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Jason Cline and Sameera Luthur, SHRM-Atlanta and SOAHR 2023

February 28, 2023 by John Ray

Jason Cline and Sameera Luthur, SHRM-Atlanta and SOAHR 2023
North Fulton Business Radio
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Jason Cline and Sameera Luthur, SHRM-Atlanta and SOAHR 2023

Jason Cline and Sameera Luthur, SHRM-Atlanta and SOAHR 2023 (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 613)

SHRM-Atlanta CEO Jason Cline and Manager of Events Sameera Luthur joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio to offer a preview of SOAHR 2023, SHRM-Atlanta’s annual conference for the region’s HR and people management professionals, which will be held on March 28 and 29, 2023. Jason and Sameera discussed the exciting new venue for this year’s conference, the Gas South District Convention Center in Duluth, the robust offering of a wide variety of sessions, the collegiality of members, and much more.  Jason also provided an update on exciting new events and educational opportunities SHRM-Atlanta has in store for its members later in 2023.

Also, the Business RadioX team will be broadcasting live from this event on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28th and 29th. Stop by and see us!

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

SHRM-Atlanta

SHRM-Atlanta is one of the largest chapters of SHRM and shares its purpose of elevating the HR profession. As a leader in the Atlanta metro business community, SHRM-Atlanta strives to be the premier resource for those working in and supporting the human resource function. SHRM-Atlanta’s predominant goal is to be the voice of HR in metro Atlanta and be the first contact for those seeking information and solutions.

This will be achieved through the growth and diversity of members, education, and delivery of content, and by strengthening partnerships with organizations that share its vision.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

SOAHR 2023

SOAHR is the can’t-miss conference of the year for anyone in HR or People Management in greater Atlanta or the Southeast. If you’re looking for a conference that will supply you with actionable ideas, new insights, and best practices for you, your team, and your company, you don’t want to miss this event.  The 2-day conference includes Pre-Conference Workshops, a Resource Partner Showcase, networking opportunities, and more. Average attendance is 1000+ and this year’s conference will be held at the Gas South District Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia on March 28th and 29th.

This year’s theme is SHIFT, Develop, Perform: Moving HR into the Next Normal. The keynote speaker and workshop facilitators will empower attendees to intentionally focus on their talent, develop a network of new and seasoned professionals, and establish skills needed to perform in their new role.

Conference Website

Jason Cline, CAE, Chief Executive Director, SHRM-Atlanta

Jason Cline, CAE, Chief Executive Director, SHRM-Atlanta

Jason Cline brings over 18 years of association management and leadership experience to SHRM-Atlanta. Previously, Jason was the President & CEO of the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia. There, Jason spearheaded the development and execution of a strategic plan and led a highly profitable insurance arm of the organization. Prior to that role, he was the Strategic Initiatives Executive at the Association of College Unions International, the Section Membership Development Manager at the American Bar Association, and he began his association career as the Director of Membership at the Roller Skating Association International.

Jason earned both his undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University. He also holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership. Jason has called Atlanta home since 2016 when he moved here from Indianapolis.

LinkedIn

Sameera Luthur, Manager of Events & Emerging Content, SHRM-Atlanta

Sameera Luthur, Manager of Events & Emerging Content, SHRM-Atlanta

Sameera Luthur joins the SHRM-Atlanta team as Manager of Events and Emerging Content and will be responsible for event logistics, developing relationships, partnering with organizations, and curating content in new and emerging areas outlined in the SHRM-Atlanta strategic plan.

She has served in several Higher Education roles, working directly with students to build community on college campuses and develop leadership skills needed in the workforce. She brings experience planning large-scale events and creating training initiatives for students and professionals across a variety of fields. Sameera holds an M.S. in Educational Psychology from Georgia State University, with research focused on two of her passion areas: mental health and DEI.

Sameera is excited to serve the SHRM-Atlanta community and grow her experiences and career with an association that has so much impact in the Atlanta area.

LinkedIn

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

Tagged With: 2023, atlanta, Duluth, gas south district, HR, HR Conference, Jason Cline, John Ray, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, Sameera Luthur, shrm, SHRM Atlanta, SOAHR 2023

Tim Huff, Turknett Leadership Group

February 28, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio
North Fulton Business Radio
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Tim Huff, Turknett Leadership Group (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 612)

On this edition of North Fulton Business Radio, Tim Huff, Vice President of Leadership Development at Turknett Leadership Group, joined host John Ray to discuss how he got started in coaching and leadership development, what makes Turknett Leadership Group different, leadership development trends he’s seeing, and much more.

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

Turknett Leadership Group

Turknett Leadership Group (TLG) specializes in the assessment and development of executive leadership, organization effectiveness, customized leadership strategies, talent management, succession planning, and human performance.

Founded in 1987 by Dr. Robert Turknett and Carolyn (Lyn) Turknett, TLG has built a reputation on results and client satisfaction. Over 1000 executives have completed the Turknett individual Executive Development Program.

Their clients represent companies of all sizes and industries, such as AGL Resources, the American Cancer Society, AT&T (formerly BellSouth), Bennett International Group, Freebairn & Co., Georgia-Pacific Corp., and Hewlett-Packard.

TLG is known for outstanding client service and for its Leadership Character Model™ which provides a foundation of Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility for long-term business success. TLG consultants are licensed psychologists with both clinical and industrial-organizational backgrounds. Their clients include CEOs, business leaders and their teams, as well as department heads across all disciplines.

TLG is staffed by a team of I/O psychologists including Dr. Robert Turknett, Dr. Michael Sessions, Dr. Patricia Thompson, Dr. Lauren Harris, and Dr. Ann Maurer, who together have a combined 75+ years of experience.

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Tim Huff, Vice President of Leadership Development, Turknett Leadership Group

Tim Huff, Vice President, Leadership Development, Turknett Leadership Group

Tim Huff is the Vice President of Leadership Development at Turknett Leadership Group, a 36-year-old company based in Atlanta with executive coaching and leadership development corporate clients across the United States and in several countries.

With nearly 30 years of experience, Tim built his leadership foundation by serving 14 years as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army and National Guard, including graduating from Ranger School, the Army’s premier Infantry Leadership school. He capped his service with a year in Afghanistan as the Chief of Operations for a brigade responsible for training and maintaining the Afghan National Army.

Always fascinated with the power of technology, Tim began a career in Information Technology with The Walt Disney Company in Orlando, Florida. After ten magical years at Disney, he relocated to Atlanta, GA, and continued his technology career in increasing levels of responsibility at Macy’s, CRH Americas Materials, and Owens and Minor.

Having a passion for helping leaders and executives harness the greatness that exists within themselves, Tim became a certified Executive Coach and launched Platinum Level Leadership in early 2020. Enjoying success and fulfillment as an independent coach, he decided to transition from being a full-time IT leader to a full-time coach in early 2022, with an invitation to join Turknett Leadership Group. At Turknett, Tim is helping to expand the business and spread Leadership Character around the world, creating leaders everywhere who live and lead with integrity, respect, and responsibility.

Tim lives in Cumming, Georgia, with his wife, Kristin. He loves all kinds of music and enjoys hiking in the north Georgia hills!

LinkedIn

Questions and Topics

  • How did you get started in coaching and leadership development?
  • Why is investing in leadership development crucial for recruiting and retention?
  • What’s new at Turknett Leadership Group
  • What makes Turknett Leadership Group different?
  • What does the future look like for Turknett Leadership Group?
  • Talk a little about the trends you are seeing in leadership development.

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

 

Tagged With: Coaching, John Ray, Leadership, leadership development, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, Tim Huff, TLG, Turknett Leadership Group

Tara Heaton, En Pointe Communications

February 21, 2023 by John Ray

Tara Heaton, En Pointe Communications
North Fulton Business Radio
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Tara Heaton, En Pointe Communications

Tara Heaton, En Pointe Communications (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 610)

On this edition of North Fulton Business Radio, Tara Heaton, Founder of En Pointe Communications, joined host John Ray to discuss how her daughter’s traumatic brain injury led to her current work. Tara discussed how neuroscience can guide us in more effective communication, the power of stories and telling better stories, how to engage listeners in the stories we tell, success stories from her work, and much more.

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

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:04] Live from the Business RadioX Studio inside Renasant Bank, the bank that specializes in understanding you, it’s time for North Fulton Business Radio.

John Ray: [00:00:19] And hello again, everyone. Welcome to another edition of North Fulton Business Radio. I’m John Ray. And we are broadcasting from inside Renasant Bank in beautiful Alpharetta.

John Ray: [00:00:30] And if you are looking for a bank that is so highly rated by their customers that they have won multiple awards from national organizations, like Time Magazine’s money.com and Forbes, well, I’m sitting in that bank, Renasant Bank. They’ve won Best Bank in Georgia, Best Bank in the Southeast, Best Bank in the United States, actually even, in the surveys. And so, if you want to know why they’ve made such a difference in the lives of their customers – I’ve certainly found it out myself – go to renasantbank.com and find one of their local offices and give them a call. And I think you’ll be glad you did. Renasant Bank. Understanding you. Member FDIC.

John Ray: [00:01:17] And now, I want to welcome Tara Heaton. Tara is with En Pointe Communication. Tara, welcome.

Tara Heaton: [00:01:22] Thanks so much for having me, John.

John Ray: [00:01:23] It’s great to have you. So, let’s talk about you and how you’re serving folks out there. How are you serving folks at En Pointe Communication?

Tara Heaton: [00:01:31] Well, it’s just exactly as it sounds, En Pointe Communication helps people to communicate more effectively. And I have a platform called Talk to the Brain, and everything that I teach and coach is founded in neuroscience, which I’ve been studying now for over 18 years. So, I share a little bit of the science and then we go deep into story. So, I’m helping speakers, leaders, sales people, teens to communicate more authentically and to understand how to communicate so that their message lands more compelling, more memorable, and helps them to get the results they desire.

John Ray: [00:02:08] Wow. So, what is it that we’re missing in? I know this is a big question and we could go on a long time on your answer. But what are we missing with communication that neuroscience helps us solve, that knowledge of neuroscience helps us solve?

Tara Heaton: [00:02:29] Oh, wow. That’s a great question. And there’s, I think, several components to that. But I think I will switch it around and think how I’m helping people and why the science proves that. And I’ll start with stories. Because everybody knows that there’s so much power, and most people know, that stories, there’s scientific proof about why they help us to remember and how they touch us.

Tara Heaton: [00:02:53] People don’t see that a story is a moment in time. It’s a transformational moment in time. It is different than a journey. So, you and I, John, our life is decorated with hundreds of stories. And when we learn to tell those in a compelling way, it shoots up dopamine in the minds of the listeners. And, today, we are more addicted to dopamine than ever before. When we learn to tell a compelling story, it shoots up that dopamine which pleasures the brain.

Tara Heaton: [00:03:23] Also, when we use a vulnerable story that shares a relatable emotion, it fires up our serotonin and oxytocin in the mind of the listener that builds trust, that builds connection. And when people learn this and they experience examples of it, it automatically improves their confidence and their ability to communicate more effectively.

John Ray: [00:03:46] Oh, wow. There’s a lot to that I want to get to. But before we dive deeper there, let’s talk about your journey. Because you’ve got some specific aspects to your journey that led you into this interest in neuroscience and how it affects communications.

Tara Heaton: [00:04:05] Absolutely. And I would be remiss if I didn’t share this part of my story because I forever will. I’ve always been an analytical minded person. I’ll sit out, I will analyze our conversation – I can assure you – and ask myself how I could have done better, what went right, what could have been improved. And I’ve always been that way.

Tara Heaton: [00:04:26] I was a sales leader. I was running a sales team. I had a very successful business. I’d had built success really from pretty much nothing, and, so to speak, three healthy children, a beautiful marriage. As they say, living the dream.

Tara Heaton: [00:04:40] And my middle daughter was 12 at the time that everything changed for us. She contracted a virus that is still documented, interestingly, as a virus of unknown etiology. The virus traveled to her brain, caused her to have something called encephalitis, which is simply inflammation of the brain. She went into a coma. And when she came out of the coma, she couldn’t hold a hairbrush, she didn’t know who we were, she couldn’t walk. But interesting, I mean, it was considered a traumatic brain injury, she could talk.

Tara Heaton: [00:05:13] So, through much, much, much therapy, she’d relearn to do pretty much everything and most of her memory came back. And we thought the worst is behind us. You know, our prayers have been answered and Caroline’s going to be okay.

Tara Heaton: [00:05:27] But the encephalitis left her with epilepsy. And so, I became, as you might imagine, as any mother would, her warrior. And I started searching for ways to stop these seizures. Most people with epilepsy, their seizures are controlled with medication. But the medication has terrible side effects.

Tara Heaton: [00:05:45] So, about a year into this journey, I sat with her neurologist and I was at Emory Clinic – I’ll never forget this – and I said, “Dr. Weissman, look at my little girl.” And she looked over at Caroline and she was looking down, shoulders slumped, looking down at her untied little converse tennis shoe. And I said, “She was energetic, she was social, she was athletic. This is our Caroline today. Can we please just take her off these drugs and try to manage the seizures?” And Dr. Weissman said, “No. Because Caroline’s seizures travel right through her hippocampus, and with every seizure, her brain is being damaged.”

Tara Heaton: [00:06:22] And that day, John, sent me on a journey of just being obsessed with understanding the brain, what was going on with her mind, how I could help her. And I continued to, literally, travel the country over looking for answers. And I’m sorry to say that the seizures have never, ever stopped. And today, Caroline is very, very cognitively challenged due to just years and years of seizures.

Tara Heaton: [00:06:48] But the study just started to inform my work. And as I was running across the country, learning, investigating, trying any type of therapy, natural or not, I continued to learn about specifically neurotransmitters, how we remember, what sparks our attention, our imagination. And it started to inform my work as a sales leader and as a speaker and as someone who provided a lot of workshops.

John Ray: [00:07:15] Yeah. Wow. So, you really took what you learned there and applied it in a sales context because that was your legacy, business, right?

Tara Heaton: [00:07:29] That’s right. That’s right.

John Ray: [00:07:29] But you’ve really expanded it beyond just its application to sales teams.

Tara Heaton: [00:07:36] Oh, yes. Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I do help and coach sales people, but the work is so very much focused on building an authentic voice. And what that means is I help people to make better connections, and that might be from a stage as a speaker. But it really helps teams to better connect and better tell stories that relate to their specific business. They get to experience the thrill of sharing vulnerable stories, how to do that, and how it builds trust and connection, which helps teams.

John Ray: [00:08:12] Yeah, for sure. Tara Heaton is with us, folks. She is with En Pointe Communication, her own firm. Tara, you mentioned storytelling. You mentioned that that’s pretty well-known, the power of stories, and I couldn’t agree more. So, maybe we can walk past that to some of the other principles that really became solid beliefs for you in terms of what you take to your clients today out of all this study that you did.

Tara Heaton: [00:08:49] Well, I will say, the reason I continue to focus on stories is because that seems to be the most popular of the workshops. People continue to come to me and say, “You know, I want to teach my team to tell better stories.” And these aren’t sales teams. These are folks who are in negotiations. These are folks who just simply are communicating with customers, customer service, on the phone. We overthink story. And so, that’s why it’s become such, I think, a really popular workshop. But I also help speakers —

John Ray: [00:09:20] Well, let’s stop there just a second, if you don’t mind, because that’s very interesting what you just said, we overthink story. Say more on that.

Tara Heaton: [00:09:27] Oh, yes.

John Ray: [00:09:27] Okay.

Tara Heaton: [00:09:28] Yes. Thank you.

John Ray: [00:09:31] Okay. See, I was going to walk right past storytelling, but now you’ve made me want to dig into it, so let’s do that.

Tara Heaton: [00:09:36] Absolutely. So, I’ll tell you a story to explain it.

John Ray: [00:09:39] Okay. Appropriately enough.

Tara Heaton: [00:09:41] Absolutely. I had a client who came to me and she was looking for a new job. And she’s quite successful and really, really strong in her field. But she said, “I hear you’re a great storyteller, and I understand that telling powerful stories in an interview could really help me.” And here’s what so many people say to me, she said, “I don’t think I really have any stories.”

Tara Heaton: [00:10:10] And after about an hour long – what I’ll call – a discovery session with her, we uncovered unbelievable beauty that decorated her life, some challenges, some trials, some successes, some wins. And each one of those are little, small individual stories that make a point that cause people to remember the point that we’re trying to make.

Tara Heaton: [00:10:34] So, people tend to think my personal story, what I’ve been through with my children and my family is quite tragic. And when people hear it, they think, “Wow. I don’t have a story.” We all have stories. And as natural storytellers, we start to become very sensitive to the fact that we are creating new stories everyday through every experience. And so, when we can share our experiences, things that we’ve been through or things that we’ve witnessed, so that it matters to the listener, so that it makes the listener the hero of that story and not ourselves, it helps us to get better results.

John Ray: [00:11:11] Yeah. I’m glad you mentioned that right there at the end, because sometimes we hear stories that seem like they’re more about – I’ll call them – therapy in public, where people are really kind of working out their own issue as opposed to telling a story for the purpose of reaching other people. Does that make sense?

Tara Heaton: [00:11:34] Oh, yes. So much. As a matter of fact, somebody asked me recently when I was referencing, I said, “Who is the hero of your story?” And she said, “Well, I am.” And I said, “If you’re telling it to anyone, they are the hero. They relate to what you’re sharing. You share relatable emotions that people can relate to that inspires them through your vulnerable story.” So, if we just share a winning moment in our lives without sharing the strife and the struggle and the insecurity that we faced, it will not be nearly as memorable as if we share the vulnerable side of it, because that’s where people relate and they think, “Wow. If he or she could overcome that, I too can do the same.”

John Ray: [00:12:18] Wow. So, how do we tell stories and get out of our own way, I guess this might be the way to put it. How do we know that we’re really putting the listener in the middle? Because this is a human thing, right? We’re all self-absorbed. We all operate from our own perspectives. And so, how do we communicate in such a way that brings the listener into the story we tell?

Tara Heaton: [00:12:52] Well, a lot of the answer to that is timing. So, when is it appropriate to tell a story? And what exactly defines a story? So, I have a framework for stories that I share with my clients we go through. And a lot of times that’s better applied when you’re really preparing for a speech or a very important sales presentation. But to become a natural storyteller, I’ll give you a recent example of just sharing stories when the timing is right, and that’s when the last thing I would want people to do is to have practiced and scripted a story.

Tara Heaton: [00:13:28] I had a gentleman that works closely with me. He came to me recently and he said, “I’m supposed to be at this conference on Monday. I think I need to go to leadership and tell them I can’t go.” And I said, “Why is that?” And he said, “I’ve been gone all week. You know, we have three children. My wife’s pulling her hair out. I mean, dad hadn’t been here. And I want to go to them and just say can you send somebody else to this conference, but I’m really stressed about it. What do you think? What do you think I ought to do?”

Tara Heaton: [00:13:59] And I said, “Mark, may I share something with you?” And he said, “Absolutely.” And I said, “Years ago, I remember coming home late one evening and going upstairs to kiss my daughter, Caroline, goodnight.” She was about seven years old. I walked up the stairs, kissed her goodnight, and she sat up in her bed. She was a dainty little girl and sat up in her little pink pajamas, and she said, “Oh, mom, tomorrow night I want you to help me fix my hair and I want you to help me with my costume because Friday’s the play.”

Tara Heaton: [00:14:31] And I said, “Oh, Caroline, I’m not going to be here tomorrow night. I have to work again.” And I was working for a company at the time called Herff Jones. And she sat up and she pulled her little tiny fist back and she punched her pillow. And she said, “I hate Herff Jones. I hate it.” And she punched her pillow again. And every time I think about that story, I feel a punch in my gut.

Tara Heaton: [00:14:56] I didn’t give Mark any advice. I didn’t tell him what I thought he ought to do. I just shared something painful from my past, something that I regret. And he had his answer. That’s the power of story. We also built some trust that day, as you might imagine.

John Ray: [00:15:11] Oh, yeah. Yeah. Wow. So, you teach in your workshops. You mentioned the kind of story you tell. But when you tell a story, talk about the timing angle there.

Tara Heaton: [00:15:33] Well, one of my favorite examples of when to share a story is when someone asks you for advice. It’s so easy to say, “Here’s what I think you should do.” But if you share with them a time when you faced a similar struggle, it’s unforgettable. The power of that is so, so, so very different.

Tara Heaton: [00:15:52] Also, many times I’m helping people with stories when they’re in negotiations or small presentations within a company, like our team has to share their idea. And it’s so easy to get bogged down in the data. And we need data. We need statistics. But we need a story that brings that to life. So, that’s helping people to imagine not a journey, not a long this happened and then this happened, not that. There was a transformational moment in time, kind of that tipping point that helps to bring our data to life. I call it story with stats. So, there’s a way to gain the results that you’re after by using data and bringing it to life with story.

John Ray: [00:16:36] Wow. Great words from Tara Heaton, folks, with En Pointe Communication. So, Tara, you mentioned storytelling, we’ve talked about that. What are some of the other aspects of communication that this journey through neuroscience has led you to?

Tara Heaton: [00:16:56] Well, wow, I don’t even know where to begin. But, you know, I mentioned dopamine. And our society today is more addicted to dopamine than ever before. So, I’ll give a quick tip on dopamine. Because we know that our listeners are addicted to dopamine, what that means is people are going to become more distracted than they used to be. People can’t follow us. So, we’ve got to lead our conversations, our speeches with something that’s highly unpredictable and unusual because that grabs people.

Tara Heaton: [00:17:29] The other thing a lot of people don’t really know about dopamine is it’s not pure just pleasure. Dopamine is that feeling of anticipation. It’s like it’s why we’re addicted to video games and social media and things that make us want more and more. So, if we know that our listeners are searching for something, they’re in anticipation at the beginning of a speech, what we need to do is kind of dangle a carrot. Tell folks, “At the end I’m going to share –” boom, this big gold nugget that keeps people attentive.

Tara Heaton: [00:18:00] I’ll give one other neuroscience tip, and then I won’t continue on with all of them. But I’ll give another fun one that it really helps people in their communication, and it is the understanding of serotonin. And serotonin is the feeling we get when we feel confident and proud, and we feel seen, and we feel validated. So, this especially applies in speaking to audiences and in sales presentations. We need to make sure that our audience feels understood and seen.

Tara Heaton: [00:18:29] Well, how do we do that? In a conversation, we can certainly ask those questions. But there are also always assumed objections. And people tend to hide from assumed objections. Whereas, I say, we need to uncover them and say to people, “I know how you might feel.” You must be thinking that and then fill in the blank. And that always, always helps me. I can visually see an audience lean in when I tell them I find a way to say to them I understand.

Tara Heaton: [00:19:00] And someone asked me once, they said, “Well, if we’re in a sales setting, why would I want to agree with what someone is thinking if I’m trying to sell them something?” And I believe, John, in being always honest and authentic. And the answer to that is this, we may not agree. Agreeing and validating someone’s perspective are two completely different things. We need to seek to understand people with a curious mind, look for wonder, understand why they think the way that they do.

Tara Heaton: [00:19:33] If we could take this into our political conversations in this country, can you imagine how much softer and safer and what might come out of those if we weren’t looking to be right. We were looking to understand the other person. That builds serotonin, which builds connection and makes people want more of us.

John Ray: [00:19:50] Yeah. Absolutely. Because we tend to flatten people out and take that three or four dimensional person, I’ll say that, and turn them into one dimension. They’re a cartoon character.

Tara Heaton: [00:20:09] So true.

John Ray: [00:20:09] Yeah. That then, therefore, we can project our own feelings onto that caricature we’ve drawn.

Tara Heaton: [00:20:19] Absolutely.

John Ray: [00:20:20] So, Tara, I love that point. It makes a lot of sense. But, you know, when you bring in the political, I’m thinking everybody gets that. But we tend to do that to people that are close to us, I mean, in our lives, and in the business world, in our families, that kind of thing. And that may be the unrecognized part of what we often do, right?

Tara Heaton: [00:20:50] Yes, very much so. And I talk about this a lot on the Daily Huddle where I’m a Wednesday host. We talk a lot about relationships and how much we want to strive to be right, and to be heard, and to get our way. And for me, when I find myself communicating in that manner, I know what’s driving it. It’s ego, which causes us to lead with – no. It’s insecurity which causes us to lead with ego.

Tara Heaton: [00:21:18] When someone touches a nerve, we find ourselves in a space where we might feel insecure about any number of topics. We all have insecurities. And when we allow ourselves to lean into those and go into that imposter syndrome state, that’s when we forget to listen, to remain in a sense of wonder, and all, and curiosity. And we want people to hear us.

John Ray: [00:21:41] Yeah. For sure. So, I want to switch gears and talk about how you work with people now. So, you talked about your previous work with sales teams, you still do some of that work. But you just mentioned relationships, that’s an entirely different matter. So, talk about some of the types of clients that you work with. Do you work with groups, one-on-one?

Tara Heaton: [00:22:12] So, I provide workshops where I have people from different industries to come. But, really, probably my sweet spot right now is working with small to medium-sized businesses who are growing fast and they want to nurture their team. They want to help them to grow their confidence and their ability to find their voice, tell their own stories, and really build on an authentic voice that makes them feel empowered and comfortable. So, that helps culture, which is relationships, right? What defines culture in any company? It’s the relationships. It is the environment. So, I work with small teams to elevate that.

Tara Heaton: [00:22:49] And then, I love still working with speakers. Most recently, I helped a pretty well-known speaker with a talk she was giving. And we worked so hard on her stories. We crafted every word. She rehearsed it and rehearsed it. And as a matter of fact, she said, “You know what? I think I might read this. I just don’t want to miss a word.” And she she knew it quite well, so she wasn’t staring down, but she chose to read the speech. And she called me and she said, “First standing ovation of my life.” So, that’s great joy for me to help speakers.

John Ray: [00:23:27] Oh, wow. Yeah.

Tara Heaton: [00:23:27] So, I do speakers and sales people, small teams, the woman I just mentioned, anyone who’s trying to communicate more effectively. But teamwork, building relationships, helping folks to tell better stories, and find a confident voice, that’s the sweet spot right now.

John Ray: [00:23:46] I’m just curious about the bottom line of all this. Let’s talk about the value that comes out of doing the work that you lead people through and what they get out of that, that maybe they don’t recognize when they hear you talk about what you’re able to do.

Tara Heaton: [00:24:09] Thank you for asking that. It actually makes me light up. Because you could take neuroscience, John, and all that I’ve learned about the brain, and you could use it to manipulate in a sales setting. And the purpose of my work is the opposite of that. The purpose of my work is so that if I understand your mind, that gives me the ability to honor you, to get to know you, to connect with you. And when we make deeper connections with people, for me, I think that’s the greatest gift that we have at our disposal.

Tara Heaton: [00:24:44] So, the bottom line, the truest value of my work is that it helps people to grow their confidence in building relationships. Absolutely, that applies to business. But it goes home, it goes into friendships, it goes into family. So, when we feel more confident in being able to articulate our heart and our experiences, that’s the bottom line value of my work.

John Ray: [00:25:08] Yeah. That’s terrific. So, Tara, you’ve talked about how this journey that you’ve been on with your daughter, all the research you’ve done, all the reading and insights that you’ve had over time, the clients you’ve worked with has really saved your spirit.

Tara Heaton: [00:25:34] Yes. And I didn’t realize it probably until maybe just several years into the work. It was always focused on communication. But, you know, my family went through a lot of trauma. It started with Caroline’s illness, but it absolutely did not stop there. I have three children who have all suffered as a result of a family just living in what felt like constant trauma, watching someone’s brain deteriorate, watching her be bullied, watch her to continue to crash down, her mom falling apart in tears. It was not a safe space, our home, for a long, long time.

Tara Heaton: [00:26:14] And I look back and I’ve learned more than just using what I’ve studied to apply to communication. It applies to our habits and our self-talk. And when I understand why my body might be low on serotonin or dopamine or need oxytocin, I know what to do about it. I know that I don’t have to go to find some sort of addictive habit that’s not healthy to help me. And so, I’ve really taken the science and I’ve applied it to life habits, and to how I spend my time, how I communicate with people, which truly, truly has saved my soul.

Tara Heaton: [00:26:54] Because here’s what I know, the way our brain functions and all of the things that it is able to synthesize, a lot of it’s starting, interestingly, from our gut, all of that is energy. And that energy, we have the ability to repurpose and take it out into the world in any way that we want to.

Tara Heaton: [00:27:16] The last two days before I came here with you today, I’ve been sitting in the hospital with two people in my family who are ill. And maybe without my study, I would have called you and said, “I don’t have it in me today.” But I tell you what I know, that I could take all of that struggle, all the pain that I’ve faced over the past two days, and I can repurpose that into love and I can share it out in such a way that touches other people. And I’ve continued to do that over and over again throughout my life. And that’s because of my study and my sweet Caroline.

John Ray: [00:27:53] Wow. What a beautiful story. Thank you for all that. Thank you for sharing that. What great work. Tara Heaton with En Pointe Communication.

John Ray: [00:28:05] Tara, I’d be remiss, I think, at this point if I didn’t ask, you’ve talked about your own story, your own journey, but maybe you could share a success story of someone you’ve worked with. You mentioned a couple around storytelling, but maybe share one more. Someone who’s had real transformation in their lives, in their work because of your intervention.

Tara Heaton: [00:28:29] Well, let’s see. One comes to mind. A very simple one is that I helped someone to craft a TED Talk proposal, and it was accepted. So, that was very exciting.

John Ray: [00:28:39] That’s a good one.

Tara Heaton: [00:28:39] Several speaker stories, I mean, that’s beautiful work. I also write for people. I write for some artists and help people to tell their story on their About page. And that is just so rewarding that people realize that we all have beautiful stories to tell.

Tara Heaton: [00:28:58] And then, I worked with a small business recently. And as a matter of fact, I just heard from their manager recently and she’s like, “You cannot believe how my team is transformed.” And that’s so touching. She said, “I knew that we needed to build trust and connection and I was trying to force it. Now, they’re going after it and I just sit back and I’m a part of it.” And you know what that says to me, John? That people are enjoying their work more because of my work and nothing can make me more happy.

John Ray: [00:29:29] That’s wonderful. So, Tara, I know you also do – I want to get this in – some public speaking keynotes. Talk about the kind of groups that would benefit from having you in to speak.

Tara Heaton: [00:29:43] Oh, thank you. Yes. As a matter of fact, I’m really trying to elevate this aspect of my work because each time I provide a keynote, I’ll have people to call me weeks and months later and tell me that they’re still referencing the talk. So, I just have finally said to myself, “You know what, Tara, you better get out there and do more of this.”

Tara Heaton: [00:30:03] So, I really have two tracks when it comes to speaking. And one is very inspirational. One is, I go a lot deeper into the story of our family, which does not stop with just Caroline. It also goes into my son who was highly addicted to dopamine and adrenaline, and what that has caused in his life, and how he’s come out of it. So, there’s certainly an inspirational talk that I give. And that is to any team or any organization that says we want to hear a story about suffering and triumph. And I’m pretty raw and open about it.

Tara Heaton: [00:30:36] And then, also, I give mini-talk to the brain talks. And those are to help people to communicate more clearly with better strategy and absolutely more authentically helping them to get better results within relationships, within sales, and within speaking.

John Ray: [00:30:52] Wow. Terrific work. Tara Heaton, folks, with En Pointe Communication. This has been terrific, Tara. I wish we could keep going, but we got to let you get back to your work and what you do for others. But before we let you go, let’s give directions on how folks can find you.

Tara Heaton: [00:31:12] Oh, thank you very much. I’m kind of weak on social media, I will say. But the best place to find me is just to go to my website. And the easiest way to do that is to go to talktothebrain.net, and that will roll over into En Pointe Global. So, again, I’m on Facebook, Tara Caldwell Heaton. I’m certainly on LinkedIn, Tara Heaton. But easiest way talktothebrain.net, and a little pop up box will come and we can be in touch.

John Ray: [00:31:39] That’s terrific. Tara Heaton, folks, with En Pointe Communication. Tara, thank you so much for coming in.

Tara Heaton: [00:31:45] It’s been a joy, John. Thank you.

John Ray: [00:31:46] Thank you so much.

John Ray: [00:31:49] Hey, folks, just a quick thought for you. If you’ve got an administrative task or bookkeeping or other marketing issues, maybe presentations that need to be done that are weighing you down and you’re not able to spend time with your clients and with your prospective clients, I’ve got a suggestion for you. Office Angels. Essie Escobedo has a whole team of angels that do fantastic work. I know this myself because I use their services. They fly in, get the job done, and then they fly out. And they do it on an ongoing or as needed basis, depending on your project and your need.

John Ray: [00:32:30] So, give Essie a call, 770-442-9246. Tell her I sent you. Or go to officeangels.us to learn more. But I think you’ll be glad you did. And Essie has been around since 2000 with this business, so she’s well-established and does great work. And, again, I use her services. So, you’ll be glad that you entrusted your business to her.

John Ray: [00:32:59] And, folks, just a quick reminder, North Fulton Business Radio, we’re coming up on our seventh year anniversary. We’ve been around for seven years and we’re excited about that. And we’ve gotten over 600 shows. And the reason we’ve been around this long is because of your support. We are grateful for you because what you have done is continue to share the show with others that you think might be interested in particular guests. I can’t imagine you haven’t heard some reason to share this show with someone else who needs to hear the message that Tara has given. But you’ve done that on all our shows and we’re excited about that. And we are excited about your support and you make us keep going as the voice of business in North Fulton. So, thank you. Thank you, thank you for that support. We are grateful.

John Ray: [00:33:53] So, for my guest, Tara Heaton, I’m John Ray. Join us next time here on North Fulton Business Radio.

En Pointe Communications

En Pointe Communications collaborates with you to build custom strategies, employing unique assets and abilities. Whether your audience is a single prospect or a thousand fans, we focus on your core purpose to ignite momentum, empowering you to grow your business and impact lives.

Website | Facebook

Tara Heaton, Founder, En Pointe Communications

Tara Heaton, Founder, En Pointe Communications

Tara helps leaders, speakers, and salespeople craft and deliver messages that move people. She empowers businesses to define their distinction and turn networking and prospecting into revenue.

With years of neuroscience research and success in competitive sales as a foundation, En Pointe Communications has discovered how to employ science, art and sport to close sales, open minds and generate action.

They work with individuals in a remote coaching setting that delivers results!

LinkedIn

 

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

 

Tagged With: communications, En Point Communications, John Ray, neuroscience, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, stories, story, story-telling, Tara Heaton, trauma

Jesse Morton, Stout

February 21, 2023 by John Ray

Jesse Morton, Stout
North Fulton Business Radio
Jesse Morton, Stout
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Jesse Morton, Stout

Jesse Morton, Stout (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 609)

On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, Jesse Morton, Managing Director & Atlanta Office Leader of Stout, joined host John Ray to discuss the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Jesse shared what small business should consider when exploring the Employee Retention Tax Credit, misinformation related to the ERC, what a proper claim for ERC contains, and much more.

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

Stout

Stout is a global investment bank and advisory firm specializing in corporate finance, transaction advisory, valuation, financial disputes, claims, and investigations. We serve a range of clients, from public corporations to privately held companies in numerous industries. Our clients and their advisors rely on our premier expertise, deep industry knowledge, and unparalleled responsiveness on complex matters.

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Jesse Morton, Managing Director & Atlanta Office Leader, Stout

Jesse Morton, Managing Director & Atlanta Office Leader, Stout

Jesse Morton is a Managing Director and Stout’s Atlanta & Miami Offices Leader. He has professional experience as a consultant, lawyer, accountant, investigator, and auditor since 2002.

Jesse specializes in working with businesses of all types and sizes on government program-related economic assistance including the CARES Act and other pandemic-related relief including, but not limited to, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERCs).

Specifically, he works directly with businesses and their advisors (i.e., CPAs, attorneys, bankers, etc.) with compliance and fraud prevention, detection, response, and remediation related services, including litigation support and expert witness services.

LinkedIn

 

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

  • What is the Employee Retention Tax Credit, and why is it something that small businesses should learn more about and explore?
  • What should small businesses consider when exploring the Employee Retention Tax Credit?
  • Can you explain some of the ERC related misinformation that’s out there, and how it relates to the recent IRS news release?
  • What does a proper claim for ERCs consider and contain?
  • What are some red flags of an improper ERC claim?
  • What can companies that have already claimed the credit do if they’re concerned about filing an improper claim?
  • Is there anything else that you want to mention related to ERCs that small businesses should consider?

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

Tagged With: advisory firm, banking, Employee Retention Credit, ERTC, ERTC Credit, global investment bank, investments, Jesse Morton, John Ray, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, Stout

Mary Ellen Garrett, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

February 14, 2023 by John Ray

Mary Ellen Garrett, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
North Fulton Business Radio
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Mary Ellen Garrett, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Mary Ellen Garrett, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 608)

On this edition of North Fulton Business Radio, Mary Ellen Garrett, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and The Garrett Group, joined host John Ray to discuss her work helping families reach their financial goals. She talked about how she got into the investment business, what investors can expect this year, advice to women seeking to enter her industry, the strong ethic she exhibits in giving back to the community, award recognitions she has received, and much more.

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

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management / The Garrett Group

The Garrett Group believes that good client relationships are built through teamwork and client involvement, delivered through our advisors, client associates and access to the global resources of Merrill.

Their goal is to be your primary source for financial advice and guidance. The Garrett Group wants you to value the dedication and diligence we provide at each step of the wealth management process.

Website

Mary Ellen Garrett, Senior Vice President Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Mary Ellen Garrett, Senior Vice President Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Under the direction and leadership of Mary Ellen Garrett, Senior Vice President–Wealth Management Advisor, The Garrett Group provides clients with consecutive decades of solid industry experience at Merrill Lynch. Within Merrill Lynch, The Garrett Group is a leader in the firm’s wealth management line of business, striving to offer exceptional capabilities in wealth planning and investment and financial management to high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, corporations, charitable gift programs, endowments, and foundations.

Mary Ellen is a frequent guest speaker at seminars and is recognized for her commitment to professional excellence, client trust and community service. For the past six consecutive years, she has been named Forbes “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors,” Forbes “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors,” and Forbes “Top Women Advisors” list, as well as being recognized out of close to 60,000 Merrill Lynch employees worldwide as a recipient of the 2015 David Brady Award.

In the Atlanta community, Mary Ellen serves as Trustee of Emory St. Joseph Hospital Board, Chair of the Atlanta Catholic Archdiocese–Finance and Advisory Council, and Trustee of The Parkinson’s Foundation.

Mary Ellen has been married to Scott for 40 years and has three children and three grandchildren.

 

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

  • What can investors expect this year?
  • How likely are investors to move out of assets, such as equities, and seek other safe harbors?
  • What is the probability the market could see a substantial pullback?
  • What else should investors keep in mind in today’s markets?

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

Tagged With: emory st. joseph's hospital, John Ray, Mary Ellen Garrett, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, Parkinson's Foundation, renasant bank, The Garrett Group, Wealth Management Advisor

Maria Fundora, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant

February 9, 2023 by John Ray

Maria Fundora, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant
North Fulton Business Radio
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Maria Fundora, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant

Maria Fundora, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 607)

This month Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant is celebrating 25 years in business, and owner Maria Fundora joined North Fulton Business Radio host John Ray to commemorate this noteworthy milestone. Maria shared the restaurant’s early beginnings, how they treat their employees and dining clients as part of the family, their philosophy of customer service, giving back to the community, celebratory specials they are offering throughout this year, and much more.

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

Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant

Casa Nuova is a family-owned gourmet Italian restaurant, owned by the Fundora family. Casa Nuova opened in 1998 and it has become a local favorite in the Alpharetta/Cumming and metro Atlanta community. Prior to Casa Nuova, they owned and operated other restaurants in Atlanta including Alfredo’s, Avanti’s, Toni’s Casa Napoli, Antonio’s Bakery and Tony’s Farmer’s Market.

Casa Nuova is known for its astounding number of menu items. It has become an Atlanta staple with intimate seating, semi-formal service and a finely-tuned take on Italian classics.

Website| Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

 Maria Fundora, Owner and General Manager, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant

Maria Fundora, General Manager, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant

Maria Fundora is the owner and general manager of Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant in Alpharetta and founder of nonprofit Purple Pansies.

She opened Casa Nuova in 1998 (now celebrating 25 years) with her late husband Antonio, master chef and founder, and owned five restaurants in Atlanta prior. Their first restaurant was Alfredo’s followed by three Avanti’s restaurants in downtown Atlanta. Avanti’s Pescivino opened in 1988 and was the first open kitchen concept with seating by a kitchen. They also opened one of the first bakeries in Atlanta in 1980 called Antonio’s Bakery. Additionally, the family owned and operated the first ethnic open market in Atlanta proper called Tony’s Farmer’s Market in 1993.

Maria founded nonprofit Purple Pansies in 2008 following her own mother’s death from pancreatic cancer. She felt called to raise awareness and crucial research dollars for this chronically underfunded but deadly cancer.

Her presence in the metro Atlanta area reaches the hearts and lives of hundreds of regular patrons as she infuses inspiration and a welcoming environment to all those who their frequent the restaurant and she gives back to her community through many fundraising efforts.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

  • Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Casa Nuova
  • Early history
  • Challenges presented by the pandemic
  • Opening Cork & Glass
  • Giving back to the community
  • What’s ahead

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.

RenasantBank

 

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

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/.

Tagged With: Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant, Cork & Glass, Family Owned, italian restaurant, John Ray, Maria Fundora, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank

Joseph Avena, “Insurance Guy Joe”

February 6, 2023 by John Ray

Joseph Avena, "Insurance Guy Joe"
North Fulton Business Radio
Joseph Avena, "Insurance Guy Joe"
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Joseph Avena, "Insurance Guy Joe"

Joseph Avena, “Insurance Guy Joe” (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 606)

Joseph Avena, “Insurance Guy Joe” with USHAdvisors, joined host John Ray on this episode of North Fulton Business Radio to discuss what drew him into health insurance, the differences between HMO and PPO insurance plans, applying outside of “Open Enrollment,” how coverage differs, why his services are free to his clients, and much more.

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

USHAdvisors

USHEALTH Group, Inc. is a fully integrated insurance holding company based in Fort Worth, Texas, and is a UnitedHealthcare company. Its licensed insurance company subsidiaries Freedom Life Insurance Company of America, National Foundation Life Insurance Company, and Enterprise Life Insurance Company are dedicated to providing innovative Life, Specified Disease/Sickness, Accident and Disability Insurance solutions for self-employed individuals, families, small business owners and their employees. Through its insurance companies, USHEALTH Group has served more than 15 million customers with individually tailored plans for more than 50 collective years.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Joseph Avena, Field Sales Leader, USHAdvisors

Joseph Avena, Field Sales Leader, USHAdvisors

Joe was born and raised in Chicago, IL. His family was relocated to Alpharetta, GA in 1985 and he has lived there ever since. He and his wife have been married for 22.5 years.

Joes has been helping other people every day find affordable health coverage solutions for themselves, their families, and their employees for the last 5.5 years.

He is an active member of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce for the last 3 years.

LinkedIn | Facebook

 

Questions and Topics in this Interview

  • Who are you able to help?
  • How do you help clients?
  • What are the differences between an HMO and PPO insurance plans?
  • Can someone apply for coverage outside of “Open Enrollment”?
  • Is all coverage the same?
  • How much does it cost for your services?

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.

RenasantBank

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

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/.

Tagged With: health insurance, insurance coverage, Insurance Guy Joe, John Ray, Joseph Avena, North Fulton Business Radio, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, USHAdvisors

Lauren Rock, Dynamic Escapes

February 6, 2023 by John Ray

Lauren Rock, Dynamic Escapes
North Fulton Business Radio
Lauren Rock, Dynamic Escapes
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Lauren Rock, Dynamic EscapesLauren Rock, Dynamic Escapes (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 605)

Lauren Rock, Owner of Dynamic Escapes, joined host John Ray on this episode of North Fulton Business Radio to discuss Dynamic Escapes, her travel planning business. She also discussed why she started the business, how she defines a happy client, the difference between a travel planner and a travel agent, destinations you should consider, and much more.

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

Lauren Rock, Owner, Dynamic Escapes LLC

Lauren Rock, Owner, Dynamic Escapes LLC

After 20+ years working as a cultural trainer and relocation counselor, Lauren Rock decided she wanted a change and to focus on her love of travel. Lauren spent a year researching and learning about the professional travel industry, taking classes and earning accreditations, before formally leaving the corporate world behind to launch Dynamic Escapes in 2016.

Her clients have included couples, families, “girlfriend” groups, grandparent/grandchild trips, church groups, school groups, multi-generational family trips, and folks looking for solo time away. They have traveled to places across the US and around the world.

As an independent agent Lauren works for her clients, not the travel industry. Through meticulous research and obsessive planning, she ensures that her clients have a wonderful, memorable trip without having to do the work of arranging it all!

Some of her favorite places to experience are Tanzania, Australia, Costa Rica, Spain, and the National Parks of the western United States and Canada.

Lauren and her husband have two children: one who loves cities, and one who loves nature. Needless to say, she is accustomed to balancing the desires of multiple people into a single trip!

She has two rescue dogs who will happily travel wherever the family can take them!

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook |Instagram | Lauren’s LinkedIn

 

Questions and Topics in this Interview

  • Why did you start Dynamic Escapes?
  • How do you define a happy client?
  • What is a travel planner and how are your services different from a travel agent?
  • What makes you and Dynamic Escapes unique?
  • What is the travel market like now?

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.

RenasantBank

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

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/.

Tagged With: destinations, Dynamic Escapes, John Ray, Lauren Rock, North Fulton Business Radio, North Fulton Business Radio X, Office Angels, renasant bank, travel, Travel Planner, travel planning

John Ray, Business RadioX® and Ray Business Advisors

April 22, 2022 by John Ray

John Ray
North Fulton Studio
John Ray, Business RadioX® and Ray Business Advisors
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John Ray

John Ray, Business RadioX® and Ray Business Advisors (The Exit Exchange, Episode 13)

The tables were turned on this edition of The Exit Exchange, as regular co-host John Ray was also the guest, interviewed by co-hosts David Shavzin and Mike Rosenthal. John is the owner of the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®, which produces The Exit Exchange, as well as the owner of Ray Business Advisors. John explained why professional services providers and other business owners should have a podcast, the way a podcast can be positioned to create definable ROI, and success stories. He also discussed his pricing consulting work, why pricing is a particular problem for professional services providers, and his podcast, The Price and Value Journey. John also shared why he and his firm is a Platinum Sponsor of XPX Atlanta and the success factors of the organization which make his membership and sponsorship so valuable.

This episode of The Exit Exchange was co-hosted by David Shavzin and Mike Rosenthal and is produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

John Ray, Owner, Business RadioX – North Fulton, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors

John Ray, Owner, North Fulton – Business RadioX, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors

John Ray helps B2B professionals who need help building relationships which translate into revenue. Yes, John and his team plan, produce, and promote shows for their clients, but clients receive more than just that. The value they receive is the ability to open the door to hard-to-reach prospects, nurture existing relationships with clients, and to reactivate past prospects or clients in an elegant, non-salesy way.

Business RadioX – North Fulton operates as a member of the Business RadioX® national network of studio partners who serve as the “Voice of Business” in their local markets, helping local business leaders get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,300 podcast episodes.

John also owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

His podcast, The Price and Value Journey, addresses the pricing problems solo and small firm professional services providers face, as well as other challenges they confront in running their practice.

Connect with John:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta

The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta (XPX) is a diverse group of professionals with a common goal: working collaboratively to assist business owners with a sale or business transition. XPX Atlanta is an association of advisors who provide professionalism, principles, and education to the heart of the middle market. Our members work with business owners through all stages of the private company life cycle: business value growth, business value transfer, and owner life and legacy. Our Vision: To fundamentally changing the trajectory of exit planning services in the Southeast United States. XPX Atlanta delivers a collaborative-based networking exchange with broad representation of exit planning competencies. Learn more about XPX Atlanta and why you should consider joining our community: https://exitplanningexchange.com/atlanta.

The Exit Exchange is produced by John Ray in the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. The show archive can be found at xpxatlantaradio.com.

John Ray and Business RadioX are Platinum Sponsors of XPX Atlanta.

Tagged With: b2b podcasting, Business RadioX, David Shavzin, John Ray, Mike Rosenthal, monetize podcasts, North Fulton Business Radio X, north fulton business radiox, podcast marketing, pricing, The Exit Exchange, The Price and Value Journey, value, XPX Atlanta

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