Entrepreneurs Archives - Page 16 of 24

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Al Meyers and Amyn Sadruddin with TiE Atlanta

April 12, 2017 by Mike

Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Al Meyers and Amyn Sadruddin with TiE Atlanta

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Al Meyers, Stefanie Diaz and Amyn Sadruddin

Al Meyers/TiE Atlanta

Al Meyers, the Executive Director of TiE Atlanta, is an entrepreneur and media executive with more than 25 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies, for-profit and nonprofit startups. Meyers has launched two award-winning, sustainable, Atlanta-based nonprofit organizations: TEDxPeachtree and the Atlanta Music Project. Both are successful community assets that have made a significant social impact in Metro Atlanta. TEDxPeachtree has become the premier TEDx event in Georgia and one of the leading TEDx events in the world, with several talks garnering millions of views. The Atlanta Music Project is the first music program in the state of Georgia inspired by the globally acclaimed Venezuelan youth music program, El Sistema. AMP is an intensive music program for at-risk youth right in their neighborhood and now serves hundreds of at-risk youth across several locations in Metro Atlanta who are now on a path to college and career.

Previously, Meyers ran his own boutique consulting practice, Saisei Consulting, a provider of strategy and corporate development advisory services to early-stage, growth-stage and mature digital media companies around the world. Al has advised several startups in the areas of digital media, 3D technology, online games and games for K-12 education. Al has spoken to external audiences on such topics as disruptive innovation in education, and the role of online games outside of the “purely entertainment” arena.

Meyers accumulated more than two decades of experience in the media and entertainment industry with several Fortune 100 companies. He served as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Turner where he was a founding member of GameTap, and facilitated the sale of GameTap to a French company in 2008. Meyers spent nearly 13 years at the company (1995-2008) and spent considerable time on M&A transactions and strategy development for Turner (and across Time Warner) and its portfolio of businesses, with an emphasis on Cartoon Network.

Al received his Bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and his Masters in Business Administration from the Leonard Stern School of Business at New York University.

Amyn Sadruddin/ TiE Atlanta

With a “how can I help you?” mentality, Amyn serves the entrepreneurial community by bringing together over 80 educational programming annually and connecting movers & shakers to the TiE Atlanta ecosystem of mentorship. Amyn has years of experience in helping early stage startups and aspiring entrepreneurs to get connected in Atlanta and utilize its rich resources. His passion to help people grown which can be seen and felt, when you meet him at TiE Atlanta and around the community.

Stefanie Diaz/Mastermind Your Launch

Stefanie Diaz has always had a keen ability for developing marketing strategies for entrepreneurs, but it’s her ability to position startups for accelerated momentum through personal branding and content marketing that has become the cornerstone to her professional success. Her background includes being a strategic adviser to CEO’s spanning startup phase to over $100 million in annual revenue. She has led strategic partnerships with global retailers and Fortune 500 companies, as well as facilitated multi-million dollar government contracts. There is something magnetic about the energy of startup founders that draws Stefanie in. They’re hungry, driven, and committed to making positive change for themselves and the greater community. Learn more at MastermindYourLaunch.com.

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Kashi Sehgal with Gigabark and SuperNova South

April 4, 2017 by Mike

Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Kashi Sehgal with Gigabark and SuperNova South

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Kashi Sehgal/Gigabark and SuperNova South

Kashi Sehgal is Co-Founder & CEO of Gigabark, an integrated mobile solutions company rooted in phone and text messaging technologies. She is also Director of Strategic Initiatives & Business Development for International Greetings, a UK-based company that specializes in design and has creates products for celebrations, stationary and creative play, and giftables. She also serves as Executive Director of SuperNova South, the largest multi-disciplinary technology conference in the Southeast.

Previously, Kashi spent time as a management consultant at Accenture where she worked with both government and Fortune 100 clients in areas such as visioning and gap analysis, cost reduction, communication plans, training, performance measurement, incentive structures and more. She also has experience in strategic planning and brand strategy – especially as it relates to early stage companies and non-profits.

She has started several non-profits including Music For Tomorrow which provided immediate financial assistance to jazz musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina and currently provides economic opportunities for jazz musicians around the country. MFT is now housed as a program of the Afro Cuban Jazz Alliance in New York. She also works with the Campus Community Partnership Foundation which promotes education through a student-centered approach focused on social responsibility and runs their Mentor Walk program.

Kashi is actively engaged in the Atlanta community serving on various boards such as WonderRoot, Andrew J Young Foundation Advisory Council, Fulton County Career & Technical Education, Amplify4Good, WINGS for Kids, and Georgia’s WIN List and with groups such as the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Mobility Leadership Council, ChooseATL, Atlanta Regional Commission’s Innovation Committee, The Lovett School’s Sustainability Committee and as an Advice For Good Advisor.

Kashi is a native Atlantan. She attended The George Washington University for her undergraduate studies and Georgia Tech for graduate research. Kashi was selected as a member of Outstanding Atlanta’s Class of 2015, as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 in 2014, and as a member of the 2013 LEAD Atlanta and LaunchPad2X classes. She volunteers her time mentoring and with CARE, Acumen, and other organizations in her community.

Stefanie Diaz/Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: John Mamon with mPowered IT

March 28, 2017 by Mike

Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: John Mamon with mPowered IT

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John Mamon/mPowered IT

John Mamon, CEO of mPowered IT, has 20+ years of experience in I.T. Engineering/Sales/Executive working in startup companies and divisions. He helped build a successful MSP in Atlanta which was acquired in 2011. His technology related specialties include service design, team creation and oversight, increasing operational effectiveness. and harnessing cloud and data center services.

Stefanie Diaz/Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Kelly Burton with Bodyology and Daniel Sabio with TechSquare Labs

March 22, 2017 by Mike

Mastermind Your Launch

MASTERMIND YOUR LAUNCH: Kelly Burton with Bodyology and Daniel Sabio with TechSquare Labs

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Daniel Sabio, Stefanie Diaz, Kelly Burton

Kelly Burton/Bodyology

Kelly Burton is an accomplished entrepreneur with greater than a decade’s experience launching and scaling start-up companies. As Founder and CEO of her most recent venture Bodyology, a high-tech apparel company which infuses performance technology into women’s innerwear, Kelly is revolutionizing the way women dress. Since its launch in 2014, Bodyology has been identified as a high-potential apparel line by Macy’s and featured in national publications like Inc. and Essence.

Kelly is also a social scientist having earned her PhD from Emory University in 2009. She went on to work for Emory University as a senior researcher and ultimately left to start her own consultancy, Nexus Research Group.

As the CEO of Nexus Research Group, Kelly advises non-profits, foundations and government agencies on how to improve their social programs and maximize their philanthropic investments. She has served on more than a half-dozen boards and received the Visionary Leadership Award for her efforts to increase access to opportunity for individuals and communities throughout the South.

Kelly Burton is a sought after speaker whose unique life experiences gives her powerful insight into the range of issues and topics relevant to the modern-day business leader. Her love for entrepreneurship is infectious and she is passionate about sharing her story with others looking to blaze their own path. Kelly is a veritable renaissance woman and evidence that women can lead in multiple areas of life, all at the same time.

www.kellyburton.net

https://twitter.com/@iamkellyburton

Daniel Sabio/TechSquare Labs

Daniel Sabio is the Minister of Awesome at TechSquare Labs, and Director of Atlanta Startup Battle. He holds a BS in Computational Media from Georgia Tech and is both an experienced developer and artist. Currently, his passion is helping tech startups and entrepreneurs succeed in their ventures.

https://twitter.com/techsquare

Stefanie Diaz/Mastermind Your Launch

Pensacola Business Radio-The ONE Hour Radio Show Series Ep. 1

July 20, 2016 by angishields

Pensacola Business Radio

Pensacola Business Radio-The ONE Hour Radio Show Series Ep. 1

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Ron Spradling and Calvin Bonifacio

Our Mission

The primary mission of The Organization of Networking Entrepreneurs is NOT referrals, but rather to build relationships that will

increase the visibility and profitability of fellow businesses

What We Believe

The ONE promotes ALL networking and does not restrict members to the ONE and truly believes the more you network, the more you grow!

Our Fearless Leaders

Ron SpradlingThe One President

Master Sergeant (retired) Ron Spradling is a decorated, 20 year, Air Force veteran. He has an airframe maintenance background that includes working on the F-16 Falcon, A-10 Warthog, and numerous other aircraft. He has taught over 2000 hours at the Aircraft Structural Maintenance Technical School at NAS Pensacola, Florida, and he also has served overseas in Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Afghanistan. He received his BS Degree from the University of Management and Technology and now runs a restaurant delivery service (CitySpree of Pensacola) with his wife, Patty. CitySpree of Pensacola has been recognized as an “Innovative Marketing Company”, “Small Business of the Month”, and “Best of the Bay” in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Together, Ron and Patty have three children, Alexandria, age 20, Thomas, age 14, and Samantha, age 12.

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Patty SpradlingThe One’s 1st Lady

Patty Spradling is the beautiful wife of Master Sergeant (retired) Ron Spradling. She is a wonderful mother of three children, Alex (20), Thomas (14), and Samantha (12). She is a graduate of Leadership Pensacola, Class of 2016 and has performed duties as a Pensacola Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for the last 2 years. She, along with her husband, currently own a restaurant delivery service called CitySpree of Pensacola that has been recognized as an “Innovative Marketing Company”, “Small Business of the Month”, and “Best of the Bay – Food Delivery” in 2014, 2015, & 2016.

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Elden ScottP.E.N President

Currently heading up QwikMow and leading the Pensacola Elite Network Chapter. Started his first lawn care business at the age of 14. Upon graduation of Woodham High School in Pensacola, Fl he began working with Florida Pest Control. During his almost 7 years there he acquired licensure in several state pesticide categories. Launching into his first full time landscape business venture at 25. He has served as the chairman to the Pensacola State College Curriculum Landscape Horticulture committee, where he advised about current industry issues. In addition to pesticide certification he also has Horticulture and formerly a DEP certification for fertilizer and waterway management. Previously the host of his own garden talk radio show called, The Master’s Gardener. Elden has passion for landscapes and small business. From his second year in business he understood the importance of building relationships. The year he first joined a networking organization he doubled his business revenue. The largest referral he’d ever received from network function led to over $200,000 from one contract over 5 years. The proud president of the original group of The ONE. He looks forward to leading the PEN towards building relationships and each others businesses through permission based referrals.

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Dannon ByrdB.A.R.N President

I became pregnant in 2010 and was excited for the next chapter in life to begin. Little did I know what was in store and the impact it would have on my future.My water broke unexpectedly at 21 weeks, and I was admitted to the hospital in pre-term labor. I was on bedrest for 20 days before my daughter was delivered by emergency C-section at 23 weeks and 4 days gestation. She weighed 1lb., 2.7oz at birth and was rushed to the NICU, where she stayed for 120 days before coming home. Our NICU journey inspired me to want to make a difference so that no other family would have to experience the trauma of having a sick baby.

I have served as the March of Dimes Community Director since February 2013.It is an honor to serve on the PFAC and to have an impact on our community.

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John MenzanetT.H.O.R President

Local Business Marketing Consultant. Specializing in Google Plus Optimization, Search Engine Optimization, Reputation Marketing (Reviews) and Google AdwordsPresently own Yolee Solutions. A digital marketing company based out of Pensacola FL. Consulting small to medium sized businesses in optimizing their Digital Real Estate.

In addition, president of a Networking Group called THOR – Tuesday Hour of Reciprocity that meet at Cactus Cantina Restaurant on 5121 N 12th Ave Pensacola FL. We focus on building relationships as a way of building trust then referring business to each other therebuy enhancing the end user.

Served 10 years as senior IT specialist and consultant to senior management in support of organization wide IT policy, budget and plans for systems development, acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance while planning, organizing, and overseeing the activities of the IT organization and reviewing policies, procedures, mission objectives and organizational design for the staff while serving as the recognized authority in the analysis and direction of IT programs and issues and in researching, interpreting, analyzing and applying operations and security guidance for the commands both as a Commander in the Navy and as a civilian contractor.

Former Naval Aviator and Member of 2nd Fleet Air Operation Center Member.

Recruiter Serving Former Military Members and finding them Civilian Opportunities with Fortune 500 companies. Specialized in acquiring Companies to Hire our former military members as well as finding eligible military members and entering them into the job force.

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Betsy TaitThunder President

Betsy Tait has been a lifelong Pensacolian. She has a background in finance and has been a mortgage broker and an insurance agent. She is an entrepreneur that owns several businesses. Betsy is the owner of the Betsy Buys Houses, were she buys pretty houses, ugly houses and pretty ugly houses! She is a member of Saint Luke United Methodist Church, where she has held numerous positions on the church council, the preschool board and the youth Council. Also she’s been involved with the PTA and the PTSA throughout Escambia County. She has been married to her husband, Scott for 34 years. Betsy is also the mother of four daughters, Brittany Kellogg age 28, Jamie Tait age 24, Kelly Tait age 22, and Lieutenant Shannon Tait-Luttrell age 39.

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Bill SheffieldG.R.O.W President

Bill Sheffield is celebrating his 20th year in real estate in the Greater Pensacola Market. Bill is graduate of the University of Tennessee and a Marine. During his time in Pensacola he has been an active Rotarian with Sub West Rotary. He is active in the Greater Pensacola Chamber serving as an ambassador for the past 5 years. After working with several networking groups including Pensacola Leaders, Business Netlink and BNI Bill is excited to be president of GROW, an active group of The One. “Working with people to develop relationships always leads to money” As John Maxwell says, “People don’t care about how much you know unless they know how much you care” Bill is the proud husband of Delany Sheffield for 30 years and she is affectionately known as Precious.

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Angela D’AlessandroPresident of PACE

Angela D’Alessandro has been a very successful Nail Technician & business owner for the past 18 years – current. She has worked at the same salon for over 17 years (Nail Boutique). She decided to start a career in Mary Kay as an Independent Beauty Consultant on April 7, 2014 for extra income, as well as, the relationships and support of such a wonderful and proven company. She also wanted to create a means of giving back to her community.Angela has since become a Team Leader in Mary Kay and is currently striving to become a Director. She has earned many accolades so far. She won the 2014 & 2015 Queen of Sharing within her unit, 2014 & 2015 Top 10 in Sales, & 4 quarter Star with the company.Working 2 jobs, she decided to spend her extra time volunteering for a few organizations that she’s very passionate about. Pace Center For Girls, Impact 100; & added to the list; Take Stock In Children.She decided last November to expand her business by joining a networking group. In the first 2 months of joining she already made back the money she paid in dues & started creating amazing relationships.Angela is currently the President of her chapter PACE (Professional And Community Experts) within The One ( The Organization of Networking Entrepreneurs). She is looking forward to continued growth & building relationships through permission based referrals. She is the very proud mom of two great children and the wife of a wonderfully supportive husband.

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Christina PowersL.B.S President

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Cindy TurnerS.W.A.G President

Accounting For Entrepreneurs With Guest Chrystal Bernard

June 30, 2016 by angishields

Career Advancement Radio

Accounting For Entrepreneurs With Guest Chrystal Bernard

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On today’s episode of career advancement, we were joined by entrepreneur, Chrystal Bernard. Our topic for the day was about how you can make the transition from being an employee to being an entrepreneur. We looked specifically at the accounting practices that can make this transition successful.

Chrystal Bernard is a licensed CPA and operates an accounting practice based in Arlington, TX. The practice focuses not only on limiting one’s individual or business tax liability but educating each client on current and constantly changing accounting and tax provisions. As 60% of her client base is small business owners or individuals transitioning to self-employment, Chrystal’s practice offers full service accounting including bookkeeping and budgeting, payroll and business consulting.

During the show, we discussed the importance of proper record keeping and bookkeeping through simple online accounting system, the importance of the S-Corp tax structure for the small business owner and how to incorporate philanthropic efforts in business.

Chrystal and her husband are also founders of Believer’s Connection, a ministry focused on empowering believers to establish and maintain an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through community fellowship.

Chrystal V Bernard CPA

Mobile: (214) – 490 – 1922

Fax: (817) – 394 – 5536

Email: cbernard@chrystalbernardcpa.com

Address: 1506 W. Pioneer Parkway Ste 101 Arlington, TX

Chrystal Bernard’s blog: www.chrystalbernard.com

Believer’s Connection: www.believersconnection.org

JoAnn Holmes with HOLMES@LAW, Kevin Geraghty with Revenue Research and Thad Oviatt with ParkENT Cycles

May 23, 2016 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

JoAnn Holmes with HOLMES@LAW, Kevin Geraghty with Revenue Research and Thad Oviatt with ParkENT Cycles

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Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson, Kevin Geraghty, JoAnn Holmes and Thad Oviatt

JoAnn Holmes, Esq. / HOLMES@LAW, LLC

Attorney and Founder

JoAnn Jo Holmes is the founder of HOLMES@LAW, LLC(www.holmesatlaw.com), where her practice focus is Business Law & Contracts, Trademark & Copyright, Software & Tech. She works with a broad array of clients, including professional service providers, consultants, software and creative content developers, and manufacturers. Having practiced law for nearly 17 years, her goal is to live the firms slogan Your Business Ally™.

A graduate of Stanford University and Emory School of Law, her career began in the Technology & Intellectual Property (IP) practice group of Troutman Sanders, a prominent Atlanta based law firm. There, she successfully represented a gamut of diverse clients, from startups to multi-billion dollar companies like Chick-fil-A, Microsoft and WalMart.

Moving in-house, Jo served on business management and legal teams in senior leadership roles for both public and private manufacturing companies. For more than a decade, she was the go-to lawyer for her business units with presence in North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Pacific Rim. She has overseen IP portfolios in more than 130 countries, is well accomplished in negotiating sophisticated domestic and international commercial contracts, and in resolving high dollar disputes.

Jo has spoken extensively about business law, technology, and intellectual property. Currently, she writes the business law section for the Gwinnett Citizen newspaper, and speaks for SCORE, a longstanding resource partner of the Small Business Administration. Likewise, Jo volunteers with Leadership Gwinnett, Discovery High Schools Entrepreneurship Academy, the SE Gwinnett Coop food pantry, and the Stanford Alumni Association.

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Kevin Geraghty / Revenue Research, Inc.

President

Kevin is responsible for the creation of $3 billion in documented corporate value. He has built successful analytic departments and profitable business models for Fortune 500 clients. Kevin received the Edelman Laureate Award in 1996 and 2016 for outstanding Operations Research practice and received the DM News Martech Award for Data Science in 2015. He is the author of machine learning patents for Dynamic Pricing and Paid Search marketing.

Thad Oviatt / ParkENT Cycles

Founder & CEO

ParkENT Cycles just wants to HUG your bicycle and keep it safe. We produce an electronic bike rack. The rack is a bicycle locking system built into a custom bike rack. To use the rack a person just needs to push their bike into the rack, activate it with the paired phone app (or key card, or attached kiosk), and the bike rack locks up the bicycle. The electronic bike rack locks the wheel and frame of the bicycle. The rack is safer than any other bicycle lock on the market.

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Bowlfreak

December 1, 2015 by angishields

Midtown Business Radio

Bowlfreak

00:00 / 00:30:42

Bowlfreak

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with long-time friend of mine, Michael Powell, founder of Bowlfreak. Bowlfreak is a web-based app that allows bowlers who participate in USBC-sanctioned leagues simultaneously compete in bracket-style tournaments via the app with opponents they’re matched with based on their sanctioned handicaps.

Most leagues and even professional bowling tournaments will have bracket tournaments going on within the main event. The Bowlfreak app creates very large bracket tournaments against similarly-skilled players, providing for potentially very large prize awards for winning/placing in competitions.

Michael shared how the idea for the app was born out of a conversation with a local league manager who opined that there ought to be an app for bowlers. Given Powell’s previous work as a web designer and creator of numerous mobile apps, he and his colleagues readily possessed the know-how.

The Bowlfreak team is preparing to launch the app to the public for use within the next few weeks. And, it is entirely possible that with the ability to significantly increase the ability to win sizable prize awards, along with a competitively-level playing field, will help increase interest in participating in USBC-sanctioned leagues.

Special Guest:

Michael Powell, Creator of Bowlfreak

Bowlfreak creator, Michael Powell

Woman Owned Business

October 27, 2015 by angishields

Midtown Business Radio

Woman Owned Business

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business radio — Marie Hunter and Kenzie Biggens join CW Hall on Midtown Business Radio

Woman Owned Business

On this week’s episode I continued my monthly series with NOWaccount. CFO Archie Jones stopped by to talk about woman owned business. He introduced us to two female entrepreneurs who are working on disrupting their respective industries.

KRG Oil Company is a family and female owned fuel and petroleum products business. The company has positioned itself to serve the needs of small to mid-sized clients that require quantities of fuel and petroleum products that are below what larger fuel companies are willing or able to fulfill. Marie described how she and her father, who had spent numerous years in the fuel business, decided to start their own company together after Marie was laid off from a previous job.

They determined their mission is to provide excellent customer service that goes above and beyond their competitors. Marie shared how KRG’s corporate philosophy is to treat all of their customers with professionalism and respect, no matter how big or small the client company. KRG Oil was started because its founders felt that the fueling industry was missing good and old fashioned “customer service.”

We talked about how Marie and her team want the success of this business to be used as a platform to encourage others to “think outside of the box” and to give back to our community.

Kenzie Biggens explained how her earlier work in the social media arena opened the door to an unexpected opportunity to launch her virtual assistant business, Uniquely Virtual. She explained how an executive she had been working with on social media services was retiring and suggested she start the business she had been contemplating for some time.

Kenzie got her business started and began to see a true niche and need for virtual assistants, particularly for executives who are serving in a contractor/consultant role. Eventually, she designed an effective database and client management platform that has empowered her to allow her production partners to work remotely, helping to accelerate scaling and growing the company.

The Uniquely Virtual solution allows executives to gain access to professional assistant services while saving many of the employee expenses that come with employing workers.

My guests shared strategies they have used to help them get a toe hold in their markets and how they chose to distinguish themselves from their competitors, particularly with strict focus on customer service.

Special Guests:

Marie Hunter, President/CEO of KRG Oil Company

BA, Journalism and Telecommunication Arts, University of Georgia
Previous Internet Sales Manager, Lewis & Sheron Textile Company

Kenzie Biggens, CEO/Founder of Uniquely Virtual

MFA, Luxury and Fashion Management, Savannah College of Art and Design
Committee Member, Atlanta Regional Commission, Strategic Implementation Innovation Subcommittee
Member, Board of Directors, ArtsATL