Family Business Radio, Episode 4: Valencia and Ozzie Giles, Lawrenceville-Suwanee School of Music, Melissa Gunderson, Morsels by Melissa, and Bonnie Mauldin, The Mauldin Group
On this episode of “Family Business Radio,” host Anthony Chen welcomes Valencia and Ozzie Giles, owners of Lawrenceville-Suwanee School of Music, Melissa Gunderson, chef and owner of Morsels by Melissa, and Bonnie Mauldin, founder of The Mauldin Group. “Family Business Radio” is broadcast from the North Fulton Studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Valencia and Ozzie Giles, Lawrenceville-Suwanee School of Music
Valencia and Ozzie Giles own Lawrenceville-Suwanee School of Music, a top award-winning music school in Gwinnett County where instructors teach instrument lessons to over 650 students, ages 3 to adult, from the U.S. and abroad. Lessons include voice, piano, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, drums, clarinet, flute, greek instruments and more. More than 40 instructors teach classes in Early Childhood Music Development, Special Needs, Music Theory, and Art, all under one roof.
Valencia’s love of music took root when her father gave her a piano at age 7. The music school director graduated from Alabama A&M University with a double major in flute and piano. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association.
Ozzie, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Needs Education, and a Master’s in Counseling and Ministry, works with students with special needs.
The couple highlights how Lawerenceville-Suwanee School of Music provides loving structure and support to help students not only succeed in music, but in life down the road.
For more information visit the Lawerenceville-Suwanee School of Music website. Valencia Giles can be reached by email, or call 678-376-9800.
Melissa Gunderson, Morsels by Melissa
Melissa Gunderson is chef and owner of Morsels by Melissa where she provides full range menu items to clients including specialty cakes and sweets. Melissa’s expertise includes the planning and implementation of corporate and private parties and events, as well as wedding receptions and intimate dinners.
At a young age Melissa loved to cook and sing. She turned down culinary school to pursue a career in opera. As a “Full Lyric Soprano” she sang professionally for 10 years. While singing full time, she honed her cooking skills in New York City with some of the top caterers there. In the end, Melissa decided cooking was her true joy in life and decided to jump into the culinary world full time.
Melissa started her culinary career in New York City. In 1996, she worked as a private chef for Four Star Chef Works and The Pavilion Agency while catering for private clients of her own. In 2000, Melissa decided to move back to Atlanta, her hometown.
Melissa started as an event chef for Bold American upon her arrival in Atlanta. She also worked with Proof of the Pudding as catering manager/party chef and The Epicurean as sous chef. While working with these premiere catering companies, she began to build her own clientele, eventually starting her own catering company, Morsels by Melissa.
For more information visit the Morsels by Melissa website. Melissa Gunderson can be reached by email, or call 678-357-2349.
Bonnie Mauldin, The Mauldin Group
Bonnie Mauldin is founder of The Mauldin Group. Her agency specializes in serving small businesses with professional web design, internet marketing and business development training. Services also include social media management, Search Engine Optimization, Linkedin profile makeover, Pay-Per-Click Management and more. Her mission is to help companies become more profitable and expand their brand to new heights.
The Mauldin Group is ranked as a Top 10 SEO and PPC Agency in Atlanta by Expertise.com.
Bonnie serves on the Marketing Council at Gwinnett Technical College and as a Diplomat with the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Bonnie was named Business Person of Excellence this year, and has won Business of the Year by the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce.
She is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs become more profitable and expand their brand to new heights.
For more information visit The Mauldin Group website. Bonnie Mauldin can be reached by email, or call 678-846-2306.
Anthony Chen, Host of “Family Business Radio”
This show is sponsored and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. Securities and advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. (RAA), member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of RAA. 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.