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Curated Collection Of The Best Interviews From Our Sandy Springs Studio





KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Stan Friedman

Stan Friedman

KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring

 Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

 

Stan Friedman / FRM Solutions
President

StanFriedmanStan Friedman, CFE is President of FRMSolutions a “franchise-centric: technology company that enables franchisors to better manage relationships with prospective and existing franchisees.

Stan is a Board Member of the Southeast Franchise Forum and a founding board member of the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Diversity Institute, In 2011, the IFA honored Friedman with its Ronald E. Harrison Diversity Award, previously awarded only seven times in IFA’s 5o+ year history.

Stan is also co-founder and Advisory Board Chair of (PAFI) The Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative. PAFI is a collaborative that educates twilight year professional athletes to the potential of franchise ownership, as a follow-up to their athletic careers.

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KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Ric Zampatti

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KSUEntrepreneurship

 Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

Ric Zampatti / The Barter Company
President and CEO

Ric ZampattiExceptional Success

Ric is a career Georgia business owner and entrepreneur and has been a leader in the barter industry for more than 20 years. In 1996, Ric started The Barter Company in Kennesaw, GA.  Since that time, Ric has grown the company into the leading force in the barter industry throughout the Southeast with offices in Georgia and Florida. Ric currently serves as the CEO of The Barter Company, one of the premier business-to-business trade exchanges in the country serving more than 2,500 clients.

Background

Ric is a seasoned entrepreneur working with businesses that provide services in media buying, new business development, and growth. His passion is helping start-ups and small businesses grow and prosper through barter as well as sound fiscal management and common sense cash flow strategies. Ric is a four-time past president and board member on and off for the past 20 years for the National Association of Trade Exchanges (NATE). He is a member of the International Reciprocal Trade Association, The Brain Trust (a CEO Think Tank), and Optimist International.

The Barter Company provides businesses with an alternative currency network by using barter dollars instead of cash to handle transactions. The Barter Company actively manages the network with highly skilled trade coordinators making the barter experience simple and smooth. In 2016, The Barter Company was selected as one of the “Top 25” Small Businesses of the Year by the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce.

When he’s not at The Barter Company, Ric is in the sky. He is an instrument-rated pilot with over 1,000 hours of flying time.

Ric attended Ohio University with a degree in Hotel Restaurant Management.

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KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Parish Kohanim

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KSUEntrepreneurship

Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

Parish Kohanim / Parish Kohanim Photography
Photographer

 

parish-kohanimParish Kohanim has been intimately involved with professional photography for over 25 years. Parish, who is a renowned commercial photographer, is now devoting his efforts towards his first love, fine art photography. Parish’s passion for the subtle beauty of life is apparent in his photographs. He has focused on many exquisite subjects, and is able to bring them out of the frame and into the live imagination of the viewer.

After working in San Francisco and New York, he decided to open his professional photography studio in Atlanta. He has been very successful in his commercial endeavors for many years in Atlanta. Advertising agencies, design firms, and Fortune 500 companies have been his primary clients, some of which include IBM, AT&T, Coca-Cola, DeBeers Diamonds, Hanes, Fossil, and Kimberly Clark. His work has repeatedly appeared on pages of such publications as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Forbes, Time and Newsweek.

KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Terry “Doc” Dockery, Ph.D

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KSUEntrepreneurship

 Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

Terry “Doc” Dockery, PH.D. / The Business Psychology Company
President

T. Dockery - small fileTerry “Doc” Dockery, Ph.D. is a licensed Business Psychologist, speaker, and writer who is Founder and President of The Business Psychology Company. Since 1993 he has helped leaders in small to Fortune 500 companies to be happier and more successful.

He specializes in Business Transformation, and has a track record of doubling revenue and happiness at a minimum 10:1 Return On Investment with a money-back guarantee. His clients have won numerous national “Best Place to Work” awards.

He holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and he has been interviewed as an expert on leadership and organizational high performance by USA Today, Forbes.com, CFO Magazine, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He has served on the faculty of the U.S Chamber of Commerce executive training program and the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards committee of the Georgia Psychological Association. He has also served on numerous Boards of Advisers, and is currently most active with the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center.

In his spare time Terry is widely known as a man who puts the “harm” in harmonica. He plays and sings in a classic rock/rocking blues band that often performs free for nonprofit fundraisers and other worthy causes. He is a former professional musician who received the Lucille Award from B.B. King himself.

His proudest achievement, however, is his happy family.

 

 

KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Mark Fonseca

KSUEntrepreneurship

 Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks and Ted Jenkin.

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Mark Fonseca / Executive Image Consultant & Professional Speaker

The best-dressed man always makes a powerful statement. Mark Fonseca should know; he’s one of them. The first thing one will notice when meeting Mark is that he is impeccably dressed, with an unpretentious elegance. His exquisite attire and flawless detail package a look that radiates confidence, success and quiet authority. Mark has mastered the art of dressing. As founder and owner of Fonseca Clothiers, it’s no wonder that he also dresses some of the country’s most dynamic, affluent men, guaranteeing that they will always look and feel their absolute best.

Veterans Connect Radio Episode 018

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Veterans Connect Radio

A spotlight episode of Atlanta Business Radio and powered by Business RadioX. Co-Hosted by Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson and Brandon Skolnick with Gathering Of Angels. Featuring veteran entrepreneurs, support organizations, outreach groups and more in the Atlanta area continuing to serve our families, our communities and our country. 

#VetsConnect
@VetConnectRadio

 

Veterans Connect Radio “Fire Your Guns”
Dec. 02 6-8pm

 

 

Veterans Rally in the Woods
Dec. 09-11 2016

 

 

 

Charlie Whitfield / Whitty IT Solutions
CEO

Charlie Whitfield is the CEO of Whitty Apps LLC, a SBA certified 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WBE, MBE, Woman Owned and Operated Company.
Whitty IT Solutions, LLC is a Software Engineering & Technology Integration company. We deliver next generation innovative solutions that address our client’s needs. Our expertise centers around Technology Strategies including the following: Information Technology, Risk Management and Software Engineering.
Technology Integration | Application Development & Management | Enterprise Risk Management | Custom Computer Programming | IT Consulting and Strategy | Native, Mobile and Web Applications | Cyber Security | Data Hosting and Related Services | Computer Systems Design | Project Management | Program Management |

 

David Rowell

I am currently working for a Large IT company in Alpharetta. I grew up an Air Force brat, and I finished Middle and High School in Metro Atlanta. I attending Georgia Southern University and upon graduation I enlisted in the Marine Corps. I served 5 years in the Marine Corps as an Infantryman in Panama, Kosovo, and Iraq (03). After my time in the Marines, I got into government contracting and worked in Iraq and Afghanistan. Eventually, starting my own government contracting company that focussed on providing services and support in the frontier regions of North Africa, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. I was able to move back to Atlanta and pivot into IT where I am a customer success manager supporting Fortune 500 company’s IT Divisions.

I have recently completed my MBA from Georgia Tech with a concentration in Management of Technology. I am a “hang around” in the startup scene around Atlanta. I am interested in technologies like AI that give SMB’s a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

    Thank you

sharpshootersusa

Jay Ferro with Earthlink and Matthew May with Acuity

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Jay Ferro / Earthlink
EVP, Chief Information and Product Officer

Mr. Ferro has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Products since July 2016. From January 2012 to July 2016, Mr. Ferro served as the Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society, a volunteer health organization. From August 2011 to January 2012, he served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a health care facility management company. Prior to joining AdCare Health Systems, Mr. Ferro spent seven years at American International Group (AIG), including as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AIG Aerospace, an aerospace insurer. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer for Operations and Systems for AIG Aerospace.

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Matthew May / Acuity
Managing Partner

I have experience adding value to companies by helping navigate tax and accounting rules. Prior to coming to Atlanta, I was a part of the Austin technology community both as an advisor and as a part of a start-up that had a successful $100 million exit in November 2000.

I am an active leader in the Georgia technology community and serve on the selection committees for Venture Atlanta, the Technology Association of Georgia’s Top 40 Innovators, and the Association for Corporate Growth’s Georgia FAST 40. I have also taken community leadership roles with Georgia Aquarium’s Next Wave Society, New American Pathways, and Venture Atlanta.

Twitter    LinkedIn     Facebook

 

 

 

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Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors Features Donna Grindle

Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors interviews industry experts from in and around the Metro Atlanta Area. Our goal is to provide valuable information that all business owners and managers can use in their day-to-day work to help them succeed.

 

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Donna Grindle / Kardon Compliance
Founder & President

After 30 years in IT, Donna Grindle has seen a lot of changes.  As a self-professed techno-nerd, she has been thrilled to test out new tech as it has come along.  Donna started in Healthcare IT as a programmer for Atlanta based, Millard-Wayne, Inc. in 1987.  When the company was acquired in 1997, Donna was Vice President of Operations.  

In 1999, Donna formed the technology consulting firm, Kardon Group, LLC, with her now wife and business partner Karla Kreitner.   Today, doing business as Kardon Compliance, they help companies manage their HIPAA compliance programs.

Donna is also a speaker, blogger, and podcaster on topics concerning HIPAA compliance as well as technology and cybersecurity for small business.  Donna and Karla are active in a variety of community organizations such as For The Kid, Health Initiative, Atlanta Independent Women’s Network, and more.  They live in the Tucker area with their sheltie, Chantz.

 

 

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk (Host) / bbr Marketing
President

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk has been a member of the creative and marketing services community for over 20 years and does not appear to be leaving it anytime soon. As president of bbr marketing, she has relished the challenges of entrepreneurship as she worked to grow and nurture a new business. Since the firm’s inception in 2009, Bonnie has led the young company to become widely recognized and respected within the professional services marketing niche, with award-winning client websites and an outstanding history of business success having worked with clients in 23 states and 2 Canadian provinces.

Clint Brewer with U.S. Commercial Service, Bettina Gardner with The City Of Atlanta, Angelica F. White with ZIPPYAR LLC,

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Clint Brewer / U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Commercial Officer

After graduating from Syracuse University in May 2003 with a degree in International Relations
and Spanish, Clint Brewer moved to New York City where he started his career in international
business working with the second largest insurance broker in the world, Aon Risk Solutions. Soon after completing a two
year training program with Aon, Clint was selected to participate in a foreign exchange program that placed him in Madrid, Spain for a period of three years, where he acquired professional language proficiency in Spanish and obtained experience advising multinational clients on their commercial insurance needs in Spain.

 

 

 

Bettina Gardner / City Of Atlanta
Deputy Director Of International Affairs

A native of Stone Mountain, GA, Ms. Bettina Gardner is a proud alumna of Florida State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Multinational Business and Spanish. Shortly after undergrad, Ms. Gardner completed her MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona.

Ms. Gardner has taught English abroad in both Spain and Chile, as well as worked at the US Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. She spent 6 months in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil studying Portuguese as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.

Ms. Gardner has worked at the Georgia Department of Agriculture in the International Trade office,  managing inbound buyer delegations and planning trade missions for Georgia and southeastern agricultural companies. Her role included assisting Georgia food businesses in their exporting endeavors.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Gardner worked as a Global Business Meeting Consultant for the largest educational travel company in the US, WorldStrides Capstone. There she organized high level business meetings across the globe for top MBA programs and universities, serving as the liason to C-suite executives at companies such as Maersk, Coca-Cola, Port of Valparaiso, Gulfstream Aerospace, Bank of England, the London Stock Exchange, the Intercontinetal Exchange and many more.

As Deputy Director of International Affairs for Mayor Kasim Reed, Ms. Gardner organizes meetings with inbound/outbound delegations, coordinates overseas trips and interacts with the City of Atlanta’s global community, including the over 70 Consular offices located in the metro area. A few of the  key programs she has organized include: the  2014 Inaugural Americas Competitiveness Exchange, Mayor Reed’s trade mission to Brazil, FinTech Trade Mission to London, Mayor Reed’s Mission to the Inauguration of President Varela of Panama, Young African Leaders Initiative in Atlanta, and the annual export seminar. Ms. Gardner holds an MS in International Affairs from Georgia Tech. She has over ten years of experience in government, educational and corporate foreign exchange programs, speaks Spanish and Portuguese and has lived in both Europe and Latin America. She currently serves as Interim Director of International Affairs.

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Angelica Figueiredo White / ZIPPYAR LLC
Founder and CEO

“Angelica White is the founder and chief executive officer of ZIPPYAR, which enables products to directly stream unique video messages to consumers. We also allow consumers to respond in a crowdsourcing like platform using mobile devices. We believe customers are one of a kind and so is the message we empower brands to deliver. ZIPPYAR patent pending technology is at the intersection of Near Field Communication, QRCode, CLOUD, Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) augmenting the relationship of brands and consumers.

Angelica likes to identify herself as an inventor, entrepreneur, business consultant and mother.  She holds a bachelor of science in Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Executive MBA from Goizueta Business School. She is the 2010 class Entrepreneurship Award recipient and LaunchPad2X 2015 program graduate. Angelica has extensive experience delivering innovative solutions to companies such as Titleist, PepsiCo Brazil and Fidelity Investments. She is visionary, strategist, personable and determined.  Angelica relocated from Brazil to the US to immerse herself in an English program with final objective of attaining an MBA to starting her own business. She was awarded her first patent acting as her own patent lawyer, and is passionate about delivering social good while developing profitable businesses.

In September of this year,  ZIPPYAR was accepted into the Amazon AWS Activate Portfolio Program joining notable startups, including Airbnb, Lyft and Spotify, to name a few. Participation in this program will allow ZIPPYAR to accelerate its product development, and provide the infrastructure to quickly scale.”

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Craig Apatov with Ascension and Donna Peeples with Pypestream

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Craig Apatov / Ascension Growth & Innovation Strategies
Managing Partner

As founder of Ascension and leader of the firm’s strategic marketing and consultative sales practice Craig plays a hands-on role on many of Ascension’s major client engagements. His firm Ascension boasts 27 consultants and helps companies drive revenue growth, market share improvement, new product impact, and profitable geographic expansion. A three time Chief Marketing Officer Apatov possesses 20+ years of accomplishment in a variety of strategic marketing, general management, and consultative business development roles for multiple Fortune 100 companies. At Ascension he is often responsible for the development and implementation of game changing strategies for the firm’s clients around the world which range across industries including healthcare, financial services, industrial manufacturing + distribution, media entertainment, and retail. Craig’s professional experience includes executive roles with multi-national companies including Con Agra Foods, Citibank, GM, Mattel Toys, Time Warner, and The Walt Disney Company where he helped develop and grow some of the world’s largest and most iconic brands. In total Apatov has developed and managed strategic alliances valued at over $350 million. Apatov led major digital initiatives for Citibank in the e-commerce area, the development of AutoTrader.com, and the creation/growth of one of the nation’s largest and most successful pure play online banks — The GMAC Bank (later renamed the Ally Bank).

 

 

Donna Peeples / Pypestream
Chief Customer Officer

Donna Peeples is chief customer officer at Pypestream, which enables companies to deliver exceptional customer service using real-time mobile chatbot technology. She was previously chief customer experience officer at AIG.
She is an accomplished senior executive with extensive P&L responsibility and verifiable results in a variety of industries and global markets. Peeples is a versatile strategist who combines her keen market sense and strong orientation in top-line growth and negotiations with her experience, entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen to transform innovative ideas into profits. A master communicator, Peeples works to define business objectives and articulate the corporate vision in a way that inspires imagination and compels action throughout the organization. Whether managing cost, influencing the top line or creating vibrant and productive partnerships, her focus is on blending business strategy with creativity – touching the heart and moving the mind. The result is: true paradigm shifts, sustainable change and the achievement of overall business objectives.
What sets Peeples apart is that she has charted her path by rising through a variety of leadership, operational and revenue-generating roles in highly regulated and uniquely challenging industries. Time and again, in financial services, energy as well as original equipment manufacturing, she has introduced category-changing thinking while guiding purposeful and adaptable practices with positive results.

 

Twitter(PypeStream)      Twitter(Donna)     LinkedIn