Business
How Five Community-Owned Businesses Were Bolstered with Cares Act Money – Teesha Yoga
Latesha Grant hung out her shingle at Teesha Yoga in February of last year, just as the term Coronavirus was becoming familiar to the American public.
Grant said the ancient practice of yoga is an embodiment of “trying to find your true inner self through a healthy lifestyle.” Lifestyle habits became a huge consideration as the pandemic tightened its grip.
She has been quick to tell potential students that those who were surviving COVID with little to no lasting harm were those with strong immune systems and such qualities as good range of motion and a healthy diet. The CDC has said another version of the same thing, pointing to such risk factors as smoking, obesity and a weakened immune system as making severe COVID-19 illness more likely.
“Unfortunately, I opened my studio in February of 2020, so it was the very tip of COVID being known to other countries before it came to us,” lamented Grant.
She said her business was literally nothing for about seven or eight months. She offered virtual classes for those not comfortable coming to the studio but was still forced to cut back staff and utilize personal funds to keep going.
A CARES Act grant which came through the city eased the pressure, she indicated, aiding with rent, utilities, payroll and some marketing to keep the name of the business and its services in the public eye.
The big expense has been her lease, and that debt has placed the survival of the business in doubt. “I’m still drowning,” she said. “I could be confident, but you also have to be realistic. Confidence doesn’t pay the bills.”
Grant also said she applied for help under the Paycheck Protection Program but was unable to get any allocation. And she thinks the government could do more to help small business enterprises.
At what could be called the other end of the spectrum, she said her employees were understanding when she had to cut staff, and those in her classes have been nothing short of “fantastic “in terms of their support.
Now that the pandemic numbers and restrictions have eased, she’s seeing some improvement but has been cautious about the process, bringing back a couple of instructors and returning to in-person classes, albeit with limited class sizes and distancing. She leads sessions equipped with a microphone so that people who choose to be in a separate individual room can hear and follow along.
Also on hand is a diffuser regularly spraying a mist designed to help keep her business clean and safe.
And Grant asks students who come in for a session to wear a mask until they actually get on their mats.
She maintained that what she offers has been beneficial to some struggling with the uncertainty and loneliness of the last 16 or so months. In her words, “I have had students express to me verbally that they had thoughts of suicide and that just being able to come and express themselves and release the tension and frustration that was all bottled up (was good). Coming to yoga actually helped them to get a sound mind and to clear negative thoughts.”
Grant began her yoga practice back in 2000 while a student at the College of Charleston and has been teaching for more than a decade, racking up multiple certifications. As business begins to trickle back in, she’ll put that hard-won knowledge to more use.
“We just want to be able to be here and help change the community,” she said, noting that her business also offers services such as nutritional counseling, a yoga therapy program for teens and a kids’ yoga program.
“What I give out here can save lives,” Grant said.
The strategic acquisition strengthens TransPak’s Southeast presence and expands their capabilities in custom packaging for military, aerospace and high-value equipment.
TransPak, a global leader in logistics, packaging and crating services, recently announced the acquisition of Reid Packaging, a long-standing provider of custom packaging solutions based in Peachtree Corners. Both family-owned and operated companies share a deep-rooted commitment to quality craftsmanship, reliability and customer service, making the acquisition a natural fit.
Reid Packaging, founded in 1982, has distinguished itself as the go-to customer industrial packager in the metro Atlanta region, providing corrugated, foam and custom-engineered crating solutions, particularly in the military and aerospace industries.
Under the ownership of Ward Phillips since 2008, the company has grown to become one of the largest packaging facilities in the region, with a 60,000-square-foot site.
The acquisition will allow TransPak to expand its local manufacturing capabilities in the Southeast, while leveraging Reid Packaging’s expertise in specialized and heavy-duty custom crates.
Strategic Atlanta location and enhanced capabilities
The acquisition is part of TransPak’s strategic expansion into the Atlanta market, a critical logistics hub for both the renewable energy and semiconductor industries.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Reid Packaging into the TransPak family,” said Tomas Molet, executive vice president of East and Midwest Operations, TransPak. “With Reid Packaging’s prime location in Peachtree Corners, we are now able to serve customers throughout the Southeast, including direct routes to the Carolinas and beyond. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet the needs of existing clients, especially those in the semiconductor and renewable energy sectors.”
In addition to the strategic location, the acquisition brings new manufacturing capabilities to TransPak’s East Coast operations. Reid Packaging’s facility is now the largest of TransPak’s locations in the region. Its offerings include enhanced services, such as heavy-duty and triple-wall corrugated packaging, which will enable TransPak to meet the growing demand for custom-designed packaging solutions for fragile, high-value equipment.
Commitment to employees and leadership appointments
A key focus of the acquisition was ensuring a smooth transition for Reid Packaging’s employees.
“We made a commitment to Ward Phillips to take care of the staff, and we’ve delivered on that promise,” said Molet. “All employees were retained, and we’ve introduced benefits they previously didn’t have as part of our commitment to making this a positive transition for everyone involved.”
Amanda Gautney, a longtime member of TransPak’s leadership team, has been appointed as the operations manager for the Peachtree Corners facility. “I’m excited to work with the team at Reid and continue the legacy of this respected company,” said Gautney.
Looking forward in Atlanta
TransPak plans to continue operating under the Reid Packaging name for the immediate future. However, the facility will gradually transition to full integration under the TransPak brand, reflecting the shared values and commitment to quality of both companies.
About TransPak
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, TransPak has been providing innovative and cost-effective design, crating, packaging and global logistics for over 70 years.
As a customer-focused, women- and family-owned company, TransPak combines the agility of a small business with the reliability of a global powerhouse. TransPak lives by the slogan, “We make it happen,” ensuring that high-value, fragile, and oversized goods reach their destinations safely and efficiently.
For more information about TransPak, visit transpak.com.
Leroy Hite, founder of Cutting Edge Firewood, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Berry College in August
Berry College recently awarded its annual Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit to Leroy Hite, founder of Cutting Edge Firewood (and Berry College graduate, class of 2008). The annual award recognizes and honors alumni who have demonstrated a range of positive entrepreneurial skills — including a commitment to turning a dream into a reality, the vision to create an enterprise, the courage to assume risks and the ability to make changes and take advantage of new opportunities.
“This award holds a special place in my heart, maybe more than any other I’ve ever received,” said Hite. “Being recognized by my alma mater is incredibly meaningful to me.
My entrepreneurial journey began at Berry College. It’s where that initial spark was ignited, and honestly, I’m not sure I’d be where I am today without it. Berry nurtured my curiosity, drive and resilience — the key ingredients to entrepreneurship.”
Innovative entrepreneurship
Berry College professor and leader of the school’s Entrepreneurship Program, Dr. Paula Englis, said that Hite took every class she offered. And when those ran out, he did directed studies with her.
“He always knew he wanted to run his own business, and the growth and success of his firewood enterprise has been a wonder to watch,” she said.
Hite was nominated by Berry alumni Alison Ritter, class of 1994. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also supported Hite’s nomination.
“As a small business owner myself, I have strong appreciation for and recognize the perseverance it takes to build a business from the ground up,” said Kemp. “Leroy’s innovative approach to the firewood industry, focusing on product quality and customer service, mirrors the entrepreneurial spirit that has long driven Georgia’s economic success.”
The company
When Hite founded Cutting Edge Firewood in 2013, he created the world’s first luxury firewood and cooking wood company. He reinvented everything about the firewood industry, from how firewood is dried and stored to how it’s packaged, shipped and delivered. When the company began, it was just Leroy with a one truck and a trailer. Now Cutting Edge Firewood employs 40, stocks enough inventory to fill its 40,000-square-foot Peachtree Corners warehouse and ships wood to all 50 states.
The wide variety of wood from Cutting Edge undergoes a special drying process to ensure that it’s free from unwanted pests, mold or fungus and provides an unmatched clean and bright burn with pleasant aroma. Their focus on process and the use of hardwoods such as oak, hickory, cherry, apple, pecan and maple ensures their customers receive the highest quality firewood, cooking wood and pizza wood possible.
For more information about Cutting Edge Firewood, visit cuttingedgefirewood.com.
To learn more about the Entrepreneurship Program at Berry College, visit berry.edu/academics/majors/entrepreneurship.
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