For the past 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week as an opportunity to recognize the critical contributions of America’s small business owners. As part of National Small Business Week (April 30 – May 6), the US Small Business Administration (SBA) takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners and others from all 50 states and US territories. This year, five clients from the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) were named SBA award winners in the Georgia District. Learn more about the award-winning businesses below.
The Royster Group, Ken Taunton
2023 SBA Georgia District Small Business Person of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
KT: “The Royster Group excels in executive search and professional staffing, serving as a trusted partner for both the government and commercial sectors, with a special focus on healthcare. Our dedicated team operates out of Atlanta, but we have established a strong presence in 20 states with a predominant presence in the Mid-Atlantic region. With a staff of around 80 W2 employees and 1099 contractors, we offer exceptional recruitment services across various positions, ensuring that we meet and exceed our client’s requirements for every position we recruit for.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
KT: “As a business owner, my greatest satisfaction comes from bridging gaps and delivering top-notch human capital solutions with a team of highly qualified and diverse candidates. Witnessing positive change and impact is my ultimate reward. I take pride in opening doors of opportunity for deserving individuals and making a tangible difference in their lives.”
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
KT: “One crucial piece of advice that every business should take to heart is to seek out a trustworthy mentor who has more business experience and insights than you do. By having a mentor, you can tap into their vast professional network, utilize their tried-and-true vendors and technology platforms, and sidestep any potential pitfalls that could impede your business’ progress and success. Don’t hesitate to seek out a mentor who can guide, support and help drive revenue and profits in your entrepreneurial journey. This mindset should have been an integral part of my mission!”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
KT: “As a minority-owned business, my motivating factor is the success of our team. We are dedicated to upholding our core values of customer service, integrity, teamwork, accountability and respect when providing services to our clients. Our unwavering commitment to aligning with our client’s goals sets us apart from competitors. Simply put, we believe that the success of our clients is the only way we can achieve success as a company. My motivation to win is fueled by my unwavering belief in the value of our work.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
KT: “The UGA SBDC has played a crucial role in our company’s growth and success. As a division of The Royster Group focused on business development, their knowledgeable counselors have provided valuable assistance with proposals, pricing and capture management. Furthermore, they have shared growth opportunities that have helped us thrive. Donald Lamar, area director at UGA SBDC at Morehouse College, recommended several programs and award nominations that contributed to our development. Thanks to the SBDC’s support, I was recently honored as the 2023 SBA Small Business Person of the Year, a recognition that holds significant importance for me as a person of color and for our business within the state of Georgia.”
UGA SBDC Consultant: Donald Lamar, Area Director, UGA SBDC at Morehouse College
Trans Globe, Diaa Ghaly
2023 SBA Georgia District Exporter of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
DG: “We are a global agribusiness exporter based in the USA. We are keen on finding efficient ways to feed the world and support the US agribusiness sector.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
DG: “The greatest reward is supporting our suppliers, both farmers and growers, as well as customers all over the world and creating sustainable value for all our stakeholders.:
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
DG: “Always be consistent and honest and seek to offer value to your stakeholders. Offering quality service is what lives forever.”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
DG: “Contributing positively to the world. Adding new and more jobs to the economy. Helping farmers and growers all over the world reach their full potential. Helping our customers.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
DG: “SBDC has always been a great partner and advocate offering solutions and true support to us.”
UGA SBDC Consultant: Darrel Hulsey, Director, International Trade Center
Command Presence, John Bostain
2023 SBA Georgia District Veteran Business of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
JB: “Command Presence is a training and consulting company committed to empowering and educating others so they can serve others.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
JB: “After 25 years of government service where innovation can occur very slowly, we can challenge the status quo and impact and meet our clients’ specific needs without the constraints of a large bureaucracy. Additionally, owning your own business allows you to establish a healthy organizational culture at the ground level and allows you to hire the right people to build successful teams who are all committed to the same mission.”
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
JB: “Take intelligent risks. Oftentimes we miss opportunities because of paralysis by analysis. This doesn’t imply that people should be reckless, but if you’re always waiting for everything to be perfect and you don’t take risks you’re not going to succeed.”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
JB: “Positively impacting as many lives as possible by assisting organizations to become the workplace everybody wants to work for. We do this by focusing on developing extraordinary culture and investing in leadership training for all employees. We believe that having an extraordinary culture is the key to recruiting and retaining the very best employees and impacts everyone they have contact with.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
JB: “Simply put, if it was not for the SBDC we would not still be in business. Their guidance, their mentorship, and their friendship have been invaluable in getting us through the toughest times of owning a business. I can’t imagine anyone starting or running their own business without the assistance of the SBDC.”
UGA SBDC Consultant: Jennifer Lee, Business Consultant, Brunswick
Paul Davis Restoration of North Atlanta, Wilson Tomala
2023 SBA Georgia District Minority Business of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
WT: “Paul Davis of North Atlanta focuses on restoring properties and lives after a disaster strikes. We are a full-service emergency, reconstruction, and renovation general contractor for the residential and commercial sectors and are ‘the difference makers’.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
WT: “The greatest reward is to bring a homeowner or business owner from chaos to calm. To see their reaction after transforming a disaster back to the place they love and cherish. Creating a diverse team that’s a reflection of the community we serve while providing them the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.”
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
WT: “Learn to love the struggle. In it, there is learning. In learning there is progress. And in progress, there is success.”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
WT: “Staying true to our values while creating opportunities and making a difference with our employees and community at large.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
WT: “The SBDC has helped in many ways to get us to where we are today. The SBDC has been instrumental for us to secure bank loans, assess our business, provided guidance during the pandemic, to prepare and review various bank offerings that ultimately resulted in buying the building which is currently our headquarters. Antonio Barrios [senior business consultant at UGA SBDC at Kennesaw State University] has been invaluable for the majority of the time we’ve been in business.”
UGA SBDC Consultant: Antonio Barrios, Senior Business Consultant, UGA SBDC at Kennesaw State University
Cole’s Cakery, Jim Cole
2023 SBA Georgia District Rural Small Business Person of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
JC: “Cole’s Cakery is primarily a custom order shop, we can do just about anything. We carry a large variety of cupcakes, baked goods, and ice cream. We also carry seven kinds of chicken salad in addition to pimento cheese and pasta salads. We just acquired a bakery truck that will be an extension of our store providing goods for festivals and special events.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
JC: “We love seeing the faces of folks when they come to pick up their custom cakes and orders.”
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
JC: “Listen to your customers. They know what they want and enjoy.”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
JC: “We like to see smiling faces, beginning with our employees and ending with the customer. We hope to create an atmosphere of fun for our employees, which translates to creating tasty treats for happy customers.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
JC: “We have worked with several SBDC consultants since 2017 on cost and pricing analysis, copyright infringement, PPP and EIDL loans, and marketing assistance, including social media and website management.”
UGA SBDC Consultant: Susan Paz McBrayer, Business Consultant, Albany
Henry Plumbing Company
2023 SBA Georgia District Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
SBDC: Tell us about your business.
Todd Reed (TR): “Henry Plumbing Company is a 4th generation family-owned plumbing contractor business. We have been in business since 1968, celebrating 55 years in business this year. We handle all plumbing needs from a leaking faucet to larger new construction projects.”
SBDC: What is the greatest reward of owning your own business?
TR: “Continuing to build on the legacy that Tonya’s grandfather began in 1968. Not only is Henry Plumbing Company known for excellence in plumbing services, but it is our commitment to giving back to the Savannah community that is also a huge part of our company story. From developing our employees, to investing in single mom’s owning their own homes, to supporting local business groups like Buy Local Savannah, NAWIC & BNI. We are constantly looking for ways to invest in the success of Savannah!”
SBDC: What is the best piece of business advice you can give?
TR: “Never stop working in and on your business.”
SBDC: What motivates you in your business?
TR: “Success! We love seeing others succeed….employees, businesses, friend, etc. If we can help them succeed then we have succeeded.”
SBDC: How has SBDC helped you achieve your business goals?
TR: “SBDC and SCORE were there when we were trying to come back from 2008-2009 economy crash. We needed guidance on how to reinvent our company. With the help of SCORE and SBDC’s GrowSmart program, we were able to find out about business practices and how to “grow” your business “smart”. Since completing the program, we have grown our repair portion of the business more than 100% and had an all-time record-breaking year for Henry Plumbing in 2022. A special thank you to Liz Overstreet for always thinking of us and ways the SBDC can help Henry Plumbing grow.”
UGA SBDC: Liz Overstreet, Business Advisor, Savannah
