. With 20+ years in revenue leadership, Mary helps clients achieve sustainable growth and build businesses positioned for successful exit.

Website | LinkedIn

Jeff Armacost, Build Brand Capital

Jeff Armacost

For 25+ years Jeff has guided successful, standout brand development for 100s of companies and organizations of all kinds. Business owners and CEOs call on Jeff as a thinking partner to build their brand and a cost-effective solution for ongoing branding, brand launches, and key internal branding initiatives. Fast-growing small businesses call on Jeff when it’s time for a serious rebrand or on-the-fly brand refresh that positions them to reach big goals and outpace their competition. Experienced business advisors pull Jeff in—and if needed, his team of graphic design and web development—to add big-time brand power to their clients’ marketing campaigns, new website projects, and more.

Website | LinkedIn

The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta

The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta (XPX) is a diverse group of professionals with a common goal: working collaboratively to assist business owners with a sale or business transition. XPX Atlanta is an association of advisors who provide professionalism, principles, and education to the heart of the middle market.

Their members work with business owners through all stages of the private company life cycle: business value growth, business value transfer, and owner life and legacy. Their vision: to fundamentally change the trajectory of exit planning services in the Southeast United States. XPX Atlanta delivers a collaboration-based networking exchange with broad representation of exit planning competencies. Learn more about XPX Atlanta and why you should consider joining our community by following this link.

The host of The Exit Exchange is John Ray, and the show is produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®, in Alpharetta. The show archive can be found by following this link.

John Ray Co. is a Gold Sponsor of XPX Atlanta.

Arthur Spalding with contract research organization TAMM Net

March 10, 2026 by John Ray

Arthur Spalding, TAMM Net, Inc., contract research organization, on FDA Approval, Clinical Trials, and Reimbursement for Medical Devices and Biotech (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 944) with host John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Arthur Spalding with contract research organization TAMM Net

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Arthur Spalding, TAMM Net, Inc., contract research organization, on FDA Approval, Clinical Trials, and Reimbursement for Medical Devices and Biotech (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 944)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Arthur Spalding, President of TAMM Net, Inc., a boutique contract research organization that helps biomedical inventors and companies navigate the final steps from laboratory to clinic. TAMM Net works with medical device, diagnostic, and pharmaceutical developers to conduct clinical trials, gain FDA authorization, and secure reimbursement from payers, addressing all three stakeholder needs under one roof.

Spalding brings more than 30 years of industry experience, including time at major firms like Pfizer and Parke-Davis, and now applies that large-company perspective to startups and emerging companies that often have brilliant science but limited commercial roadmaps. He shares a vivid example of a neurosurgeon who developed a device to safely rotate heavy patients during surgery, only to discover through Medicare claims data that over 30% of those procedures were performed by plastic surgeons, a market he had never considered. Knowing where the real market is, Spalding explains, is as important as the invention itself.

The conversation also covers the “lone wolf” problem, inventors who try to go it alone too long, and why investors in this space back the jockey, not the horse. Spalding describes how bringing in fractional C-suite executives early can dramatically improve an inventor’s odds of securing funding and completing the development journey before a patent expires.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

TAMM Net serves as the “last mile” bridge for medical device and pharmaceutical inventors, integrating FDA strategy, clinical trial design, and insurance reimbursement planning in a single engagement rather than leaving each to a separate specialist.
Inventors frequently overestimate how far along they are in the development process. Spalding’s team conducts gap assessments to help clients understand where they actually stand and what specific steps remain before they are ready to engage the FDA or enter clinical trials.
Investors in the biomedical space back the jockey, not the horse, meaning the team matters more than the invention. Statistically, having one experienced team member who has successfully commercialized a product before can more than double an inventor’s odds of success.
Rushing to get a device cleared through the FDA’s lowest-barrier pathway can backfire if the product requires stronger reimbursement or clinical evidence to succeed in the market. Strategic planning before going near the FDA often saves significant time and money by ensuring that all necessary documentation, clinical evidence, and reimbursement strategies are in place to meet market demands.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Arthur Spalding of TAMM Net
02:11 Arthur Spalding describes TAMM Net and its role in medical device and pharmaceutical development
03:07 Spalding’s background and the “patient is waiting” mission that drives his work
04:10 TAMM Net as the “last mile” for inventors: bridging from lab to clinic
05:08 Why integrating FDA, clinical trial, and reimbursement strategy together matters
06:05 Lessons from a career spanning Pfizer, Parke-Davis, and hundreds of products
06:35 The neurosurgeon case: how Medicare claims data revealed a 30% plastic surgery market he had overlooked
08:19 The lone wolf problem and why no successful product has ever been built by a single person
10:45 What separates inventors who succeed from those who don’t, and the limits of ChatGPT for FDA reimbursement questions
12:24 Why AI tools can’t reliably answer CPT reimbursement questions: the AMA owns and licenses that data
13:00 Georgia’s biotech ecosystem and what’s missing to retain locally-developed innovations
15:23 When inventors need to start building their team and what that team should look like
16:28 Why investors back the jockey, not the horse, and how experienced team members change the funding calculus
17:20 The value of fractional C-suite executives for startups that can’t afford full-time leadership
18:11 Manufacturing timelines: why pharmaceutical manufacturing is often the longest bottleneck in the FDA process
19:17 TAMM Net’s gap assessment process and why inventors often misjudge how far along they are
21:13 The Texas client case: how a pharma-style clinical development strategy reshaped a medical device approach
25:07 Why thinking about reimbursement and strategy early, not just before approval, is critical
26:19 The most common mistake: rushing to clear a device without considering whether it will actually be used or paid for
28:03 When inventors should pick up the phone and call TAMM Net
30:06 A 2025 success story: helping a radiation-emitting device client get FDA authorization faster than expected

Arthur Spalding, President, TAMM Net, Inc.

Arthur Spalding has over 30 years of experience in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, with expertise spanning market access, reimbursement, clinical trials, distribution, regulatory affairs, market research, hospital sales, forecasting, and sales operations. He held management and director-level positions at companies including Parke-Davis, Pfizer, Solvay, and Columbia Laboratories.

In 2009, he founded TAMM Net, Inc., a boutique contract research organization serving biomedical manufacturers. Spalding holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and an MBA in Health Administration from Temple University in Philadelphia. He also serves as a mentor at the Texas Medical Center, Georgia Tech, and Emory.

TAMM Net, Inc.

TAMM Net, Inc. is a boutique contract research organization offering comprehensive reimbursement and regulatory consulting services to biomedical manufacturers. The firm conducts clinical trials, including CMS-approved trials with health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) components, helps clients secure appropriate insurance reimbursement, including Hotline and Prior Authorization pathways, and gains FDA marketing authorizations and clearances, including QMS hosting and auditing. With an average of more than 20 years of experience per team member across multiple disease states, TAMM Net works with clients across North America, Europe, South Korea, and beyond.

Website | LinkedIn

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

Steve Reising on Business Contracts, Litigation, and M&A

March 10, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Steve Reising on Business Contracts, Litigation, and M&A

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Steve Reising, Briskin, Cross & Sanford, on Business Contracts, Litigation, and Selling Your Business (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 943)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Steve Reising, Senior Attorney at Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC in Alpharetta. Steve focuses his practice on corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, franchise law, and business litigation, serving small- and mid-sized business owners throughout the North Fulton area.

The conversation covers how business owners typically land in litigation, from contract breaches and payment disputes to personal injury claims involving company vehicles. Steve explains why a poorly written contract is often at the root of the problem and offers a pointed warning about business owners who have turned to AI tools to generate their contracts. He has spotted several such contracts in his practice and says they tend to look polished but fall apart under scrutiny.

Steve also walks through what the current mergers and acquisitions market looks like, including the role private equity is playing and the phenomenon he calls “the silver tsunami,” as baby boomer business owners approach retirement and look to exit. He outlines what buyers want to see, why business owners often get caught unprepared when interest comes in, and how to start building a business that can stand on its own without the owner at the center of it.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Steve has reviewed contracts his clients admitted were generated by AI tools and says they tend to contain boilerplate that looks credible but lacks the specific provisions needed to actually protect a business, which can lead to significant legal vulnerabilities and financial risks for the business owners relying on them.
When a business owner is being pursued by buyers, having two to five years of runway to prepare is ideal, but that window often surprises owners who weren’t expecting interest so soon.
A concentrated customer base, where a single client drives the majority of revenue, raises concerns for buyers and can significantly lower a business’s sale price.
Reising settled a $5 million state enforcement claim on behalf of a client for $8,000 and caught a single missing word in a $40 million real estate contract that would have triggered tens of millions in additional liability.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Steve Reising
01:53 Steve Reising describes his practice areas at Briskin, Cross & Sanford
02:22 Why Steve chose business law and litigation
03:04 His background in insurance defense and thousands of litigated cases
04:23 Common reasons business owners end up in litigation
05:14 Personal injury exposure for businesses with vehicles on the road
06:13 How poorly written contracts contribute to litigation
07:04 Why AI-generated contracts are dangerous for business owners
10:58 Debt collection and payment disputes in the current economy
13:40 The M&A market and current activity levels
14:11 The “silver tsunami” and baby boomer business exits
15:20 How private equity is operating in the market today
16:27 PE firms rolling up franchise businesses
18:09 Why business owners get caught unprepared when a buyer approaches
19:21 What buyers look for: customer concentration, contracts, and key person dependency
21:43 When to call an attorney and what triggers should prompt action
23:36 Success stories: the $5 million state claim and the $40 million contract
27:07 Beyond Computer Solutions sponsor segment and cybersecurity discussion

Steve Reising, Senior Attorney

Steve Reising is a Senior Attorney at Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC in Alpharetta, bringing more than 16 years of diverse legal experience to the firm. He is licensed in both Georgia and Illinois and is admitted to practice before the Court of Appeals of Georgia and multiple U.S. District Courts. His practice focuses on corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, franchise law, and business litigation.

Before joining Briskin, Cross & Sanford, Reising spent nearly five years at a boutique Chicago firm handling insurance defense litigation and subrogation claims and, earlier in his career, he represented individual plaintiffs in personal injury matters at a well-regarded Chicago firm. He earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and holds degrees in political science and business administration from Illinois State University.

Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC

Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC, delivers full-service legal counsel to entrepreneurs and businesses throughout Alpharetta and the North Atlanta area. For more than 30 years, the firm’s attorneys have advised technology firms and businesses along the Georgia 400 corridor and were founding members of the 400 Technology Connection steering committee, which evolved into a partnership with the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).

The firm serves companies of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises, across a broad range of practice areas including business organization, business litigation, mergers and acquisitions, franchise law, employment law, technology and internet law, intellectual property, commercial real estate, and nonprofit law.

Website

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

Chelsea Kiehler & Ava Stewart-Wein: Employee Financial Wellness

March 9, 2026 by John Ray

Chelsea Kiehler and Ava Stewart-Wein, Retirement Planning Center (RPC Financial Wellness), on Employee Financial Wellness Programs and Closing the Retirement Gap (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 942) with host John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Chelsea Kiehler & Ava Stewart-Wein: Employee Financial Wellness

00:00 /

Chelsea Kiehler and Ava Stewart-Wein, Retirement Planning Center (RPC Financial Wellness), on Employee Financial Wellness Programs and Closing the Retirement Gap (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 942)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Chelsea Kiehler, founder of RPC Financial Wellness, and Ava Stewart-Wein, Manager of Client Development, to talk about what employee financial wellness actually means and why it goes far deeper than account balances and investment choices.

Chelsea built RPC Financial Wellness after spotting a persistent gap in workplace retirement programs: employees either were not enrolled at all or were getting materials so jargon-heavy and market-focused that they tuned out. Chelsea devised a comprehensive program that encompasses budgeting, credit card debt, social security, Medicare, long-term care, and effective communication about money with spouses, children, and aging parents. RPC does not sell financial products. It earns its revenue through education and coaching, then connects employees who need product help to a vetted network of fiduciary advisors.

One story from the conversation effectively illustrates their vital work: a company dealing with a non-qualified pension dissolution sought assistance from RPC to help employees comprehend the tax implications and financial decisions that unexpectedly came their way. RPC coordinated individually with fiduciary advisors to walk each affected employee through their options, turning what could have been a workplace crisis into a managed transition the HR team was grateful for.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Financial stress affects all aspects of personal well-being: employees experiencing financial stress are three times more likely to face mental health issues, their healthcare costs are nearly 50% higher, and finances are the primary source of conflict for one in three couples.
A high salary does not equal employee financial wellness. Chelsea described sitting across from a CFO earning a million dollars a year with a negative net worth, while in the same county, a farmer and a teacher earning under $100,000 combined were financially free.
RPC Financial Wellness is fee-for-education rather than product-driven, so employees can engage coaches and access vetted fiduciary advisors without anyone on the RPC side having a financial stake in the outcome.
Companies can measure RPC’s impact through concrete metrics: reductions in absenteeism, turnover, and healthcare costs, all of which correlate directly with employee financial stress.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guests Chelsea Kiehler and Ava Stewart-Wein
02:15 What employee financial wellness means and why it touches every area of life
03:45 Chelsea Kiehler’s backstory and how she designed the RPC program
05:03 Ava Stewart-Wein’s 20-plus years in financial services and her passion for accessibility
06:16 The two gaps in workplace 401k programs: enrollment and engagement
07:36 How RPC breaks financial topics into accessible, everyday-life content
09:38 The statistic: 60% of employees earning over $100,000 report financial stress affecting their productivity
10:28 The paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and the lifestyle overspend problem
14:05 How RPC makes money: education and coaching fees, not product sales
15:57 How fiduciary advisors are vetted and admitted to the RPC trusted network
16:56 What happens when an employee reaches out to RPC for help
18:51 Confidentiality: what information is and is not shared back to employers
20:11 The full scope of financial wellness topics covered, including insurance and benefits
21:20 How companies engage RPC and what that looks like for employees
23:02 Why RPC was designed to serve both coaching-only needs and product execution
26:14 Symptoms that signal a company needs financial wellness support
27:02 Case study: navigating a non-qualified pension dissolution for a company in crisis
29:23 Company feedback and measuring program success
30:32 How to reach Chelsea Kiehler and Ava Stewart-Wein

Chelsea Kiehler

Chelsea Kiehler is the founder and architect of RPC Financial Wellness. She began her career as a financial advisor working with ultra-high-net-worth clients before moving into institutional 401k work, where she identified a persistent gap: employees who most needed financial guidance were not being reached by existing programs. She spent nine months designing a comprehensive financial wellness platform that covers the full spectrum from first paycheck to retirement, built around education-first coaching rather than product sales.

Ava Stewart-Wein, Manager of Client Development

Ava Stewart-Wein is Manager of Client Development at RPC Financial Wellness. She brings more than 20 years of experience helping individuals build pathways to their financial goals and believes that financial wellness is accessible to people at every income level and every stage of life. Her focus is on removing the intimidation from financial planning and replacing it with practical education, trusted resources, and a clear sense that financial goals are reachable.

Retirement Planning Center (RPC Financial Wellness)

RPC Financial Wellness offers employer-sponsored financial wellness programs designed to serve employees across every stage of their financial lives. The program leads with education and coaching covering budgeting, debt, retirement planning, insurance, benefits navigation, and family financial conversations, then connects employees who need product help to a vetted network of fiduciary advisors. RPC does not sell financial products; coaches and advisors operate independently, and employee engagement is kept fully confidential from employers. Employers utilize RPC as a benefit for their employees, and it is accessible across the country.

Website | LinkedIn

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

Why Attainable Housing Feels Impossible in North Fulton

March 5, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Why Attainable Housing Feels Impossible in North Fulton

00:00 /

Why Attainable Housing Feels Impossible in North Fulton, and What Can Actually Change, with Mark Murphy, City of Mountain Park and the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta (North Fulton Voices, Episode 17)

Housing affordability is no longer a “someday” problem in Metro Atlanta. It is here, and it is changing who can live near where they work in North Fulton. In this episode of North Fulton Voices, Jack Murphy and Nancy Diamond from the North Fulton Improvement Network (NFIN) discuss with Mark Murphy the reasons behind the seeming impossibility of affordable housing and the practical solutions that can significantly improve the situation.

Mark serves on the Mountain Park City Council and leads the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta. He makes the issue concrete: the local rules and approvals that quietly decide what gets built, why zoning matters more than most people want to admit, and why small, sensible moves like ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and cottage homes are part of the answer.

If you are concerned about enabling teachers, first responders, and working families to remain in the communities they serve, this episode will provide you with the essential language and perspective to actively participate in the next zoning discussion in your city.

North Fulton Voices is presented by the North Fulton Improvement Network. The show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Housing affordability is now the region’s top concern, ahead of traffic, and it is hitting hardest for those building families and careers.
The affordability gap is structural, not a matter of personal effort. The numbers have shifted under everyone.
Zoning and local approvals are not background noise. They often decide what gets built and what never gets a chance.
“Gentle density” is a practical path, including ADUs and cottage homes that add options without flipping neighborhood character.
When attainable housing disappears, the people who keep a community running get pushed out: teachers, school staff, caregivers, and first responders.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
00:40 Meet Mark Murphy
01:08 Data Gems on Affordability
02:15 Workforce Housing Reality Check
03:37 Mark’s Path to Service
05:08 Run the River and Homestretch
05:51 Finding NFIN Through Cycling
08:57 Fuller Center Housing Mission
11:16 Land Zoning and Build Costs
13:05 Mountain Park Comp Plan and ADUs
16:20 ARC Support and Regional Survey
17:59 Housing Pain Points
18:24 Cherokee vs North Fulton
19:53 Why Cherokee Moves Faster
21:50 NIMBY Myths and Fear
24:02 Who Attainable Housing Serves
25:23 Hidden Heroes Focus
26:32 Eligibility and AMI Basics
28:14 ADUs Cottages and Momentum
29:25 Land Banks and Trusts
30:40 Collaboration and Hope
33:53 Call to Action and Wrap

Mark Murphy

Mark Murphy is President of the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta and a city council member in the City of Mountain Park.

Mark holds a finance degree and spent more than 30 years as an executive in consulting and IT outsourcing, including senior roles with HP Enterprise Services, Capgemini, CIBER, and CSC Consulting. Since his retirement in 2016, Mark has concentrated on raising funds and providing support for causes that are dear to him, such as Homestretch, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the housing initiatives of the Fuller Center.

Markis is also the founder and director of the St. Paddy O’Pedal Ride to Conquer Childhood Cancer, which benefits Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Mark and his puppy Mosby have lived in the City of Mountain Park for eight years.

North Fulton Improvement Network

The North Fulton Improvement Network (NFIN) is a think tank made up of community leaders from a variety of sectors, focused on missing middle housing and the livability challenges confronting North Fulton. We come from the six cities making up the northern half of Fulton County, Georgia—Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs—and are working to address the widespread yet little-known financial vulnerability across the region. With stakeholders from sectors including business, nonprofit, faith, government, and citizens, we center our work on five areas of impact, seek to educate the public about these issues, build a network of individuals and organizations with innovative private and public solutions, and connect resources to those in need.

The leadership team of NFIN is Jack Murphy, Nancy Diamond, and Kathy Swahn.

Jack Murphy

Jack Murphy is a volunteer with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is Chair of the North Fulton Improvement Network. He is also in his 21st year of working for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to the Chamber, Jack worked for and with Fortune 500 companies in operations, human resources, training, and quality areas. Jack was a senior adjunct professor for Quality & Operations Management at Keller Graduate School for 14 years.

He has served on both the National and Georgia Boards of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, responsible for Diversity, Advocacy, & Systemic Change. Jack is currently the national SVDP chair of Systemic Change and Advocacy.

Jack received a BA in psychology from Belmont Abbey College and an M.Ed. from UNC-Greensboro. Jack and his wife, Nancy, a retired elementary school principal, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. They live in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Nancy Diamond

Nancy Diamond is a Project Manager with Schmit & Associates, a real estate development firm, creating town center revitalization in communities all around the metro area.

Nancy served 8 years as a Roswell City Council Member, including a term as Mayor Pro Tem, with liaison positions with Community Development, Transportation, Recreation & Parks, and Public Safety.

In addition to her work with the North Fulton Improvement Network, Nancy has been active in area non-profit organizations, including board leadership positions in the STAR House Foundation, WellStar North Fulton Hospital, and the Roswell Rotary Club.

A native of Atlanta and a 42-year North Fulton resident, Nancy worked at Turner Broadcasting in the early years of CNN, then became a freelancer in sports television graphics. While raising her two daughters, she worked from home, first developing a corporate gift service and later as a mortgage loan originator.

Nancy and her husband, Glenn, now relish the role of grandparents to Owen.

Sponsor for North Fulton Voices: John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC

The North Fulton Voices show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

John Ray is a podcast show host and producer and owns North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®.

John also operates his own business advisory practice, Ray Business Advisors. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the author of the #1 nationally best-selling book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio and The Price and Value Journey. North Fulton Business Radio, the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton region of Georgia, features a wide range of business and community leaders. The Price and Value Journey focuses on professional services providers in solo and small-firm settings, addressing topics like pricing, value, and business development.

When Life Goes Sideways: Experts Who Restore Order

March 4, 2026 by John Ray

Family Business Radio

When Life Goes Sideways: Experts Who Restore Order

00:00 /

When Life Goes Sideways: Experts Who Restore Order, with Gladys Wanyeki, CFO ANX; Laura Delavan, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard; Adam Schwartzberg, Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta; and Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel (Family Business Radio, Episode 72)

People seek someone who can quickly restore order when life becomes chaotic. In this episode of Family Business Radio, guest host Anthony Chen talks with four guests who do exactly that. Gladys Wanyeki, CFO ANX, helps business owners get a grip on cash, forecasting, and the few numbers that actually matter. Laura Delavan of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard explains what is changing in employee benefits and how employers can make smarter choices without leaving employees to carry the burden.

Adam Schwartzberg, Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta, walks through what happens when water, mold, or fire damage hits and why “quick fixes” can make things worse. Stacy Fotos of The Happy Dog Hotel brings it home with a different kind of stability: reliable dog boarding, daycare, and grooming that keeps pets safe and owners sane, especially when plans change or life gets disrupted.

Anthony closes with a simple reminder from the financial side: before you chase a number, get clear on your core purpose and the legacy you want to leave. He encourages listeners to reconsider their definition of “retirement” and use that definition as their guiding principle. After that, while the financial aspects hold significance, they are not the primary focus.

Family Business Radio is underwritten and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

If you do not know your cash position and what is driving it, you are guessing. Gladys Wanyeki explains how to build a simple rhythm around cash management, forecasts (predictions about future financial performance), and KPIs (key performance indicators that measure success).
Benefits are not just paperwork. Laura Delavan shares how to think about benefits like a business decision that affects hiring, retention, and cost.
With water, mold, and smoke damage, doing it “fast” is not the same as doing it “right.” Adam Schwartzberg explains why process and containment matter.
Pet care is emotional. Stacy Fotos explains what owners really want when they leave their dogs with someone: trust, consistency, and attention.
While industries may differ, the core responsibility remains the same: be present when it counts and maintain order.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to Family Business Radio
00:45 Gladys Wanyeki’s origin story
01:54 Finance vs. accounting
03:57 Values drive numbers
07:01 Integrity client example
07:54 When to hire a CFO
09:18 First steps with clients
10:58 Laura Delavan’s insurance journey
13:10 Partner perspective
14:26 Going the extra mile
16:03 Controlling benefit costs
18:28 Lego plan design
20:33 Self-funding basics
22:48 Mentoring next generation
24:41 Adam Schwartzberg franchise pivot
26:39 Why Voda stood out
28:17 Restoration in action
30:14 Hiring for Core Values
30:57 Contents Restoration Pack-Outs
32:33 Mold Dangers and Proper Remediation
34:38 Fire and Water Damage Decisions
35:49 Why Pros Beat DIY
36:31 How to Reach Voda
37:17 Stacy Fotos’s Service-First Journey
39:39 Vision for Disaster Dog Shelter
41:02 Owner-Run Care and Cleanliness
47:14 Dog Whisperer Grooming and Training
50:03 Core Values Roundtable
55:03 Anthony’s Financial Take and Closing

Gladys Wanyeki, CFO ANX

Gladys Wanyeki, MBA (Finance), CAMP, is the Founder and Principal of CFO ANX, a fractional CFO firm focused on helping growing businesses achieve strategic objectives through KPI dashboards and accountability scorecards. After serving in CFO roles across four corporate positions, she launched CFO ANX from a deep passion for helping small businesses overcome financial and operational challenges. Her approach is comprehensive and holistic, bringing together what CFO ANX calls Soul, Strategy, and Statistics to help leaders stay focused, track progress, and make better decisions.

Gladys brings 30+ years of corporate finance and accounting experience, including 15 years at the executive level, plus 10+ years of board experience and six years of M&A experience. Her background spans both large and small companies across industries such as IT, construction, security, health, and fintech, with leadership responsibilities that have included finance, accounting, administration and operations, corporate strategy, financial reporting, cash flow management, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, and travel, and she lists her priorities as God, family, and work.

Website | LinkedIn

Laura Delavan, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard

Laura Delavan is a Partner at Sterling Seacrest Pritchard and brings more than 19 years of experience in employee benefits. Her work spans fully insured plans, self-funding, captive strategies, PEO solutions, ICHRA, and association benefits programs. She also serves on SSP’s Women in Leadership Committee, has published on employee wellness in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and has been a featured speaker on local business radio as well as HR and benefits forums.

Sterling Seacrest Pritchard is one of the largest privately held risk management and insurance brokerage firms in the United States, partnering with clients and the community to deliver services and solutions tailored to today’s dynamic marketplace. The firm’s stated aim is to operate as advisors first and insurance brokers second, supported by more than 400 team members across seven offices with expertise in property & casualty, employee benefits, and private risk. SSP has also been consistently listed on the Hales Top 100, recognized as a Best Practices Agency, and voted a Best Place to Work.

Website | LinkedIn

Adam Schwartzberg, Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta

Adam Schwartzberg is the owner of Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta. He brings more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance and business operations, where he held leadership roles focused on financial strategy and operational execution. Over his career, Adam worked closely with executive teams to drive disciplined growth, manage complex operations, and make high-stakes financial decisions, experience that now directly informs how he approaches business ownership. After a successful corporate career, he transitioned into entrepreneurship to build and lead a service business of his own.

Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta provides professional cleaning and restoration services for residential and commercial clients, including water damage restoration, mold remediation, and specialty cleaning. The company operates with an emphasis on responsiveness, clear communication, and high standards of workmanship, particularly during stressful and time-sensitive situations. Adam is intentionally building a team grounded in shared core values, including integrity, community, teamwork, and excellence, with a focus on delivering consistent, high-quality service and earning long-term trust.

Website | LinkedIn

Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel

Stacy Fotos is a Metro Atlanta entrepreneur and community leader who has called Alpharetta home for more than three decades. She is a mom of two adult children and a grandmother, and she is known for pairing business leadership with service, including board work with the Children’s Restoration Network, where she later served as Chair and led fundraising and media relations efforts. She also founded and ran Synergy HomeCare of North Atlanta for many years, overseeing operations, staffing, and compliance through the end of 2024.

Stacy is the co-founder of The Happy Dog Hotel, a family-owned dog boarding, daycare, and grooming facility she launched with her childhood friend Christopher Zimmerman in March 2024. Built as a “home away from home,” the business features spacious, climate-controlled suites, supervised play, and individualized care, plus an organic dog ice cream parlor. Stacy leads the day-to-day management across HR, marketing, networking, social media, and operations, and the founders have set a longer-term goal to use proceeds to support dogs in need through a homeless shelter initiative.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Stacy LinkedIn

Anthony Chen, Host of Family Business Radio

Family Business Radio is sponsored and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. Securities and advisory services are offered through OSAIC, member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned, and other entities and/or marketing names, products, or services referenced here are independent of OSAIC. The main office address is 575 Broadhollow Rd., Melville, NY 11747. You can reach Anthony at 631-465-9090, ext. 5075, or by email at anthonychen@lfnllc.com.

Anthony Chen started his career in financial services with MetLife in Buffalo, NY, in 2008. Born and raised in Elmhurst, Queens, he considers himself a full-blooded New Yorker while now enjoying his Atlanta, GA, home. Specializing in family businesses and their owners, Anthony works to protect what is most important to them. From preserving to creating wealth, Anthony partners with CPAs and attorneys to help address all of the concerns and help clients achieve their goals. By using a combination of financial products ranging from life, disability, and long-term care insurance to many investment options through Royal Alliance, Anthony looks to be the eyes and ears for his client’s financial foundation. In his spare time, Anthony is an avid long-distance runner.

Follow this link to access the complete show archive of Family Business Radio.

Leroy Hite: How Premium Pricing Built an Exit-Ready Brand

March 4, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Leroy Hite: How Premium Pricing Built an Exit-Ready Brand

00:00 /

Leroy Hite Founded the World’s First Luxury Firewood Company. Here’s How Premium Pricing Shaped the Brand, the Customer Experience, and the Exit. (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 163)

Leroy Hite joins host John Ray on The Price and Value Journey to share one of the most counterintuitive pricing stories you’ll hear. Leroy founded Cutting Edge Firewood in 2013 with one truck and maxed-out credit cards, took a commodity that most people thought was worth nothing, and turned it into a premium brand serving more than 30,000 customers nationwide. In August 2024, he sold the company to a family office in Atlanta. The unifying theme throughout all this was pricing. Pricing was not an afterthought but a deliberate tool that shaped everything.

Leroy walks through the evolution of his pricing strategy, from the early days of raising prices when he was about to run out of inventory and watching demand remain steady, to doubling his price while cutting quantity in half and finding his customers happier than before. He talks about what he learned from the “cherry firewood math”: selling a fraction of the volume at double the price and coming out ahead. He also explains why most businesses are losing money by resorting to discounts, which simultaneously undermine brand value and margins.

For professional service providers, the lessons here go beyond firewood. Leroy explains why low prices send a confusing signal to buyers, how adding value through small details like a handwritten card, a personalized delivery note, or a proactive apology generates more loyalty than a discount ever will, and why premium pricing ultimately shaped the exit multiple he realized when he sold. If you’ve ever wondered whether your price is holding your business back, this episode will change how you think about that question.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of the Business RadioX® podcast network.

Key Takeaways You Can Use from This Episode

Price is a quality signal. When your price is too low relative to your branding and positioning, you’re telling conflicting stories, and confused buyers don’t convert.
Raising prices can increase demand. Leroy repeatedly raised prices when inventory was tight and watched demand hold or grow, including gaining a customer who found Cutting Edge specifically because someone said they were too expensive.
Discounting is a brand-destroying cycle. A 20% discount on 50% margins costs you 40% of your profit, and once customers expect sales, they wait for the next one, making the damage worse over time.
Adding value beats refunding money. When mistakes happened, Leroy sent premium product with a handwritten apology rather than offering a discount. Customers ended up happier, and the lifetime value of those relationships went up.
Higher margins give you competitive power. Better margins mean you can outspend competitors on customer acquisition and still be profitable, a structural advantage most small businesses don’t recognize they’re giving up when they underprice.
Premium pricing shaped the exit. Higher margins meant higher EBITDA, and a differentiated premium brand attracted a buyer. Leroy’s eleven-year pricing decisions directly contributed to the value he realized upon sale.

Leroy Hite, Founder, Cutting Edge Firewood

Leroy Hite, Founder, Cutting Edge Firewood

Leroy Hite founded Cutting Edge Firewood, the world’s first luxury firewood company, in 2013. He built the business from a single truck in 2013, financing it with $250,000 in credit card debt, and over the next decade turned what most people considered a low-level commodity into a premium brand that national media couldn’t ignore. His firewood burned in the White House Oval Office during two presidencies, and the company earned coverage in Fortune, Southern Living, Food & Wine, Robb Report, and Garden & Gun, along with features on the Today Show, Netflix, Fox & Friends, and Hulu. Hundreds of imitators followed.

In 2024, Leroy successfully exited Cutting Edge Firewood after eleven years of building the category he created. That same year he received the Berry College Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit and delivered a keynote at Clemson University’s Launchpad program.

Leroy is now a keynote speaker and fireside chat host for colleges, universities, and business groups, sharing the frameworks behind category creation, luxury positioning, and building a company with the exit in mind from day one. He co-hosted a fireside chat with Horst Schulze, co-founder and former president of the Ritz-Carlton. His speaking topics include brand building, customer experience, resilience, and the mindset shift from competing in a market to creating one.

Website | LinkedIn

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

Your combination of these elements is unique in your industry. There lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Email

Business RadioX®: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Joshua Kornitsky, EOS Worldwide, on the Entrepreneurial Operating System and Helping Leadership Teams Get Aligned, Accountable, and Healthy (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 945)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Joshua Kornitsky, Professional EOS Implementer

EOS Worldwide

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Anita Henderson, The Author’s Midwife, on Writing a Book That Builds Authority and Attracts Clients, and Why You Shouldn’t Let AI Write It (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 164)

Key Takeaways You Can Use From This Episode

Anita Henderson, The Write Image Consulting, LLC

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

Connect with John Ray:

What Business Owners Should Be Doing 3–5 Years Before Exit, with Lynda Martin, John Ray, Mary Dombrowski, and Jeff Armacost (The Exit Exchange, Episode 25)

Key Takeaways From This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Lynda Martin, EOS Worldwide

John Ray, John Ray Co.

Mary Dombrowski, Strategic Inflection Advisory

Jeff Armacost, Build Brand Capital

The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta

Arthur Spalding, TAMM Net, Inc., contract research organization, on FDA Approval, Clinical Trials, and Reimbursement for Medical Devices and Biotech (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 944)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Arthur Spalding, President, TAMM Net, Inc.

TAMM Net, Inc.

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Steve Reising, Briskin, Cross & Sanford, on Business Contracts, Litigation, and Selling Your Business (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 943)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Steve Reising, Senior Attorney

Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Chelsea Kiehler and Ava Stewart-Wein, Retirement Planning Center (RPC Financial Wellness), on Employee Financial Wellness Programs and Closing the Retirement Gap (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 942)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Chelsea Kiehler

Ava Stewart-Wein, Manager of Client Development

Retirement Planning Center (RPC Financial Wellness)

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Why Attainable Housing Feels Impossible in North Fulton, and What Can Actually Change, with Mark Murphy, City of Mountain Park and the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta (North Fulton Voices, Episode 17)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Mark Murphy

North Fulton Improvement Network

Jack Murphy

Nancy Diamond

Sponsor for North Fulton Voices: John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC

When Life Goes Sideways: Experts Who Restore Order, with Gladys Wanyeki, CFO ANX; Laura Delavan, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard; Adam Schwartzberg, Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta; and Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel (Family Business Radio, Episode 72)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Gladys Wanyeki, CFO ANX

Laura Delavan, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard

Adam Schwartzberg, Voda Cleaning & Restoration of North Atlanta

Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel

Anthony Chen, Host of Family Business Radio

Leroy Hite Founded the World’s First Luxury Firewood Company. Here’s How Premium Pricing Shaped the Brand, the Customer Experience, and the Exit. (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 163)

Key Takeaways You Can Use from This Episode

Leroy Hite, Founder, Cutting Edge Firewood

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

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