Friday, September 29, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Senoia Law Office

We’re continuing to introduce our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Crystal Boudreaux of Senoia Law Office!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: I joined the Chamber in the 2016 membership drive. I joined because I believe the Chamber to be a group of business owners who want to better their companies and the community. I have had some previous contact with the Chamber through my Coweta Community Foundation Board membership and have continued to meet people in our business community. Involvement is investment in our community, which is a role I continue in Coweta County.

Community Involvement: I remain treasurer of the Senoia Downtown Development Association and work on the board to improve Senoia's growing downtown. We focus on community events, beautification of the town, cultural art events, economic growth and overall community appeal in the downtown area of Senoia. We recently had a Chamber event in Senoia that was a huge hit! I also serve as Board member and Fundraising Committee member on the Coweta Community Foundation. We work through fundraising, volunteering and community giving to help improve local nonprofits in our community. This is close to my heart, as I see the work of our nonprofits daily in my job as an attorney representing children and families in Coweta County. We have had tremendous success at our events and our philanthropy in the county in the last couple of years. We are growing and celebrating with the help we have provided in the county. I also work with my children's school to donate my time and skills as an attorney to donate Will and Power of Attorney preparations at school events throughout the year to aid the school in fundraising and to help families prepare their estates. For the last three years, I have been involved at Eastside Elementary School to help teachers and administrators improve their classrooms and programs. I have worked with the principal to make sure teachers know of programs in the community to earn money for classrooms or for special projects and how to apply for those programs.

How Senoia Law Office differs from competitors: I believe it to be important to have clients come in my office and feel comfortable. I deal with very serious and far-reching legal issues, mostly affecting people's homes and families. For this reason, I want people to come in and sit with me and feel open to discuss their issues. I believe my office is different in that I try to have an inviting and open-door policy as much as is possible. I tell my clients that I will be their greatest advocate, but I also owe them the truth, and sometimes that may not be exactly what they want to hear. I also have designed my practice to be a small-town attorney's office where people can call and have an ally to find a solution to their question or problem. I make it a point to tell people that while I cannot possibly practice all areas of law, I can help them find a lawyer who does what they need. I also sponsor self-defense and firearms training classes with licensed instructors to enhance my business within the community. It began as a hobby of mine, and then I found the need to empower people and clients to know they are safe and strong on their own. As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of being able to defend yourself and the threats we face today in our society. The personal self-defense classes have helped many of my clients work through issues of fear and self-doubt and have allowed professionals to further arm themselves in businesses which can expose them to different threats, such as in home nursing and real estate. I recently spoke with a client who told me that I was different to her because I cared. I believe it is important to treat cases as more than a number. So many times my work involves many more issues than just legal issues, and I believe it is so valuable to address the person as well as the law.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Small Business Finalist of the Year: Peachtree City Obstetrics and Gynecology, PC

We’re continuing to introduce our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Peachtree City Obstetrics and Gynecology, PC!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: Peachtree City Ob/Gyn has always believed that being vital participants in the community we serve medically is important and necessary. This philosophy was established by our founder, Dr. Rose Marie Schultz, in 1984.  

Community Involvement: Many of the providers volunteer on several hospital committees/task forces as well as church groups, sororities, clinical forums and Walk With A Doc.

How Peachtree City Ob/Gyn differs from competitors: As a full-service GYN-only medical practice, we can give our patients personalized care, often providing same-day appointments. We also have on-site digital mammography and ultrasonography in one of our offices, making comprehensive gynecology care more convenient.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Benton House of Newnan

We’re continuing to introduce our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Benton House of Newnan!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: Benton House of Newnan truly believes that the Chamber can help us grow our business through opportunities and ideas.

Community Involvement: Benton House is involved with various groups in the area including the Southside Senior Networking Group and other senior related groups. Our residents and team look for opportunities to get involved with the community through support groups, such as the Parkinson’s Support group. We look for groups that we can be involved with so that we can use these sources for our residents and also families that we serve.

How Benton House differs from competitors: We consider ourselves the expert in the senior living field. We serve families with senior resources regardless of if they move into our community or not. We want to help anyone that calls or comes to our door.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Monster Tree Service


We’re continuing to introduce our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Monster Tree Service!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: We absolutely recognize the value the Chamber brings to our business. In fact, just this year, Monster Tree Service has added resources specifically to become more involved in the Chamber. The Chamber not only helps us grow our customer base but also helps us connect with the customers that we are most looking to gain. In our service-based business, word of mouth and referrals are absolutely key as we try to establish a working relationship with customers who trust us to deliver a high quality of service for life. We have been active sponsors and participants in the Chamber tournament and also attended a number of events throughout the last two years that we have been in business. We have seen great value in the relationships and comradery with other local business owners and have enjoyed reciprocating the support they have shown us thus far.

Community Involvement: Monster Tree Service, while looking to grow this area, is already involved in the community. The company has donated several tree jobs such as pruning around the Angel House in Newnan and the Boy Scouts. Monster Tree works very closely with the Carolyn Barron Montessori School, donating tree work, equipment, supplies and time to help improve that community. The owners are both active members of Newnan First United Methodist Church.

How Monster Tree Service differs from competitors: We have tried to differentiate our business from our competition in many ways. Here are a few ways we feel set us apart. We practice Arboriculture, not just tree removal. We offer full service tree care including a full service Plant Health Care division which treats diseased, sick or dying trees. We follow the standards set forth by ANSI, OSHA, TCIA and ISA. We do not “spike” trees.  We do not subcontract. All work is performed by Monster Tree Service, all staff are full-time employees, and we do not use temp labor or day labor. All employees are drug free and E-Verified.  We carry proper insurance coverage. This may seem obvious, but a large percentage of our competition does not carry the proper insurance to be in the business, putting customers and employees at risk. We are held to a much higher standard than competitors with quarterly franchise audits that evaluate our performance as compared to our peers. These audits encompass all areas of the business, but safety is a big part. We have followed the model that the franchise set with small modifications to meet the needs of our local market. We don’t play pricing games. We give the customer a detailed, written quote at the time of the estimate. We have adapted technology to streamline accounting and billing, and our consistent marketing message and branding really seem to work well with the customers. The most important and best way we differ is simply doing what we say we will. Setting proper expectations, showing up on time, and leaving the job site clean goes a very long way.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Monday, September 25, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Sherri Davis of Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts

We’re continuing to introduce our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Sherri Davis of Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts in Peachtree City and Newnan!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: I have a strong philosophy of the Chamber’s involvement in the growth and care of our community, and I believe the Chamber’s mission can be a catalyst for change and advocacy. I believe the Chamber can promote business growth while at the same time considering a well-balanced community. My involvement in Chamber committees and avenues of involvement are: I sit on the Board of Directors of Fayette Chamber of Commerce. I sit on the Government Affairs Committee. I was one of three lead speakers for Fayette Visioning Yearly Summit Report with a subject of promoting the arts and arts education in our community. In addition, I offered suggestions of how to implement a broader scale of community support for the arts and ideas for an events center. Sitting on the Chamber’s Nominating Committee, I have brought on board the following effective community leaders such as Rob Parker – CEO/Pinewood Forrest and
Ken Takekawa – VP/TDK Components.

Community Involvement: I am the Founder and President of the nonprofit company Georgia Dance Theatre, which provides over $165,000 in scholarship funds to serious artists in our community and beyond. In addition, I am the founder of Arts Gives, which provides support to various programs and community groups such as Community Welcome House, Vet-Tix, Christian City, AVPride, and Life Enrichment Center to name a few. I have developed the program Dance Without Limits, a dance program designed for children with special needs. This program is free to all children who live with mental and physical challenges. In 2017, the Georgia Council of the Arts invited our artistic staff to sit on the grant review panel for community awards from the GCA. We have been recognized by the GCA as providing the highest level of artistic standards and training. I have been commended for my professional experience in the arts. In addition, we have been recognized by our quality of work with choreography.

How Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts differs from competitors: Training youth for the arts can be challenging as a balance of training the recreational versus the serious dancer can be difficult. But we have found that training the recreational dancer as if they have the same goals as a pre-professional dancer is best. Challenge them always is our motto. We never underestimate a child’s ability to become a serious student. I believe this has set us apart from our competitors.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Cecelia Hilton of Fine Lines Art and Framing

We’re delighted to continue introducing our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Cecelia Hilton of Fine Lines Art and Framing!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: My philosophy of the Chamber is to connect its members while contributing to their business success. This, in turn, helps improve the economic quality of life in the community. I have appreciated and enjoyed the networking opportunities - especially several different luncheons presented by the Chamber and Early Bird breakfasts, as well as the informative meetings. I look forward to more in the future.

Community Involvement: We’re a Newnan-Coweta Chamber Top 10 Small Business of the Year for 2016 and have attended multiple meetings, luncheons and sessions. A framing discount is given to any Chamber members. We have donated time to design and hang board pictures at The Chamber. Also, owner Cecelia Hilton is a member of 100 Women Who Care in Coweta County, a group whose members raise $10,000 a quarter to give back to community nonprofits, and she is also a supporter of such programs and organizations as the Newnan Artist in Residence Program, the Newnan-Coweta Art Association, Children's Connect, the Boys & Girls Club, Communities In Schools, Angel's House, Coweta Pregnancy Services, the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, the Coweta County public schools, the Don Nixon Centre, and Main Street Newnan. She has offered discounted framing for many local businesses and organizations that support the community.

How Fine Lines Art and Framing differs from competitors: My area competitors are Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, both of which are big box and not truly comparable to Fine Lines, as we are a specialty custom frame shop. We specialize in using all archival and conservation materials and techniques. My staff is trained in the proper handling of any item or project no matter how complex or detailed. Customer service is of the utmost priority, and every order is guaranteed to the customer’s satisfaction. We offer personalized services such as frame repairs and restoration, art restoration services, and an art gallery of original works of the finest artists locally. Knowing there is a percentage of people that will go to Michael’s or Hobby Lobby for their framing needs, I have frequented the frame departments at both of these big box stores. I have introduced myself and made the department manager and staff aware that we can complete most projects, if requested, within 24-48 hours. This is especially helpful during the holidays when people need last-minute gifts framed, and they have sent customers to us. Several of my customers have said they were referred to us by Michael's and Hobby Lobby.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!



Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Doug Bates of CMIT Solutions of Fayette/Coweta!

We’re delighted to continue introducing our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Doug Bates of CMIT Solutions of Fayette/Coweta!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: I am proud to be a productive contributor for the Chamber and participate in the functions and events to support membership and continued growth for Coweta County businesses. I continue to participate in numerous Business After Hours, March Madness (in 2015), the Annual Golf Classic, Power Networking Lunches, and NuLink Early Bird Forums.

Community involvement: I am on the board of Woodland Christian Camp, on the CTE Advisory Committee for FCBOE, and we provide free IT services for Community Welcome House, Promise Place, The Healing Bridge, and the Fayette CARE Clinic. CMIT Solutions is also a Charter Member of Experience Coweta, Fayette, Spalding. I am also a member of a faith-based CEO peer group of other Coweta County small business owners.

How CMIT Solutions differs from competitors: We utilize a CRM system to track all of our competition, both local and Atlanta based. In our 8+ years of operation I have identified over 100 competitors in the IT Support market space. We perform an annual SWOT analysis for our market and ourselves to ensure that we are continually in touch with our target market. The IT market is constantly changing, and we have to move with it. We also continually tweak our web presence to stay current with our marketing needs. We are HIPAA compliant (medical), FINRA compliant (financial), PCI certified (consumer), and we are just now starting to offer a cyber liability to our qualified clients. We have a 98%+ retention rate over 8 years, with the industry average turnover rate of 10% annually being deemed acceptable.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Make plans now to join us for the Nov. 2 Winter Wonderland!

Our 2017 Winter Wonderland Big Expo will be here before you know it! This year's event will be Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 3-7pm at The Newnan Centre, 1515 Lower Fayetteville Rd., Newnan.

Presented by Delta Community Credit Union, the Winter Wonderland Big Expo is the biggest, most influential business exposition in Coweta County, and it has been used to promote Coweta's business community for 23 years now!

If you'd like to participate, please give us a call as soon as possible to discuss availability of space. You may call 770.253.2270 or email info@newnancowetachamber.org.

Click here to download a registration brochure.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Ellie White-Stevens of Dirt1x

We’re delighted to continue introducing our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Ellie White-Stevens of Dirt1x!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: As a business owner in Coweta County, I believe we network together to make this community a better place to live and work. I have built my business, marketing agency Dirt1x, on the kind of networking opportunities that the Newnan-Coweta Chamber provides. As a member since July 2015, I attend the Women in Business lunches, some after hours including Ladies’ Night Out, and I send my Account Executive Tammy Lanier to additional events including Young Professionals. I’ve also spoken on marketing at the Six Figure Success Club hosted by Maria Hall.
  
Community involvement: When Dirt1x started it was with a commitment that we would tithe at least 10% of time and resources to nonprofit work. And we have exceeded that. Right as I launched my agency, I also launched O Christmas Tea, a fundraising gala for Community Welcome House that has generated over $113,000 in donations in the last eight years. We are gearing up for our ninth year for this same cause. Additionally this year we have donated marketing services for events to the Southern Conservation Trust, Real Life Center, Pathway Home for Women, TEAM Alliance (children in the slums of Nairobi) and Southside Support for Special Needs Families. This last year we made a major donation to the eWomen Network Foundation to start an online video educational portal to serve nonprofits nationwide and recorded a video, Good Gala: How to Supercharge Business Giving, on how to run a fundraiser, to be included in the archives. Dirt1x Creative Director Ellie White-Stevens has served with the board of the 501c3 Business Women of Fayette and Coweta for the last 7 years, including two years as president. She won their Business Woman of the Year designation five years ago, and is currently Marketing Chair of this organization. Account Executive Tammy Lanier serves on the board of the Fayette Care Clinic, and Assistant Raissa Chandler is on the board for Southside Support.

How Dirt1x differs from competitors: I typically tell my clients that the risk isn’t that they’ll work with my competition instead of Dirt1x, it’s that they’ll do nothing. Inertia is the enemy of the small business. As an agency that serves primarily small businesses, and a small business ourselves, we understand the struggles and complexity of running a small business. Dirt1x has changed our model within the last several years to focusing on marketing strategy rather than just implementing projects like websites, sales materials and branding. It’s been more successful for our clients, and also helped Dirt1x create sustainable revenue for the business. The wisdom and work of Creative Director Ellie White-Stevens is what really differentiates the agency. Through the Dirt1x Sustainable Marketing System, our retainer-based agreement, small businesses create the plan and have access to a full marketing agency team for implementation. The hard part of being an entrepreneur is the isolation in making plans and decisions. We solve that by getting in front of our Sustainable Marketing System clients every single month and making sure the marketing and business have a positive trajectory.

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Small Business of the Year Finalist: Renee Horton Agency — American Family Insurance

We’re delighted to begin introducing our finalists for this year's Small Business of the Year Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at The Newnan Centre and sponsored by SouthTowne Motors and UBS Financial Services. Today, meet Renee Horton Agency — American Family Insurance!

Chamber membership philosophy and involvement: I believe that being a catalyst for growth in our community, the Chamber membership allows me to develop meaningful partnerships with other businesses and industries in our community. These partnerships are mutually beneficial for my business, the businesses we partner with and our community. I am hopeful that the Renee Horton Agency – American Family Insurance can be a leader and a driving force for the economic growth in our great community. I am currently serving as the Chairman of the first Small Business Council at the Newnan-Coweta Chamber. I continue to support all the businesses that are members of the Chamber anytime I have a need within my agency. My agency has been a huge supporter of Chamber events in my last two years as a member. We have sponsored and/or attended the annual Golf Tournament, Young Professional events, Member Connects, Business-After-Hours, Ribbon Cuttings for the new businesses in our community, the Business Women’s Network, Coffee Calls, Early Bird Forums, State of the Community lunches, Operation Thank You and many others. I am also lucky to be part of a Women’s Entrepreneurs Coaching group that meets monthly. This group has been instrumental in helping me to recognize and address issues within my agency. 

Community involvement: We love to sponsor and volunteer in our community! Our in-kind sponsorships have included the Coweta County Board of Education, where we have supported multiple schools/sports, Communities In Schools, the Coweta Community Foundation, the Fayette Women’s Council of Realtors, Fayette Bras for a Cause, Community Welcome House - Coweta’s Dancing Stars, Boys and Girls Club, Soles for Cole, Team Hungry – Sound Waves, YMCA, Run for Angels and Bridging the Gap. We’ve provided service sponsorships for NVOC safe driving schools, Night to Shine and Taste of Newnan. Organizations we’ve supported with both in-kind and service sponsorships include SouthCrest Church, Newnan Junior Service League, Abby’s Angels, 100 Women, GA Heat Cheerleading gym, Newnan Coweta Board of Realtors – local realtor open houses, The Rock Cheerleading gym, The Pink Posse, Toys for Tots and March of Dimes.

How Renee Horton Agency — American Family Insurance differs from competitors: My agency is differentiated from our competitors because we have second-mile customer service. Examples of this are calling our customers on their birthdays, having monthly birthday parties, having annual customer appreciation events, calling our customers during November for our annual thank a thon, recognizing life-changing events that happen with our customers, and just doing the best we can to make them all feel extra special. We continue to seek to develop a niche market. My agency continues to be involved in our community daily! 

If you haven't yet registered for the Small Business Awards and Celebration, click here to do so now!


Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Our next Member Connect is Thursday, Sept. 14!



Coming up on September 14, 2017, our next Member Connect is the quarterly lunch program that helps Chamber members explore and discover opportunities for involvement and ROI while connecting to Chamber benefits and advantages that help you grow your business and prosper. Why should you attend a Member Connect Lunch?

• Meet the Chamber Staff, Board Members and Committee Chairs.

• Connect with Other Members.

• Promote Your Business.

• Discover programs to help grow your business and learn how to use Chamber benefits to increase your bottom line.

• Engage with the Chamber through committee service.

The next Member Connect Lunch will be Thursday, September 14, 2017 from 11:30am to 1pm at the Chamber, and there is no charge to attend. You can reserve your space now through ChamberMaster by clicking here.