Alpharetta Archives - Business RadioX ®

Jason Moccia on AI Agents for Business: What to Automate First

October 12, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Jason Moccia on AI Agents for Business: What to Automate First

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Jason Moccia, OneSpring, on AI Agents for Business, Token Costs, and Answer Engine Optimization (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 987)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes back Jason Moccia, CEO of OneSpring, for a practical conversation about AI agents for business with the hype stripped away. OneSpring is an Alpharetta-based AI strategy, product design, and development firm that started in 2005 as a human-centered design consultancy and has reshaped how it works and advises clients since AI arrived in 2022. Jason last joined the show in 2019.

Jason explains why most business owners underestimate what current AI models can do, why context is the best defense against hallucinations, and how token costs are pushing companies past experimentation toward measurable return. He describes Hermes, an open-source agent harness he spent a month training like a new employee, which has since created 26 agents to handle tasks from website updates to email checks and reminders. His test for what to automate first is simple: pick workflows with high value and low risk, and keep a person approving anything that leaves the building, such as an outgoing email.

Jason also shares how OneSpring built COI Dash, a certificate of insurance compliance platform, in about 60 days using AI for the design, code, and integration, and why websites now have to work for AI agents shopping on a customer’s behalf along with the people who visit them.

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

Key Takeaways from This Episode

AI agents for business are pieces of code that complete a defined series of tasks, like checking email at 8:00 each morning and sorting leads from spam, and they are only as useful as the access and context they are given.
Start with one or two workflows that are high value and low risk, automate part of the work, and keep a person in the loop for riskier steps such as sending emails or answering invoice questions.
Token costs can accumulate quickly. Two people can reach the same goal at very different costs depending on how they prompt, and simple tasks rarely need the most expensive frontier model.
When an agent searches for a business on a customer’s behalf, it reads the website for specifics like price and location and moves on if they are missing, which makes answer engine optimization (AEO) a new priority.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Jason Moccia
02:04 OneSpring’s roots in human-centered design and how AI changed the business
04:58 The biggest misunderstanding: not thinking big enough about what AI can do
06:52 Hacking concerns, alignment, and why context prevents hallucinations
10:28 Moving from experimentation to value and controlling token costs
14:39 AI-driven layoffs, reskilling, and orchestrating multiple agents
21:27 What an AI agent is and the 26 agents Jason’s Hermes setup created
24:50 Designing websites for AI agents and answer engine optimization (AEO)
28:28 Building trust in AI and choosing high-value, low-risk workflows to automate
31:16 Training an agent like a new employee and setting guardrails
33:14 Why Jason never leads with technology in a first client conversation
36:49 COI Dash, an AI-built certificate of insurance platform, launched in about 60 days
40:38 How to connect with Jason and OneSpring

Jason Moccia, CEO, OneSpring

Jason Moccia is the CEO of OneSpring and an AI strategy and product advisor. He helps business leaders turn complex technology decisions into practical plans, useful products, and better customer experiences. His work connects business strategy, design, and development, with a focus on helping organizations move beyond AI experimentation to real business value.

OneSpring

OneSpring is an AI strategy, product design, and development firm that helps organizations modernize applications and business processes. The company works with leaders to identify where AI can make a meaningful difference, design and build the right solutions, and help teams adopt them. OneSpring combines strategic guidance with hands-on delivery, keeping business goals and the people using the technology at the center.

Website | LinkedIn

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

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

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

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

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

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Approaching 1,000 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Samuel Halpern on Finding Meaning in Work and Retirement

October 8, 2026 by John Ray

Samuel "Skip" Halpern, Author of Wellsprings of Work, on Finding Meaning in Work, the Drives Beneath the Surface, and Protecting "I" from AI (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 986) with host John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Samuel Halpern on Finding Meaning in Work and Retirement

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Samuel “Skip” Halpern, Author of Wellsprings of Work, on Finding Meaning in Work, the Drives Beneath the Surface, and Protecting “I” from AI (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 986)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Samuel “Skip” Halpern, author of Wellsprings of Work, for a conversation about finding meaning in work at any stage of life. Skip describes himself as a recovering lawyer. He began his career at the U.S. Department of Labor enforcing ERISA, the federal law governing how pension and employee benefit assets are invested, then moved to the investment advisory side of the same business and now serves as an expert witness in litigation over those investments. The second edition of his book, updated to address artificial intelligence and carrying a new subtitle, Surprising Sources of Meaning in Your Career and Retirement, went live on Amazon the day before this recording.

Skip explains the dozen psychological and spiritual drives he calls wellsprings through stories from his career. A saved voicemail from Warren Buffett, who wanted to buy a block of Kaiser Aluminum stock managed by Skip’s firm for retired steelworkers, turned out to be about the desire for respect and recognition, the same thing a waitress in Studs Terkel’s Working wanted from a rude customer. Advising the Chinese government on its upside-down pension demographics taught him the pull of connecting to something larger than yourself. And an exhausting due diligence effort on a fund that called Bernie Madoff its “highest conviction position” revealed how much motivation comes from competition and play.

The conversation closes with the new chapter Skip subtitled “Protecting I from AI.” He argues that misalignment, the lack of accountability in a chatbot’s apology, and the erosion of trust all threaten to cut people off from these wellsprings, and that the greater danger is humans becoming more like machines rather than the reverse.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Finding meaning in work begins with examining the underlying motivations that people often overlook, whether in a career, in retirement, or in volunteer work.
A saved voicemail from Warren Buffett and a waitress’s complaint in Studs Terkel’s Working point to the same wellspring: the desire for respect and recognition.
Tying work to something larger than yourself, as Skip did advising China on its pension crisis, can be a powerful motivator, and it can leave you both proud and humbled at once.
Competition and play are legitimate sources of meaning, as Skip learned during a due diligence fight over a fund that called Bernie Madoff its “highest conviction position.”
Skip’s new AI chapter warns that misalignment, hollow accountability, and eroding trust can cap these wellsprings and that the real risk is people becoming more like machines.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Samuel “Skip” Halpern
01:56 Skip’s background as a recovering lawyer, from ERISA litigation to investment advisory to expert witness
03:28 The second edition of Wellsprings of Work, updated for AI, released the day before
03:45 Enforcing ERISA at the Department of Labor and always being aligned with the workers
06:44 What to say to the cynical listener who finds no meaning in their current role
08:08 The Kaiser Aluminum bankruptcy, a block of stock managed for retired steelworkers, and a voicemail from Warren Buffett
10:26 The waitress in Studs Terkel’s Working and the shared drive for respect
11:12 Meaning as something you bring to even the most mundane job
12:09 Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, and meaning as something you create
13:04 Why some people find meaning in their work and their peers do not
15:06 Advising the Chinese government on its upside-down pension demographics
17:01 Tying your work to something larger than yourself
18:21 Two brushes with Bernie Madoff and the “highest conviction position”
20:06 Due diligence as a colossal intellectual arm wrestling match and competition as a wellspring
21:16 The new subtitle and why so much meaning in work is a surprise
22:39 “Protecting I from AI”: misalignment, accountability, and trust
25:24 The risk of humans becoming too much like machines
25:49 Who the book is for: new graduates, retirees, and everyone in mid-career
27:28 How to find the book and wellspringsofwork.com

Samuel “Skip” Halpern, Author and Sole Member, Prudent Expert, LLC

Samuel “Skip” Halpern has 50 years of experience over a career extending across institutional investing, law, and business.

After graduating from college at Brown University in 1972, he earned his law degree from the George Washington National Law Center in Washington, D.C. He next clerked for a federal District Court Judge in Washington and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He then began as a staff attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor, litigating cases across the nation under the then-newly enacted federal law regulating employee benefit plans in the private sector, ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act). Those cases revolved around the responsibilities of pension, 401k, and health fund fiduciaries to prudently invest fund assets solely in the interest of plan participants.

Halpern broadened his focus in 1986, when he and a business partner founded a niche investment firm to advise employee benefit plan fiduciaries across both the private and public sectors and to act as an “independent fiduciary” when the regular fiduciaries suffered conflicts of interest. They formed the firm as a subsidiary of Bear, Stearns & Co., which at the time was one of the 10 largest broker-dealers and investment banks on Wall St. Over subsequent decades, he became the firm’s president and also served a diverse set of clients, ranging from the Major League Baseball Players Pension and 401k Plans to the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, the public retirement systems of 25 states, and benefit plans of major corporations, including banks, airlines, and industrial companies across the U.S.

He and his partner bought the firm from Bear Stearns in 1996 and renamed it “Independent Fiduciary Services.” In 2011, after they sold IFS to a public company, he remained with the firm during a 3-year transition period and semi-retired in 2015.

Then began a third chapter in Halpern’s career: acting (part-time) as an expert witness in ERISA investment litigation. That has revolved around comparing the due diligence that ERISA fiduciaries have followed (or failed to follow) in making investment decisions with generally recognized practices. He also remains as an adviser to the National Hockey Players Association regarding the investment program of its defined benefit pension fund.

Wellsprings of Work

Upon his semi-retirement, Samuel Halpern reflected on his long and varied career, wondering why he found it so gratifying. The eventual result was the first edition (2022) of the book, Wellsprings of Work: Surprising Sources of Meaning and Motivation in Work. The book identifies a dozen psychological and spiritual drives, what Halpern calls “wellsprings,” that make work meaningful. Kirkus Reviews called it “…engaging and enlightening…an informed, perceptive reflection on fulfilling work…[by] a gifted storyteller.” “Wellsprings” has been used at Brown University, NYU (college and business school), and George Washington Law School and forms the core of seminars Halpern has taught at the Chautauqua Institution.

More recently, he has updated the book, published in September 2026, with the new subtitle, “Surprising Sources of Meaning in Your Career and Retirement.” The new edition adds an extended chapter that considers how artificial intelligence threatens to obscure the wellsprings of work, plus a toolkit for putting the book’s ideas into practice, and broadly defines “work” to include not only a career but also whatever other activities people pursue in their larger and later lives, including retirement.

Website

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Alpharetta Ice Cream Truck: Ron Bain on Alsies

October 7, 2026 by John Ray

Ron Bain, Alsies of Alpharetta, on Leaving Corporate to Run an Alpharetta Ice Cream Truck Franchise with App-Based Routes and Event Catering (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 985) with host John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Alpharetta Ice Cream Truck: Ron Bain on Alsies

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Ron Bain, Alsies of Alpharetta, on Leaving Corporate to Run an Alpharetta Ice Cream Truck Franchise with App-Based Routes and Event Catering (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 985)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Ron Bain, owner of Alsies of Alpharetta. The Alpharetta ice cream truck business serves neighborhoods, schools, and corporate events in Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek, and Forsyth County with prepackaged treats that range from Bomb Pops to gourmet ice cream sandwiches and artisanal popsicles. Ron spent three decades in corporate sales before becoming the first Alsies franchisee in Georgia.

Ron describes the franchise search that kept pulling him toward a concept he had ruled out, including the email passing on Alsies that he could not bring himself to send. He also explains how the Alsies app works like DoorDash for ice cream, with push notifications, live route tracking, and a stop button that sends a truck into the customer’s driveway with five minutes to pause the Netflix movie and come outside. Neighborhood routes double as marketing, since a family met on the street can turn into a corporate event or birthday party booking.

For corporate professionals thinking about their own exit, Ron offers frank advice on capital and patience, including the reality that an owner may draw no income for the first couple of years. He also shares his plans to grow to five or six trucks and position the business for a sale in about ten years.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

An Alpharetta ice cream truck can build its event business from its neighborhood routes, because the ambassadors selling on the street also promote birthday, school, and corporate bookings.
The Alsies app sends push notifications, shows the truck’s route, and lets customers press stop so the truck pulls into their driveway, which suits families who are streaming indoors and cannot hear the music.
Ron’s advice for leaving corporate is to confirm the capital to go a couple of years without drawing income from the business and to talk with other business owners before making the leap.
Prepackaged treats let a truck serve about 350 customers per hour, and for one large company event Alsies sent both trucks so employees spent their break enjoying a treat instead of standing in line.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Ron Bain
01:52 The Alsies menu, from SpongeBob and Bomb Pops to artisanal popsicles
02:40 Why parents react to the ice cream truck music more than kids do
03:10 Leaving corporate and the franchise search that kept pointing back to Alsies
06:11 Advice for corporate professionals thinking about owning a business
10:04 Why Alsies over other franchises, and the gap left by shaved ice companies
11:31 Why a clean, professional truck stands out from the mysterious ones
12:04 How the Alsies app works, from push notifications to the stop button
14:20 Neighborhood routes as marketing for events
15:10 Customer reception since launch
16:12 Why people buy ice cream they already have in the freezer
17:01 Classics and characters, gourmet sandwiches, and the “bougie ice cream truck” comment
18:22 Events for schools and corporations, and how one event leads to another
19:58 Serving 350 customers per hour with prepackaged treats
21:13 The territory: Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek, and Forsyth County
21:57 How routes are drawn around app downloads
23:01 Long-term goals: five or six trucks and a business ready to sell
24:38 How to book events and contact Alsies
25:41 John Ray thanks Ron and closes the interview

Ron Bain, Owner, Alsies of Alpharetta

Ron Bain’s corporate career moved him and his family seven times in six years, across five states. In 2008, they landed in Georgia and decided to make it home. After 30 years in corporate sales, Ron knew he wanted to do something different. He had an entrepreneurial “itch to scratch,” and small business ownership was calling.

In 2023, Ron and his wife, Michelle, launched Bar-B-Clean, serving customers with professional grill cleaning, repairs, assembly, and installations. Together they built the business and their team, with Michelle now running the day-to-day operation and earning the affectionate title of the “Bar B Queen.”

By early 2025, Ron was ready for another venture. The plan was to find a business in the outdoor living space that would complement Bar-B-Clean. What came next was anything but part of the plan.

While working with a franchise broker, Ron was very clear about what he didn’t want: no brick-and-mortar business and definitely nothing involving food. Then, among the opportunities presented to him, was a new concept for an ice cream truck called Alsies. It didn’t remotely fit into what he imagined.

“I kept trying to officially nix the idea of an ice cream truck business, but I just couldn’t,” Ron says.

At first glance, the idea seemed outdated. His family rarely saw ice cream trucks in their neighborhood, and when they did, the experience wasn’t exactly inviting. But the deeper Ron looked into Alsies, the more excited he became.

Alsies takes the nostalgia of the neighborhood ice cream truck and gives it a modern twist: a clean, professional, and, most importantly, FUN experience designed to bring people together and put smiles on faces.

Occasionally the best opportunities aren’t the ones that fit the plan. For Ron, the chance to build a business centered around happiness, fun, and community was simply too incredible to pass up.

After years in corporate America, Ron is learning firsthand what it takes to become a successful small business owner.

“It’s definitely not for everyone. You’ll work harder than you ever have, be forced to learn new skills, expand your network, and probably won’t make much money to start. I don’t think there’s any way to short-circuit the process. But I also don’t have days I dread anymore. I jump out of bed excited to build our businesses and form deeply rooted connections in our community.”

Alsies of Alpharetta

Alsies is reimagining the classic neighborhood ice cream truck for a new generation. Combining the nostalgia and excitement of hearing the ice cream truck coming down the street with modern technology, Alsies delivers a clean, professional, and FUN experience built around one simple idea: bringing happiness to your door.

Alsies trucks offer everything from the classic treats kids know and love to gourmet ice cream sandwiches, specialty treats, and dairy-free options. Through the Alsies mobile app, customers can track trucks in real time, receive notifications when a truck is nearby, view routes, and even request a truck to come to their location.

But Alsies is about more than ice cream. Alsies trucks bring people together at neighborhood stops, birthday parties, schools, fundraisers, corporate events, festivals, and community celebrations throughout the North Atlanta area.

Alsies believes that simple experiences create some of the best memories. Sometimes all it takes is an ice cream truck, a favorite treat, and a reason to smile.

Alsies: Happiness at Your Door.

Website

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

The Drake House Turns 20: A Leadership North Fulton Legacy

October 1, 2026 by John Ray

Kathy Swahn, David Hammond, and Nesha Mason, The Drake House, on How a Leadership North Fulton Class Project Became 20 Years of Housing for Single Mothers and Children (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 119)

North Fulton Studio

The Drake House Turns 20: A Leadership North Fulton Legacy

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Kathy Swahn, David Hammond, and Nesha Mason, The Drake House, on How a Leadership North Fulton Class Project Became 20 Years of Housing for Single Mothers and Children (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 119)

On this episode of the GNFCC 400 Insider, host Kali Boatright marks the 20th anniversary of The Drake House with two of its founders, Kathy Swahn and David Hammond, and current president Nesha Mason. The Roswell nonprofit, which provides housing and support for single mothers and their children experiencing homelessness, began as the service project of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership North Fulton class of 2004.

Kathy and David take listeners back to the class’s shelter site visits in Atlanta, where every agency explained that boys 12 and over go to the men’s shelter, away from their mothers. They describe how a class of 28 chose to build a single lasting organization, presented the plan to a packed Chamber meeting with about a dozen donors already on board, and worked with HomeAid Atlanta to rebuild a run-down 16-unit Roswell apartment complex down to the studs. The first family moved in during June 2006.

Nesha describes the organization today: 32 units, a fresh market, a sports court, and services for both mothers and children. She walks through the path from crisis housing to Drake Village transitional housing to a workforce housing pilot, shares that about 70 percent of the mothers served have some post-secondary education, and explains how student debt, eviction debt, childcare, healthcare, and transportation expenses now stack on top of housing. She also reports a success rate of about 80 percent or higher across the organization’s 20 years.

The conversation also considers what The Drake House shows about the Leadership North Fulton program, and David and Kathy each recall when they realized the organization had grown beyond the class that started it. Nesha explains how The Drake House works with a Professional Women’s Career Network of more than 300 alumni and invites listeners to become employer partners, serve as industry mentors, or donate to and shop at the Drake Closet boutiques in Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Alpharetta.

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

Key Takeaways from This Episode

The Drake House began as the service project of the Leadership North Fulton class of 2004, after shelter site visits showed that boys 12 and over were separated from their mothers.
The idea took hold with support from United Way and Fulton County data, backing from the Chamber, about a dozen early donors, and seven or eight classmates on the first board.
HomeAid Atlanta helped rebuild a run-down 16-unit Roswell apartment complex, and the first family moved in during June 2006.
Today The Drake House has 32 units, a fresh market, a sports court, and a continuum that runs from crisis housing to Drake Village transitional housing to a workforce housing pilot.
About 70 percent of the mothers served have some post-secondary education, and student debt, eviction debt, childcare, healthcare, and transportation expenses now accompany the need for housing.
The organization reports a success rate of about 80 percent or higher over 20 years and is refining its data collection this year.
David Hammond describes realizing in a board meeting that it was time to make space for other leaders.
Employers and professionals can help through employer partnerships, industry mentoring, career services, and the Drake Closet boutiques.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to the GNFCC 400 Insider and the 20th anniversary of The Drake House
01:24 Guest introductions: Kathy Swahn, David Hammond, and Nesha Mason
01:41 How the Leadership North Fulton class of 2004 discovered the problem
02:05 Shelter site visits and the separation of boys 12 and over from their mothers
04:35 Why the class chose one lasting project
06:30 The hardest parts of launching The Drake House
09:07 Why the work could not be finished between August and May
10:44 Classmates and partners who made the early work possible
13:23 Presenting to the Chamber and lining up the first donors
14:58 From the class of 2004 to the first family in 2006
16:02 Finding the 16-unit Roswell complex and rebuilding it to the studs
17:30 Nesha Mason on The Drake House today
19:54 From crisis housing to Drake Village and the workforce housing pilot
23:36 Higher education, student debt, and layers of debt among families served
25:07 An 80 percent success rate across 20 years
26:27 What The Drake House shows about Leadership North Fulton
29:36 When the founders realized the organization had outgrown the class
32:20 How listeners can help: employer partners, mentors, and career services
34:57 The Drake Closet resale boutiques
36:01 Looking ahead to the next 20 years and how to connect with The Drake House

Leadership North Fulton

Leadership North Fulton (LNF), now in its 38th year, has been the region’s signature leadership development program for more than 30 years. Pillars of the program include promoting community awareness, instilling civic responsibility, and building relationships. Participants engage civic leaders through program class days, and many alumni have gone on to serve on community nonprofit boards or as elected officials. Each year, graduating participants join the ranks of more than 500 LNF alumni.

The program includes an orientation, a two-day kickoff retreat, eight full-day class days, and a graduation luncheon. The curriculum covers North Fulton demographics, government and policy, economic development, education and talent development, health and wellness, and public safety and justice. LNF service projects continue to impact the region in a lasting way, including the founding of The Drake House in 2004, the Emerging Leaders Youth Program in 2009, and the North Metro Miracle League golf tournament, which began in 2005.

Website

The Drake House

The Drake House provides a short-term crisis and an affordable housing program for single mothers and their children experiencing homelessness in North Metro Atlanta. Their educational, empowerment, and mentoring programs assist families in becoming financially self-sufficient and contributing members of the community. The Drake House is the only agency in the area offering an emergency residential program, serving approximately 50 families with 100 children per year. The Drake House envisions a community where every family has the opportunity to recover quickly with dignity from their homeless situation.

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn

Kathy Swahn, Board Chair Emeritus and Retired Executive Director, The Drake House

Kathy has resided in the North Fulton area for almost 45 years. She has watched the community evolve from what was “unincorporated Fulton County” to a six-city bustling suburban community. Her history has been marked by a strong emphasis on children: she raised two daughters as a stay-at-home mother, held leadership positions in school PTAs and Girl Scouts, participated in the National Charity League and the North Fulton Council of PTAs, and held the position of chair of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council.

Kathy resumed her career by entering the nonprofit sector. She joined the team at North Fulton Community Charities, running their holiday program, becoming Development Director and successfully managing the $3 million capital campaign for their Elkins Road location. Along the way, she also served on the DFACS Board and chaired the board of the Fulton County Continuum of Care for four years.

After having the opportunity to join in the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, Kathy was surrounded with a dynamic group of folks who worked to create The Drake House. Since 2004, she served as board chair for the first four years and executive director for nine years and is now retired. Over those years, The Drake House served over 500 single mothers with over 1,000 children and grew the assets of the organization to over $4 million.

Kathy continues to serve The Drake House on the Advocacy Committee, along with her work for the North Fulton Improvement Network.

She spends much of her time traveling to the DC area, where her children and grandchildren reside.

David Hammond, President Emeritus, The Drake House

David Hammond is President Emeritus of The Drake House, which he helped found as a member of the Leadership North Fulton class of 2004. His roles with the organization have included founder’s group member, treasurer, and chair of the board, along with service on its Resource/Finance, Board Nomination, and Partner Recognition committees.

A Roswell native, David is a technology consulting and professional services executive. He served as president of Abel Solutions, an Atlanta-area IT consulting firm, from 2005 to 2025, leading its post-acquisition growth and earning 2021 Small Business of Excellence recognition from the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. He is now a professional services executive at Higher Power Consulting. David previously served on the board of the Technology Association of Georgia and holds a finance degree from Emory University.

Nesha Mason, President, The Drake House

Nesha Mason brings a diverse skill set with more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Nesha worked as an operations director in the private sector before transitioning to public service, serving as Mayor for the City of Abilene, Kansas. After her tenure as an elected official, Nesha served as program director for a county-wide nonprofit developing programs that united the medical and early childhood communities. Upon relocation to the Atlanta area in 2013, she served as a Fulton County educator and then transitioned to executive director of a statewide educational foundation focusing on unifying education and workforce development.

In her current role as President of The Drake House, Nesha Mason combines her leadership skills, educational expertise, and commitment to community welfare to lead and support initiatives that empower families and create lasting positive change. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded from housing and support to offering a comprehensive pathway from homelessness to stability. She has enhanced programming, upgraded facilities, and forged vital partnerships to create a community of support for families in need. Nesha also spearheaded the North Fulton Housing Collaborative, uniting nonprofits for greater impact. Her fiscal expertise has grown The Drake House’s budget by 78.5%, ensuring quality care and lasting change for vulnerable families.

About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider Podcast

Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) — **Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce**

The GNFCC 400 Insider is sponsored by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), and the host of the show is 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 1,400 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.

As a five-star accredited chamber, GNFCC’s vision is to be the premier organization driving member and community success across the region, and it is dedicated to pursuing this vision based on the guiding principles of advocacy, inclusivity, and operational excellence.

GNFCC promotes the interests of its 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, follow this link.

Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer: 2026 Preview

September 24, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer: 2026 Preview

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Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer and Renasant Bank on the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer 2026 (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 984)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes back Kristen Petillo, executive director, and Jason Porter, board chair, of the Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer (GAABC), along with Shelley Katzef of Renasant Bank, the presenting sponsor of the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer. The 24th annual walk takes place October 3 and 4, 2026, at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, where about 600 walkers and volunteers will cover anywhere from 10 to 30 miles.

Kristen explained how GAABC works through an alliance of vetted partner nonprofits, sending money raised in Georgia back into Georgia communities for mammograms, diagnostics, physical therapy, utility bills, and fertility preservation for young women. She shared the story of a survivor and former GAABC staff member whose spouse lost a job and the family’s medical benefits with it the day before a scheduled annual mammogram. The imaging center had a grant-funded program for survivors in exactly that situation, and the grant came from GAABC.

Jason, now in his 18th year with the organization, first got involved after losing his mother to breast cancer, and his wife was diagnosed last year. Shelley described Renasant’s third year as presenting sponsor, with the commercial lending, mortgage, and treasury teams joining the retail branches this year. After raising $68,000 against a $50,000 goal in 2025, she has set a personal stretch goal of $100,000.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

The 24th annual Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer is October 3 and 4, 2026, based at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, and it brings together about 600 walkers and volunteers.
Every dollar GAABC raises stays in Georgia, flowing through partner nonprofits to fund screenings, diagnostics, and practical help that keeps patients in their homes during treatment.
One in eight people will receive a breast cancer diagnosis, and 49% of uninsured women delay or go without care, which drives GAABC’s focus on prevention and access.
Renasant Bank has expanded participation across its North Georgia region this year, and Renasant customers can give through their banker’s link or QR code.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray opens the show and previews the 2026 walk
01:33 Kristen Petillo, Jason Porter, and Shelley Katzef join the conversation
02:12 GAABC’s mission and founding in 2002
02:48 Why every dollar raised stays in Georgia
03:56 Rural communities and the alliance model of partner nonprofits
06:04 Jason’s 18 years with GAABC and his family’s connection to breast cancer
07:03 How a diagnosis affects the entire family
08:47 A survivor’s mammogram, covered by GAABC grant funding
11:18 Survivorship, prevention, and access to care
12:09 The 24th annual Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer
13:38 The walk weekend as a healing community
14:49 Renasant Bank’s third year as presenting sponsor
17:13 Shelley’s $100,000 stretch goal
19:07 How Renasant customers can give, plus a local restaurant fundraiser on September 28
21:00 Corporate and volunteer support for GAABC
21:33 Nearly $21 million raised and details for October 3 and 4
22:47 Year-round ways to get involved
23:17 Closing thoughts and gratitude
24:19 Where to learn more

Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer (GAABC)

The Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that strives to support Georgia’s breast cancer community by raising funds to support breast health and breast cancer programs throughout the state.

In 2002, breast cancer survivor Randi Passoff founded GAABC. Inspired by the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk, Randi envisioned a gentler, more welcoming event and so launched the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer.

Rather than walking 60 miles over three days and camping out, participants now walk 30 miles across two days and stay in hotels. Best of all, every dollar raised here in Georgia stays in Georgia, supporting local survivors and initiatives.

The Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer is the organization’s premier fundraising event. Since 2002, the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer (formerly the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer) has raised nearly $21 million to fund grants that provide breast cancer education, screening, early detection, support services, and continuing care for Georgians in more than 100 counties.

The Georgia 5K Run for Breast Cancer is a family-friendly run/walk event that celebrates breast cancer patients and survivors while raising funds that help support programs serving Middle Georgia.

Connecting communities with the mission, the Celebrating Survivors Breakfast series allows breast cancer patients and survivors to enjoy a complimentary breakfast while exploring topics unique to their lives with the help of an expert panel.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Dennis LaRue on Leading by Influence, Not Rank

September 8, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Dennis LaRue on Leading by Influence, Not Rank

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Dennis LaRue, LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships, on Leading by Influence Instead of Rank or Title (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 982)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Dennis LaRue, founder of LDR, Leaders Develop Relationships, to discuss leading by influence, not rank, and closing the gap between good intentions and daily practice. Dennis is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who spent 23 years in leadership roles before turning what he calls his most-used military skill, coaching, into a full-time executive coaching practice.

Dennis explained that influence, more than rank or title, is what earns people’s trust and willingness to follow. He recalled supervisors during his military career who leaned on their title rather than genuine connection and how that left him searching for purpose in his own work. He shared his working definition of leadership: meet people where they are, love them for who they are, and don’t leave them there. He also described how he spells love for the people a leader serves, T-I-M-E, and closed with a story about a client once written off as toxic who instead asked for coaching, rebuilt trust with the team, and earned a promotion within six months.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Leading by influence, not rank, is what earns people’s trust and willingness to follow, a lesson Dennis learned watching supervisors lean on their title instead.
Dennis defines leadership in three moves: meet people where they are, value them for who they are, and help them grow.
Time is how leaders show people they matter, echoed in Dennis’s reminder that love is spelled T-I-M-E.
Coaching starts with listening rather than diagnosing, giving leaders a confidential space to examine, not just perform, their leadership.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Dennis LaRue
01:40 Dennis LaRue joins to discuss LDR, Leaders Develop Relationships
02:19 His 23-year Air Force career and the shift into coaching
03:50 How rank and title differ from real influence in leadership
06:27 Defining influence and what makes someone the go-to person on a team
08:11 Dennis’s definition of leadership: meet people where they are, love them, and don’t leave them there
10:08 Why the gap between good intentions and good leadership persists
13:12 How the drive for efficiency can crowd out leadership and connection
15:22 The challenge of investing time in people without it reading as favoritism
18:09 What experience has taught Dennis that a book can’t
20:06 How he spells love: T-I-M-E
21:09 What a genuinely developed leadership relationship looks like
23:35 Coaching leaders who feel too busy to build relationships
26:12 How he starts with a new client, and why coaching doesn’t diagnose
28:30 Breaking leadership problems down and starting with one relationship
31:04 Common symptoms he looks for: isolation, silence in the room, and talk of toxicity or micromanagement
33:12 A success story of restored trust and a saved career
35:10 How to connect with Dennis on LinkedIn and Steel Toes Required

Dennis LaRue, Founder, LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships

Dennis LaRue Jr. is an executive coach, leadership professor, speaker, and founder of LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships. An ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with more than 1,700 hours of coaching experience, Dennis helps executives and emerging senior leaders reconnect with their people, realign with their purpose, and become the leaders their teams deserve.

At the heart of Dennis’s work is a simple belief: leadership is about relationships. He challenges leaders to intentionally develop four relationships: their relationship with themselves, with the people they lead, with those who lead them, and with the Lord. His approach to developing people is equally straightforward: meet them where they are, love them for who they are, and help them grow.

Before launching LDR, Dennis served 23 years in the United States Air Force, where his leadership experience included high-stakes work involving Department of Defense and presidential budgets, congressional inquiries, and leading through significant organizational change. Today, he brings those experiences to his work with leaders and organizations navigating growth, trust, alignment, and the realities of leading people well.

Dennis serves as an adjunct professor/coach with the University of Denver and is a member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. He has coached and developed leaders across corporate, government, education, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial environments and has shared the stage with leadership expert John C. Maxwell.

He is also the writer of #STEELTOESREQUIRED, his weekly leadership newsletter read by executives and emerging senior leaders. Through his writing, speaking, teaching, and coaching, Dennis challenges leaders to examine what they accomplish, who they are becoming, and what their people experience because of their leadership.

For Dennis, leadership development is about becoming the person and leader God has called you to be and using that growth to help others become who they were created to be.

LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships

LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships is an executive coaching practice founded by Dennis LaRue that helps executives and emerging senior leaders build trust-based relationships with the people they lead. The firm’s approach centers on Dennis’s founding philosophy: meet people where they are, love them for who they are, and don’t leave them there. That philosophy extends into coaching, mastermind groups, keynote speaking, and workshops for corporate, government, education, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial organizations. Dennis also writes #STEELTOESREQUIRED, LDR’s weekly leadership newsletter for executives and emerging senior leaders.

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Carolyn Polakowski on Nonprofit Fundraising Strategies

August 19, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Carolyn Polakowski on Nonprofit Fundraising Strategies

00:00 /

Carolyn Polakowski, Cay Communications, on Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy, Grants, and Board Development (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 980)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Carolyn Polakowski, president and CEO of Cay Communications, LLC, a nonprofit consulting firm that works with organizations across Georgia on program development, board training, grant writing, and nonprofit fundraising strategy.

Carolyn talked about how crowded the nonprofit sector has become, pointing out that Georgia has more than 65,000 registered nonprofits and that the IRS receives roughly 300 new nonprofit applications from Georgians every month. She explained why she often steers people who want to start a new nonprofit toward volunteering with an existing organization doing similar work instead, and she walked through what a genuinely engaged board of directors looks like, down to giving members specific assignments rather than leaving them to guess what’s expected.

She also described how government grants work more like a reimbursable vendor contract than free money, since nonprofits have to spend the funds first and get paid back later, and she highlighted Revved Up Kids, a North Fulton organization that trains children to protect themselves from predators, as an example of a nonprofit that built a strong board and a fundraising plan it actually follows year after year.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

A strong nonprofit fundraising strategy blends individual giving, grants, and events, since donor dollars are stretched across more than 65,000 registered nonprofits in Georgia
A strong nonprofit board needs specific assignments and personal financial buy-in from its members, not just recognizable names on a letterhead
Government grants function as reimbursable vendor agreements, so nonprofits need cash flow and staff capacity to manage them properly
Revved Up Kids built its board and fundraising strategy around a clear annual plan, growing signature events like the Shamrock Shuffle over time

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 John Ray opens the show and introduces guest Carolyn Polakowski
02:00 Carolyn Polakowski introduces Cay Communications and its work with Georgia nonprofits
04:00 Current challenges facing nonprofits, including declining giving and government funding cuts
05:00 Georgia’s saturated nonprofit market and the flood of new nonprofit applications
06:00 Why Carolyn steers new nonprofit founders toward existing organizations instead
08:00 Running a nonprofit like a business, including diversifying funding and paying competitive wages
12:00 What makes a strong nonprofit board of directors
14:00 Setting specific expectations and assignments for board members
16:00 The shift from an all-volunteer team to paid staff with real experience
18:00 Diversifying revenue and the role of friendraisers
19:00 Government grants as a reimbursable vendor relationship, not free money
20:00 How competitive charitable foundation funding has become
23:00 How Cay Communications supports nonprofit leaders and staff
26:00 Signs a nonprofit needs outside help with fundraising and grants
28:00 A Revved Up Kids success story and the Shamrock Shuffle event
30:00 How to connect with Carolyn Polakowski and Cay Communications

Carolyn Polakowski, President & CEO, Cay Communications, LLC

Carolyn Polakowski is president and CEO of Cay Communications, LLC, a nonprofit consulting firm she launched in 2015. She brings 40 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including expertise in grant writing, fundraising strategy, board development, and public relations. Carolyn was part of the original team that built philanthropy programs for WebMD in the early days of the Internet, and she went on to serve as Foundation Director at Scottish Rite Children’s Medical Center, now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and to launch the Caring Foundation at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia. She spent a decade as Executive Director of the Fragile Kids Foundation, where she quadrupled the organization’s budget and the number of medically fragile children it served.

In 2015, Carolyn founded Cay Communications, LLC, to gather a team with expertise across the nonprofit sector and, in her words, light the way for great organizations to make a greater impact. The firm helps nonprofits with program development, board training, annual fundraising strategy, grant writing, and public relations, and its grant writing team alone brings a combined 75 years of experience to client work.

Carolyn is active in the community as a founding board member of Camp Trach Me Away and a supporter of organizations including Daniel’s Fight, Girl Power to Cure, and Camp Big Heart. She is a past president of the East Cobb Civitan Club and a member of the Georgia Grant Writing Association, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Professional Fundraisers. She has been nominated three times as East Cobb Citizen of the Year and was named an Atlanta Business Chronicle Healthcare Hero. Carolyn lives in Marietta, Georgia, with her husband Bill.

Cay Communications, LLC

Cay Communications, LLC, supports nonprofit organizations striving to expand on all fronts, increasing the level of donations, grants, volunteer manpower, and community visibility vital to a powerfully delivered mission. A team of seasoned grant writers, supported by prospect researchers continually identifying new funding sources, manages and grows grant revenues, allowing a client’s development team to focus fully on events, individual giving, and more.

Cay Communications provides strong fundraising and public relations strategies, as well as creative digital, social, and print media campaigns to position organizations for success in the competitive world of nonprofit marketing and fund development. The team is also trained in board development to help nonprofit leadership make the right moves to grow.

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Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Andrew Brummer on AI Oversight and Trust for CEOs

August 19, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Andrew Brummer on AI Oversight and Trust for CEOs

00:00 /

Andrew Brummer, Executive Coach and AI Architect, on Leading CEOs Through Trust and Change (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 979)

In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes back Andrew Brummer, known as The Business Polygraph, for an update on his work as COO of Industry Technologies (Armada), founder and CEO of My Story Told, and founder of The Ardunan Village. Since his previous appearance on the show, Andrew has expanded his focus to helping CEOs and boards navigate AI, people, and culture challenges, all while building his own portfolio of ventures.

Andrew talks about the value of the chaos he went through after his previous company began winding down, including what it taught him about self-awareness, trust, and knowing which relationships and forums are actually worth his time. He describes his “business polygraph” approach, short, honest engagements that help CEOs see what they cannot see on their own, and shares how My Story Told uses AI to help executives turn their own stories into books. Andrew closes by previewing his forthcoming book, I Decided.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Andrew Brummer now has multiple roles: COO of Industry Technologies (Armada), founder and CEO of My Story Told, and founder of The Ardunan Village, a practice built around what he calls the business polygraph.
His advisory engagements are intentionally short, often a day every other week for a few months, because his goal is to help a CEO see a blind spot rather than manage the business for them.
His “business polygraph” work centers on honest, judgment-free conversations that help CEOs and founders confront the real issue standing in their way, whether that is a co-founder problem or a lack of faith in their own product.
He coaches executives to treat AI as a thought partner rather than a search engine, and his company, My Story Told, uses AI to help clients turn their own stories into books.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray opens the show and welcomes back return guest Andrew Brummer
01:32 John Ray introduces Andrew Brummer, CEO of The Ardunan Village
01:57 The chaos of Andrew’s career pivot since his last appearance on the show
03:01 A look at how Andrew helps CEOs and boards navigate AI, people, and culture
04:15 Lessons from meeting thousands of executives over the past two years
06:20 How Andrew distilled his message and built credibility through his books
09:33 Why the chaos of his transition turned out to be valuable
13:02 A test for whether a group or forum is actually helping you grow
17:30 Helping leaders recognize chaos they cannot see in themselves
21:03 Why his clients are CEOs and boards, not other executives
25:22 Client success stories involving product strategy and a co-founder conflict
28:49 The “business polygraph” approach and how he engages with CEOs
30:06 His mission to plant seeds for trees he will never sit under
30:19 Contact information and a preview of his upcoming book, I Decided

Andrew Brummer, Interim Operator · AI Architect · Executive Coach, The Ardunan Village

Andrew lives by one principle: plant seeds that will grow trees he will never sit under. Over twenty-plus years and more than 100 clients, from pre-revenue through enterprise, on five continents, he has taken the seat rather than advised from beside it. His career runs through enterprise BPM and ITSM at OpenText, VP Americas at ICCM, six years leading Business Process and IT Service Management at Whitlock, and a decade in C-suite roles across technology, publishing, SaaS, and startups.

He has built board-level revenue and cash flow models, led three workforce reductions without breaking trust or culture, cut IP costs by ninety percent and held it for three years, and rebuilt an operating model from 42 to 114 people. He mentors founders through TiE Atlanta and Access Foundation, advises THG on go-to-market, and coaches executives through Ardunan.

The Ardunan Village

Ardunan is an executive advisory and interim operating practice. It puts an accountable operator inside the business, on a retainer, for a day a month, a day a week, or set days per week, never hourly, never a report handed over at the door. Alongside the operating work sits a set of instruments that measure what leaders usually argue about: owner dependency, leadership gap, AI readiness, board oversight and exit readiness. Each is scored, benchmarked, and written up as a document a board can act on.

Website | LinkedIn

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Maria Fundora Fights Pancreatic Cancer with Purple Pansies

August 14, 2026 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Maria Fundora Fights Pancreatic Cancer with Purple Pansies

00:00 /

Maria Fundora, Purple Pansies, on Pancreatic Cancer Support, Early Detection, and the Pillars of Hope Gala (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 978)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes back Maria Fundora, owner of Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant in Alpharetta and founder of Purple Pansies. Maria founded the nonprofit in 2008, a year after losing her mother, Iluminada, to pancreatic cancer. Purple Pansies is now closing in on $9 million raised for research, emergency financial grants, and a scholarship program for children of pancreatic cancer patients, the only program of its kind in the country.

Maria and John talk about why pancreatic cancer is so difficult to detect early, the financial toll it takes on families who suddenly cannot work during treatment, and the Sherron Berg Early Detection Pancreatic Cancer Program at Piedmont Hospital, a partnership between Purple Pansies, TGen, and Piedmont that Maria helped bring to life. She explains that catching the disease at stage zero or stage one can mean roughly an 80 percent survival rate, and she walks through the symptoms and risk factors families should watch for. This year the scholarship program received 41 applications and awarded 31 scholarships.

The conversation also covers this year’s Pillars of Hope gala, set for Sunday, September 13, 2026, at The Metropolitan Club in Alpharetta, built around a Four Seasons theme and catered by Maria’s restaurant, Casa Nuova. The event tends to sell out, and Maria shares how people can still get involved through volunteering, sponsorship, donations, or the silent auction.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Purple Pansies is closing in on $9 million raised to fight pancreatic cancer through research, emergency grants, and scholarships since 2008.
Emergency grants help patients cover rent, co-pays, and utilities when treatment leaves them unable to work.
This year the scholarship program for children of pancreatic cancer patients received 41 applications and awarded 31 scholarships.
The Sherron Berg Early Detection Pancreatic Cancer Program at Piedmont Hospital, built through a Purple Pansies partnership with TGen, offers a simple blood test that can catch pancreatic cancer at a far more treatable stage.
The Pillars of Hope gala takes place September 13, 2026, at The Metropolitan Club in Alpharetta, with volunteering, sponsorship, and the silent auction as ways to support the cause even if tickets sell out.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:20 John Ray introduces the show and previews the conversation with Maria Fundora
02:10 John Ray welcomes Maria Fundora to the show
02:35 Maria talks about Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant, approaching its 28th year
03:45 How losing her mother to pancreatic cancer in 2007 led Maria to start Purple Pansies in 2008
05:00 The three pillars of Purple Pansies: research, emergency grants, and scholarships
06:10 Why pancreatic cancer is hard to detect early and the financial strain it puts on families
07:00 How the emergency grant application and approval process works
09:40 The personal meaning behind the Pillars of Hope gala
11:15 The scholarship program for children of pancreatic cancer patients
12:00 This year’s scholarship numbers: 41 applicants, 31 awarded
13:40 The Sherron Berg Early Detection Pancreatic Cancer Program
15:00 Survival rates and why early detection matters
16:00 Risk factors and symptoms to watch for
17:15 How insurance coverage for testing can vary by hospital system
19:20 Ways to get involved: volunteering, donating, sponsoring, and the silent auction
21:00 This year’s Pillars of Hope theme, the Four Seasons
22:00 Event details for September 13, 2026, at The Metropolitan Club
23:40 Where to learn more: purplepansies.org

Maria Fundora, Founder, Purple Pansies

Maria Fundora is the owner of Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant in Alpharetta, which she and her late husband, Antonio, opened in 1998 after building a string of Atlanta restaurants together going back to the 1980s. Casa Nuova is approaching its 28th year in business.

In 2007, Maria lost her mother, Iluminada, to pancreatic cancer, and in 2008 she turned that loss into Purple Pansies, a volunteer-run nonprofit that became a 501(c)(3) in 2017.

Purple Pansies is now closing in on $9 million raised for pancreatic cancer research, patient grants, and scholarships. Maria is a returning guest on North Fulton Business Radio, coming back each year to share updates on the organization’s work.

Purple Pansies

Purple Pansies is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that Maria Fundora founded in 2008 after losing her mother to pancreatic cancer.

The organization funds three areas of work: clinical trials and research, emergency grants for patients across Georgia and the country who cannot work during treatment, and a scholarship program for children of pancreatic cancer patients, the only program of its kind in the country. This year the scholarship program received 41 applications and awarded 31 scholarships.

Purple Pansies helped bring TGen and Piedmont Hospital together to open the Schierenberg Early Detection Center, the only center of its kind in the Southeast, where a simple blood test can help catch pancreatic cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.

The organization’s signature fundraiser, the Pillars of Hope gala, is set for September 13, 2026, at The Metropolitan Club in Alpharetta.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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

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

Jason Moccia, OneSpring, on AI Agents for Business, Token Costs, and Answer Engine Optimization (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 987)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Jason Moccia, CEO, OneSpring

OneSpring

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Samuel “Skip” Halpern, Author of Wellsprings of Work, on Finding Meaning in Work, the Drives Beneath the Surface, and Protecting “I” from AI (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 986)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Samuel “Skip” Halpern, Author and Sole Member, Prudent Expert, LLC

Wellsprings of Work

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Ron Bain, Alsies of Alpharetta, on Leaving Corporate to Run an Alpharetta Ice Cream Truck Franchise with App-Based Routes and Event Catering (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 985)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Ron Bain, Owner, Alsies of Alpharetta

Alsies of Alpharetta

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Kathy Swahn, David Hammond, and Nesha Mason, The Drake House, on How a Leadership North Fulton Class Project Became 20 Years of Housing for Single Mothers and Children (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 119)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Leadership North Fulton

The Drake House

Kathy Swahn, Board Chair Emeritus and Retired Executive Director, The Drake House

David Hammond, President Emeritus, The Drake House

Nesha Mason, President, The Drake House

About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider Podcast

Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer and Renasant Bank on the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer 2026 (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 984)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer (GAABC)

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Dennis LaRue, LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships, on Leading by Influence Instead of Rank or Title (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 982)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Dennis LaRue, Founder, LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships

LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Carolyn Polakowski, Cay Communications, on Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy, Grants, and Board Development (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 980)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Carolyn Polakowski, President & CEO, Cay Communications, LLC

Cay Communications, LLC

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Andrew Brummer, Executive Coach and AI Architect, on Leading CEOs Through Trust and Change (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 979)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Andrew Brummer, Interim Operator · AI Architect · Executive Coach, The Ardunan Village

The Ardunan Village

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

Maria Fundora, Purple Pansies, on Pancreatic Cancer Support, Early Detection, and the Pillars of Hope Gala (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 978)

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Maria Fundora, Founder, Purple Pansies

Purple Pansies

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

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