John Ray, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Shifting Mindsets: Transforming Your World in 2024, with Patricia Leonard

January 10, 2024 by John Ray

Hello, Self . . .

Shifting Mindsets: Transforming Your World in 2024, with Patricia Leonard

00:00 /

Shifting Mindsets: Transforming Your World in 2024, with Patricia Leonard (Hello, Self… Episode 35)

Host Patricia Leonard opened the first show of 2024 with her thoughts on the importance of shifting mindsets and transformation to navigate the coming year. She outlined her upcoming series of four episodes centered on self-awareness, identifying personal truths and passions, expressing these identities, and implementing commitments.

Patricia encouraged listeners to defy complacency and embrace high ambitions, discussing individuals efforts to step out of their comfort zones, suggesting various mediums for self-expression, and elaborating on her upcoming ‘High Heels Cabaret’ show. Her hope is that this series and the High Heels Cabaret will inspire personal growth and a higher level of thinking, ultimately fostering a more positive world through shifting mindsets.

Hello, Self… is presented by Patricia Leonard & Associates and produced by Arlia Hoffman in association with the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

About Hello, Self…

Hello, Self… is a biweekly podcast focused on inspiring stories of turning dreams into reality. Join coach and author Patricia Leonard and her guests as they share life-changing Hello, Self… moments.

Hello, Self… is brought to you by Patricia Leonard & Associates and is based on the new book by Patricia Leonard, Hello, Self.., available here.

The show is produced by Arlia Hoffman in association with Business RadioX®. You can find this show on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

Patricia Leonard, Host of Hello, Self…

Patricia Leonard is President of RUNWAY TO SUCCESS, a division of Patricia Leonard & Associates located in Nashville, TN. She is a MESSAGE ARTIST speaker, career & business coach, author and magazine columnist. Patricia consults with clients on leadership, empowerment, career management, entrepreneurship and the power of language. Her work is focused on helping clients find their runway to success!

She has a professional background in management, human resources, corporate training, business consulting and talent development. Patricia has worked with companies in the service, music, banking, manufacturing, publishing, warehousing, healthcare, academic, retail and financial industries, and has taught management classes as an adjunct professor.

Patricia has a degree in Human Resource Management, is certified as a Career Coach and Consulting Hypnotist and is MBTI qualified.

Her volunteer energies are focused on Women in Film and Television-Nashville, where she is a Board Vice President; Dress for Success as the Advisory Board President; and International Coaching Federation-Nashville where she held Board roles for several years.

Patricia is the author of Wearing High Heels in a Flip Flop World, BECOMING WOMAN…a journal of personal discovery, THE NOW, HOW & WOW of Success, Happenings, a full year calendar of inspirational messages and a spoken word album titled, I AM…

She enjoys songwriting, creating poetry and has written a one-woman show and artistic speech she performs titled Hello, Self…, about a woman in midlife reinventing herself, which led to her new book by the same name, available here.

On the personal side, Patricia, describes herself as a woman, lover of life, mother, grandmother, career professional and message artist; AND in that order! Her goal is to continue inspiring others, of any age, to START NOW creating and expanding their Runway to Success.

She believes that life is a gift, the way we wrap it is our choice.

Connect with Patricia:

Website| LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Basics of Financial Wellbeing, with Andrew Sullivan, Sullivan and Schlieman Wealth Management

January 8, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

The Basics of Financial Wellbeing, with Andrew Sullivan, Sullivan and Schlieman Wealth Management

00:00 /

The Basics of Financial Wellbeing, with Andrew Sullivan, Sullivan and Schlieman Wealth Management

Andrew Sullivan: A lot of discussions we have with clients in our regular reviews. One I’ve already mentioned earlier is making sure that your beneficiaries on life insurance, retirement accounts, pensions are up-to-date, so that you’ve got that primary and secondary beneficiary. We see this often as a problem, sometimes in a blended family where someone gets divorced, remarried, or a death of a spouse and then gets remarried. We’ve seen cases where the old spouse was named X or deceased. Now the new spouse is cut out of the equation, and it gets into legal wrangling. So make sure your beneficiaries are up to date on these various accounts that you have.

It’s also making sure you’ve got adequate long-term care insurance in place. Just had a client the other day that had to go to an assisted living facility/memory care: $18,000 a month for care, right? And you talk about devastating a set of assets or a portfolio at $18,000 a month. She does not have long-term care insurance. But it’ll rip through some assets very quickly. So you’ve got to be prepared for that.

That’s probably the biggest risk that retirees have. It’s not that I’m going to go on a cruise or that I’m going to retire. It’s that long-term healthcare cost equation. Disability insurance for younger people, and then making sure you have life insurance in place while you have an up-and-coming family independence.

Another one I would say is not having estate planning. This is probably one of the second-biggest issue. It’s amazing how many attorneys I talked to that don’t have wills, powers of attorney in place. So we strongly encourage people to have up-to-date wills and powers of attorney in place.

Having proper liability coverage, property and casualty or umbrella policies in place. So do a property and casualty review with your insurance agent. Very important to do that probably every couple of years.

This is really a dirty word: budget. Most people don’t want to talk about a budget. Unfortunately, I find that most people spend more time planning their vacation than their finances.
But I emphasize a budget, and set goals, and stick to those goals on an annual basis.

And then finally hire the professional, right? If you need counseling and investment advice, or estate planning, any of those things—use a professional. It’s worth the expense. There are people that can manage their own affairs, but most people, again they don’t want to go down that path. And they want to delegate that to someone that’s a professional in those fields.

Listen to Andrew’s full ProfitSense with Bill McDermott interview here.

The “One Minute Interview” series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Workforce Challenges in the Manufacturing Sector, with Jim Pursley, Factory Automation Systems

January 8, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Workforce Challenges in the Manufacturing Sector, with Jim Pursley, Factory Automation Systems

00:00 /

Workforce Challenges in the Manufacturing Sector, with Jim Pursley, Factory Automation Systems

Jim Pursley: It’s still strong. We had some concerns about rising cost of money and economy slowing down.

But we’ve not seen it in a whole slug taking a downward turn just yet, always subject to change. And I think a lot of what’s driving that is still the strong employment numbers. Our business is structured around automation and helping people manufacture things in all types of spaces.

And, traditionally through the years that takes people to do that. And it’s harder and harder these days to find people that you could trust to show up to work every day that have the skills to do that. And especially in the manufacturing space. And so our customers, and the list keeps growing, from beyond the traditional Fortune 500 companies, to Fords and General Motors of the world to smaller organizations that just can’t find the people to do the work.

And so we get calls for “we’ve had this process we’ve done for years. We’re looking for a way to be able to do it. We can’t run the equipment sometimes because we don’t have people to show up to work to do it.” That’s been a big part of our continued success, whether that’s with robotic systems or just any other type of automation system.

And it continues to, to be even as large capital projects, maybe are slowing down. Even a lot of upgrade work with existing customers are taking the opportunities to replace obsolete equipment if they’ve slowed down. And even customers who aren’t seeing growth in their business in manufacturing still need the automation piece to drive costs down and to really backfill where you can’t find the labor.

Listen to Jim’s full ProfitSense with Bill McDermott interview here.

The “One Minute Interview” series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link.

Redefining Workplace Communication, with Ken Madren, PermaTherm, Inc.

January 8, 2024 by John Ray

Redefining Workplace Communication, Ken Madren, PermaTherm

North Fulton Studio

Redefining Workplace Communication, with Ken Madren, PermaTherm, Inc.

00:00 /

Redefining Workplace Communication, with Ken Madren, PermaTherm, Inc.

Ken Madren: One of the things that we’re doing at PermaTherm that is helping mitigate some past misunderstandings and miscommunications on the common words is we delete them. We don’t use the word “work” because work has so many definitions.

Can you believe that? Can you believe that the word “work” has more than one definition? It literally has a very definition from each person who walks in the door, what time does my day start? What time is my day in this is how I would work it. This is how you would work it. I’m working and they are.

So we change the names of things like that, that are critical paths and processes. And we make some pretty silly names out of things like work. For example, that word when we talk shop is now “keyholing.” It’s time to keyhole. What’s that? And we may be talking about progressing projects through our pipeline.

You would typically go work the pipeline. And there’s a lot of different ways to work the pipeline, but there’s one way at PermaTherm. And we’re talking about working the pipeline, but our best practices require that we keyhole The pipeline. When you do that, you destabilize everybody who’s supposed to keyhole the pipeline because no one knows what that is.

But when you build that definition together, everybody knows what that is. And we’ve found that to be an insidious eroder of progress. And we’ve found that simple element of take a word that everybody knows. Throw it in the trash can as it relates to critical process and come up with a new word and everybody define it together.

Now, really only a few people are leading that discussion, but you will find when it’s a word like keyhole, everybody wants to understand it because their job is, and everybody does add a piece or there. And in the end you, when you’re talking, everybody knows what you’re talking about. So in my career, it seemed like the silliest of things to do.

Everybody knows what work is. It’s been one of the most productive things. And there’s other instances like that, but that’s just one example of language and what we all think is good communication and how it can impede progress within your organization.

Listen to Ken’s full ProfitSense with Bill McDermott interview here.

The “One Minute Interview” series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link.

Three Tips for Perfecting Your 2024 Projections, with Bill McDermott, Host of ProfitSense

January 7, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Three Tips for Perfecting Your 2024 Projections, with Bill McDermott, Host of ProfitSense

00:00 /

Three Tips for Perfecting Your 2024 Projections, with Bill McDermott, Host of ProfitSense

In this commentary from a recent episode of ProfitSense, Bill McDermott offers three quick tips on perfecting your 2024 projections for your business.

Bill’s commentary was taken from this episode of ProfitSense.

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott is produced and broadcast by the North Fulton Studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

Transcript

Bill McDermott: Whether you’ve finished your 2024 projections or not, I’d like to share three tips you need to know to put the finishing touches on your forecast.

Projections are critical to knowing whether your financial forecasts are realistic, especially if you will use these to obtain financing or attract investors.

First, look for tendencies in your forecasting to gain insights on things you can do to improve next year. This could be things like: did you overestimate revenue and profits? Did you accurately forecast the timing of collections from clients and payments to vendors?, etc.

Second, compare your assumptions on revenue and expense growth compared to your historical performance and industry norms/standards. It’s possible you’re outperforming your peers in some areas but underperforming in others. Know your tendencies.

Third, forecast from the bottom up, not the top down. It’s not how much you bill, but how much you keep. Plan profit first, then expenses, then revenue. Compare your forecasted revenue number based on what you discovered in your historical performance. If your revenue number is too high, then consider either adjusting your profit number or cutting expenses.

Many business owners will have several rounds of assumptions before they end up with a forecast they’re comfortable with. Remember, it’s important to forecast not only your income statement but also your balance sheet and cash flow statement to get a complete picture of your business.

Here’s to a great 2024 for all of us!

About ProfitSense and Your Host, Bill McDermott

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott dives into the stories behind some of Atlanta’s successful businesses and business owners and the professionals that advise them. This show helps local business leaders get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. The show is presented by McDermott Financial Solutions. McDermott Financial helps business owners improve cash flow and profitability, find financing, break through barriers to expansion, and financially prepare to exit their business. The show archive can be found at profitsenseradio.com.

Bill McDermott is the Founder and CEO of McDermott Financial Solutions. When business owners want to increase their profitability, they don’t have the expertise to know where to start or what to do. Bill leverages his knowledge and relationships from 32 years as a banker to identify the hurdles getting in the way and create a plan to deliver profitability they never thought possible.

Bill currently serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Executive Forum and has held previous positions as a board member for the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center, Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity, and Treasurer for CEO NetWeavers. Bill is a graduate of Wake Forest University, and he and his wife, Martha, have called Atlanta home for over 40 years. Outside of work, Bill enjoys golf, traveling, and gardening.

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn and Instagram, and follow McDermott Financial Solutions on LinkedIn.

Rebekah Black, Jambos, and Heather Bellew, HB Consulting Co

January 4, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Rebekah Black, Jambos, and Heather Bellew, HB Consulting Co

00:00 /

Rebekah Black, Jambos, and Heather Bellew, HB Consulting Co (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 737)

Rebekah Black, Jambos, and Heather Bellew, HB Consulting Co, joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. Rebekah is the founder of a nonprofit organization that provides brand-new pajamas to children in the foster care system. She shared Jambos’ incredible growth, serving children across all 50 states and 17 countries since its formation in 2018. Heather discussed her work at HB Consulting Co, helping small businesses and nonprofits gain visibility in their communities through what she calls “community marketing.” Both guests emphasized the importance of building authentic community connections and the power of doing good for business development. The discussion also touches on corporate social responsibility, the role of digital marketing, and practical tips for small businesses and nonprofits.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Rebekah Black, CEO, Jambos

Rebekah Black is a mother, nonprofit leader, foster advocate, and author of Let’s Get Comfy, the short, sweet, and simple bedtime story that both children and parents have grown to love.

Rebekah is the founder of Jambos, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has provided new pajamas to children in foster and orphan care in over 50 states and 16 countries since 2018. The mission of Jambos, Inc. is to bring comfort to vulnerable children and their families. Jambos is on a mission to bring comfort to kids in the foster care system by providing them with brand new pajamas. As an organization, they partner with the community to host pajama drives, collecting thousands of pairs of brand-new pajamas to be shipped to children all over the world. They know the comfortable feeling that comes from putting on brand new pajamas and it is their heart to share that feeling with the children they serve.

Known for dreaming big dreams, Rebekah is excited to see what big ideas she can come up with next.

Originally from eastern Kentucky, she now resides outside of Atlanta, GA, with her three daughters and an adopted kitten named Moo.

Connect with Jambos: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Connect with Rebekah: LinkedIn

Heather Bellew, CEO and Founder, HB Consulting Co

Heather Bellew is the CEO and Founder of HB Consulting Co, and her journey has taken her from McDonough, Georgia, to Gadsden, Alabama, and back. She has a strong academic foundation in Sociology and Women’s Studies from the University of Georgia.

Heather’s true joy lies in helping nonprofits and small businesses thrive through community engagement, combining her skills, experience, and values to create a positive impact in the world. Her dedication extends to serving on multiple advisory and board positions in the community, such as Gwinnett Young Professionals, the Lawrenceville Business Alliance, The Cottage, a sexual assault and children’s advocacy center, and others. Her achievements have garnered recognition, such as being honored as one of the recipients of the Gwinnett Young Professionals’ 35 under 35 award, securing the Best of Gwinnett 2022 Award, reaching the finals for both the Gwinnett Chamber’s Moxie Awards and Small Business Awards, and most recently, earning the distinction of being named one of the winners of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta’s 30 under 30 award.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Heather cheering on the Dawgs and the Braves, exploring the great outdoors with her dog Bellew (“Blue”) and her cat Button in her cat backpack, and being a full-time RVer.

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Topics Covered in these Interviews

00:06 Introduction and Welcome

01:15 Introduction to Guests: Rebekah Black and Heather Bellew

01:27 Discussion about Jambos and its Mission

02:23 Rebekah’s Personal Journey and Passion for the Cause

04:19 The Importance of New Pajamas for Foster Kids

07:52 The Story Behind the Name “Jambos”

09:10 The Growth and Expansion of Jambos

10:17 The Process of Collecting and Distributing Pajamas

15:04 The Impact of Going Viral on TikTok

19:23 The Importance of Year-Round Support

21:06 Looking Forward: The Future of Jambos

25:15 Getting Involved: How to Connect with Jambos

26:09 HB Consulting: Serving Small Businesses and Nonprofits

29:14 The Importance of Community and Relationships in Business

30:43 Getting Out There: Tips for Nervous Business Owners

33:04 Corporate Social Responsibility: Choosing and Connecting with a Cause

35:39 Working with HB Consulting: What to Expect

39:17 Success Stories: Digital and Community Marketing

42:21 Closing Remarks and Acknowledgements

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

RenasantBank

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Understanding The Importance of Regular Business Valuations, with David Hern, Sofer Advisors

January 3, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Understanding The Importance of Regular Business Valuations, with David Hern, Sofer Advisors

00:00 /

Understanding The Importance of Regular Business Valuations, with David Hern, Sofer Advisors (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 736)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray talked with David Hern, CEO at Sofer Advisors. David highlighted the importance of regular business valuations and shared why it’s a key metric that businesses should track. He also talked about how valuations are tied to both tangible and intangible assets, as well as the significant role valuations play in strategic decision-making. David shared anecdotes from his career and explained how company valuations help in disputes or potential mergers. He also discussed how his firm helps businesses understand and evaluate their own worth.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

David Hern, CEO, Sofer Advisors

David Hern is the founder and chief executive officer of Sofer® Advisors, LLC, focusing on business advisory services related to litigation assistance, estate and tax planning, and business enterprise valuations for various privately held and public companies.

He is a qualified financial analyst with a proven ability to simply and clearly communicate analysis to boards of directors, presidents and CEOs, CFOs, controllers, and private equity portfolio managers.

Mr. Hern has been recognized for enabling organizations to determine their enterprise and equity value for a variety of situations, including strategic planning, sale or IPO, mergers and acquisitions, financial reporting (common stock, stock option grants, purchase price allocations, impairment analyses, etc.), and tax compliance (estate & gift, 409A, NUBIG). Industry experience includes, but is not limited to, professional services, business services, healthcare, information technology, financial services, and manufacturing and distribution.

Sofer Advisors

Sofer^® Advisors was created in 2019, but their experience with valuation goes back over a decade. Their CEO, David Hern, has worked in the business valuation field at both boutique advisory firms and large international financial services companies.

While at these firms, David recognized the need for a boutique financial advisory firm in the Atlanta area to serve the business valuation needs of small- and medium-sized businesses.

These businesses have unique needs that require an advisor who can both empathize and have the agility to deliver prompt insights. Sofer® Advisors was formed to fill this void while providing high-quality business valuations to the lower and middle markets.

Since its inception, Sofer® Advisors has quickly added associates to help with the growing business. The firm specializes in providing a neutral third-party valuation of closely held businesses. The valuation and its insights will give the business owner the confidence they need when contemplating a material but uncertain financial decision.

After determining a company’s value, they communicate that information to the relevant stakeholders, including company management, the board of directors, shareholders, and financial or legal advisors.

This process involves more than just providing accurate numerical valuations. They put numbers into proper perspective, giving you key insights when making critical business decisions.

Their “Heart of a Teacher” approach is designed to help you understand the data we provide and how to use these insights to immediately benefit your organization.

Valuation services are applicable in many situations where business value may be uncertain and critical. These situations include litigation assistance, estate and gift tax planning, financial and tax reporting, and other contexts for public and private companies.

Website | LinkedIn | YouTube

Topics in this Interview

00:04 Introduction
01:20 Welcoming Guest: David Hearn, CEO of Sofer Advisors
01:33 Understanding Sofer Advisors and Their Services
02:21 David’s Journey and Passion for Business Valuation
09:40 The Importance of Business Valuation in Different Contexts
20:09 The Role of Intangible Assets in Business Valuation
27:50 Success Stories and Impact of Regular Valuations
30:53 Connecting with Sofer Advisors
32:00 Closing Remarks and Show Wrap-up

RenasantBank

Joe Summerour and Eric Williams, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe

January 3, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Joe Summerour and Eric Williams, Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe

00:00 /

Joe Summerour and Eric Williams, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 735)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray spoke with Joe Summerour and Eric Williams, both of whom work for Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe in the Metro Atlanta region. They reflected on the company’s 25-year history, its growth from its inception after founders Keith and Amy Richards returned from an inspiring trip to Greece, up to its current 114 locations nationwide, and plans for further expansion. The conversation also covered Taziki’s emphasis on fresh, healthy Mediterranean-inspired food, commitment to excellent customer service, and investment in its staff. Details of new menu items and news about a new location in Johns Creek were also shared.

Joe Summerour, Atlanta Area Manager, and Eric Willliams, Atlanta Area Marketing, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe

Eric Williams and Joe Summerour, Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, Metro Atlanta — **Eric Williams and Joe Summerour, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, Metro Atlanta**

Joe Summerour is the Atlanta Area Manager of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, and Eric Williams handles Atlanta-area marketing for the company.

Keith and Amy Richards founded Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1998. After a trip to Greece a year earlier, Keith put his culinary skills to work, recreating some of the cuisine and experiences from the region. With a menu patterned after dishes traditionally served in Greek homes, Keith and Amy grew their dream restaurant from one to three locations and then began franchising in 2013 after partnering with Fresh Hospitality. Now at almost 100 units, Taziki’s continues to grow while serving many of the same dishes curated by Keith and Amy’s initial trip to Greece.

From hand-cut meats served with signature sauces to healthy salads filled with fresh fruits and veggies, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe has mastered the art of creating Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are destined to become your next familiar favorite. At each location, dine-in, carry-out, and catering are available. Please check out their locations and menus here.

Topics in this Interview

00:05 Introduction
01:17 Welcoming Guests: Joe Summerour and Eric Williams
01:39 The Origin Story of Taziki’s
03:29 The Philosophy and Accolades of Taziki’s
04:28 Exploring the Menu of Taziki’s
10:44 The Impact of the Pandemic on Taziki’s
19:14 The Growth and Expansion of Taziki’s
21:16 Franchise Opportunities and Final Remarks

RenasantBank

Likes, Loves, Tweets, and Pics: Social Media in the Workplace

January 2, 2024 by John Ray

Social Media in the Workplace, Jacqueline Voronov, Shylie Bannon, Hall Booth Smith

Hall Booth Smith Podcast Network

Likes, Loves, Tweets, and Pics: Social Media in the Workplace

00:00 /

Likes, Loves, Tweets, and Pics: Social Media in the Workplace (Litigators Lounge, Episode 3)

On this episode of Litigators Lounge, hosts Jackie Voronov and Shylie Bannon discuss various challenges and considerations related to social media usage in the workplace. Jackie and Shylie draw attention to the significant ways in which online platforms have changed business communication and employee representation. From an HR perspective and a general risk perspective, they consider how businesses can create effective social media policies. The discussion also delves into issues such as privacy laws, employee rights, workplace discrimination, and labor and employment laws. Other legal complexities, like trade secret violations and how specific usage of social media can lead to legal consequences like evidence for court cases, are also explored.

Litigators Lounge is underwritten and presented by Hall Booth Smith. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Topics in this Episode

00:01 Introduction to Litigators Lounge

00:52 The Role of Social Media in the Workplace

02:03 Personal Experiences and Opinions on Social Media

03:15 Legal Consequences of Social Media Posts

05:47 The Impact of Social Media on Employment

22:56 The Risks of Social Media in Hiring Processes

27:40 The Importance of Social Media Policies in the Workplace

33:25 The Use of Disclaimers in Social Media

35:39 Conclusion and Sign Off

About Litigators Lounge

Jackie Voronov and Shylie Bannon, attorneys at Hall Booth Smith who specialize in labor and employment law, are the hosts of the engaging podcast Litigators Lounge. Listen as they delve into the intricate world of workplace legal issues as they explore real-life examples, unpack legal scenarios, and offer expert insights to help organizations and employees navigate the ever-changing legal landscape. With engaging discussions, diverse viewpoints from expert guests, and an ample touch of humor, Litigators Lounge is the go-to source for in-depth analysis and expert advice on law and the workplace.

Litigators Lounge is underwritten and presented by Hall Booth Smith. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Jackie Voronov, Partner, Hall Booth Smith

Jackie Voronov is a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s office in Paramus, New Jersey, and she represents management in a wide variety of employment matters and litigates employment claims before administrative agencies and state and federal courts. Her clients include major hotels, retailers, shipping companies, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, manufacturers, and national fast-food franchisees.

Jackie’s litigation experience includes the defense of employers in single and multi-plaintiff actions on claims of wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, race, national origin, gender, disability and age discrimination, breach of contract, family medical leave, failure to accommodate, retaliation, wage/hour laws, and related tort claims. Jackie also works with her clients to prepare various employment agreements (including non-compete, confidentiality, independent contractor, and separation agreements). She has extensive experience before various administrative tribunals, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the State Division of Human Rights (SDHR), the Division of Civil Rights (DCR), and other state, federal, and local agencies.

In addition, Jackie frequently conducts management training for employers on a wide variety of employment law topics, such as:

EEO/anti-harassment
employee recruiting and hiring practices
family and medical leave
reasonable accommodations for disabilities and religion
preventing and investigating harassment, discrimination, and whistleblower claims
wage and hour compliance
discipline and termination of employees
privacy in the workplace

Jackie is regularly invited to speak nationally on best practices and other employment-related issues. Before joining Hall Booth Smith, she worked for one of the country’s largest law firms, where she defended employers in a wide range of labor and employment matters, including wage and hour class actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), claims related to the New York State Human Rights Law (NSHRL), the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), and Title VII.

Jackie was selected for inclusion as a New Jersey Rising Star by Super Lawyers® for six consecutive years (2010-2016), which honors the top 2.5% of young lawyers in New Jersey.

Shylie Bannon, Partner, Hall Booth Smith

Shylie Bannon is a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s Jacksonville, Florida, office. She also serves as Hiring Partner for the region of Florida, where she oversees associate attorney hiring endeavors. Prior to joining Hall Booth Smith, Shylie was a partner in both a multi-state, multi-specialty firm and a boutique practice.

At Hall Booth Smith, Shylie continues to represent physicians, mid-level providers, and health care providers in high-exposure medical negligence claims and in administrative proceedings before the Florida Department of Health. She also represents national retailers in high-exposure premises liability, negligent security, and transportation litigation with our National Trial Counsel team.

In addition to litigating matters involving personal injury and negligence, Shylie also represents management in all aspects of employment-related litigation arising from allegations of sex, disability, race, and pregnancy discrimination; whistleblower actions; and alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards. She does so in administrative proceedings before both the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as in all of the state and federal courts in Florida. She also provides employment-related counsel to clients, helping them avoid employment-related litigation through the implementation of best employment, investigation, and risk management practices.

Shylie earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, cum laude, and graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History.

Shylie volunteers with the Guardian Ad Litem program and supports child welfare advocacy efforts in Northeast Florida. She is also a Member of the Board for the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida.

About Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is a full-service law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with regional offices strategically located throughout Georgia and the United States. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS prides itself on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

HBS possesses the legal knowledge, skill, and experience to meet their clients’ needs wherever they do business. HBS maintains the highest commitment to ethically and professionally serve their clients by providing the highest quality legal representation.

They deliver quality legal services in a variety of service areas. Experience across legal disciplines combined with a focus on the unique business or personal requirements of the client is the hallmark of the firm. Their clients receive the attention, expertise, and cost-effectiveness of a smaller law firm with the full-service and strong regional presence typical of a larger one.

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Disclaimer

Litigators Lounge is a production brought to you by Hall Booth Smith, PC. This podcast is published for the purposes of providing general information and education on topics which include those related to the law and legal issues, but the contents of the podcast do not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast or utilizing the information contained in it in any way does not constitute nor does it create an attorney-client relationship between you and Hall Booth Smith or its lawyers. The contents of this podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a professional attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.