Greater Charlotte Biz 2012.05

legalbiz

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accountingbiz

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webbiz

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consultingbiz

may 2012

   Your Event Source    AdvantaClean Systems    Gardner-Webb University    Ethel Harris, Inc.    Charlotte Latin School

NC Music Factory’s Phoenix-like Rehab Captures Mood, Music and More

(l to r) Noah Lazes President and COO Richard Lazes CEO NC Music Factory

Scan to view greatercharlottebiz.com

Change Service Requested 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, N.C. 28226-1310

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DESIGNING BUILDINGS FOR THE FUTURE IS ALAN’S BUSINESS. WE ARE PROUD HE HAS MADE IT OUR BUSINESS, TOO. Alan works every day to turn his vision into a reality.

And Time Warner Cable Business Class partnered with him to bring it to life. We provided his firm with a High-Speed Internet and Business Class Phone solution to communicate with his clients. At Time Warner Cable Business Class, we take the time to listen — so you get the right mix of Internet, Phone, Ethernet and Cable TV solutions. We built that for Alan. We can build it for you.

1.866.TWC.4BIZ | TWCBC.Com

Some restrictions apply. Time Warner Cable Business Class is a trademark of Time Warner Inc. Used under license. ©2012 Time Warner Cable. All Rights Reserved.

INTERNET | PHONE | CABLE TV | ETHERNET

CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Serving our community

For almost 50 years, CPCC has been training leaders, such as Harold Medlock, who make our community a better place to live and work.

To learn more, visit cpccfoundation.com.

Deputy Chief Harold Medlock CPCC Alumnus, Associate in Applied Science, Law Enforcement Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

in this issue

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cover story

NC Music Factory

“This is it!” is the common response to this textile mill turned destination hotspot. Developers Noah and Richard Lazes have brought together casual and fine dining, high end nightclub and hip dance spot, live music venues and comedy zone, all under one roof—literally. Their entertainment development model—rehabbing older buildings with ground level access and outdoor space just off the beaten path with interstate access—offers something for everyone, proving it to be a winner across many markets.

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Your Event Source Scott Hirsch and Keith Kaplan head up this full service event planning and amusement rental company offering more than 125 categories of personalized novelties, mechanical rides, interactive games, moon bounces, carnival games, concessions and inflatables—and featuring such innovative novelties as Flip Books and activities like Scribe the Hide and CampuSkins.

16 AdvantaClean Systems Since 1994, Jeff Dudan’s company has been delivering emergency mitigation and remediation services and indoor air quality solutions, as well as storm response during natural disasters. He has built his local presence into a national network of successful franchisees strategically located to respond to natural disasters and mobilize assets from all over the country.

28 Gardner-Webb University Gardner-Webb’s more pronounced presence in Charlotte signals its desire to better serve the region, addressing the community’s educational needs— including trust and wealth management and banking. At the same time, its innovative leadership development center partners with local initiatives to truly serve the community.

34 Ethel Harris, Inc. Celebrating 15 years in business, staffing pro Ethel Harris says, “It’s been a real privilege to get to know so many people and be involved in making the connections that further their lives, careers and businesses.”

She believes that each person that comes through her doors is going through some kind of change, and that truly getting to know them will result in the best placement.

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departments publisher’spost

4

legalbiz

5

Transforming the Business of Law to Meet the Needs of Business

accountingbiz

7

Accounting, Tax and Consulting Solutions

webbiz

8

New Media Strategies, Secrets and Solutions

consultingbiz

9

Managing and Delivering Change to Optimize Business Value

biznetwork

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on the cover:

legalbiz

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accountingbiz

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webbiz

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consultingbiz

may 2012

Noah and Richard Lazes in upstairs lounge at Butter NC    Your Event Source    AdvantaClean Systems    Gardner-Webb University    Ethel Harris, Inc.    Charlotte Latin School

Photo by Wayne Morris

NC Music Factory’s Phoenix-like Rehab Captures Mood, Music and More

(l to r) Noah Lazes President and COO Rick Lazes CEO NC Music Factory

Scan to view greatercharlottebiz.com

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Charlotte Latin School This elite private school’s wooded 122-acre campus serves students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, and touts a close-knit community that promotes leadership qualities alongside a strong honor code. Headmaster Arch McIntosh says, “Our kids our driven, and motivated. That’s part of what we want to instill, to encourage personal responsibility and growth.”

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[publisher’spost] “Health Insurance” vs. “Health Care” When you purchase auto insurance, you don’t expect it to cover every ding or dent that happens in the parking lot at work or on a shopping trip. As a matter of fact, you carefully consider reporting minor damage to your insurance company for fear of subsequent premium increases. Your car insurance is there for an unfortunate accident or damage that is beyond your reach.

John Paul Galles Likewise, when you buy homeowner’s insurance, you don’t expect it to cover normal and customary repairs that are required every year. In fact, you make repairs and handle the upkeep as your own responsibility. Your homeowner’s insurance is there in case of damage that is beyond your capacity to afford.

Similarly, life insurance. When you buy life insurance, it doesn’t cover anything that’s going to happen in your lifetime. It covers one thing—your death. Upon that catastrophic event, it pays.

“Health insurance?” That perplexes me. We seem to expect this type of insurance to cover doctors’ charges for diagnosing every bump, bruise, ache, infection, flu, or other malady that affects our bodies—and even regular checkups. Not only that, we seem to expect it to cover every blood test, x-ray, CT scan, or other expense involved—even prescription drugs.

In part, we think this because our employers pay for health coverage and we don’t have to be concerned with the actual costs or administration. In part, we think this because we figure we’ve paid for it in our premiums. And, at the same time, we realize how absurd it is to think these things.

It is no wonder that our health care system is broken. Advances in technology, methods of treatment and medicines, and the increasing life expectancy of our predominantly aged population, have exacerbated the problem. At the same time, we have not restricted access to health care in any way other than making it “less available” or accepting a lower standard of care for some. All this plus increasing costs plus a stagnant economy! Whew!!

Even if you have the health and money to buy “health insurance,” there is no guarantee your routine health care costs will be covered, let alone a catastrophic situation. Those who don’t participate in “health insurance” only pay for what they need as they need it. And if they have a health catastrophe, their costs will be paid for or subsidized by everyone else. It makes no sense.

In fact, it is nonsense.

In 2009, the U.S. spent $2.5 trillion on health care for the 310 million of us. That’s approximately $673 per person per month. In a pro rata system, a family of four would pay $2,692 per month ($32,304 per year) for our present level of health care.

Are you paying that? I don’t think there are many of us who can afford that premium.

What may have seemed like “health insurance” when it was first provided as an employee benefit in the 1940s, has in fact become “health care” nowadays. It is our “system” of providing it that has not changed with the times.

As we wait for the Supreme Court to rule on compelling everyone to join the system and we listen to the debate from our presidential candidates, we need to pay close attention to whether proposed changes really acknowledge the difference between “health insurance” and “health care.”

We cannot afford Medicare as it exists. Medicaid does not sufficiently support those who cannot afford health insurance. We know that more than 60 percent of all bankruptcy filings are related to medical bills and that almost 80 percent of those filers are or were insured.

Here is reality: There are not many who support privatization of health care who also believe that only the wealthy deserve coverage. Correspondingly, there are not many who support universalization of health care who can afford premiums of $2,692 a month.

Both sides are seeking a solution and that solution is somewhere between “insurance” which applies to catastrophes and “care” which provides all the drugs, medicine and services that we expect to consume over a lifetime.

We can only afford what we can afford; we cannot provide all services to all people. We have to manage our “health care” system so that we can provide maximum level of health care to the maximum of number of people. And we should relegate “health insurance” to care beyond that point. biz

Let me know what you think - jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

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704-676-5850

May 2012 Volume 13 • Issue 05 Publisher John Paul Galles x102 jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

Associate Publisher/Editor Maryl A. Lane x104 mlane@greatercharlottebiz.com

Creative Director Trevor Adams x107 tadams@greatercharlottebiz.com

Sales Manager Talbert Gray x106

partners Central Piedmont Community College hiSoft Technology International Limited Knowmad Technologies Potter & Company, P.A. Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A.

Contributing Writers Craig Dixon Zenda Douglas Barbara Fagan Heather Head Casey Jacobus

Contributing Photographers Trevor Adams Wayne Morris Galles Communications Group, Inc. 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115 Charlotte, NC 28226-1310 704-676-5850 Phone • 704-676-5853 Fax www.greatercharlottebiz.com • Press releases and other news-related information: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Editorial: mlane@greatercharlottebiz.com.

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• Subscription inquiries or change of address: subscriptions@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Other inquiries: please call or fax at the numbers above or visit our website www.greatercharlottebiz.com. © Copyright 2012 by Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, Galles Communications Group, Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles Communications Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. For reprints call 704-676-5850 x102.

Greater Charlotte Biz (ISSN 1554-6551) is published monthly by Galles Communications Group, Inc., 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, NC 28226-1310.

Telephone: 704-676-5850. Fax: 704-676-5853. Subscription rate is $24 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Greater Charlotte Biz, 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, NC 28226-1310.

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[legalbiz]

Survival Training:

MANAGING YOUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

Whether Bob Businessman is facing a business or personal divorce, employment issues or other issues discussed in this series of articles, of paramount importance is his ability to track and manage accounts receivable. The failure to collect monies owed will quickly sink Bob’s business.

Whether dealing with an existing or new customer, there are several steps that Bob can take to make it easier to collect receivables.

First, Bob should determine Of paramount who or what he is dealing with. At the outset, owners need to deterimportance to a mine the correct legal entity they business owner are dealing with and make sure to name the correct legal entity in the is his ability written contract. The most common legal entities are individuals, partto track and nerships, corporations, and limited manage accounts liability companies.

Second, litigation to collect on receivable. The an account can be expensive and failure to collect adequate legal steps need to be taken monies owed will ahead of time to be able to recover both interest and attorney fees. quickly sink a Interest is properly charged to an account only so long as it is agreed business. to in advance in a written agreement signed by the parties. Keep the interest language in the agreement simple and reasonable. Many contracts specify an interest rate of 18 percent per annum which the courts have found acceptable.

Not only should an owner such as Bob agree with the customer to an interest charge, but an owner should also insert a provision in the written agreement entitling the recovery of “reasonable attorney fees” in the event of non-payment. North Carolina law in this regard is spelled out in N.C.G.S. §6-21.2. Attorney fees are not recoverable unless expressly provided for in a signed agreement which contains an obligation to pay money or creates an agreement regarding debt. If expressly provided for, attorney fees are recoverable at the agreed upon rate up to a maximum of 15 percent of the amount of the outstanding balance.

In 2011, the General Assembly passed a new law—N.C.G.S. §6-21.6— titled Reciprocal Attorneys’ Fees Provisions in Business Contracts which became effective October 1, 2011. This statute provides that reciprocal attorneys’ fees provisions in business contracts in which each party to the contract agrees to pay and reimburse the other parties for attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by reason of any suit, action, proceeding or arbitration involving the business contract are valid and enforceable.

A business contract is defined as a contract entered into primarily for business or commercial purposes and specifically does not include a consumer contract, an employment contract or a contract in which a government or a government agency of North Carolina is a party. In order to be enforceable, the attorneys’ fees provision must be made applicable to all parties who sign the contract and the contract must be signed by hand by all the parties.

This new law does not invalidate attorneys’ fees provisions in consumer contracts or in any note, conditional sale contract or other evidence of indebtedness that is otherwise governed by

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N.C.G.S. §6-21.2 referred to above. In fact, if a business contract is also a note, conditional sale contract or other evidence of indebtedness otherwise governed by N.C.G.S. §6-21.2, then the parties entitled to recover attorneys’ fees and expenses may elect to recover attorneys’ fees and expenses either under N.C.G.S. §6-21.6 or N.C.G.S. §6-21.2, but may only recover once for the same attorneys’ fees and expenses.

What if Bob doesn’t want to file suit right away? Unless a company is on a purely cash basis, the conduct of a business like Bob’s requires one to make decisions regarding the extension of credit and collection of accounts on a regular basis. Litigation may be able to be avoided with some alternative methods used in the early stages of a deteriorating account. Here is a brief explanation of some options: 1. A business such as Bob’s can require that the assurances of payment be more than empty promises. One of the options that exist is an individual guaranty of the debt by the principals of a corporation or by the spouse of an individual debtor.

Early contact with an attorney is even more crucial if litigation is inevitable. The adage that “You can't get blood out of a turnip,” is the harsh reality of many unsuccessful collection actions.

2. The debtor can also be requested to execute a promissory note, with individual guaranties if appropriate, which provides for interest, recovery of attorney fees and other remedies not earlier provided for. An additional advantage of the promissory note is to eliminate any defenses which the other party may claim, such as defective merchandise.

3. In addition, a debtor can be required to pledge some property as security for the otherwise unsecured account.

Early contact with an attorney is even more crucial if litigation is inevitable. Although a judgment against a debtor is valid for 10 years (and this can be extended another 10 years), a judgment is worthless without property available to pay the judgment. The adage that “You can't get blood out of a turnip,” is the harsh reality of many unsuccessful collection actions.

Content contributed by Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A., which partners with owners of closely-held businesses to provide comprehensive legal services in all areas of business, tax, estate planning, succession planning, purchases and sales of businesses, real estate, family law, and litigation. For more information, contact William A. Navarro, J.D., at 704-364-0010 or visit www.wnhplaw.com.

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[accountingbiz]

Accounting, Tax and Consulting Solutions

It’s Never Too Early to Think About Next Year

T

he March 15th and April 15th tax filing deadlines have passed. You filed your tax returns for the 2011 and do not have to worry about 2012 taxes until next year. But how did the tax process go this year?

Tax preparation is the result of a very simple equation. It is the sum of 1) the completeness and accuracy of your business and personal financial records, plus 2) the knowledge and skill of your tax preparer to ask the right questions and then quantify that information accurately on the required tax forms.

If this past year’s process was burdensome and laborious, the following are some tips and suggestions to help make your 2012 tax preparation process a little less painful.

Get organized. In a recent survey by the National Small Business Association, 56 percent of respondents cited the administrative burden of filing taxes as the most significant tax-related challenge facing their companies. Get better organized for the coming year to reduce this burden. Organize paper items relevant to taxes, including receipts and bank statements, in files and store them in a secure location. If you use an electronic system, dedicate password-protected folders for your personal and business tax items. Regularly back up data to minimize loss if your computer hard drive crashes.

Keep copies of your prior years’ tax returns in a secure and accessible location. We recommend keeping seven years of tax returns and supporting documentation.

Resolve to keep better records. To stay organized, consider a new record keeping strategy. Business records monitored on a regular basis can help you find problems quickly and correct them timely. These records should be maintained on a continual basis whether they are manual or electronic. If this task seems too overwhelming, consider using a bookkeeping service to assist you.

Meet with your financial and tax advisors. This is a good time to arrange a meeting with your financial and tax advisors and figure out what you might do differently next year. Did you fail to take advantage of potential capital losses? Could you have benefitted from contributing to a retirement account? What could have been the tax benefit of making a charitable contribution of stock that has appreciated in value? Ask these questions now to plan for the coming year. Quarterly or monthly followup meetings may be needed to ensure your financial and tax strategies are still on target as the year unfolds.

Think about the impact of major life decisions on your taxes. Are you planning to start a new business in the current year, incorporate your sole proprietorship, close or sell off your business or retire in 2012? Major life and business decisions can impact your income tax picture. If you are planning to make a big change, ask your tax professional about preemptive planning and tax strategies to lessen potential tax burden.

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Interview a new tax professional if you need one. With the tax season rush over, now is a good time to call or meet with a few good tax professional to find the best fit for next year. If you plan to seek out a new tax professional to assist you with tax planning and filing matters, here are a few recommendations of what to look for.

■ Check the preparer’s business history and qualifications. Check out the preparer with the Better Business Bureau and check for disciplinary actions and licensure status through the state boards of accountancy for CPAs; the state bar association for attorneys; and the IRS Office of Enrollment for enrolled agents.

Also ask if the preparer is affiliated with a professional organization and attends continuing education classes to keep abreast of changes in the tax law.

■ Find out about their fees for services. Ask if you will be billed hourly or if your return will be prepared for a flat fee. If you will be billed hourly, ask about the hourly rates of the personnel who will be preparing your return. If you will be billed a set fee, ask the tax preparer for a fee estimate.

■ Make sure your tax preparer is accessible. Make sure you will be able to contact your tax preparer after the return is filed in case questions arise. Your tax preparer should also be available to provide you with tax planning advice during the year, to represent you if the taxing authorities choose to audit your tax return, or to help respond to a tax notice.

■ You are legally responsible for what is on your tax return even if someone else prepares it. Choose a paid tax preparer wisely.

Reputable preparers will request to see your records and receipts and will ask you multiple questions to determine your total income and allowable expenses, deductions and other items. Before you sign your tax return, review it and ask questions. Make sure you are comfortable with accuracy of the return before you sign it.

According to Benjamin Franklin, nothing is certain but death and taxes. Even taxes are somewhat uncertain in a presidential election year.

But you can relieve some of the stress and uncertainty that often accompanies the tax-filing season by organizing your records and planning with your financial and tax advisors now for the 2012 tax year.

Content contributed by Samuel M. Leder, CPA, Partner with Potter & Company, P.A., a locally based certified public accounting firm offering core services of audit, business consulting, tax, and financial analysis. For more information, contact him at 704-786-8189 or visit www.gotopotter.com.

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[webbiz]

Knowmad Advancing Business Online

C

Content Marketing:

ontent marketing is not a new idea. Credit is often given to John Deere’s magazine The Furrow, first published in the late 1890s, as the first example of content marketing. Other brands have been marketing their content online for over a decade. So why is content marketing getting so much attention now?

Changes to our buying behaviors, the rise of social sharing, low barriers to entry for publishing, and the overload of advertisements in our daily lives have brought content marketing to the forefront of Internet marketing.

Content marketing attracts high-quality leads, makes sales prospecting easier and, when done well, helps move buyers through the purchase process by educating them on offerings and guiding them on next steps.

Where, in the buying process, can the content help to create clarity and enable a reader to make an informed decision?

What are the steps they will take to make the purchase?

The key to success is offering valuable, informative and timely content. Nobody wants to be sold before they understand what the problem is and what’s possible. By offering informational content first, businesses guide buyers to a smart, informed solution for their challenge.

What is content marketing?

You’ve seen content marketing all over the Web. It’s the white paper you recently downloaded, the webinar you attended last week and, even, the article you’re reading now.

Content marketing is a method of delivering content to potential buyers that doesn’t sell them. Instead, it informs them about a particular solution or market challenge that they are facing. Informing buyers about the challenges they face and desirable solutions lowers the hurdle to their purchase decision.

Educating potential buyers establishes a trusted relationship while demonstrating expertise and providing insight into the quality of products or services. As prospective buyers consume more and more content, they learn more about the content’s source and can be guided through the buying process.

Content marketing includes planning, creating and distributing content to targeted group of potential buyers. It’s true that content marketing is a lot of work. However, the benefits far outweigh the effort and expense.

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Diona Kidd

“Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action.”

What are the benefits?

Content marketing creates a sales pipeline for a business by creating a community of readers, which includes potential buyers, and then guiding those buyers into the sales process. Using content in sales campaigns creates additional touch points and references for sales staff which makes prospecting easier.

This library of content is used for brand awareness, sales campaigns, offline marketing and online marketing campaigns including email, social media, pay-per-click and search engine optimization (SEO).

Combining content marketing with traditional SEO creates highlyqualified inbound traffic for a website.

In addition, reusing content across many marketing channels helps to reinforce message brand and establish a business’s position as a subject matter expert.

How does it work?

Content marketing works hand-in-hand with the buying process by attracting prospects and guiding buyers through the purchase event. In this process, buyers are educated about their challenge, products or services are positioned as the solution, and a clear call-to-action is presented to encourage the potential buyer to inquire about the product or service.

Landing pages and Web forms populate a marketing and sales database of prospective buyers for the business. Ongoing lead nurturing is conducted by email and traditional touch points like phone calls.

Content marketing begins with a messaging plan that leads to a sales meeting.

Consider the following when planning messages. What unique challenges are your buyers facing? What do they need to know to make a purchase decision?

Attract & Motivate Buyers Online

~Joe Pulizzi The Content Marketing Institute

B2B Content Marketing: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends

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Content contributed by Knowmad, a Web strategy, design and Internet marketing company located in Charlotte, N.C. Knowmad guides clients on the most effective ways to advance their business online. For more information, contact Diona Kidd at 704-343-9330 or visit http://www.knowmad.com/gcb.

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hiSoft Technology International Limited

[consultingbiz]

Global Partner for Success

B

usiness process design and modeling is primarily transactional and static, and has traditionally been very effective for enablement and support processes.

However, process modeling in customer-facing activities brings a unique set of challenges to the forefront. In these cases, the process is more dynamic and less predictable than back office, transactional processes, as there are activities which occur outside of the process owner’s span of control (for Shubhang Vikas, Senior Consultant in example, wait times between the customer seeing a product, the U.S. Consulting and purchasing it).

Services Practice A dynamic and flexible business process modeling approach is required to adapt to these environments, and add structured decision frameworks to otherwise subjective and inconsistent decision-making processes. In today’s competitive landscape it is imperative that the entire business process follows a standard structure which is robust enough to achieve buy-in from all the stakeholders and build a strategy that can maximize the chances of success.

A retail industry case study is illustrative. A merchandising group of a major retail client required the creation of an integrated process solution to support objective and consistent decision-making regarding selection of products to include in the retailer’s promotional programs. It included the design and documentation of process models for selecting promotion items and the preparation for supply chain execution and ongoing replenishment of these items. This included reaching consensus on current state process, identifying the desired future state process, and creating a roadmap to address gaps between current and future state.

The solution also included a mapping of stakeholder roles and responsibilities, both within the merchandising group and various support teams and stakeholders that would need to be executed for successful implementation and sustainability of the solution. Identification of appropriate interfaces between business organizations was necessary to assess the effectiveness of the decision-making chain and the role of support teams in the planning, executing and monitoring of a promotional event.

The assessment uncovered the non-utilization of tools that assist in building an intelligent and predictive strategy of planning and executing events. Predictive analytics is a significant source of competitive advantage and provides an opportunity to achieve a higher ROI on projects when compared to those without the use of predictive analytics.

Some of the other significant drivers of creating a predictive analytics culture are cost reduction in serving existing markets, cross-selling, quicker response to economic swings, new product launches and trial, and testing of new governmental regulations and customer demand.

Further, predictive analytics combined with

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Designing Dynamic Business

Processes: Retail Industry Case Study

A successful business process solution consists of roles, activities and tasks that align with performance metrics and fully utilize the capabilities enabled by an intelligent analytics system to help gain credibility and eventually propel the company to leadership in the industry. business intelligence will help the group in exploiting the capabilities of support teams and data sources so that strategy is built on historical data, voice of the customer, corporate strategy and pre-defined performance metrics. A robust and dynamic business process relies on association of metrics to each part of the process to allow effectiveness measurement at every transaction point of the process.

A successful business process solution for this group thus consisted of roles, activities and tasks that align with performance metrics and fully utilize the capabilities enabled by an intelligent analytics system that will help the group gain credibility and eventually help the company be a leader in the industry.

Content contributed by Shubhang Vikas, Senior Consultant in the U.S. Consulting Services Practice of hiSoft Technology International Limited, a consulting services firm. Vikas advises clients in a variety of industries on Business Process Design and Management. For more information, contact hiSoft in Charlotte at 704-944-3155 or visit www.hisoft.com.

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F N S T N U E V F E R U ON YU [bizprofile]

by barbara fagan

E C R OU

ng etti , g d an sch ling ott Hir ge g g u Sc hu str ere embers t was a w s I nie rem (YES). “ o mpa too,” o e , wh C c n r g . a u l s n t So ggli Kap 02 as a oad ars.” ossr re stru ur Even st doll s Keith 0 r c a e in 2 la d o r w t Y d S a u a E f e o Y o ,” e W t d wer into ding us. tner nde even e “We conscio ing par re spen getting ch fou c ervi high und ere Hirs e we get ull s ved in ar’s f , bud r and fo t like w at we w lan and vol h e t ye a se d p t. el own ion. It f idea w rwin Ka age uni lotte-b larly in st at las ents. r o r I m e is gu dec e had n father, i-sto s a Cha any re e Fan F Tourna with n i y l m i h p l “W ith his of a ource al com ey ran t sketba ompan or all t u w c S o w t h g sf Ba e no alon usiness r Event ent ren coast. T ’s ACC ded the y Zone way. w t r h b a n a u t t m l ag a side day, Yo amuse the eas Wome just aw iding P AX Dr wide ch th sy mon e u m d v To so one bu t thre and ll over en’s an . (SMI) or pro and ZM from a lized n g w n s c a i e d y o r a lann events ecent M ports In ole ven eedwa choos person ival e gr ents in entire fi s. Our v p ’ e n p r s s le S f arn d e rS ca “W ore ev r the sine ng the profi owl an y Moto ll be th Motor omers ories o nces, c u o f b m i u B g e a st do we did re in amo erica.

Belk peedw t. YES w harlott YES cu he cate oon bo e y l n t w S t m C c , Am en tha e And contra nts for events cts in games, s w is curr in North mpanies r u r e a w e e d v e e y a n ming e nd oth 25 pro eractiv lf a type 0 co pany 1 a o nt com st of this e only 1 ithin ha rned u p c r t h e se han rides, i bles. t b e w e or Fo ata ical larg might t are We’ve tu of m echan and infl e a . y r h a o e t d a r r t i e s , m ss i o n s Th nally t we that.” tt M. Hirscnher e el a o i h t a o nov s, conc n f w s into Ow o ~Sc n e o gam table milli

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N U F N U F S E V I

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“We’ve become a 365-day-ayear business,” says Kaplan.

“We’re a one-stop-shop and we’re the biggest in this area for everything we do,” adds Hirsch.

But back in 2008, YES focused mainly on company picnics and carnivals for local schools, churches and towns. With the economic nosedive of 2008, these were the first markets to dry up.

To make matters worse, the business was extremely seasonal.

“We were doing very little in the winter,” recalls Kaplan. “We’d just started up a casino party division and that kept us busy for the three weeks of holiday parties in December but we were barely sustaining ourselves. All we were trying to do was get to April when the picnics and carnivals would start up again.”

Then they decided to take a chance. “In 2008 we were working with 12 to 15 colleges: Davidson, Queens, UNCC—all local,” Kaplan explains. “Colleges have events all year long, not just an annual picnic or fair, so we thought they’d be a good market for us.”

Game of Chance “We found out about a college organization called National Association of Campus Advisors (NACA) that has national and regional conferences,” Kaplan continues, “and they had a conference coming up in Tennessee

N I P S L A

N O I S S E F

O R P A

Colleges Universities Corporate Festivals Special Events

(l to r) Keith Kaplan Scott M. Hirsch Owners Your Event Source, LLC but it was a major expense at the time for us and we were hesitant to do it.

“We’d recently found a novelty at an industry trade show called Flip Books. You take seven seconds of video, create a custom cover and then you’ve got this book that runs like a video when you flip the pages.

“So when we finally committed to spending the money and going to the NACA conference, we decided to include Flip Books. We made them right at our booth at the show.”

Kaplan smiles. “I’ll never forget it,” he says.

“I was driving home from the show when the

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

office calls and tells me we’ve already got phone calls from colleges who want to work with us and one of them was the University of Florida.

“You don’t usually book these things onsite, but by the time I’d gotten to the Tennessee-North Carolina border we’d already had three calls!”

“And now the majority of our business is in the college market,” adds Hirsch. “Flip Books were the start of it.”

The company currently works with more than 170 colleges and still offers Flip Books ➤ along with customized license plates, dry

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Yepp, I can absolutely see you here!

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To learn more contact Tracie Coronado at 704.562.4925 or tcoronado@datafacts.com.

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erase boards, car flags, street signs and many other novelties.

Two of their most popular offerings are “Scribe the Hide” and “CampuSkins.” “It was our original idea to make these into interactive activities for the students,” Kaplan explains.

“With Scribe the Hide, we set up stations with different colored leather wristbands and students make them uniquely their own by writing whatever they want on them.

“And CampuSkins allows students to customize covers for their iPads and other tablets, laptops and phones. Students can choose school logos, favorite teams or they can even download pictures from Facebook to personalize the skins.

No one else is going onsite and doing this.”

“These two novelties are driving the business right now,” says Hirsch, “but if we come across something new to offer our customer, we’re going to do it. We’re always looking for new products. We came across something just this morning we’re considering.”

YES’s discovery of the college market was not only timely but also made them realize that they could expand their market beyond the borders of the Carolinas.

“Today we’re also in Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida,” says Hirsch. “We’ve done events in New York, all up and down the east coast. We’re going to a college in Illinois soon.

That will make us national.”

Bumper to bumper traffic on I-95 one winter day was also a surprise catalyst for expansion.

“We were already doing some bowl games,” Hirsch explains, “but we were focused on about a two-hour radius from Charlotte. We didn’t realize we could do business farther than that.

“One day I was traveling with my family on I-95 from a visit to my in-laws in Florida. Traffic was at a standstill when I spotted a truck from a competitor we have in Maryland heading south toward Florida. So I called Keith and asked him

“We can handle something as small as a moon bounce for a few hundred dollars or events running tens of thousands of dollars. We’re booking events right now for next March but two weeks ago we did a casino night on just 24-hours’ notice. It all depends on the time of the year, the time of the day.” ~Keith Kaplan Owner

where he thought the truck was going in the middle of winter. ‘It’s bowl season,’ he said. ‘I bet they’re going to a bowl game.’

“That’s when we started contacting the bowl games. We now do the Fan Fest for both the Capitol One Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl and the Beef ‘O’ Brady Bowl in Florida. And it all happened because a competitor got stuck in traffic.”

While it seems a few “happy accidents” have helped steer the company’s tremendous growth, Hirsch and Kaplan agree that it’s the business philosophy they adopted at the start that is the real key to their success.

Professional Spin Hirsch was working in commercial real

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

estate and Kaplan was an executive recruiter when they first met while playing basketball and became friends 18 years ago.

“We both had good careers,” Hirsch explains, “but we were in businesses that we weren’t really able to build to the extent we wanted. So we were sitting by the pool one day and trying to figure out what we wanted to do.

“Keith’s father owned a small amusement rental business in Richmond, so he and I got in the car and drove up to take a look at it.

We also looked at the market for this business in Charlotte and who was doing it here.

We immediately saw an opportunity to bring a more professional image to this business. Our goal was to take our professional experience and apply it to this industry.”

So, together they wrote the business plan in the fall of 2001 and started the company in 2002 with four inflatables in a mini-storage unit. They set up the first few events while still working their full time jobs and then, as business grew, hired someone to manage sales and operations.

“We would meet with her either before or after our regular jobs and check in several times during the day as well,” Hirsch explains.

By 2004, business had grown enough to support Hirsch coming on full-time. Kaplan joined him full-time the next year.

“Our goal was always to offer a higher end amusement rental company,” says Hirsch. “To this day we’ve continued with that philosophy and it’s worked extremely well. We’ve never been the cheapest, but for the extra money, customers get quality equipment and quality staff. We’ve been so successful because of our equipment, our customer service and our professionalism, but also because of our staff.”

YES currently has 12 full-time staff and 50 part-timers. All staff are YES employees, inter➤ viewed, background-checked and hired by

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YES. The majority are college-educated or current college students. And since the company can be a 24-hour operation in busy periods, all are dedicated.

“It’s an unusual job,” Hirsch says. “There are times when we have trucks coming in from an event at 2 a.m. and that same truck has to be unloaded, reloaded and out to another event by 5 a.m. We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without our staff.

“We pay our staff more than others in the industry because we expect more from them.

They have the right attitude, communicate well with customers, and act and look professional.

We hear from our customers daily how much that matters to them.”

But even with the demands of the job, it isn’t all work at YES. After all, providing fun is their business.

“Last summer we bought one of the largest portable water slides in the area. It’s so big the Great Wolf lodge rents it from us,” says Hirsch.

“When it arrived we sent all the employees home to grab their swimsuits and come back to test it.

We’ve also had mandatory office shutdown days where everyone goes into the warehouse to play laser tag.”

Game Plan One of YES’s strong points is their flexibility.

“We can handle something as small as a moon bounce for a few hundred dollars or events running tens of thousands of dollars,” says Kaplan.

“We’re booking events right now for next March but two weeks ago we did a casino night on just 24-hours’ notice. It all depends on the time of the year, the time of the day.”

Kaplan points toward a wall-length dry erase board where 45 events are listed for the next 10 days. The column for Saturday accounts for a good quarter of the 45.

“People would be surprised at how many events we can pull off in one day,” he says.

“We’ve grown so much that we now do more events in one busy month than we did for the entire first three years we were in business. Our company is currently among the largest of this

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“It’s an unusual job. There are times when we have trucks coming in from an event at 2 a.m. and that same truck has to be unloaded, reloaded and out to another event by 5 a.m. We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without our staff.” ~Scott M. Hirsch Owner

time growing that market as well.

They also recently acquired a company that fit within their business model, starting a new YES division in September 2011 called YES-AIR. YES-AIR provides businesses with large cold air balloons and colorful pennants called “adversails” to promote grand openings, re-openings or other important events. Through a network, the company can install these all over the country. The new division hit the ground running.

“Family Dollar committed to use YES-AIR for hundreds of store openings and grand reopenings in the next year,” says Kaplan. “Right now YES-AIR is only a small percentage of our total business but we see tremendous potential.

We plan to aggressively promote YES-AIR.” Both Hirsch and Kaplan believe they have the best jobs in the world.

“It’s very rewarding to go to events and see that what you do for a living results in people having fun,” says Kaplan. “For me, that validates all the time we spent figuring out what we wanted to be.”

“Ten years ago we decided to be the most professional company in the industry,” Hirsch adds. “We’ve continued that to this day. It’s what’s allowed us to get to where we are today.” biz Barbara Fagan is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

type in North America. There might be only 10 companies nationally that are within half a million of what we do. We’ve turned four inflatables into that.”

Hirsch and Kaplan count colleges as 60 percent of their business. Churches, schools and municipalities make up 15 percent and the remaining 25 percent is corporate business with about half of that being sports-related.

They plan to continue and expand their marketing to colleges but they’ve noticed a current increase in corporate events and the two agree that they would like to spend more

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Your Event Source, LLC 1038 Culp Road Pineville, N.C. 28134 Phone: 704-332-2222 Principals: Scott M. Hirsch, Keith Kaplan, Irwin Kaplan; Owners Employees: 12 full-time; approximately 50 part-time Founded: 2002 Business: Full-service event planning and amusement rental company; new YES-AIR division for cold air balloons and adversails. www.youreventsource.com

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MBC Going Strong!

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Presented by:

Midweek Business Connections (MBC) is celebrating 32 years as one of Charlotte’s most successful businessreferral organizations! MBC offers business owners and managers the opportunity to network and build professional relationships. Twice monthly, MBC’s 60-80 members meet for breakfast and networking combined with a valuable program.

Greer

Erdman

Rabon

Keynoting this year’s MBC reunion, lawyer David Erdman, a 25-year member, presented his “600 Breakfasts” program featuring photographs of and quotes from 130 former and present MBC members. His presentation showcased business advice shared by members of the organization over the years, provoking many thoughtful and entertaining memories.

Named a top Charlotte entrepreneur and one of North Carolina’s “Leaders in the Law” in 2011, Erdman credits the MBC as a major factor in the longevity and success of his Charlotte law firm Erdman and Hockfield, LLP. True to the business-exchange spirit of MBC, he points out that he has done as much business with other MBC members as they have done with him.

MBC began as the brainchild of Randy Rabon, who contacted Charlie Greer to join him, and the mutual business referrals began. To this day membership is category-exclusive and members are encouraged to refer business to each other.

Connections cMidweek o n s t r u c t i ve cBusiness a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s| s 704.940.7389

| www.mbcinconline.org m ay 2 0 1 2 1 5

O

rdo ab chao...out of chaos, comes order.

Mother Nature isn’t always a kind mistress. The chaos of natural disasters is an ever-present threat to homes and businesses. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and fires are the obvious—but even mold and contaminated air can destroy the prosperity of a home or business. Since 1994, Huntersville-based AdvantaClean has stood guard against the elements, great and small.

AdvantaClean rose from the debris of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. CEO and founder Jeff Dudan, then fresh out-of-college, got his first handson experience working in recovery and restoration during post-Andrew cleanup efforts.

Dudan had begun his entrepreneurial journey as a marketing major at Appalachian State University. During that time, he and a friend launched their first business, D&D Painting (short for Dudan and Davidson), in Boone, N.C.

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“I wanted to stay in Boone over the summer, but couldn’t find work, so we employed ourselves. We quickly secured contracts with all of the major apartment complexes in the area, coming in to handle jobs when student leases were up,” he recalls.

When graduation came, Dudan and Davidson handed off the collegetown painting business to their younger brothers, but continued to pursue the lifestyle of entrepreneurs.

“When I graduated, I determined that I always wanted to work for myself,” he says. In the wake of Hurricane Andrew’s destruction, Dudan saw an opportunity to help Florida’s communities, and also build a business.

“A friend called and suggested I come down to help with the restoration effort. I only intended to be down there for three months, but it turned into three years,” he adds.

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by craig dixon

[bizprofile]

AdvantaClean’s Proven Model Poised for Prosperity

Those three years would prove crucial to the formation of AdvantaClean. Disaster cleanup, indoor air quality, and mold remediation were all part of the equation, and he learned the tricks of the trade by getting his hands dirty.

After a few years of contracting with other firms involved in the recovery effort, Dudan set his sights on starting his own business in the same field. In 1994, Dudan and three partners opened the first Loss Control and Recovery office in Central Florida. Things moved quickly from there and Dudan returned to North Carolina to open a second office, in Charlotte.

Building from Scratch Loss Control and Recovery primarily worked on insurance recovery claims, covering ground in the four major areas that AdvantaClean operates today: residential, commercial, governmental, and storm response.

In 2000, Loss Control and Recovery was rebranded as AdvantaClean Services, a lean and technologically-adept business. Dudan was laying the groundwork to multiply his services (and successes) on a nationwide scale. Today, the Charlotte region is home to his rapidly growing company which is headquartered on a 22,000-square-foot campus and run by a staff of 30.

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

Dirty air ducts can be a source of indoor air pollution. AdvantaClean serves as a nemesis to the bacteria, mold, and viruses that manifest themselves in buildings—both commercial and residential—as breeding grounds.

Water damage brings its own suite of problems, but AdvantaClean is well equipped for handling this as well. Broken pipes, leaks or heavy rains can bring on heavy costs—and create another ideal environment for mold to thrive if not dealt with promptly. AdvantaClean is available 24 hours day to deal with such emergencies.

AdvantaClean’s website offers detailed reports ➤ on the everyday threats that could be lurking

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Jeff Dudan CEO and Founder AdvantaClean Systems, Inc. in the air ducts or damp corners of one’s home or workplace.

“More than anything, we’re environmental professionals. AdvantaClean offices are strategically located to respond to natural disasters, and if need be, to mobilize assets from all over the country,” Dudan remarks.

While AdvantaClean has assets all over the U.S., their onsite fleet is a small army of flatbed trucks, mobile generators, passenger vans, equipment trailers, and catastrophe response vehicles sporting the AdvantaClean trademarked orangeand-blue color scheme.

Ready to roll at any time, Hurricane Katrina was one such instance. With many parts of the Gulf wrecked and New Orleans in an apocalyptic state, the region was in bad need of AdvantaClean’s specialized services. They hit the ground the moment the flood waters receded and continued servicing the area for another four years, generating a significant amount of revenue for the firm.

In 2008, AdvantaClean began selling franchises to the public, opening the doors for interested investors. Their success has been notable. As of 2012, 105 of the nearly 1,000 territories available have been awarded.

“We always intended to become a major player at the national level.

I’m not sure my partners always took me seriously, but they at least humored me,” Dudan says of his company’s now-national presence.

Ideal candidates are those who are driven to succeed and committed to following the franchise model that Dudan has put in place.

“AdvantaClean’s team is committed to being successful, and they understand the model is solid. Between their commitment and consistency, it’s amazing how well the people that they send to us fit hand in glove with the company,” notes Bob Henricks of Sandler Sales, AdvantaClean’s sales training partner.

Dudan emphasizes the importance of homogeneity among franchisees, ensuring smooth operation within the brand.

“The AdvantaClean nation promotes a culture of success. If they follow the plan we’ve laid out, they will be successful,” Dudan confidently asserts. “When asked, our franchise owners have unanimously said that they’d do it all over again.

That’s a point of pride and a testament to the power of our business model,” he adds.

AdvantaClean franchises now operate nationwide; AdvantaClean is also registered

A Culture of Success Not just anyone can walk up and buy into the AdvantaClean brand.

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to operate in Canada.

“We’re a servant-based culture and care about our community and our families. Intellectual humility is important as well—admitting that you don’t know everything and are willing to learn,” he adds, underscoring AdvantaClean’s commitment to professional training.

Financing from the Small Business Administration is available for potential AdvantaClean franchisees, a big selling point for those looking to own their own business.

“Each franchise creates three to four new jobs.

With the initial franchising fee at just $44,900, it’s easier to get into financially than many other opportunities,” Dudan says.

AdvantaClean’s franchises have had an incredibly high success rate, which he attributes to the financial ease of introducing the service into new markets. Dudan estimates the total initial investment for a franchise to be between $80,000 and $150,000.

Entrepreneur magazine has taken note of AdvantaClean’s successful franchise model, placing the company in its Franchise 500 two years in a row; No. 257 in 2012, up from No. 291 in 2011. It was also ranked in Entrepreneur’s Fastest-Growing, No. 69, and Top Home-based, No. 75 lists in 2012. In 2011, they were ranked No. 5 in Franchise Business Review.

Burdens of Business “We’re a recession-resistant business,” he adds. The numbers back up his statement, as they’ve weathered an economic storm in what have

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been turbulent times for many other industries.

However, every business has its burdens.

Rising fuel costs are affecting businesses of all sizes. AdvantaClean has found ways to cut fuel costs by adding same-day service discounts, encouraging technicians to consolidate the number of trips needed. Scheduling appointments by proximity to one another helps too, reducing the number of back-and-forth trips across town.

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“More than anything, we’re environmental professionals. AdvantaClean offices are strategically located to respond to natural disasters, and if need be, to mobilize assets from all over the country.” ~Jeff Dudan CEO and Founder

They play it smart with their call center too.

Instead of always driving to do an estimate, they’ll try to ascertain the extent of a problem beforehand, requesting photos and detailed descriptions through their engagement center. Even what would seem obvious—reconfirming a call the day beforehand—helps too, saving valuable time and money.

AdvantaClean’s business model is guided by what Dudan calls the 5 Es: Expectation, Engagement, Education, Emulation, and Empowerment. While all concepts are crucial elements to the business, engagement is the most notable from an outsider’s perspective, as every➤ thing ties back to this.

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“We can monitor our performance in realtime and communicate with our franchisees on a daily basis. We’re in touch with them two to three times a day. We have an integrated platform that has really given us an edge, allowing us handle all of the backend work” he says.

AdvantaClean’s onsite call center is itself referred to as the ‘engagement center’ and operates on a national scale. It is from here that appointments are made for clients.

“We can send work to our franchisees from the center here, keeping them focused more on getting the job done and less on administration,” says Ashley Nixon, Engagement Center manager.

AdvantaClean also puts on weekly webinars and educational events to keep their franchise operators and employees up-to-date on protocols and proper procedures. Their internal social network requires each franchise operator to keep in close contact on a daily basis, sharing their daily objectives and observations. This information exchange keeps AdvantaClean’s ship running tight, with Dudan at the helm.

AdvantaClean engages their customers too. A fresh, tightly designed website greets visitors, offering relevant information to potential customers.

Decorating Dudan’s office walls are various thought-provoking quotes meant to carry lessons about succeeding with the AdvantaClean

“We are moving into more preventative work. Our day-to-day operations are in air quality and mold remediation. While disaster response will be a component, we’ll be handling jobs that aren’t as response-based, and we’ll be doing jobs that promote energy efficiency,”

NAVIGATING THE SEA OF TECHNOLOGY

~Jeff Dudan CEO and Founder

e Companies

wing Privat

Fastest-gro

business model. It is clear that education (one of the five Es) remains important, even at the top of the company.

“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself,” one of them reads. “If you don’t have a plan, you don’t have a chance,” another reads, highlighting AdvantaClean’s commitment to a tight organization.

“I’m not even sure where some of these quotes comes from, but they’re lessons that we’ve taken in growing the business, making sure that we improve and learning from mistakes along the way. If you come back next year, they may be a little different,” he notes.

Asked about the future, Dudan says, “In 10 years, I’d imagine AdvantaClean will still be going strong. We’d like to see ourselves become a billion dollar company. Everything depends on the success of our franchises and I really see the future of our business going environmental.

“We are moving into more preventative work.

Our day-to-day operations are in air quality and mold remediation. While disaster response will be a component, we’ll be handling jobs that aren’t as response-based, and we’ll be doing jobs that promote energy efficiency,” he adds.

With AdvantaClean’s steady growth, successproven franchise model, and a commitment to improving the health and happiness of its clients, the brand seems poised for prosperity in the years to come. With no storm too big, and no air duct too small, Mother Nature might have a bit of the wind knocked out of her when she faces off against AdvantaClean. biz Craig Dixon is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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AdvantaClean Systems, Inc. 107 Parr Drive Huntersville, N.C. 28078 Phone: 704-391-3330; 877-800-2382 Principals: Jeff Dudan, CEO and Founder; John Venzon, President Employees: 30 Territories: 105 Recognition: Top-rated business in Entrepreneur magazine (No. 257), Fastest Growing (No. 69), Top Home-based (No. 75), Franchise Business Review top-rated (No. 5) Business: Owner and franchisor of emergency mitigation and remediation services and indoor air quality solutions; provides storm response during natural disasters. www.advantaclean.com

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[bizprofile]

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by heather head

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“What these districts have in common, is they are a little off the beaten path, not in the center of the city but just slightly off-center, often right up against an inner belt.

Usually they’re in older buildings with ground level access and some outdoor space—the more outdoor space the better.” ~Noah Lazes President and COO

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Phoenix-like Rehab Captures Mood, Music and More

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hen Harry Shapiro came to Charlotte from New York City two years ago, he was looking for a new home for his tattoo and biker magazine Skin & Ink—some place that would have a big-city entertainment feel like you can find in the Big Apple. The Queen City soared on his list of prospects when he walked into the NC Music Factory.

“This is it,” he said. “This is the spot!”

That instant emotional response is common among prospective tenants looking at the Charlotte venue for the first time. As a result, NC Music Factory office space is fully sold out, and its entertainment space attracts big-name tenants like The Fillmore, Wet Willie’s and Butter NC (run by the same innovators who made them sensations in New York and Las Vegas).

At 210,000 square feet, with another 20,000 under construction, NC Music Factory boasts Butter NC, a high-end nightclub that attracts high-spending celebrities, Small Bar, a dive bar where folks can wear flip-flops and buy $1.50 beers, and Halo, a hip and happening nightspot with an edgy atmosphere.

For lunch and dinner, visitors choose from Osso, a lusciously designed Italian restaurant, The Saloon with down-home pub eatery, VBGB Beer Garden with 30 craft beers and brats, or locally inspired fare at Bask where the Johnson & Wales-trained chef offers a constantly changing menu. There is even Mattie’s Diner, an original New Jersey 24-hour diner relocated to the NC Music Factory.

Combined with live entertainment venues including The Fillmore, TWC Uptown Amphitheatre, and the Comedy Zone, plus Silver Hammer Studios housed across the street, the district delivers a powerful multi-purpose punch with something for everyone.

Filming of parts of The Hunger Games and hosting an episode of The Bachelorette barely make a ripple in the constant flurry of activity at the Factory, which includes the comings and goings of NW School of the Arts students (many of whom also apprentice in Richard Lazes’ onsite art gallery), nightlife and after work special events around the Fountain Plaza, and ➤ practice jams by any of the property’s several band tenants.

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“I learned the value of hard work . I was diligent and disciplined and learned that not every project is a success, but if you stay in there and you believe in it, you can make it a success.” ~Richard Lazes CEO

(l to r) Noah Lazes President and COO Richard Lazes CEO NC Music Factory

NC Music Factory represents yet another success for developers Noah Lazes and his father Richard Lazes. The two have been 50/50 partners in a long string of entertainment and restaurant ventures around the world. The NC Music Factory concept was founded on principles derived from their work in other highly successful entertainment districts including the French Quarter in New Orleans and Miami’s South Beach.

“What these districts have in common,” says Noah, “is they are a little off the beaten path, not in the center of the city but just slightly off-center, often right up against an inner belt.

Usually they’re in older buildings with ground level access and some outdoor space—the more outdoor space the better.”

The off-center location allows for easier access and parking and attracts a wider array of traffic. Older buildings provide an ambience that is impossible to recreate in new construction.

Ground level access encourages foot traffic and also keeps CAM (common area maintenance) charges low for tenants, removing the need for expensive common equipment like escalators and elevators.

The formula translates to a venue that attracts movie stars, athletes and other celebrities from around the world who think, as Harry Shapiro did when he saw the NC Music Factory, “This is it!”

Humble Beginnings Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Richard Lazes was living in a modest area of West Virginia at the time of Noah’s birth, working as a carpenter, remodeling kitchens to make ends meet.

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“ I learned the value of hard work,” says Richard, who discovered he a natural knack for solving problems in inventive ways. “I was diligent and disciplined and learned that not every project is a success, but if you stay in there and you believe in it, you can make it a success.”

Those qualities, combined with ambition and a wide-ranging mind, eventually led him to New Orleans where he began taking gigs as a concert promoter and then broadened to other promotional endeavors. His demonstrated success brought new business opportunities. So, when a friend approached him with a design for a digital oil pipe thread gauge, he immediately recognized its potential and promoted it to oil companies, quickly building a highly successful and profitable business around it.

The thread gauge success opened more doors for Richard in the oil industry, where he continued to invent and market new products, developing over a dozen patented products including AutoBoom, an oil containment device used in 45 countries for cleanup efforts after ocean oil spills. His knack for developing profitable partnerships multiplied the benefits of his efforts.

The income from Richard’s entrepreneurial efforts allowed him to continue pursuing other opportunities that interested him. In addition to concert promotions, Richard has become

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an accomplished artist with a body of sculpture and other art forms shown in galleries all over the United States.

“My eclectic career is rather unusual,” admits Richard, “But in general, business is business and you follow the same principles regardless.”

Those business principles formed a significant portion of the upbringing he offered his son Noah, who recalls keenly how open his father was about risk, reward and the financial ins and outs of business. As a result, Noah was imbued from a young age with a strong sense of what it takes to be successful.

When Noah began looking at colleges, his first thought was that he would become a civil engineer. He was good at math, had a bit of his father’s knack for invention, and it seemed like a logical path. Among his choices was UNC Charlotte, where he met with the Engineering School’s Dean Smith.

Smith asked a question that would change Noah’s life—and initiate his lifelong commitment to Charlotte: “Tell me something,” Smith said, “Do you really want to be an engineer? Or is there something else that you would rather be doing?”

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Noah admitted that he wanted to be an entrepreneur like his father. Smith encouraged him to think about his college plan in that light.

“Charlotte’s going to be a real city,” he said. “If you want to be where the entrepreneurial spirit and energy is, Charlotte’s the place for you.”

Coming of Age Noah worked in the food and beverage industry throughout his tenure at UNC Charlotte. In his senior year, when the Charlotte Chamber turned Tryon Street into a weekendlong entertainment district called “The Street of Champions,” Noah took his savings with a matching investment from father, and opened a temporary version of the well-loved Fat Tuesday Restaurant that had closed down the previous year.

The Street of Champions weekend was an “out of the ballpark” success for Noah, whose Fat Tuesday venue grossed more than all the other venues combined.

The success was so great that the Fat Tuesday franchisor asked him to re-open the permanent venue in the restaurant’s old location. The deal called for a $100,000 investment, a fraction of what it would cost to start a restaurant from scratch, and just the amount Noah and Richard had in hand after the successful Street of Champions weekend.

Thanks to the minimal investment, Fat Tuesday was soon profitable for Noah and Richard.

Basking in the enormous success of Fat Tuesday, Noah and Richard rolled their earnings into a new venture at City Fair in 1993. He was about to learn the most significant lesson of entrepreneurialism: failure. He converted the food court into a concert hall at night, with a temporary stage, lighting trusses, sound system, and roll-down murals to cover the food vendor stalls.

He called it World Mardi Gras and booked an entire year of big-name music acts out of New Orleans. The venue costs were low, only $375 a night, thanks to Noah’s inventive use of the space, and with their only significant investment in the bands, Noah figured he would be multiplying their money in no time.

But World Mardi Gras taught Noah a hard lesson—how it feels to lose $10,000 in a single night and, know that you will be losing another $10,000 week after week for the rest of the year.

Turns out that Noah was ahead of the times.

“Charlotte was not a sophisticated music market at that point,” he explains. “Night after night people came to the door saying, ‘The Radiators? Who’s that?’

‘The Neville Brothers?

Never heard of them.’

And no one wanted to pay $10 a head for a band they’d never heard of.”

Noah turned to his father partly for sympathy and partly for advice, and distinctly recalls Richard’s unexpected response: “I’ll give you every dollar you’ve got in the deal—every dollar—if you want to go take your shot at being an engineer and working for somebody else.”

“Or,” continued his father, “you can honor your commitments, play the rest of these out, and then figure out how to make it work. Business ain’t easy. Nobody ever said it was easy.”

So Noah played out the year, and figured out the music that the Charlotte market was willing to pay for—taking his cue from the bands that were getting played on the local radio stations.

Noah booked a new year of acts, and with his low overhead, it did not take long to turn it around and become profitable.

World Mardi Gras had another lesson in hand for Noah: The rewards of sticking with it. Richard had trained Noah to constantly seek beneficial partnership opportunities because “50 percent of $20 is a heck of a lot more than 100 percent of $5.” Partnership is a big part of every Lazes project, and, as it turned out, one of their biggest partnership opportunities arose out of the World Mardi Gras adventure.

Entertaining Adventures Noah explains that executives at Simon, ➤ the S&P 100 company that is the

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world’s largest real estate company, developers of Mall of the Americas and also SouthPark Mall, had seen the World Mardi Gras and were fascinated by his inventive use of the space.

They asked if he could do something similar for a new project they had in mind—they wanted a live music venue and food court in a new mall in Indianapolis called Circle Center.

After that successful completion, they offered him an opportunity to own and operate five entertainment venues and 50,000 square feet in another new mall with very minimal capital investment.

Noah credits that deal, and the Lazes partners’ ability to keep Simon happy, with jump-starting their rise to prominence in the food, beverage and entertainment industry. With Simon on their roster of satisfied landlords, nearly everyone wanted their services, and were paying for the privilege. Their various operating entities are referred to as ARK Group (yes, Noah’s choice!) and operate out of Charlotte.

The father and son team and other partners in ARK Group have been involved in numerous

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ventures including deals with celebrities like Prince, who shut down his nightclubs in South Beach allowing the Lazes partners to scoop them up and re-open them; Michael Waltrip, who had the Lazes partners help him build the huge interactive NASCAR shop in Cornelius; and big entertainment names like Live Nation and HBO. NC Music Factory “Working with Noah is a challenge,” admits Richard. “He’s fastidious, detail-oriented, and sometimes we bump heads. Nevertheless, the good outweighs the bad. We also share common goals and inspiration, and what distinguishes us from a lot of other developers is that we are longterm goal-oriented.”

Long-term goal orientation was critical for Richard and Noah when, in 2000, they purchased a large tract of land just inside the I-277 loop. A dilapidated old textile mill on the vacant property had once employed a few hundred people. The hardwood floors and exposed pipes were long abandoned and access to the sprawling building was limited by crisscrossing railroads and private property lines.

Twelve years and millions in investment later, the same complex—NC Music Factory— employs over a thousand people and entertains many thousands more, while also paying taxes on its estimated value of several tens of millions of dollars.

But when ARK Group purchased it, many people had a hard time believing the transformation could be possible. Walking through the undeveloped basement area (designated for the Mega Club LABEL to open in late summer), it’s easy to see why. The damp smell of hundred-year-old must infuses the air, gritty gravel crunches on the bare concrete floor, and ugly metal posts break the space into a hundred dreary sections. Five years ago, the entire property looked this way.

The building itself wasn’t even the biggest challenge. In order to make the Factory viable, it would need to be accessible from Graham Street, right off I-277. That access required negotiation with every stakeholder in the surrounding area: the city, county and federal governments; Norfolk Southern and CSX

railroads; Arthur Daniel Midland (whose historic building would require demolition); Duke Power; and five private property owners. It was six years in the works.

Once the road was complete and construction crews moved in, rehab proceeded at a swift pace. The NC Music Factory debuted with a big bash concert in June 2009.

All venues in the Factory are constantly improved and upgraded, and new space renovated to grow the footprint. A covered patio is under construction for The Saloon, and LABEL in the once-dank basement will soon be transformed into a marquee venue never experienced before in Charlotte with lights, sound and video rivaling the best operations in major A markets.

Construction crews currently are hollowing out the floor and removing pillars to clear room for the two-story, 16,000 square foot nightclub that will feature a 28-foot-wide video wall and elevated performance stage.

Not Yet Finished Throughout their careers, Noah and Richard have seen the poshest spots in the biggest cities.

Both are convinced that Charlotte is “The spot.”

Richard describes Charlotte as a “city on the cusp of greatness,” and both men have faith in—and commitment to—its growing arts and business environment.

The NC Music Factory entertainment district with restaurants, pubs and clubs; a 2,000 capacity indoor live music venue and 5,000 seat outdoor amphitheater; office rentals and residential condominiums; as well as studios, parking and the 1930s Mattie’s Diner, is situated on approximately nine acres of what Noah and Richard are marketing as Uptown Village.

The property still has another 21 acres available for development inside the inner loop of Charlotte. Noah says it’s probably one of the only

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contiguous pieces of land its size available in any large city in the U.S.—and it is accessible by its own 4-lane entry drive and visible with over a half mile of road frontage from Charlotte’s most heavily travelled Interstate 77.

ARK Group plans an apartment complex and a hotel, both with stunning skyline views, plus 60,000 square feet of banquet room with ready access to Silver Hammer Studios. For the remaining acreage, they would like to attract a big name corporate campus, like Apple or Google, to Charlotte.

If all goes according to plan, that company will see all that the NC Music Factory has to offer and agree with Noah and Richard: “This is it.

This is the spot!” biz Heather Head is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

ARK Management, Inc. dba

ARK Group NC Music Factory 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd.

Charlotte, N.C. 28206 Phone: 704-987-0612 Principals: Richard J. (“Rick”) Lazes, CEO; Noah J. Lazes, President and COO Employees: 14 In Business: 22 years Related Companies: ARK Racing, LLC; ARK Promotions, Inc.; ARK Ventures, Inc.; ARK Properties, LLC Awards: Historic Charlotte Preservation Award, Key to City of Miami Beach, Charlotte Center City Partners 2011 Vision Award, CRE Creative Thinkers Award, Visit Charlotte Partner of the Year Business: Developing, managing, and promoting successful entertainment venues, including the NC Music Factory. www.ncmusicfactory.com

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by casey jacobus

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[bizprofile]

Gardner-Webb University Brings More to Charlotte

ou may have noticed the more pronounced presence in Charlotte of one of our region’s educational strongholds—Gardner-Webb University. They have consolidated Charlotte operations in their newly acquired two-story 25,000-square-foot building located at the Arrowood Road exit off Interstate 77.

Gardner-Webb University (GWU) began Charlotte operations in 1983, offering degrees in business and criminal justice. It added nursing programs in 1995, and in 2001, acquired additional space to accommodate growing graduate program enrollment, particularly in education and business.

In its new building, GWU has renovated the top floor to include seven classrooms, several office areas, meeting rooms and open study spaces. Approximately 300 students attend classes held Monday through Saturday at the Charlotte Campus. They can choose from more than 20 undergraduate and graduate major fields of study.

“Outreach is a part of our mission at GWU,” explains GWU President Frank Bonner. “Charlotte is a great place for us to be located. We are not here to compete with other educational institutions; we’re here to be of service to the region.”

By acquiring its own facility, GWU has established a permanent presence in Charlotte and enabled the development of new academic programs geared specifically toward the Charlotte community. The Charlotte campus will not only house undergraduate and graduate courses, it will also provide office and conference space for the university’s developmental efforts in Charlotte.

“Our long-term goal is to design several graduate programs, particularly through the Godbold School of Business, that will address the particular needs of those living and working in Charlotte,” says Bonner. “We’re investigating a trust and wealth management program, and possibly even a banking program. Charlotte is the nation’s second-largest banking center, so we hope the Charlotte Center will become a real hub of activity for professional and graduate education in that area.”

“Outreach is a part of our mission at GWU. Charlotte is a great place for us to be located. We are not here to compete with other educational institutions; we’re here to be of service to the region.” ~Dr. Frank Bonner President

Strongly Grounded Gardner-Webb University is a private Christian university providing both undergraduate and graduate education strongly grounded in the liberal arts while also offering opportunities to prepare for various professions. By embracing faith and intellectual freedom, balancing conviction with compassion and inspiring a love of learning, service and leadership, GWU focuses on preparing its graduates to make significant ➤ contributions for God and humanity in an ever-changing global economy.

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Dr. Frank Bonner President Gardner-Webb University “Every walk of life needs people of ethical character, who are committed to service as well as to competence in their working life,” asserts Bonner. “Our graduates are committed to making other people’s lives better.”

Gardner-Webb University’s main campus is situated on 200 acres in Boiling Springs, N.C., approximately 50 miles west of Charlotte in the Piedmont area. It has a total of 5 professional schools, 2 academic schools and 11 academic departments offering nearly 60 undergraduate and graduate major fields of study. In addition to the Charlotte campus and online study, there are 14 GWU satellite campuses located throughout North Carolina.

GWU’s core curriculum ranks in the nation’s top two percent for quality and breadth, according to the 2011-12 “What Will They Learn?” study by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). The study rated all the major public and private colleges and universities in all 50 states— a total of 1,007 four-year institutions—on an A through F scale. GWU was among 19 schools receiving an A designation and the only school in the Carolinas.

“The beauty of our core curriculum,” says Bonner, “lies in its diversity, its versatility. No matter the career field our graduates ultimately choose, their core classes provide a foundation of knowledge, attitudes, values and learning skills to enable them to not only achieve professional success, but to lead fulfilled and productive lives as well.”

“It is greatly gratifying to receive this affirmation from an outside organization with the prestige of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni,” says GWU Provost Dr. Ben Leslie. “It is encouraging to see that the high value we place on critical subjects like history, mathematics, composition, science, literature and languages has gained recognition in the national arena.”

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“Every walk of life needs people of ethical character, who are committed to service as well as to competence in their working life. Our graduates are committed to making other people’s lives better.” ~Dr. Frank Bonner President

Gaining Stature Gardner-Webb University has experienced remarkable growth, perseverance and maturity throughout its history. The school was chartered in 1905 as Boiling Springs High School, a private boarding school established by the Kings Mountain and Sandy Run Baptist Associations.

It was intended to be “an institution where the young... could have the best possible educational advantages under distinctive Christian influence.”

The institution acquired junior college status in 1928. In 1942, the school was renamed GardnerWebb College to honor Governor O. Max Gardner and his wife, Fay Webb Gardner, for their support.

During the years following World War II, the school experienced physical growth and academic development. New buildings went up as enrollments increased. The school received full accreditation as a senior college in 1971. In 1980, it began offering a Master of Arts degree in education. The school officially became known as Gardner-Webb University in January 1993 and

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today is a flourishing regional institution.

Although there have been many changes over the years, GWU remains closely related to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Historically, GWU has played significant roles in teacher education and ministerial preparation for church-related vocations. Programs of instruction and experiences designed to prepare teachers and ministers continue to be major objectives.

Gardner-Webb University pioneered the adult degree completion concept in North Carolina, launching the Greater Opportunities for Adult Learners (GOAL) program in 1978.The GOAL program was designed to bridge the gap to a four-year degree for those students who were completing two years in the state’s community college system, as well as those who had started at a fouryear college or university, but had not completed all of their coursework.

Since its inception, the GOAL program has enabled over 9,000 students to earn their bachelor’s degree. Today, it is offered at 16 education centers throughout North Carolina, including Charlotte and online.

Bobbie Cox, assistant provost and dean of GWU’s College of Adult and Continuing Education is very proud of the GOAL program; she, herself, graduated from it.

“I always had a personal goal to finish my bachelor’s degree, but it just wasn’t do-able until GWU began offering the GOAL program locally,” says Cox. “Being a wife and a mom, I had some hesitation about the amount of time I could dedicate to full-time studies. However, I entered the GOAL program and I can honestly say that it is one of the best things I ever did for myself.”

Cox, who was working full-time for a law enforcement agency when she enrolled in the GOAL program, went on to complete her master’s degree, pursue doctoral work and accept an adjunct professor’s position with GWU. After

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Innovative Leadership Development In 2008 Gardner-Webb established the Center for Innovative Leadership Development (CILD) with locations both on its Boiling Springs campus and in Charlotte. Through this center, the School of Education seeks to develop partnerships with local schools. Superintendents from those school systems have been involved in the design of the center and in setting its goals.

The purpose of CILD is to develop local leaders’ skills and enhance organizational performance through innovative leadership training.

Its mission is to draw attention to the important role of education, research and creativity in the formation of effective leaders. The center is a joint endeavor accomplished through the cooperation of GWU’s School of Education, School of Divinity, and the Godbold School of Business.

Among its goals are to increase high school graduation rates, to increase the rate of young adults successfully securing higher education and job readiness training, and to increase the level of engagement in schools and other local community-based organizations.

CILD offers educational conferences for teachers and administrators in public schools throughout North and South Carolina. The 2011 conference focused on formative assessment, reflective teaching and the developmental curriculum. “Participants gained valuable insight about current policy issues, funding issues and curriculum developments straight from the mouths of those who are making those decisions,� says Dr. Doug Eury, dean of the GWU School of Education and director of the Center for Innovative Leadership Development.

Dr. Bill Harrison, chairman of the N.C. State Board of Education and featured speaker at the conference, praised GWU’s role in connecting higher education with the K-12 sector. “Gardner-Webb has taken the lead and reached out to the public schools in our region, and this partnership is really a model for others we hope to develop around the state,� he remarked.

Gardner-Webb University’s School of Education already maintains partnerships with Charlotte schools, assisting with curriculum initiatives, leadership development through structured internships and turnaround projects, such as those at Cochrane Middle School and ➤ Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.

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working 12 years as an adjunct professor, she was offered a full-time position. “The GOAL Program can make dreams come true,� Cox says. “By choosing the GOAL Program and seeking higher education, the way was paved for me to find joy and sense of fulfillment in my academic life.�

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(l to r back) Dr. Robert Spear, Mischia Taylor, Dr. Frank Bonner, Dr. Anthony Negbenebor (l to r front) Dr. Douglas Eury, Bobbie Cox, Robert Mellbye In 2009, Eury was approached by the school leadership and asked to help solve the problem of low performing students. Eury led a team of GWU professors in an effort to help both of these schools improve test scores, coaching administrators and providing workshops on developing learning communities, understanding formative assessment and improving instructional delivery for the faculty.

Testing at the end of the year showed a marked improvement in students’ test scores.

Leadership in the Community Nearly 2,100 Gardner-Webb alumni live and work in Charlotte. The Charlotte Chapter of the Gardner-Webb Alumni Association is the school’s most active local chapter, sponsoring numerous

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social and service events in Charlotte each year.

It recently hosted a Career Readiness Workshop at the Charlotte Center. More than 55 people— many of them community members with no Gardner-Webb affiliation—met to discuss best practices for career searching, interviewing, and resume building.

As part of GWU’s commitment to service, the Charlotte Alumni Chapter is planning a community service initiative for the fall of 2012 and is currently interviewing community organizations to share in that initiative.

GWU already has partnerships with numerous Charlotte organizations, including the Charlotte Chamber and the Charlotte Regional Partnership.

Working with WCNC, it is a sponsor of the Rachel’s Challenge initiative to overcome violence and bullying in middle and high schools.

Gardner-Webb’s future plans in Charlotte include offering academic programs through the Godbold School of Business geared specifically toward the particular needs of Charlotte professionals. Building on the CILD’s current efforts to provide specialized leadership training, GWU is also interested in meeting with local executives and community leaders in Charlotte to design specialized degree and certificate programs exclusively for their employees and members.

As Gardner-Webb University continues to build its Charlotte presence, it will continue to find ways to serve as a catalyst for developing the skills of local leaders with the focus on improving the quality of life in the city and region.

“Faith, service, leadership is not just a slogan,” asserts Bonner. “Leadership permeates everything we do.” biz Casey Jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Gardner-Webb University Charlotte Campus 8030 Arrowridge Blvd.

Charlotte, N.C. 28273 Phone: 704-941-5209; 866-498-4625 Principal: Dr. A. Frank Bonner, President Established: 1905 Campuses: Boiling Springs, N.C. (main); Charlotte (GWU Charlotte); 14 other satellite locations for adult learning as well as online study Endowment: $50 million Students: Over 4,300 Religious Affiliation: Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Business: Private Christian university, providing undergraduate and graduate education grounded in the liberal arts. www.gardner-webb.edu

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ia med d l l ad a ust an e l s zine ting tr ity. a g Ma enera eptiv in g ad rec

t sisten st con unnel o m he hase f are t ey c zines n the pur h in the k a g a i d t M r g e a n rm tre ity n perfo rticular s favorabil a p d with s of bran e intent. stage purchas

The number of magazine readers has grown over the past five years.

Magazine advertising leads in prompting online search and traďŹƒc.

The correlation between user clicks and conversions is virtually nonexistent!*

Magazine media engage readers signiďŹ cantly more than television or the Internet.

Two separate sources show that more than half of all readers (54%) act on magazine ads.

*Pretarget and ComScore study released April 24, 2012, finding that even when a user clicks on an ad, the correlation between that click and a conversion is virtually nonexistent.

Source: www.magazinemediafactbook.org

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Ethel Harris Searches, Screens, and Places

Ethel S. Harris Owner and President Ethel Harris, Inc.

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by zenda douglas

[bizprofile]

Finding

The Right

Fit

Embarking on 15 years in business, Ethel Harris doesn’t yet know what form her anniversary celebrations will take, but one thing she does know is the theme—gratitude.

“I want to let it be known how much I appreciate the support of the Charlotte business community over the years,” says Harris, owner of her namesake business, Ethel Harris, Inc. “It’s been a real privilege to get to know so many people and be involved in making the connections that further their lives, careers and businesses.”

A staffing solutions company, Ethel Harris focuses on permanent, temporary and temp-to-hire employee candidate placement based on specific skill sets.

Specializing in office administration, the company handles staffing needs caused by unexpected emergency, illness, planned leave, regular staff vacancy and surge-in-business human resources needs.

Resourcing is done for positions including administrative assistant, accounting specialist, bookkeeper, clerical personnel, data entry, executive assistant, legal support, purchasing / buyer, paralegal, receptionist, and security-cleared staff. Placements are also made with engineers, IT people and upper-level warehouse staff. Harris says she excels with the rapid pace of administrative placement as opposed to more drawn out executive searches.

The Placement Biz Located in uptown Charlotte in the Plaza Building, Ethel Harris works with employers in the extended Charlotte region. Its goal is to save clients valuable time and turnover utilizing its extensive staffing network and an ever-evolving pool of qualified candidates. Typically, employers are companies with 25 to 500 employees and include those in manufacturing, sales, distribution and construction, and those with corporate offices in the region.

“We work for quality versus quantity so we don’t work with the huge conglomerates,” says Harris. Weekly activity varies but the company typically has 50 to 75 workers out in the field, selected from thousands of registrants in the company’s database. More than 50 percent of placements end up in permanent hires, according to Harris.

Placement fees are paid by the employer. Our fees are fairly standard in the industry, however, Harris notes that the recessionary market has at times demanded more competitive fees.

“The recession has been rough on everyone,” says Harris.

“We’ve done like everybody else—held on, and cut all the expenses we could.” ➤

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Still, Harris has little patience for negativity.

“When I hear people talk about the recession and how bad things are, I want to send them a copy of ‘Pollyanna,’” says the Paula Dean-style gritty Southern belle.

“Things are picking up,” Harris continues, “We are twice as busy as we were a year ago and I expect the jobs to keep coming back. The human resource field is always a barometer of the economy.”

“Since I’ve been in business, there have been four periods of ups and downs,” Harris says, but the recession of the past few years has been nothing like she’s seen before—more severe and of longer duration with double digit unemployment rates.

Harris explains that when the unemployment rate is low, it is easier to obtain job orders than to fill them. When the unemployment rate is high, there are many people available and few companies with open positions.

“Human resources is a lot different than when I first went into business,” says Harris, referring to the loss of client exclusivity and the duplication involved in the use of job boards. “Plus, business used to be conducted in a more verbal fashion.”

Harris also cites significant changes in technology; mostly for the good. More national companies and fewer small companies are handling human resources, even temporary services.

“Also, it takes more tenacity to get to the right contact than it used to,” she points out.

A Handshake Approach Ethel Harris’s handshake logo means you do what you say you’re going to do, and if you can’t, you tell the client why, says Harris. It’s also a reminder that she runs the company on the golden rule: Don’t do anything to someone that you would not want done to you.

“I like working with people who have high ethics; it’s really important to me,” says Harris. She describes her company as a faith-based business in that every decision is made after lots of prayer. “My faith and trust is why this business has survived and why we’re where we are.”

Harris spells out her company name in lower case letters: “I do that so I don’t forget where I came from and that someone else is in control—and it isn’t me!”

Ethel Harris’s approach is one of

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“I want to let it be known how much I appreciate the support of the Charlotte business community over the years. It’s been a real privilege to get to know so many people and be involved in making the connections that further their lives, careers and businesses.” ~Ethel Harris Owner and President interpersonal connections and personal touch.

“We don’t start and stop with shooting emails,” says Harris. “Nor could we recruit over the telephone without meeting people. We really work on the behalf of the client and the candidate. We network until we find the right person for the job.”

Harris compares the difference between her company’s services and the use of Internet job boards to

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the difference between going to a general practitioner versus seeking out a medical specialist.

“When a new client calls,” she says, “we go out to see them because we want to see the environment and get a feel for the atmosphere.

Is there mahogany furniture or metal; offices or cubicles? Is it a warehouse setting or corporate office? Is it casual or formal? This helps us tremendously in identifying a candidate who will be comfortable and effective in that setting. Plus, if it’s someplace that we’re afraid to go, we won’t send someone else there.” An example, we visited a client that has “dog” day on Fridays. It would not be good to send someone afraid of dogs.”

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Candidates are thoroughly interviewed and screened by Ethel Harris staff and undergo testing to assess experience and skill before being placed to assure an excellent fit.

“In this business you are dealing with a person’s life and where they are headed. It’s hard to know where they will fit without knowing something about them,” says Harris.

“We build relationships.”

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“I like working with people who have high ethics; it’s really important to me.

My faith and trust is why this business has survived and why we’re where we are.” ~Ethel Harris, Owner and President

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There is one constant, says Harris: “Each person that comes through these doors is going through some kind of change, whether it’s around employment challenges, marriage, divorce, death of a loved one or other life situation.” Ethel Harris staff is experienced in recognizing these situations, according to Harris, “It makes them more empathetic and compassionate towards the candidates.”

Harris believes that there’s a job for everyone. One of her employees is in her late 70s and used to be the porter in their office building.

“We got to be real good friends,” says Harris, “Now she helps put folders together, shreds and supervises the break room.”

It’s a Harris habit to stay in touch with her placements. “We’ve maintained relationships for many years. It’s so interesting to see the cycle of life—to watch someone who was hired as a file clerk in their younger days and has risen to the head of human resources in their company.”

Asked what makes a good client, Harris releases her infectious laugh…“They pay!

Seriously, some clients are a joy to work with; they tell you exactly what they want. Even if they don’t, it’s still so much fun for me because I enjoy figuring out how to handle the situation. ➤

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Since their inception, Ethel Harris has maintained offices in the Plaza Building on South College Street. “We started on a shoestring but I knew that I needed to be uptown,” says Harris, who had worked in the area for seven years prior. “That’s how the companies knew me; that continuity was important. Logistically, that’s where I needed to be.”

A People-Person Harris was raised on a farm in Chester, S.C., in a large family with eight older siblings.

“There were always so many relatives around that I became adept at reading people,” she admits. The need and desire to help people were instilled early on. A sister with Down syndrome became the responsibility of Harris and her brother as youths. Married young, Harris had four children and worked in data entry jobs while they were in school. When the youngest child got his driver’s license, she decided it was time for a change.

So when the minister’s wife, Lenora Cave Conway, asked Harris to answer phones in her office, Career Consultants & Temporaries, she accepted readily. It was a mere two weeks before the company discovered that Harris had a true knack for human resources. Taking over management of the temporary division, she worked

for the company for five and a half years in the ’80s. Conway remains as her mentor and friend to this day.

Harris’s work for the temp agency ended when one of her sons was killed in a car accident, a tragic event that greatly impacted Harris’s direction in life. After taking a year off, she went to work for an accounting placement firm, starting an administrative division there.

Soon after, a company merger resulted in Harris leaving the firm in 1997.

“I felt too young to retire and too old to be displaced again,” reflects Harris, who was

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also still reeling from the loss of her son. “Your life changes, and you have to decide if you are going to continue living or quit. Quitting wasn’t my nature, so I threw myself into business—literally.”

Harris spends much time with family and friends. Her church is also very important to her. Her favorite charity, CROP Hunger Walk has benefited from her love of exercise and walking.

“I haven’t missed a year for 32 years,” says Harris, who has consistently raised between $4,000 and $5,000 each year for the cause.

“My friends will tell you, ‘Ethel doesn’t ask if you’re going to contribute; she just sends you an invoice—and it’s true.’”

Harris works with Habitat and spent 20 years cooking meals at the homeless shelter every third Friday. Her charitable work, like her business management, is very hands-on.

Ethel Harris has the unusual policy of sending someone from the company’s staff to fill in if the temporary employee cannot show up for work, which is extremely rare. Once, while filling in herself for a bartender, Harris greeted each patron with a cheerful smile, saying, “I’ll be happy to make that drink for you if you tell me how.”

“We won’t let the client down,” she smiles.

On another occasion, when a client, with no notice, wanted to interview a candidate, Harris met the woman and switched clothes with her so that she was properly dressed for the meeting. “We get the job done.”

As for the future, Harris says she has no plans to retire in sight. “If I weren’t doing this, I would be looking for another way to help people.

“This business has given me the opportunity to meet so many people and make such a difference in their lives…It’s a rare gift to enjoy what you do as much as I do—and I appreciate it.” biz Zenda Douglas is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Ethel Harris, Inc. 201 S. College St., Ste. 1420 Charlotte, N.C. 28244 Phone: 704-377-8600 Principal: Ethel Harris, Owner and President Established: 1997 Employees: 7 Placement candidate pool: 4,000-plus Business Summary: Staffing solutions company specializing in office administration and handles permanent, temporary and temp-to-hire employee candidate placement. www.ethelharris.com

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[bizprofile]

by craig dixon

Honor &

Excellence Charlotte Latin School

C

is Hawkish on Core Values

harlotte Latin School’s mission is “to encourage individual development and civility in our students by inspiring them to learn, by encouraging them to serve others, and by offering them many growth-promoting opportunities.”

For over four decades, the school has sought to embody this mission

in everything they do. Arch McIntosh Jr., who has served as Charlotte Latin’s headmaster since 2001, believes they are succeeding.

Tucked away in South Charlotte and visibly shielded from the bustling traffic of Providence Road,

Charlotte Latin School’s campus more nearly resembles a private retreat with buildings designed of brick, wood and other materials in natural colors that harmonize with the wooded site.

“It’s part of the charm of the campus,” affirms McIntosh. Charlotte Latin’s reputation, however, is not nearly as low profile. Charlotte Latin School is considered one of the most elite educational institutions in the Charlotte Mecklenburg region.

Honor Excellence Leadership Respect Responsibility Courage 40

McIntosh makes the rounds several times a day to check in on his students and faculty; he has a close relationship with them.

“A setting like this is very tight-knit; you get to know people. It’s almost like being the mayor of a small town,” he says.

Charlotte Latin School’s 122-acre campus serves students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The school has three divisions—lower, middle and upper—roughly equivalent to elementary, middle and high school respectively. There’s even a childcare facility and pre-school.Latin faculty, but open to anyone.

Charlotte Latin School doesn’t operate on a block schedule or separate classes by gender. Charlotte Latin sticks with the traditional, shorter-length class—a little under an hour each. Class changes are frequent and the campus is alive with foot traffic from sunrise to sunset; 1,382 students ebb and flow among the

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14 major buildings that comprise the campus.

Seasoned Leadership The son of a first grade public school teacher, McIntosh himself did not attend private or independent schools. A native North Carolinian, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Marshall University, a master’s in education from the University of South Alabama, a Specialist in Educational Administration and Supervision certification from the University of Arkansas, and he was a Klingenstein Fellow at the Columbia University Teachers College.

Altogether McIntosh shares more than 30 years of educational experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator in the independent ➤ and private school community.

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“You could put something down—leave a book bag out on the ground for days at a time—come back a few days later, and it’ll still be there. It really creates a sense of safety.” ~Arch N. McIntosh Jr. Headmaster

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Prior to joining Charlotte Latin, McIntosh served 19 years, first as head of the upper school, and subsequently headmaster, of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., one the state’s largest private schools. There, he was credited with repeatedly doubling the student enrollment, enlarging the school’s campus significantly, and holding a nearly perfect record for graduates attending college.

Under his leadership, Charlotte Latin School has achieved its highest enrollment, beginning the 2009-2010 school year with 1,400 students in transitional kindergarten through grade 12.

He currently serves as president of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools and a co-founder and member of the board of directors of the Teaching Fellows Institute at Charlotte.

McIntosh has a keen understanding of the school’s relationship with its parents and students. Not only an experienced administrator, he has three children—two sons, both graduates of Charlotte Latin School, and a daughter who currently attends Charlotte Latin’s upper school.

Proud Heritage In the late 1960s, a group of Charlotte parents decided to found a new school modeled on New England’s 17th century “Latin” schools. These parents wanted to make sure their children received a strong, traditional academic foundation, which they felt was being sacrificed by the public schools in favor of largely unproven teaching methods.

In September of 1970,

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the Charlotte Latin School opened its doors for the first time with 425 students in grades one through nine in two buildings. Today, the student body has more than tripled in size, the number of additions or new buildings more than tenfold, and the operating budget tops $25 million.

“We’re a more traditional school in what we offer, and we’re unapologetic for it,” McIntosh says of the classical foundations.

Charlotte Latin School is an independent school and must adhere to standards set forth by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Independent schools are not funded or managed by government. Charlotte Latin finds most of their operating money by way of tuition fees and additional revenue from gifts which are tax deductible.

In contrast to the public school system, at independent schools like Charlotte Latin School parents and students are the direct patrons—not the taxpayer—so the relationship is much more intimate. McIntosh believes that creates a distinctive relationship of respect and community not found in public schools: “There are two kinds of parents—reactive and proactive. Ours are proactive, and very involved in the community.”

Like most independent schools, tuition is not inexpensive and varies by grade level, ranging from $15,350 to $19,250 annually.

Various payment plans are available, including a monthly plan that carries no additional fee. Tuition alone can’t cover everything, which is where charitable donations come in. Financial aid is handled through Charlotte Latin’s endowment as well.

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Cultivating Leaders As a condition of enrollment, Charlotte Latin School students are required to follow an honor pledge at all times: McIntosh believes the honor pledge to be central to promoting a healthy culture on Charlotte Latin’s campus. “You could put something down—leave a book bag out on the ground for days at a time—come back a few days later, and it’ll still be there. It really creates a sense of safety,” McIntosh boasts.

Students are required to write the motto, ‘HONOR ABOVE ALL’ on every graded paper they turn in, keeping the pledge at the forefront of their minds.

“Because of our small student body,” says Hadley Wilson, student body president, “students at Charlotte Latin are very closely knit.

Also, our strong honor code allows us to have a lot of independence as we are trusted to use our free time however we see best.”

“Our students are pretty self-motivated— they’re driven. We’ve been very intentional about promoting leadership qualities in all of our students, not just team captains and student council members. The Latin school’s founders sought to create a student body of leaders,” McIntosh says of his students.

Charlotte Latin School’s academic philosophy is based on promoting autonomy, and developing a love for learning. Part of what differentiates Charlotte Latin School from other schools in the region is the highly personalized level of attention each student receives in the classroom, with an average student teacher ratio of 17 to 1.

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Wilson contributes: “Anxiety can result from the rigorous academics at Latin, but the close relationships that students enjoy with their teachers help to alleviate this.”

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Arch N. McIntosh Jr. Headmaster Charlotte Latin School

“Our students are pretty selfmotivated—they’re driven.

We’ve been very intentional about promoting leadership qualities in all of our students, not just team captains and student council members.

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~Arch N. McIntosh Jr. Headmaster College preparation is a large component of Charlotte Latin School’s educational approach, so the school applies the same highly personalized attention in this area as well. “Each of our college counselors works with about 40 students, which is a lot of specialized attention,” McIntosh adds.

Charlotte Latin School’s academic reputation is also held in high regard. Since 1989, Charlotte Latin School has had 120 students named as National Merit finalists and 18 students named as Morehead Scholars. In addition to its various accreditations, it was honored as the youngest school in the nation to receive a Cum Laude Society chapter.

Charlotte Latin holds some of the highest standardized test scores in the nation among the student body of the Lower School. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded Charlotte Latin School the Blue Ribbon School of ➤ Excellence award three times.

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“There’s actually been an increase in applications.

Parents are making investment in their child’s education a top priority in light of everything happening economically.” ~Arch N. McIntosh Jr. Headmaster The Soul of the School McIntosh says deciding to take the headmaster post at Charlotte Latin School came down to finding a school that had more than just prestige.

Charlotte Latin had character.

“This school had a soul,” he says. “To whom much is given, much is required, and with privilege comes a lot of responsibility, I truly believe that. This school truly has a soul.”

“We have an incredible volunteer service program. For example, this year the senior class will have given well over 13,000 hours in their four years of upper school, in 70-plus venues around Charlotte,” he notes.

McIntosh believes that it’s important to be flexible within the community: “One word I like to use is balance. We try to have balance. On our breaks, we don’t assign homework. We have days built into the calendar throughout the school year, ‘No Activity Days.’ At my house those were grilling days at home! We made a family day out of it.”

Student morale is high around campus, McIntosh reports. “I can’t speak for other schools, but what I can tell you is that our kids our driven, and motivated. That’s part of what we want to instill, to encourage personal responsibility and growth.”

Students remain active after classes let out, and Charlotte Latin School has a commitment to nurturing interests outside of core subjects as well.

Charlotte Latin sponsors over 65 athletic teams in 17 different sports. It also offers support for students interested in the fine arts, with departments devoted to music, theater and visual arts.

Additionally, the school also offers several opportunities for students to study abroad and has sister schools in Argentina, China, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and Spain.

Wilson elaborates, “We value the wide range of extracurriculars available to us, such as athletics and the fine arts, and the opportunity to be well-rounded rather than focused in one area.”

Charlotte Latin School also has an active alumni community. McIntosh recently hosted New York Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty, a 1999 graduate of Latin, for “Chris Canty Day,” a celebration involving the entire school. Canty operates a

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summer football camp on the campus that serves over 200 students.

Faculty get a lot of attention too, McIntosh says, with training and international study programs dedicated to enriching their value as staff members.

“We commit one percent of our school budget annually, about $250,000 a year to professional development. It allows us to bring people to campus, and send our faculty around the world.

Giving care to faculty is crucial,” he says emphatically. “They are the bedrock of our community.”

McIntosh’s tenure as headmaster spans over a decade now, and the school has seen notable success under his watch. Even in the midst of Great Recession woes, there has been no drop in enrollment.

“There’s actually been an increase in applications,” McIntosh says. “Parents are making investment in their child’s education a top priority in light of everything happening economically.”

Moving ahead, McIntosh says he’d like to see the endowment grow. “We charge a lot of money to go here, and I want more kids to be able to go here.

One of my goals is to continue to build our endowment and to create opportunity for more,” he says.

McIntosh feels very blessed to be involved in the Charlotte Latin School community. “Every day I wake up, I feel fortunate to be a part of this,” he admits. “Every member of this community is privileged, and we try not to lose sight of that.”

“To me,” says student Wilson, “the key aspect of Latin that makes it so great is that everyone is supportive of their classmates and that there is an attitude of working together to succeed rather than competing. I could not have asked for a better school experience.” biz Craig Dixon is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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Charlotte Latin Schools, Inc. dba

Charlotte Latin School 9502 Providence Road Charlotte, N.C. 28277 Phone: 704-846-1100 Principal: Arch N. McIntosh Jr., Headmaster Founded: 1970 Faculty: 200+ Students: 1,382; student-teacher ratio 17:1 Accreditation: Jointly accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association of Independent Schools, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Business: Independent, non-sectarian, coeducational, college-preparatory day school serving students in transitional kindergarten through grade 12. www.charlottelatin.org

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