Emory University-bound high school seniors personify community service and scholarly endeavors.
Peachtree Corners Business Association recognized two outstanding area students at its monthly speakers series. Rachel Lee, a graduating senior at Norcross High School and Sarah Lim, a graduating senior at Wesleyan School, each were awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Both young ladies are active in their schools and their communities and expressed a desire to continue volunteer efforts while pursuing degrees at Emory University.
As the president of Norcross High’s Student Council and president of the Tri-M National Music Honors Society, Lee has exhibited leadership skills beyond her years. Her desire to spread multi-culturalism prompted her to create a Chinese calligraphy class. And her compassion for others led her to become co-president of the More Love Letters club — a group founded to spread love and encouragement to others.
“Thank you for giving me the scholarship. It’s truly an honor,” she said during the ceremony. “And this scholarship committee asked … what I learned in life … and the three things I said were to cultivate inclusivity of leading by examples and serving my community.”
Lee went on to thank the Peachtree Corners community and the business enough for teaching her about the importance paying good deeds forward.
Allison Reinert, Donna Linden, Lisa Proctor, Rachel Lee and Monte McDowellAllison Reinert, Donna Linden, Lisa Proctor, Sarah Lim and Monte McDowell
“I hope to carry the torch lit by Peachtree Corners and the businesses around,” she said.
She ended by announcing she will be studying human health at Emory University.
Similarly, Sarah Lim thanked the Peachtree Corners Business Association for its kindness and generosity.
“I’ve lived in Peachtree corners my entire life, it has really felt like home. And I appreciate the community, the family-like community, it’s provided me and the way it has cultivated my passions at Wesleyan,” she said.
Lim, too, is passionate about equality and fairness. She’s the president of the Honor Council and a member of “Let’s Do Better,” a nonprofit movement that supports projects for national reform. Lim was a co-founder of the school chapter and developed skills in social media and website development. She is also active in multiple diversity initiatives such as the “Sipping Honest-Tea” podcast she began in 2020 to amplify diverse voices and encourage conversations about culture and different perspectives.
“I have loved the community at Wesleyan where I’ve been able to empower other students and embrace my own identity as a woman of color. Additionally, I have found myself doing mock trial and being a member of the worship team … and I am excited to pursue this interest at Emory University next year.”
PCBA President Lisa Proctor joked that if she could adopt both girls they’d end up with free tuition at Emory since her husband’s a faculty member.
“I have a feeling there may be a conversation later,” she joked.
Arlinda Smith Broady is part of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after their ancestors moved North. With approximately three decades of journalism experience (she doesn't look it), she's worked in tiny, minority-based newsrooms to major metropolitans. At every endeavor she brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread the news to the people.
This panel of local business owners and consultants gathered at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast on Thursday, Oct. 26, to discuss strategies and opportunities for business success in 2024 and beyond.
Moderator Amanda Pearch Marmolejo, owner and President of Forsyth Business Radio X, kicked things off by introducing the panel participants, which included:
From left, Michael Pugh, Rico Figliolini, Lisa Anders, Amanda Pearch Marmolejo, Bill McDermott and Gentry Ganote (photos by Tracey Rice)
Rico Figliolini, the founder of Mighty Rockets and Publisher of Peachtree Corners Magazine
1. The importance of cybersecurity for businesses Cybersecurity remains a top concern for small and medium-sized businesses. In fact, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) recently published Business Impact Report, 73% of 551 surveyed small business owners encountered a cyberattack this year.
As the leader of technology solutions provider Rijoli, Gentry Ganote knows first-hand where businesses are the most vulnerable.
“What we’re seeing is phishing attacks are really the number one nefarious act that’s going on that we deal with on a daily basis. We provide security services for our customers, and we have spam filters and email filters and all kinds of artificial intelligence,” said Ganote.
“But emails still get through, texts get through and people become susceptible to clicking on a link, putting their password in, changing bank records, giving money to the wrong people, and we see it every day,” he added.
“If any of you guys hire interns, you should educate them quickly about scams that are out there. They don’t know they’re new to the workforce,” Ganote explained emphatically.
2. Business succession and exit strategies As some business owners head toward retirement or strive to preserve their legacy for future generations, transitioning both management and ownership is paramount.
As “The Profitability Coach,” Bill McDermott has consulted many business owners on best executing their succession strategies.
“The particular work for a business owner is number one, identifying that there’s value that can be transferred either to that seller, to the management team or to the outside buyer,” said McDermott.
“Secondly, there’s a growth plan that’s required. Typically, there’s a letter of intent or confidentiality agreement. There are asset purchase agreements, there are representations and warranties, and having an attorney is absolutely critical,” he further explained.
“Selling a business in some ways is also selling real estate, except the numbers are bigger. So, it takes a business broker … it’s a complex transaction, and there are a lot of moving parts, and there are a lot of important people that are part of that,” he added.
3. Leadership, training and staffing
Industries like hospitality are innovating through adversity, developing new training programs to address service staffing shortages exacerbated by the pandemic and aiming to empower front-line employees through direct and tailored instruction.
Lisa Anders, the Executive Director for Explore Gwinnett, Gwinnett County’s official tourism organization, shared her challenges and solutions in this area.
“We have a lot of research and a lot of conversations with our hotels and our other hospitality departments on the very frontline; the very front desk is the problem. People are under-trained and under motivated. It is just a problem,” she added.
Yet, Explore Gwinnett is taking positive steps forward with its training efforts.
“We’re instituting a new training program. We’re going to be going into every single hotel district … going directly into those hotel districts and doing training one-on-one with our hotel partners and with frontline employees. Our hotels are super excited because it’s not just customer service, it is learning how to de-escalate situations,” Anders explained.
4. Content creation and podcasting Podcasts have emerged as a powerful tool for storytelling and marketing. Drawing inspiration from a family history in journalism, McDermott leveraged the power of narrative to create a successful podcast that not only celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit but also serves as a cornerstone in his marketing strategy.
“Marketing is the number one weakness in any broken firm,” McDermott said.
“I started a show, we just celebrated our 50th episode, and I was able to tell stories of business owners and professionals that advise them. Three years forward now, my podcast has become actually the linchpin in my marketing strategy. It is the number one thing that I do,” he went on.
“Podcasting is actually a great way to get to know and trust people and a lot of my guests have now become clients,” McDermott added.
Rico Figliolini, the founder of creative services company Mighty Rockets, echoed this sentiment.
“It’s a great way to soft open a prospect. … If you want to get a lead prospect in your industry, you should become that authority of that industry,” said Figliolini.
5. Artificial intelligence and technology
Increasing efficiency while maintaining the human element using AI applications is at the forefront of business strategy heading into 2024.
The legal realm is catching up with AI’s transformative impact. Tools that once seemed futuristic are becoming standard, reshaping how legal professionals approach their work while maintaining the essential human touch through client interactions.
Michael Pugh, an attorney at the law firm of Thompson O’Brien, is witnessing this transition first-hand.
“The legal industry is just starting to incorporate AI … There’s one program called LexisNexis where I can write a legal breach and upload it to Lexis, and it’ll check my cases. It’ll suggest other cases to incorporate; it’ll analyze my arguments and tell me what percentage I’m likely to succeed,” Pugh explained.
“That’s a bit scary, but sometimes it’s pretty cool. So, we’re definitely going to be using more AI, but at the same time, people want to see who they’re working with face-to-face. So, we do meet regularly with our clients,” he added.
The next PCBA Business After Hours Speaker Series will be held on Nov. 16, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Kathryn Stewart, owner of Performance Trucking, will discuss how she carved out her path as a female executive in a male-dominated industry.
The Gwinnett Chamber is set to host the 2023 Multi-Chamber Mixer at After Hours, an end-of-year event designed to celebrate Gwinnett’s inclusive business community.
The program will be held at the Gas South Convention Center on November 1, starting at 5 p.m.
This program brings organizations from around the world together to celebrate Gwinnett’s diverse and international business community.
Partners in this event have historically included business groups such as:
The Georgia Indo-American Chamber,
Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia,
Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia,
Latin American Chamber,
German American Chamber,
French American Chamber,
Georgia Hispanic Chamber,
Georgia Pakistan Business Council,
Liberian Community Association of Georgia,
Atlanta Chinese Entrepreneurs Club and
the Italy America Chamber Commerce Southeast, Georgia Chapter
“Collaboration with these organizations enables connection and a deeper understanding of business needs in our region,” added Gwinnett Chamber President and CEO Nick Masino. “We are pleased to partner with these entities in hosting an event designed to celebrate our collective success and ever-evolving growth opportunities.”
Registration is required to attend and includes international food tastings, drink tickets and networking with more than 300 business professionals. To register, please visit GwinnettChamber.org/Events.
Insight Sourcing, a North American consulting firm focused exclusively on strategic sourcing and procurement-related services, is marking 21 years of client commitment with a brand refresh.
The firm has updated its visual identity with a new icon and font and is dropping “Group” from its brand name, previously Insight Sourcing Group.
The decision to refresh the brand underscores Insight Sourcing’s dedication to the procurement and sourcing domain.
“Since day one, Insight Sourcing has remained innovative, agile and always ready to leverage market intelligence, and digital assets to meet the ambitious goals of our clients,” said Tom Beaty, CEO of Insight Sourcing.
“We never rest in our pursuit of excellence, and neither should our brand. It reflects our deep appreciation for our past as well as the dynamic nature of our future,” he added.
It’s important to note that this refresh signifies a renewed pledge to clients and their needs. It does not signify a change of ownership or operating structure.
For further details about Insight Sourcing, visit the organization’s website at www.insightsourcing.com.