Episode 4: Small Business, Big Goals

November 14, 2024 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

Episode 4: Small Business, Big Goals

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Building Big Goals with Joy Mitchell and Charbel Aoun: From Gwinnett Roots to Entrepreneurial Impact and Community Collaboration

Welcome to today’s episode of “The Voice of Business”, where we’re thrilled to have Joy Mitchell, CEO/Owner of Office Creations, and Charbel Aoun, Founding Executive Director of the Georgia First Generation Foundation, sharing their journeys and insights in a conversation led by Deirdra Cox, Executive Director of the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation.

Both proud Gwinnettians, Joy and Charbel dive into the highs and challenges of starting a business, the essential differences between sponsorship and mentorship, and how for-profit and non-profit organizations can work together to make a real impact. Plus, we’ll talk about the power of a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), find inspiration in Kung Fu Panda quotes, and hear what’s kept these leaders motivated as they turn their visions into reality. Tune in for an inspiring mix of grit, goals, and Gwinnett pride!

In this Episode:

Intro 00:00
What prompted Charbel to start his non-profit? 02:02
The Leap of Faith 05:45
Gotta Have A B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) 05:45
Breaking Barriers for Women in Business 07:58
Early Challenges in Starting a Business 11:27
Strategies for Business Growth & Partnerships 15:49
How to create an Impact as a for-profit business? 20:20
Advice for Others Starting their own Business 23:08
What does the future hold for business? 26:07
How can for-profits & non-profits partner together in 2025? 30:00

Resources & Links:

Joy Mitchell – LinkedIn

Office Creations Website

Re:Creations Website

Charbel Aoun – LinkedIn

Georgia First Gen Foundation Website

The “Gwinnett Chamber Voice of Business” Podcast is presented by Gwinnett Magazine and produced in partnership with Business RadioX. Hosted by President & CEO Nick Masino, this show features engaging fireside chats with prominent business leaders, offering invaluable insights into leadership, small business growth, economic development, and inclusive best practices in business.

Deirdra Cox, Founder & President of Community Sustainability Enterprise

October 29, 2021 by Mike

Celebrating Powerhouse Women

Deirdra Cox, Founder & President of Community Sustainability Enterprise

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Celebrating Powerhouse Women salutes and recognizes women who are making an impact, whether it’s in business, philanthropy, public service, or elsewhere.

Deirdra Cox/Community Sustainability Enterprise (CSE)

With over 36 years of community development and banking experience, Deirdra Cox, Founder and President of Community Sustainability Enterprise (CSE), leads the Georgia-based non-profit in their impactful regional community and economic development work. Deirdra has dedicated the past 14 years of her career focused on the development, implementation, and outcome management of innovative Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects that move the socioeconomic needle, through business development and community engagement, in urban and rural communities, while impacting the enterprise-wide bottom line, through strong community based strategic partnerships.

Deirdra’s uncanny knack to forge impactful cross collaborative partnerships that drive business and community development, has resulting in several large regional cross collaborative revenue producing partnerships that are impacting individual, family, small business, and corporate growth.

Deirdra is a well-respected pioneer in the banking industry’s CRA-Community Development landscape, and Corporate Social Responsibility arena. CSE has been named the 2021 recipient of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian of the Year Award, and she has been nominated for the Chamber’s Moxie Award two years in a row.

Celebrating Powerhouse Women is presented by

Jamie Hamilton with Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett, Deirdra Cox with Community Sustainability Enterprise and Scott Mawdesley with Corners Outreach

October 20, 2021 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

Jamie Hamilton with Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett, Deirdra Cox with Community Sustainability Enterprise and Scott Mawdesley with Corners Outreach

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Scott Mawdesley, Jamie Hamilton and Deirdre Cox

Jamie Hamilton/Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett

For more than 30 years, Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett has been helping to improve the lives of those with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities through a PreK-12 school and young adult day program. With a focus on providing the highest quality education and therapeutic services, nurturing and challenging each student on their own level, instilling a positive self-image and love for learning, and supporting parents in their quest for the best life for their child, they are making a difference in the lives of families in Gwinnett and surrounding counties.

Deirdra Cox/Community Sustainability Enterprise

Community Sustainability Enterprise (CSE) is a community & economic development focused 501c3, serving Gwinnett County and the Southeast region of the United States. Their vision is economic mobility and self-efficacy in families and communities of color, that produces thriving families, sustainable communities, and generational wealth transfer.

Scott Mawdesley/Corners Outreach

Corners Outreach exists to equip underserved students of color and their families to lead full lives through educational and economic development. Their vision includes one community where every person thrives no matter their color, status or background.

Kids Business Radio March 28th, Host Dirk Ebener with Global CIF, Deirdra Cox with 3D Community Development Enterprise, Kurinn Wright with iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs, Uriah Bullard with Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce – Buckhead Business Radio

March 28, 2015 by angishields

Buckhead Business Radio

Kids Business Radio March 28th, Host Dirk Ebener with Global CIF, Deirdra Cox with 3D Community Development Enterprise, Kurinn Wright with iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs, Uriah Bullard with Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce - Buckhead Business Radio

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Click Here to view show photos!!

Deidra Cox, Dirk Ebener, Kaylin Ebener, Kurinn Wright, Uriah Bullard

Kids Business Radio March 28th

Dirk Ebener/Kids Business Radio and Global CIF

Talk Show Host and CEO

Global CIF is an International Small Business Consulting firm that contributes to the success of our domestic and global clients by providing business processes and market specific consulting services to help their business to become even more successful.

Global CIF will focus on consulting with start-up companies and start-up trade shows to make their entry into the international market place successful. Companies are seeking specific hands-on solutions, training in a variety of business segments and cross cultural expertise. Today’s show we’re spotlighting a new “first to market” trade show event, the Kids Business Expo!

We offer solutions, strategies, global thinking, working beyond the box.

www.KidsBusinessRadio.com Linkedin Twitter

Click Here to view show photos!!

Deirdra Cox/3D Community Development Enterprise

Principal and Founder

3D Community Development Enterprises, LLC (3DCDE) partners with clients to identify and develop collaborative solutions that positively impact socio economic factors in communities. 3DCDE partners with bank CRA/Community Development leadership to identify and execute community development strategies that will produce “Satisfactory+” results on regulatory exams, while strengthening their bottom line lending and deposit numbers. 3DCDE also works closely with corporate giving officers within corporations to develop their annual corporate giving strategies. With a keen focus on Community Development through socio economic impact, 3DCDE consults non profit organizations in the areas of board of director capacity building, along with community development program development, and resource acquisition

– High impact CRA/Community Development practitioner with over 31 years of experience

– High energy community change agent in business and community partnerships

– Excellent written and verbal communication skills

– Business and community development visionary with ability to implement effective collaborative business strategies that increase enterprise profitability

– Impactful and engaging public speaker

– Effective development, implementation and management of corporate Community Development and Social Responsibility platforms

– Certified Life and Business Growth Coach

– Certified Ice House Entrepreneurship Facilitator

LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Kurinn Wright/iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs

Certified Life Coach and Business Success

Kurinn Wright, founder of KWrightCoaching, and co-founder of iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs has a background in higher education. She has been coaching for over nine years, with many of them dedicated to creating action plans for non-traditional college students. As a Business Success Strategist with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Human Resource Management, her expertise is in goal setting and strategic planning, conducting focus groups, developing training tools and job descriptions, professional development, motivational speaking, and mentoring youth and young adults. She has knowledge in developing and cultivating vendor relations, international correspondence, and building business relationships.

iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs provides aspiring entrepreneurs with in-depth knowledge on how to become successful business owners. iNSPIRE is also where entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to formulate a solid business foundation, network, get additional resources, and the support needed as they move forward in business ownership. Topics like how to manage your business, acquire additional streams of income from your business, human resources, strategic planning, marketing, and more are highlighted in an effort to educate clients and collaborators. It is important for entrepreneurs to invest in gaining more knowledge about their industry because they are the heartbeat of their organization.

www.InspireEntrepreneurs.net | Twitter

Uriah Bullard/Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce

President & CEO

Uriah Bullard is one of the founder and current President & CEO of the Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce. Uriah is a recent graduate of the Business Development Initiative. He is also the founder and owner of DigitizeMii, an information technology company, as well as conducting independent study focused in Computer Science. Under the inspiration of God and his business mentors, Uriah is still pursuing his passion of becoming an innovator in software development, as well as, helping empower youth to grasp a vision of pride and ownership.

Through the FECC, Uriah is helping to build a better tomorrow by essentially developing and cultivating the minds and attitudes of future generations to think innovatively as entrepreneurs and leaders. In 2013, Uriah was selected as co-host of the Georgia Minority Business Awards held every March. Uriah also makes sure to take time out of his schedule to volunteer with Hands of Atlanta to teach elementary kids business principles.