Friday, August 27th, 2010 1:14 pm
Elizabeth Gordon, founder of Flourishing Business and author of The Chic Entrepreneur: Put Your Business in Higher Heels sat down with financial advisor Martina Jimenez of Eagle Strategies, LLC and estate planning attorney Patricia Elrod-Hill of The Elrod-Hill Law Firm to discuss WIFS, Women in Insurance and Financial Services.
Listen to these chic tips on business success from their conversation.
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 2:06 pm
Podcast: Download
Elizabeth Gordon, founder of Flourishing Business and author of The Chic Entrepreneur: Put Your Business in Higher Heels sat down with financial advisor Martina Jimenez of Eagle Strategies, LLC and estate planning attorney Patricia Elrod-Hill of The Elrod-Hill Law Firm to discuss WIFS, Women in Insurance and Financial Services. Listen in on their conversation.
Martina Jimenez started her business career early, forming numerous business ventures with neighborhood children in her native Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. With a strong knack for business and leadership skills, Martina naturally led these ventures, serving as CEO or President. Her instincts for business and leadership were also groomed by a generation of strong and intelligent women who insisted she never stepped aside or behind anyone – and she’s still going strong. With over 15 years experience in the financial industry, Ms. Jimenez is a Financial Adviser with Eagle Strategies, LLC, a subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, and has owned her practice in Atlanta for 8 years. Prior to Eagle Strategies, LLC, Martina worked as a Private Banker for Bank of America and worked in the mortgage industry. She attended the University of Georgia, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences degree.
As a Registered Investment Adviser, Martina provides her clients a vast range of personalized services including wealth management, education, retirement and business planning, estate preservation, family wealth transfers and charitable giving. Martina provides custom tailored strategies for each client, understanding the unique needs that require her financial expertise. Helping her clients attain financial independence is more than a goal, it is her commitment. With a relentless work ethic, Martina’s dedication to her clients is well know in the industry and valued by her impressive clientele.
Visit her at 550 Pharr Road, N.E., Suite 645 Atlanta, GA 30305, www.martinajimenez.com
You can find her on twitter as well @majimenez01
Her numerous Affiliations, Awards, Licenses & Organizations include being the current President of WIFS in Atlanta, which is a great organization that women in insurance and financial services should really get to know – find out more about WIFS
Patti Elrod-Hill is also a long time board member of WIFS joined us in the studio as well.
Patricia Elrod-Hill who is an estate planning attorney and established entrepreneur as well. The Elrod-Hill Law Firm, does estate planning and elder care. They help families plan for their future, with a concentration in helping families who have a loved one with a disability or who might be facing a disability. She’s been in practice for 21 years and established her own firm 7 years ago. With a lot of compassion and understanding Patti brings an excellent perspective to what can often be a difficult and sensitive situation.
Patti shared how she started and what she does for clients as well as what she sees coming for her industry.
Her law firm helps people understand what they need to do legally to protect a loved one who may need extra help in managing their affairs. Working with an attorney can save money and give a lot of peace of mind. Women are especially in need of advice because they are often the caretakers.
Go to www.elrod-hillfirm.com
For more tips, talks and advice for how to be a chic entrepreneur and get the business to come to you, visit www.herecomesthebusiness.com
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 11:42 pm
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Maura Neill and Laura Scholz
Looking for something fun to do in Atlanta this weekend? Or even every day of the week?
Look no further than realtor Maura Neill’s fabulous blog, Atlanta: 365 Days, 365 Things to Do. From pillow fights in Piedmont Park to the city’s best restaurants, shows and museums, her blog is the source for Atlanta’s best events.
Listen as we discuss her blog (she writes EVERY day!), the surprising popularity of local cemeteries, karaoke and her upcoming appearance at Social Media Breakfast Atlanta on August 19 at 8am.
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 3:00 pm
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Jenn Green and Laura Scholz
Jewelry designer Jenn Green of Drea James Jewelry is the essence of chic. Each of her one-of-a-kind designs tells a unique story, and her romantic, Old Hollywood meets modern girl-on-the-go aesthetic is endlessly charming.
And Jenn is every bit as charming as her designs! Check out the interview for more on her celebrity muse, what inspires her and how you can get a Drea James piece of your very own!
Monday, August 9th, 2010 9:40 pm
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Elizabeth Gordon and Kathy Betty
Elizabeth Gordon, President of Flourishing Business and bestselling author of The Chic Entrepreneur interviewed WNBA Team Owner & CEO Kathy Betty today on The Chic Perspectives Show. Betty purchased the Atlanta Dream in October 2009, shortly after the franchise completed its second season in Atlanta. A prominent Atlanta businesswoman and sports advocate, Betty is committed to putting a winning product on the court and making a positive impact off the court.
Betty has more than 25 years of business management and consultancy experience. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Computer Sciences from the University of Alabama and Belmont College, and went on to work for Hayes Microsystems, was one of the first female partners with Ernst & Young, and later served as Executive Vice President and Partner with Scott, Madden and Associates. In 1996, she formed her own successful incubator The Tradewind Group.
Betty serves in a leadership capacity for a number of non-profit organizations. She is chairman and CEO of the Garry Betty Foundation, a partnership with the V Foundation. She also serves on the boards of Alexander-Tharpe Fund, Georgia Institute of Technology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Find more about the team and buy tickets to an Atlanta Dream game at: http://www.wnba.com/dream/
For more tips, talks and advice for how to be a chic entrepreneur and get the business to come to you, visit www.herecomesthebusiness.com
Thursday, July 29th, 2010 5:40 pm
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Have a great idea, but aren’t sure how to make it come to life?
Laura Scholz, President of Scholz Communications and managing director of CRAVE atlanta sat down with Alison Netwon of Alison Newton Consulting to discuss the ins and outs of product development.
And Alison’ definitely the go-to-girl for product development expertise. She has more than 12 years of experience in product development with successful and well respected companies like Nordstrom, Saks, and Spanx. She now focuses her time on supporting and empowering entrepreneurs, nurturing their ideas, supporting their development and strategically launching their products!
Listen in for more tips from Alison and catch her live at Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle conference on Saturday, July 31!
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 9:05 am
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Listen to these Chic Tips from established Entrepreneurs Lisa Owen, President & Benefit Specialist, CORE Benefit Solutions, LLC www.corebenefitsga.com and Gina Ragsdale, Founder/President/Southern Demolition www.southerndemo.com.
Lisa Owen is the founding partner and President of CORE Benefit Solutions, a benefits brokerage firm specializing in health benefits planning and marketing for corporations and individuals.
Lisa has 15+ years of experience in the employee benefits arena for both corporations and individuals. Her business knowledge and industry expertise, paired with innovative ideas and commitment to client satisfaction, have earned notable credibility in the industry. www.corebenefitsga.com
As a Benefits Specialist and broker for corporations and individuals, Lisa’s company helps corporations of all sizes establish or re-vamp the benefits package (encompassing medical, dental, disability, and workers comp) they offer employees and also serve as an employer’s HR administrative arm as needed.
Gina Ragsdale, Founder/President/Southern Demolition and Environmental. www.southerndemo.com
Gina became an asbestos inspector in 2007 and then became a licensed asbestos abatement contractor in the state of Georgia. Southern Demolition handles all aspects of demolition projects including estimating, inspecting and supervising the removal of asbestos, applying for permits, coordinating the installation of erosion controls, advising the client of permitting and site plan requirements, and deconstructing re-usable building products.
Her company is focused on the diversion of materials from the landfill – everything from usable light fixtures to hardwood floorings to bricks to mantles to cabinets to appliances. She recently started a retail outlet for architectural elements, bricks and other treasures she finds deconstructing wood and other salvageable items from houses and structures called “The Deconstructed House” www.thedeconstructedhouse.com .
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 8:23 am
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Today on The Chic Perspectives Show I had on Established Entrepreneurs Lisa Owen, President & Benefit Specialist, CORE Benefit Solutions, LLC www.corebenefitsga.com and Gina Ragsdale, Founder/President/Southern Demolition www.southerndemo.com. Both experts in their field, Lisa and Gina shared their stories about starting and building success entrepreneurial enterprises.
Lisa Owen is the founding partner and President of CORE Benefit Solutions, a benefits brokerage firm specializing in health benefits planning and marketing for corporations and individuals. Lisa has 15+ years of experience in the employee benefits arena for both corporations and individuals. Her business knowledge and industry expertise, paired with innovative ideas and commitment to client satisfaction, have earned notable credibility in the industry.
Lisa talked about how she started down this path in college with a degree in a related field (risk management) and a college internship in a related field which evolved into a part-time position while in college.
She highly recommends college student get real world experience as early as possible in their field to help them apply context to college assignments and also evaluate if the potential profession is a good fit.
As a Benefits Specialist and broker for corporations and individuals, Lisa’s company helps corporations of all sizes establish or re-vamp the benefits package (encompassing medical, dental, disability, and workers comp) they offer employees and also serve as an employer’s HR administrative arm as needed.
In addition, CORE Benefits works with individuals who may be self-employed, college students, or out of work looking for individual health benefits options outside the traditional group plan. They provide clients guidance and market alternatives for benefits plans and make sure that they have the most cost competitive health benefits package available.
The company can serve anyone who needs assistance with health benefits. Typical clients are mid-size market employers (2-500 employees).
Lisa shared some of the key differentiators that have helped her company stand out –
1. The Importance of Maintaining Ongoing Client Relations
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- Her philosophy is that the client should feel that they are your only client in terms of the service and time that you give them. Educate yourself on the client and remind yourself of their situation each time before you meet with them. As your client base builds, do not take this personal touch for granted.
- Make a point to contact clients you have not been in touch with through the year to check in and make sure everything is okay
- To the extent possible, treat all clients equally, regardless of size.
2. Build strategic partnerships and alliances
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- Strategic partners are one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies available
- Strategic partners also provide a good sounding board when you need to devise creative solutions for a client or for your business
- Network, network, network! Make sure you have a team within your company or alliances with other firms that can assist you with business development.
3. Structure your business so that it can adapt to change
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- This is probably the most important point for an entrepreneur in this line of business to be able to do right now with the new health care reform law.
- Shortly after passage of the new health care reform law, we began discussing how we will adapt to changes and diversify ourselves so that we can survive the upcoming changes.
- Think positively about change and what you will learn both professionally and personally from it.
Checkout CORE Benefits @ www.corebenefitsga.com
and also become a friend on @ Facebook
and link up with Lisa @ Lisa Owen
My next guest was Gina Ragsdale, Founder/President/Southern Demolition and Environmental www.southerndemo.com
Gina is a native of Sandy Springs, and graduated from Terry College of Business at University of Georgia with a Risk Management Degree. She cited the strong emotional family support from her parents, Gene and Beadie Cambardella, who always encouraged her to “do something I like”.
Her husband was also supportive in pursuing a demolition and environmental services company. Now a working mother of one, Gina juggles the demands of existing demolition projects, growing complimentary lines of business, and a full family life like a pro.
Gina talked about how it all started with a request from a neighbor to tear down a house. She quickly realized that the determination of asbestos and proper removal was as equally important environmentally as the disposal of the debris. She became an asbestos inspector in 2007 and then became a licensed asbestos abatement contractor in the state of Georgia.
She’s now estimating demolition projects, inspecting and supervising the removal of asbestos, applying for permits, coordinating the installation of erosion controls, advising the client of permitting and site plan requirements, and deconstructing re-usable building products.
Her company is focused on the diversion of materials from the landfill – everything from usable light fixtures to hardwood floorings to bricks to mantles to cabinets to appliances.
Gina recently started a retail outlet for architectural elements and bricks. The company is called “The Deconstructed House” www.thedeconstructedhouse.com and is her new “baby”.
She talked about the treasures she finds deconstructing wood and other salvageable items from houses and structures.
Gina gave great advice when it comes to doing demolition work – First it’s important it is to hire licensed, insured contractors. If the quote is too good to be true, it probably is – so make sure to ask for references.
Also ask for detailed quotes. Make sure that you as the owner is compliant not only with local permitting requirement but state requirements as well. Just because you have a permit doesn‟t mean all Environmental regulations are being met.
Gina talked about how important it is to encourage legislators to mandate reuse of materials. Nationally, the US manufactures and disposes of approx. 11 million tons of asphalt shingles, which is approx. 8% of the total building-related waste stream. Mandating use of recycled shingles in road paving applications could ultimately significantly reduce the negative environmental impact associated with the extraction, transportation and processing of virgin materials.
You can find more about about Gina’s businesses:
Southern Demolition and Environmental at www.southerndemo.com
The Deconstructed House is www.thedeconstructedhouse.com
Additionally SouthernDemolition and Environmental and The Deconstructed House both have facebook pages.
Thank you to my fabulous guests and to our wonderful listeners.
Until next time wishing you all Chic Success,
Elizabeth
Monday, June 28th, 2010 10:05 pm
Podcast: Download
The Chic Perspectives Show is a weekly radio show for women entrepreneurs interested in business topics such as sales, marketing, operations, employees and cash flow, along with growth and strategy.
We interview a variety of guests to hear success stories of women business owners, industry trends and innovative ideas – all geared towards helping women put themselves in ‘higher heels’ and ‘succeed in style’- their own personal style.
Today on the Chic Perspectives Show we shined to Chic Spotlight on social media. I talked to Emerging Entrepreneur, Stephanie Abrams, Founder of Gabbaroo, a social media company.
Stephanie Abrams and Deirdre Leone are the founders of Gabbaroo.com, and two female entrepreneurs succeeding with style.
Gabbaroo.com is a social media marketing company that works to optimize its client’s visibility in the online world. Creating a buzz through social networking sites, Gabbaroo utilizes social media to garner attention for small businesses, personas, bands and even Broadway shows.
Stephanie talked about what Gabbaroo does do for businesses, how Gabbaroo different from other marketing companies and what types of clients they service. She shared great advice to other women entrepreneurs as well.
Listen to my interview with Stephanie to find out why businesses need to be present in an online world in order to get ahead.
Stephanie talked about why social media should be done by a professional company who have extensive knowledge about social media in order for it to be effective.
We also discussed statistics about how relevant social media is to reaching masses of people much faster than traditional marketing. Contact and keep in touch with Gabbaroo and get your gab on. www.gabbaroo.com
www.facebook.com/gabbaroo
www.twitter.com/getinthegab
TO GAB WITH STEPH
Stephanie@gabbaroo.com
917.282.9052
718.986.9035
TO GAB WITH DEIRDRE
Deirdre@gabbaroo.com
609.774.1889
Thanks for listening.
Until next time, wishing you all Chic Success.
Elizabeth
Monday, June 28th, 2010 7:09 pm
Podcast: Download
Elizabeth Gordon interviewed Stephanie Abrams, Founder of Gabbaroo.com, a social media company that works to optimize its client’s visibility in the online world.
Creating a buzz through social networking sites, Gabbaroo utilizes social media to garner attention for small businesses, personas, bands and even Broadway shows.
Listen to Stephanie Abrams Chic Tip on Entrepreneurial Success.
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