John Ray, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

GNFCC 2023 Nonprofit of the Year Award Winner, STAR House Foundation

June 29, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

GNFCC 2023 Nonprofit of the Year Award Winner, STAR House Foundation

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GNFCC 2023 Nonprofit of the Year Award Winner, STAR House Foundation (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 86)

GNFCC celebrates the 2023 Nonprofit of the Year Award Winner, STAR House Foundation. STAR House was honored at the GNFCC Monthly Luncheon on June 27th, 2023.

Stephanie Christiansen, Executive Director of STAR House Foundation, and Katha Stuart, Board Chair, joined host Kali Boatright on this episode of the GNFCC 400 Insider to share the needs of at-risk children in North Fulton and how STAR House is working to meet those needs. They talked about the challenges and changes brought about during the pandemic, the challenges faced by both the children and the STAR staff who work with them, STAR House’s biggest needs right now, and much more.

The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

STAR House Foundation

Stephanie Christiansen is Executive Director and Katha Stuart is the Board Chair for STAR House Foundation.

STAR House Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Roswell, Georgia.

We provide after-school tutoring and mentoring for at-risk children throughout North Fulton County. We currently serve children within three North Fulton schools, with a growing unmet need. Our summer camp is an extension of our after-school program, bridging the gap for elementary students by focusing on academic retention to combat summer learning loss. Providing this strong foundation gives local kids in need the opportunity to shoot for the stars!

STAR House Foundation enriches the community by promoting academic success and empowering lifelong achievement for children in need.

**Stephanie Christiansen accepting the award from Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC, and Linda Coyle, 2023 Chair of the GNFCC Non-Profit Awards Committee on June 27, 2023**

About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider

**Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC**

The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.

The GNFCC promotes the interests of our members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events such as this North Fulton Mayors Appreciation Lunch, follow this link.

For the complete show archive of GNFCC 400 Insider, go to GNFCC400Insider.com. The GNFCC 400 Insider is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Fatty Liver Disease

June 29, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Fatty Liver Disease

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Fatty Liver Disease (Episode 88, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow)

On this episode of To Your Health, Dr. Jim Morrow addressed fatty liver disease, which he says is fairly common. He explained what the liver does, what the disease is, and how it manifests itself. Dr. Morrow also covered the difference between alcohol-induced and non-alcohol related fatty liver disease, as well as its causes, diagnosis and prognosis, and more.

To Your Health is brought to you by Village Medical (formerly Morrow Family Medicine), which brings the care back to healthcare.

About Village Medical (formerly Morrow Family Medicine)

Village Medical, formerly Morrow Family Medicine, is an award-winning, state-of-the-art family practice with offices in Cumming and Milton, Georgia. The practice combines healthcare information technology with old-fashioned care to provide the type of care that many are in search of today. Two physicians, three physician assistants and two nurse practitioners are supported by a knowledgeable and friendly staff to make your visit to Village Medical one that will remind you of the way healthcare should be. At Village Medical, we like to say we are “bringing the care back to healthcare!” The practice has been named the “Best of Forsyth” in Family Medicine in all five years of the award, is a three-time consecutive winner of the “Best of North Atlanta” by readers of Appen Media, and the 2019 winner of “Best of Life” in North Fulton County.

Village Medical offers a comprehensive suite of primary care services including preventative care, treatment for illness and injury, and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. Atlanta-area patients can learn more about the practice here.

Dr. Jim Morrow, Village Medical, and Host of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Dr. Jim Morrow is the founder of Morrow Family Medicine. He has been a trailblazer and evangelist in healthcare information technology, was named Physician IT Leader of the Year by HIMSS, a HIMSS Davies Award Winner, the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce Steve Bloom Award Winner as Entrepreneur of the Year and he received a Phoenix Award as Community Leader of the Year from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Peggie Morrow and together they founded the Forsyth BYOT Benefit, a charity in Forsyth County to support students in need of technology and devices. They have two Goldendoodles, a gaggle of grandchildren and enjoy life on and around Lake Lanier.

Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

The complete show archive of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow addresses a wide range of health and wellness topics.

Dr. Morrow’s Show Notes

FATTY LIVER DISEASE

What is the liver’s function?

Your liver is an essential organ with multiple life-supporting functions. The liver:

Produces bile, which helps with digestion.
Makes proteins for the body.
Stores iron.
Converts nutrients into energy.
Creates substances that help your blood clot (stick together to heal wounds).
Helps you resist infections by making immune factors and removing bacteria and toxins (substances that can harm your body) from your blood.

What is fatty liver disease?

Fatty liver disease (steatosis) is a common condition caused by having too much fat build up in your liver.
- A healthy liver contains a small amount of fat.
- It becomes a problem when fat reaches 5% to 10% of your liver’s weight.

Why is fatty liver disease bad?

In most cases, fatty liver disease doesn’t cause any serious problems or prevent your liver from functioning normally.
- But for 7% to 30% of people with the condition, fatty liver disease gets worse over time.
- It progresses through three stages:
  - Your liver becomes inflamed (swollen), which damages its tissue. This stage is called steatohepatitis.
  - Scar tissue forms where your liver is damaged. This process is called fibrosis.
  - Extensive scar tissue replaces healthy tissue. At this point, you have cirrhosis of the liver.

Cirrhosis of the liver

Cirrhosis of the liver is a result of severe damage to the liver.
- The hard scar tissue that replaces healthy liver tissue slows down the liver’s functioning.
- Eventually, it can block liver function entirely.
- Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.

What are the forms of fatty liver disease?

There are two main forms of fatty liver disease:
- Alcohol-induced fatty liver disease
  - Alcohol-induced fatty liver disease is caused by regular alcohol consumption.
  - About 5% of people in the U.S. have this form of liver disease.
- Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease
  - Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) isn’t related to alcohol consumption.
    - The condition affects one in three adults and one in 10 children in the United States.
    - Researchers haven’t found the exact cause of non-alcohol related fatty liver disease.
    - Several factors, such as obesity and diabetes, can increase your risk.

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

Who gets fatty liver disease?

You have a greater chance of developing fatty liver disease if you:
- Are of Hispanic or Asian descent.
- Have completed menopause (your periods have stopped).
- Have obesity with a high level of belly fat.
- Have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.
- Have obstructive sleep apnea (a blocked airway that causes breathing to stop and start during sleep).

What causes fatty liver disease?

Some people get fatty liver disease without having any pre-existing conditions.
- But these risk factors make you more likely to develop it:
  - Having overweight/obesity.
  - Having Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance.
  - Having metabolic syndrome
    - (insulin resistance,
    - high blood pressure,
    - high cholesterol
    - and high triglyceride levels).
  - Taking certain prescription medications,
    - such as amiodarone, diltiazem, tamoxifen or steroids.

What are the symptoms of fatty liver disease?

People with fatty liver disease often have no symptoms until the disease progresses to cirrhosis of the liver.
- If you do have symptoms, they may include:
  - Abdominal pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper right side of the abdomen (belly).
  - Nausea, loss of appetite or weight loss.
  - Yellowish skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
  - Swollen abdomen and legs (edema).
  - Extreme tiredness or mental confusion.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTS

How is fatty liver disease diagnosed?

Because this condition often has no symptoms, your doctor may be the first one to spot it.
- Higher levels of liver enzymes (elevated liver enzymes) that turn up on a blood test for other conditions may raise a red flag.
- Elevated liver enzymes are a sign your liver is injured.
- To make a diagnosis, your doctor may order:
  - Ultrasound or computed tomography (CT scan) to get a picture of the liver.
  - Liver biopsy (tissue sample) to determine how far advanced liver disease has progressed.
  - FibroScan, a specialized ultrasound sometimes used instead of a liver biopsy to find out the amount of fat and scar tissue in the liver.

MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT

How is fatty liver disease treated?

There’s no medication specifically for this disease.
- Instead, doctors focus on helping you manage factors that contribute to the condition.
- They also recommend making lifestyle changes that can significantly improve your health.
- Treatment includes:
  - Avoiding alcohol.
  - Losing weight.
  - Taking medications to manage diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides (fat in the blood).
  - Taking vitamin E

PREVENTION

How can fatty liver disease be prevented?

The best way to avoid it is to do the things that maintain overall health:
- Stay at a healthy weight. If you have overweight/obesity, lose weight gradually.
- Exercise regularly.
- Limit your alcohol consumption.
- Take medications as prescribed.

OUTLOOK / PROGNOSIS

Can fatty liver disease be reversed?

The liver has an amazing ability to repair itself.
- If you avoid alcohol or lose weight, it’s possible to reduce liver fat and inflammation and reverse early liver damage.

Will fatty liver disease kill you?

Fatty liver disease doesn’t cause major problems for most people.
- However, it can turn into a more serious problem if it progresses into cirrhosis of the liver.
- Untreated cirrhosis of the liver eventually leads to liver failure or liver cancer.
- Your liver is an organ you can’t live without.

What is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a buildup of fat in the liver.
- It is a common condition.
- NAFLD can be harmless, but sometimes it may cause the liver to swell.
- Over time, this swelling can cause scarring in your liver (cirrhosis).
- The more scarring your liver has, the worse it functions.

Symptoms of NALFD?

Many people do not have any symptoms of NAFLD.
- If you have NAFLD, you may feel fullness or pain in the middle or upper right side of the abdomen.
- You may feel extremely tired.
- Your belly may be swollen.
- You may have yellowing of your skin and eyes.
If your NAFLD has progressed to cirrhosis, you may have more serious symptoms
- including fluid retention,
- internal bleeding,
- and mental confusion.

What causes NAFLD?

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes NAFLD.
- They do know that NAFLD is linked to insulin resistance.
- Insulin resistance is when your body doesn’t respond well to insulin.
- This makes it more difficult for your body to regulate blood sugar.
- It is not caused by drinking alcohol.

How is NAFLD diagnosed?

To diagnose NAFLD, your doctor may check your blood and order a scan of your liver.
- If your doctor thinks you may have a more severe liver disease,
  - you may need a liver biopsy.
  - In this procedure, your doctor inserts a needle through your skin and removes a small piece of tissue from your liver.
  - This tissue is looked at under a microscope to check for signs of severe liver disease.

Can NAFLD be prevented or avoided?

A wide range of things can increase your risk of NAFLD,
- including certain medicines
  - and genetic disorders.
- The most common risk factors for NAFLD are
  - obesity,
  - diabetes,
  - and high cholesterol levels.

NAFLD treatment

People who have NAFLD usually do not need treatment.
- The most important thing is to focus on what has caused your NAFLD.
- Losing weight gradually (1 to 2 pounds per week) may reduce the amount of fat in your liver.
- However, losing weight quickly may make NAFLD worse.
- Ask your doctor for advice on how to lose weight in a safe and healthy way.
- If your cholesterol and blood sugar levels are high, your doctor may give you medicine to lower them.
- If a medicine you take is causing your NAFLD, your doctor may consider switching you to a different medicine.

Living with NAFLD

For most people, NAFLD is harmless and does not cause serious health problems.
- NAFLD usually does not affect how well the liver works.
  - However, in rare cases, NAFLD may stop the liver from working as it should.
  - No one can tell for sure who will have liver problems from NAFLD.
  - It is more likely to happen in people who have diabetes or who are very overweight.

credit: clevelandclinic.org

Neha Maan, The Entrepreneurial Hour

June 29, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Neha Maan, The Entrepreneurial Hour

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 676)

Neha Maan, Editor at Large for The Entrepreneurial Hour based at Tech Alpharetta, joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. Neha talked about The Entrepreneurial Hour, how she got involved, their LinkedIn newsletter Startup Insights, how the group works, Neha’s plans moving forward as she begins her college career, and more.

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

The Entrepreneurial Hour (T.E.H.) is a “pay it forward” organization focused on helping entrepreneurs and startups succeed. The Entrepreneurial Hour holds weekly meetings where one founder/startup presents to a group of seasoned business leaders who offer friendly but candid advice.

They offer practical feedback and a safe place to practice your pitch for a friendly community, present your company, build awareness, think through a challenge you’re facing, and be able to a get fresh perspective on an issue.

They also have a LinkedIn newsletter available called Startup Insights.

Website| LinkedIn

Neha Maan, Editor at Large, The Entrepreneurial Hour

Neha Maan is Editor at Large for The Entrepreneurial Hour and a freshman at Northeastern University.

Since she was a young girl, she has looked up to her parents and am awed at their incredible journey of setting up and running their own business. From being in a conference over the phone to meeting with employees, she has seen her parents do it all, right from the beginning.

With this everlasting impression and excellence in my academics and community, Neha hopes to develop a career in finance.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

What is The Entrepreneurial Hour?
Neha’s story and her role at TEH
Startup Insights
Neha’s plans

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, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

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.

Since 2000, Office Angels® has been restoring joy to the life of small business owners, enabling them to focus on what they do best. At the same time, we honor and support at-home experts who wish to continue working on an as-needed basis. Not a temp firm or a placement service, Office Angels matches a business owner’s support needs with Angels who have the talent and experience necessary to handle work that is essential to creating and maintaining a successful small business. Need help with administrative tasks, bookkeeping, marketing, presentations, workshops, speaking engagements, and more? Visit us at https://officeangels.us/.

John Hipes, Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC, and Councilman, City of Alpharetta

June 27, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

John Hipes, Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC, and Councilman, City of Alpharetta

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 675)

John Hipes, attorney and owner of Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC, was the guest on this episode of North Fulton Business Radio. He and host John Ray talked about the firm and its evolution, how he prepares clients for litigation, legal success stories, why he serves on the Alpharetta City Council, what makes Alpharetta such a superb place to work, live, and play, and much more.

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

Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC

Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC provides expert legal assistance, advice, and representation to businesses of all sizes.

Their attorneys have the experience, knowledge and judgment to handle your legal matters and protect your company’s interests to the fullest extent of the law. They have highly skilled, ethical and successful negotiators, courtroom litigators, real-estate experts and business advisors who provide prompt, aggressive and reasonably priced legal services.

When a complex legal question demands knowledge and experience in several areas, Hipes & Belle Isle offers single-source convenience by providing legal services in:

Business Litigation
Commercial Real Estate Law
Construction Law
Employment Law
Insurance Law

At Hipes & Belle Isle, they are also proud of their success and standing within the legal, professional and civic communities. They look forward to even greater achievements as they meet and address the legal challenges of our rapidly evolving society, but most importantly we look forward to serving you with experience, expertise and integrity.

Website| LinkedIn | Facebook| Twitter

John Hipes, Attorney and Owner, Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC

John Hipes is from Muncie, Indiana. He received his B.A. cum laude from Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) in 1981 and his J.D. magna cum laude from Georgia State College of Law (Atlanta) in 1988, where he served as senior editor for the Georgia State University Law Review. He authored Abusive Litigation in Georgia, Georgia State Univ. L. Rev., Vol. 3, 1987.

John has practiced law for 33 years. He began his law practice in 1988 with Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP and then with Morris, Manning & Martin (both in Atlanta) before forming Hipes & Norton, P.C. (Alpharetta) in 1996. In 2004, John helped to form Bach, Dewberry & Hipes, LLC (Alpharetta). In 2013, John founded Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC.

John practices commercial litigation, including insurance coverage and interpretation, construction, real estate, employment, partnership and shareholder disputes, and tort and injury law. He has successfully resolved and tried numerous lawsuits on behalf of residential and commercial policyholders, including issues involving bad faith, unfair claims practices, fraud, arson, theft, cancellation procedures, protective safeguard endorsements, and coverage interpretation.

John is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. He is admitted to practice in all Georgia courts, including State and Superior, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Georgia Supreme Court. He is also admitted in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia and the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. John is a Past-President of the North Fulton Bar Association for 2011-2012.

John is an Alpharetta City Councilman and liaison to the Alpharetta Public Safety Department and the Alpharetta Municipal Court. He has been an active member of the Rotary Club of Alpharetta since 1997, served as President in 2008-2009, and was founder of the Alpharetta Memorial Day Tribute. He serves on the boards of North Fulton Community Charities and the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation. John previously served on the Alpharetta Planning Commission, the Board and Executive Committee of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of the Ed Isakson Alpharetta YMCA. He is a member of the Leadership North Fulton Class of 2000, Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, and Alpharetta Business Association.

John is an active member of the Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. He has participated in many humanitarian and mission trips to Africa, Central and South America with Rotary and AFUMC. John resides in Alpharetta with his wife Karen.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Overview of Hipes & Belle Isle legal practice
Legal success stories
Community involvement
Why Alpharetta is a great place to operate a business
What’s happening in Alpharetta and what lies ahead

Fractional Consulting for Small Businesses, with Robert Burke, Sobo

June 26, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Fractional Consulting for Small Businesses, with Robert Burke, Sobo

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 674)

Robert Burke, Founder and CEO of Sobo, was the guest on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. He and host John Ray discussed Sobo’s new product platform which facilitates the ability of small and medium sized businesses to access quality consultants. They talked about challenges business owners are experiencing, how Sobo got started, how the company is leveraging AI to democratize the consulting industry, how fractional consulting can serve these businesses, and much more.

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

The team at Sobo knows what it’s like to spend countless hours on advisors who ultimately ghost you, or to burn resources on consultants who are not aligned with your company’s culture.

They built something to change consulting for business leaders. No more guesswork. No more DIY-ing. Just results.

Sobo connects companies with the top 1% of fractional advisors so that you can level up and move your business forward.

Sobo was born in 2009 when Robert Burke launched Sobo Networks, an IT Managed Services Provider, in Atlanta. He imagined Sobo becoming a “Deloitte for Small Business.”

In 2015, the name was changed to Sobo, and became a multifaceted management consulting firm for small and mid-size business. In 2023 they will launch the Sobo Platform to realize Robert’s goal.

Website| LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

Robert Burke, Founder & CEO, Sobo

Robert Burke is the Founder & CEO of Sobo, an AI-powered fractional consultant platform built for small to mid-sized companies.

Robert has over fifteen years of experience building and leading an IT and management consulting firm, having founded the precursor to Sobo in 2008.

A Florida native, he currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

How fractional consulting saves time and money for businesses looking to improve
How fractional consulting can help small business owners compete with larger corporations
Leveraging AI to accelerate the consulting process from months to virtually instantly
How they’re democratizing the consulting industry by using AI and people-first approach
The importance of working on rather than in the business
The areas that small businesses struggle with the most when starting out and scaling

Meet Bryan Fuller from Fuller Moto, Host of Car Fix and Caffeine and Octane

June 23, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Meet Bryan Fuller from Fuller Moto, Host of Car Fix and Caffeine and Octane

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Meet Bryan Fuller from Fuller Moto, Host of Car Fix and Caffeine and Octane (Organization Conversation, Episode 55)

Bryan Fuller, Owner of Fuller Moto and host of the shows Caffeine and Octane and Car Fix, joined the show to talk about his work and upcoming projects. He talked with host Richard Grove, Stephanie from Uncommon Outpost and Adam Lazy Guy DIY about his shop, which is next door to Wall Control, the shows he hosts, new projects coming up, including Fuller Moto’s 2oth Anniversary Celebration, and much more.

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

Fuller Moto

Fuller Moto is a leading automotive and motorcycle design and customization shop that inspires, educates, and entertains those with a creative spirit, a do-it-yourself attitude, and a passion for anything on wheels.

We seek to share the interests, the attitudes, and the way of life of the unique automotive and moto community. The products we sell, the content and the stories we create, the people and places we share, all reflect and promote this culture.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Bryan Fuller, Founder, Fuller Moto

Incredibly passionate about his craft and making dreams come to life, Bryan created Fuller Moto as the ultimate toy shop and place to truly experience life to the full(er). Bryan is a Master Builder, Designer, TV Personality and Author. Bryan realized his passion for cars as an eighth grader while helping his dad rebuild a 1965 Ford Mustang.

In High School he built two cars of his own, including a souped-up 1930 Ford Model A with a Chevy 327 V8 engine. At the time he considered building cars just a hobby and went on to college, earning a biology degree with the hopes of becoming a chiropractor. However, the unforeseen death of his father while at the early age of 20 changed all that. Bryan grew determined not to waste his life doing something he didn’t absolutely love and instead set out to make his passion his career.

After graduating from University of North Texas, Bryan enrolled at Wyoming Technical Institute where he learned advanced technical skills that helped shape him into the fabricator he is today. Drawn in by the west-coast car culture, after school Bryan moved to California and began a two-year apprenticeship with So-Cal Speed Shop.

While working for Foose, Fuller helped the team win the Riddler Award for Best Car in Show at the Detroit Autorama in 2003 and 2005. Bryan also began his TV career at that time, with appearances on 10 episodes of “Overhaulin’” and several episodes of “Rides”.

In 2005, Bryan decided to set up his own shop and moved to downtown Atlanta, where his wife had family. Having been born in Jacksonville, Texas, Bryan stayed true to his roots, naming his first Atlanta based build the “Texas T”. That year, he competed and placed 4th place overall at the AMD World Championship of Bike Building for Freestyle. He then won the coveted GM Design Award in 2010 at The SEMA Car Show with the “Impaler” and the 2013 Birmingham World of Wheels Best in Show with a one-of-a-kind Cadillac hearse, named the “Thundertaker.” During this time, Bryan continued his TV career as host of “Two Guys Garage” and made several appearances designing and competing with his own designs on episodes of “Biker Build-off” and “Cafe Racer TV”. Bryan also hosted “Naked Speed” on the Velocity Channel, a show dedicated to the design, build and ride of unique custom motorcycles. In 2003, he was hired by renowned artist, designer and fabricator, Chip Foose.

He is currently host of “Car Fix” on the MotorTrend network, the ultimate “how-to” series. He also hosts the TV series “Caffeine and Octane”, which highlights the culture and community of the largest monthly gathering of auto enthusiasts in the USA. This TV Series is currently in its sixth season. In addition, Bryan is the co-author of a series of how-to-build books, “Full-Bore Welding” and “Full-Bore Sheet Metal” published by his own publishing company, Full-Bore Publishing. Alongside his writing partner, Mark Prosser, Bryan also shares tips and tricks via videos and workshops throughout the country. Bryan and the Fuller Moto team specialize in unique custom car and motorcycle builds.

About Organization Conversation

Organization Conversation is hosted by Richard Grove 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, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Richard Grove, Wall Control

Richard Grove, Host, *Organization Conversation*

Richard Grove‘s background is in engineering but what he enjoys most is brand building through relationships and creative marketing. Richard began his career with the Department of Defense as an engineer on the C-5 Galaxy Engineering Team based out of Warner Robins. While Richard found this experience both rewarding and fulfilling, he always knew deep down that he wanted to return to the small family business that originally triggered his interest in engineering.

Richard came to work for the family business, Dekalb Tool & Die, in 2008 as a Mechanical Engineer. At the time Wall Control was little more than a small ‘side hustle’ for Dekalb Tool & Die to try to produce some incremental income. There were no “Wall Control” employees, just a small warehouse with a single tool and die maker that would double as an “order fulfillment associate” on the occasion that the original WallControl.com website, which Richard’s grandmother built, pulled in an order.

In 2008, it became apparent that for the family business to survive they were going to have to produce their own branded product at scale to ensure jobs remained in-house and for the business to continue to move forward. Richard then turned his attention from tool and die to Wall Control to attempt this necessary pivot and his story with Wall Control began. Since that time, Richard has led Wall Control to significant growth while navigating two recessions.

Outside of Richard’s work at Wall Control he enjoys helping other business owners, operators, and entrepreneurs along their own paths to success by offering personal business coaching and advising through his website ConsultantSmallBusiness.com. Richard has developed an expansive and unique skillset growing and scaling Wall Control through a multitude of challenges to the successful brand and company it is today. Richard is happy to share his knowledge and experience with others who are looking to do the same within their own businesses.

Connect with Richard:

Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Richard’s Website

About Wall Control

The Wall Control story began in 1968 in a small tool & die shop just outside Atlanta, Georgia. The first of three generations began their work in building a family-based US manufacturer with little more than hard work and the American Dream.

Over the past 50+ years, this family business has continued to grow and expand from what was once a small tool & die shop into an award-winning US manufacturer of products ranging from automobile components to satellite panels and now, the best wall-mounted tool storage system available today, Wall Control.

The Wall Control brand launched in 2003 and is a family-owned and operated business that not only produces a high-quality American Made product but sees the entire design, production, and distribution process happen under their own roof in Tucker, Georgia. Under that same roof, three generations of American Manufacturing are still hard at work creating the best tool storage products available today.

Connect with Wall Control:

Company website | Facebook | Instagram

Davis Butler, BUTLER | MERSEREAU

June 21, 2023 by John Ray

Business Beat

Davis Butler, BUTLER | MERSEREAU

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Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat: Davis Butler, BUTLER | MERSEREAU

Davis Butler, Managing Partner at BUTLER | MESEREAU, joined Roger Lusby to chat about the work his firm does for small businesses and other organizations. Davis discussed his work in healthcare, specifically physician practices, the changing healthcare industry landscape, and advice for practices preparing for an exit. Davis also talked about his previous work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), effecting change in sports organizations to protect athletes from abuse, his work in name, image, and likeness issues (NIL), and much more.

Business Beat is presented by Alpharetta CPA firm Frazier & Deeter and is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®

BUTLER | MERSEREAU LLP

BUTLER | MERSEREAU is a boutique corporate and trusts and estates law firm with offices in Atlanta and Jacksonville. The firm was founded in 2014 by B. Davis Butler and another partner, who began their practices at Alston & Bird, a large law firm based in Atlanta. Adam G. Mersereau, who started his practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge, now Dentons US, joined the firm as a partner in 2017.

The firm was created with the goal of providing outstanding legal services to a special group of clients looking for great value from its lawyers. Their lawyers are former big-firm lawyers and general counsel with a strong commitment to providing the highest possible quality of legal services and personalized care to every client regardless of its size. They are trusted advisors, creative problem solvers, excellent drafters, and thoughtful risk takers.

Together, their attorneys are licensed to practice in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina.

Company website | LinkedIn

Davis Butler, Managing Partner, BUTLER | MERSEREAU

Davis Butler began his legal career in 1992 as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert B. Propst in the Northern District of Alabama. In 1993, he joined the practice of Alston & Bird LLP (A&B), a large firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, as a healthcare/medical product liability litigator. After two successful jury trials, Davis joined A&B’s healthcare mergers, acquisitions, and securities team.

After years as a corporate transactional lawyer at several firms, Davis joined the International Olympic Committee (IOC) staff to manage and negotiate international partnership deals as part of the world’s largest sports sponsorship program – the IOC’s TOP Programme. Davis spent ten years at the IOC in a joint business and legal role (as Senior VP of Marketing Development) with offices in Atlanta and Lausanne, Switzerland. During this time, Davis negotiated and managed partnership transactions on behalf of Olympic parties valued at just under US$9 billion. He has negotiated and drafted sponsorship, broadcast rights, license, supply, acquisition, representation, and service agreements on behalf of sport properties around the world. He also has managed intellectual property issues around the world, and he has represented the IOC twice before the European Commission in Brussels on matters relating to antitrust issues in international sport sponsorship arrangements. While at the IOC, Davis did business in thirty nine countries, and he managed a team of lawyers overseeing Olympic marketing rights agreements in over 190 countries.

Davis left the IOC in 2010 to become a founding partner in Encompass International Network, LLC, an international sports marketing and legal network comprised of Olympic experts from North America, Europe, and Asia. At that time, Davis also re-entered the private practice of law, and he now represents a variety of corporate entities (especially in the healthcare, marketing, and sport industries) in mergers, acquisitions, private securities offerings, and general corporate matters. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Georgia, and he is an owner of a variety of sport and healthcare businesses. He has started nine different for profit and non-profit businesses giving him special insight into the issues facing start-ups and early-stage companies.

He attended Vanderbilt University and graduated with honors in 1988. He received his law degree in 1992 from the University of Alabama School of Law where he was a Junior and Senior Editor of the Alabama Law Review.

Davis is currently licensed to practice law in Georgia and Alabama.

Frazier & Deeter

The Alpharetta office of Frazier & Deeter is home to a thriving CPA tax practice, a growing advisory practice and an Employee Benefit Plan Services group. CPAs and advisors in the Frazier & Deeter Alpharetta office serve clients across North Georgia and around the country with services such as personal tax planning, estate planning, business tax planning, business tax compliance, state and local tax planning, financial statement reviews, financial statement audits, employee benefit plan audits, internal audit outsourcing, cyber security, data privacy, SOX and other regulatory compliance, mergers, and acquisitions and more. Alpharetta CPAs serve clients ranging from business owners and executives to large corporations.

Roger Lusby, host of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat, is an Alpharetta CPA and Alpharetta Office Managing Partner for Frazier & Deeter. He is also a member of the Tax Department in charge of coordinating tax and accounting services for our clientele. His responsibilities include a review of a variety of tax returns with an emphasis in the individual, estate, and corporate areas. Client assistance is also provided in the areas of financial planning, executive compensation and stock option planning, estate and succession planning, international planning (FBAR, SFOP), health care, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and service companies.

You can find Frazier & Deeter on social media:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

An episode archive of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat can be found here.

Inga Cavitt, Authenticity Strategist

June 21, 2023 by John Ray

Hello, Self . . .

Inga Cavitt, Authenticity Strategist

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Inga Cavitt, Authenticity Strategist (Hello, Self… Episode 22)

Inga Cavitt, former engineer turned entrepreneur and Authenticity Coach, was the guest on this episode of Hello, Self… She shared with host Patricia Leonard how she transitioned out of a corporate career into her own business, the transferrable skills, her approach to coaching, the importance of building authentic connections, the benefits she sees in social media, why she developed her Savvy Survey System, and much more.

You can find Inga’s Savvy Survey System here.

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

Inga Cavitt, Authenticity Strategist

Inga worked as a mechanical engineer in chemical plants for over 20 years. She left her engineering career to follow her entrepreneurial spirit. She now pursues her life dream following faith, family, freedom, flexibility, and fitness.

Inga works with female home based business owners without an upline. While building her home-based business, she found two key success factors: mindset and consistency. The six inches between our ears controls everything. So, mindset and consistency can either propel you to reaching or not reaching your goals.

She serves women via her online courses and coaching programs to get more YES so they can go to the bank more often. Inga is a 4X Top National Seller. 2X free car earner. And she is in the top 5% of her affiliate company.

Inga coaches with a three pillar approach to boost confidence, so you can eliminate feeling like an imposter. She loves to help her clients elevate their confidence via appearance, mindset, and consistency. She has helped thousands of professional women feel good about themselves via their appearance. When you look good… you feel good… so you can do more with God-given attributes.

Connect with Inga if you want to…
HUSTLE to overcome your fears.
GROW into the woman who walks out her dreams.
EXCEL to build a rock star home based business so you can bless others out of your abundance.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

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

Josh Roland, Centro Benefits Research

June 20, 2023 by John Ray

Dental Business Radio

Josh Roland, Centro Benefits Research

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Josh Roland, Centro Benefits Research (Dental Business Radio, Episode 45)

Host Patrick O’Rourke welcomed Josh Roland back to Dental Business Radio. Josh is Ancillary Consultant Market Leader with Centro Benefits Research and discussed with Patrick the need for ancillary benefits, disability plans, challenges faced by employers, brokers, and carriers, and much more.

Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient: PPO Negotiations & Analysis and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Centro Benefits Research

Centro is a wholesale employee benefits firm representing many of the top consulting firms in the United States.

With over 11,000 groups and managed premium exceeding $1.6Bn, Centro delivers unparalleled value to the industry stakeholders and the clients they serve.

Because of the volume of business, depth of data, and research analytics provided by Centro, carrier partners are better able to assess risk and make business decisions on behalf of the clients that utilize Centro’s platform.

Leveraging Centro can mean a significant difference for brokers in creating differentiation and competitive advantage in a rapidly changing and increasingly consolidated industry.

Company website | LinkedIn

Josh Roland, CLMS, VBS, GBDS, Ancillary Consultant Market Leader, Centro Benefits Research

Josh Roland is Ancillary Consultant Market Leader for Centro Benefits Research. He joined the firm earlier this year after several years with OneDigital.

Josh has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. He was previously a partner and ancillary benefits practice leader of a regional insurance brokerage, in addition to having a wealth of expertise and experience in sales and account management.

Josh received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Georgia. He is licensed to sell all group life and health in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Dental Business Radio covers the business side of dentistry. Host Patrick O’Rourke and his guests cover industry trends, insights, success stories, and more in this wide-ranging show. The show’s guests include successful doctors across the spectrum of dental practice providers, as well as trusted advisors and noted industry participants. Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. The show can be found on all the major podcast apps and a complete show archive is here.

Practice Quotient

Dental Business Radio is sponsored by Practice Quotient. Practice Quotient, Inc. serves as a bridge between the payor and provider communities. Their clients include general dentist and dental specialty practices across the nation of all sizes, from completely fee-for-service-only to active network participation with every dental plan possible. They work with independent practices, emerging multi-practice entities, and various large ownership entities in the dental space. Their PPO negotiations and analysis projects evaluate the merits of the various in-network participation contract options specific to your Practice’s patient acquisition strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.