WNC Business Q1 | 2024

Q1 | 2024

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New Year, New Strategies Industry Spotlights: Business & Professional Services Healthcare Real Estate & Construction Regional Round-Up | Business Calendar | Pro-Tips | Work-Life Balance | Get to Know Local Businesses

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From the Publisher On behalf of WNC Business and the Hulsey Media team, I would like to thank our readers, business partners, and the community for supporting us through our successful first year of WNC Business. We have received lots of positive feedback, and we are genuinely thrilled to continue adding value to the local business community as we move into our second year. Speaking of business partners, we encourage you to join us in thanking our advertisers for making WNC Business available free of charge to you. The best way to show your appreciation is by supporting the advertisers you find in the magazine, on WNCBusiness. com, and in the WNC Business Today email newsletter.

In this Q1 issue, we are sharing some strategies for success in our feature article called New Year, New Strategies. Many local businesses faced some challenges throughout 2023, and we hope sharing some tips and lessons learned will help support our community into 2024.

While we continue to spotlight the industries that drive WNC’s economy, we are excited about some changes this year. We have added Business & Professional Services to our lineup, as a large portion of WNC jobs exist in this important sector that supports all other industries in the region.

We will also share how the Real Estate & Construction industries have shifted over the past year, and how several aspects of the Healthcare industry are also shifting to accommodate the needs of the growing community.

Despite uncertainty around the economy and the 2024 election, there are many great things to come from this strong and resilient business community here in WNC. We are all looking forward to celebrating wins small and large as business success in the region is sure to continue.

Please remember to share those wins with us at WNCBusiness.com/ SubmitNews. We are your biggest cheerleader, and are excited to spread the word about all the great things happening around the region.

We hope you enjoy the Q1 2024 issue of WNC Business, and wish you all the best in the new year.

President & Publisher Brett Hulsey Editor Randee Brown Advertising Katie Holbert | Katie Eastridge Jen Muniz Operations Manager Michelle Tracy Design/Production LS Creative On the Cover Meridith Elliot Powell We would like to thank the fine businesses and organizations who have purchased advertising in our magazine, thereby helping us to bring you an attractive and informative publication.

If you have a business or provide a service that would benefit from exposure in WNC Business Magazine, call to reserve a space in the next edition.

828-513-3888

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A New Business Resource from the Local Industry Leader.

WNC Business is brought to you by Hulsey Media, Western North Carolina’s leading source of local knowledge.

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New Year, New Strategies Industry Spotlight: Business & Professional Services

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Industry Spotlight: Healthcare

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Industry Spotlight: Real Estate & Construction

54 WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

Contents essentials

6 Cheers!

10 Regional Round-Up 74 WNC Business People to Know 76 Marketplace 78 Work-Life Balance 80 Calendar of Events

get to know VISTANET TELECOMMUNICATIONS Encouraging Business Growth Via Improved Communication Systems

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nc business w partners

SENIOR ORAL-HEALTH SERVICES

68 Steps for Selling Your Business 70 Mastering Profitability in Complex Operations 72 What’s Your Plan?

73 New Solution Makes Wi-Fi Easier for Businesses

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Dental Care Services Improve Quality of Life for Senior Living Community Residents

BENTON ROOFING

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Regional Growth Helps Build Local Commercial Construction Business

it’s my job Cheyenne Mathews

Marilyn Morrison

Insurance Risk Advisor at ALLCHOICE Insurance

Licensed Practical Nurse at City of Asheville Employee Health Services

Katie Dirrig

36

50

64

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Transaction Coordinator at Pearl Property Support

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Cheers!

Brought to You By:

Asheville’s Original Craft Brewery

Business Shout-outs from Around Western North Carolina Awards & Recognitions Roxanna Pepper was recognized with the 2023 Co Thinkk Community Leadership Award.

Alva Wallis of Southeast Physician Services was recognized with a Patriotic Employer Award from the US Department of Defense for supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.

Carolina Village Medical Center earned the US News & World Report’s 2024 Best Nursing Homes distinction.

Blue Ridge Community College has been ranked one of the best institutions in the country for online degrees in a public service field by Student Training & Education in Public Service, a higher education referral agency.

Mercy Urgent Care’s CEO Rachel Sossoman was named a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.

Dr. John McDaris was named the 202324 Principal of the Year for Henderson County Public Schools.

Janet Braswell, Chad Carpenter, and Danielle Lee were named Mountain Movers for Q4 2023 by UNC Health Appalachian.

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Semper Fi Custom Remodeling won two awards at the 2023 NCHBA STARS Awards ceremony – “Best Whole House Remodel Under $500K,” and Construction Manager Brandon Dohy was recognized as the “Best Construction Manager of the Year.”

In their 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards, the online travel review giant ranked The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge as #2 Fine Dining Restaurant and #3 Date Night Restaurant in the United States.

Brian and Gail McCarthy, the founders of Highwater Clays and Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, were awarded for their service to the local arts community with the John Cram Arts Leadership Award, nicknamed the “Crammy.”

North Carolina High School Athletic Association awarded Sue Moon the Charlie Adams Distinguished Service Award for Region 8.

Promotions & On The Move Kimberly van Noort was named the ninth Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Asheville.

AdventHealth welcomed Lea Dibert, MSN, RN, CNOR as the Director of Surgery Services for AdventHealth Hendersonville.

Benjamin Wann, CMA, CSCA, MBA, PMP, CPA, is the new owner of Asheville

accounting firm CFO Consultants, LLC, which operates with a team of 11 individuals. In addition, Ben is the owner of Accounting Professor as well as the owner of The Best CMA Exam Review.

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed Diana Blackett and Caleb Parsons to its Economic Development team at the beginning of October.

AdventHealth welcomed Rebecca Wilson Zingg, DO to its team at AdventHealth Medical Group Multispecialty at the Medical Office Building in Hendersonville.

Four Seasons welcomed Dr. Michael Barnett, MD, MS, FACP, FAAP, FAAHPM to their Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care team.

Eric Rutherfurd has joined WNC Business and Hulsey Media as a Business Development Consultant. Rutherfurd previously provided healthc are indus tr y solutions including IT consulting, business analysis, and technical training.

Coming Soon AdventHealth Hendersonville will bring more access to surgery and specialty care to the community with a new, stateof-the-art Medical Office Building just

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

cheers! off Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville, slated to open in November.

Woodfield River Arts, a new apartment complex in the River Arts District in Asheville, is set to open early 2024.

AutoCamp Asheville, a boutique hotel featuring Airstream camping trailers, is set to open in May.

Expansions & Grand Openings New Hendersonville residents Scott and Carly Buntin celebrated the grand opening of Claywood, a whiskey and wine bar on 7th Avenue, in November.

Mission Hospital McDowell held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the expansion of the hospital in Marion. This $20 million expansion offers up-to-date clinical services and integrates state-of-the-art equipment needed to treat patients.

Collab Coworking announces the addition of Virtual Office memberships.

Virtual offices can benefit home-based business by helping to keep private information private. Members can use the address of Collab Coworking in Weaverville to receive mail, and as their business address on Google and for Secretary of State filings.

Devil’s Foot Beverage launches to The Fresh Market stores in three states: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Previously Devil’s Foot was carried by eight stores in North Carolina only, at locations in Asheville, Hendersonville, and the Charlotte area.

Mars Hill University announced the grand opening of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in October.

H ay woo d C ommunit y C olle ge partnered with UNC Wilmington for the Partner for PathWays Program, offering eligible HCC students guaranteed admission into UNCW.

A group of industry veterans behind some of the Southeast’s outdoor adventure attractions have joined forces to establish Naventure - a new outdoor adventure enterprise focused on elevating the visitor experience at popular national forest destinations.

RiverLink, the Asheville-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its watershed, announced a strategic partnership with Darby Communications, an Asheville-based public relations and digital marketing agency.

Friends of Panthertown opened a new office location in Sylva in October.

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Devil’s Foot Beverage and Highland Brewing partnered to create the new Dark & Stormy - a zero-proof craft soda.

Anniversaries & Milestones Henderson County Public Schools celebrates its 30th anniversary during the 2023-2024 school year.

H endersonville Toy Company celebrated its first anniversary inside Gateaux Cakes & Pastries in December.

Partnerships, Mergers & Acquisitions

Cleveland County took a step toward enhancing its emergency medical services by adding a new EMS base in Grover. The base is in the former Grover Rescue Squad building, serving as a joint facility with the Grover Fire Department.

The behavioral health team at Mission Hospital completed a successful opening of the new Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center in early November.

specialty, and fresh products, to handle distribution to 30 Whole Foods Markets retailers in Florida.

Big Guns Coffee is partnering with Isothermal Community College to create the first-ever indoor hydroponic coffee farm.

Pppy Handcrafted Popcorn is partnering with KeHE, the largest North American distributor specializing in natural, organic,

One Health Direct Primary Care celebrated its third anniversary in November.

Al and Rhonda Glicksberg are celebrating the 10th anniversary as owners of BrightStar Care of Asheville.

Aging Resources Magazine celebrated the printing of its 10th anniversary issue in November.

Do You Have a Shout-Out? Go to WNCBusiness.com/ SubmitNews to submit it.

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cheers!

2023 WomanUP Awards

From left to right: Vicki Banks, Adeline Wolf, Laura McCann, CiCi Weston, Christy Cheek, Lisa Payne.

On November 3, 2023, more than 600 members of the Asheville business community gathered at the Omni Grove Park Inn to celebrate the eighth annual WomanUP Awards.

A program of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, WomanUP was created in 2016 with the help of Webb Investment Services President and Founder Laura Webb and her passion for supporting women in business, particularly those in male-dominated fields.

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Webb shared her gratitude for the Asheville business community and their celebration of women in business. Before the WomanUP program, Webb supported the Women in Business Award at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner, and has been advocating for the celebration of the area’s businesswomen for 20 years.

support of Asheville’s business ecosystem including the Western Women’s Business Center and Venture Asheville. She said Asheville is a great home for her wellness-focused business and its appreciation for inner beauty, and shared that entrepreneurship requires a level of compassion for oneself.

Webb presented the Woman Entrepreneur, Best in Business Award to Laura McCann, Founder and CEO of Adoratherapy.

McCann shared her gratitude for the

Patrick Blalock of TD Bank said the nominees for the Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership Award are all dedicated to nonprofit success in order to

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

cheers! help create a better community. Blalock presented the Award to CiCi Weston, Executive Director of The Christine W. Avery Learning Center. Weston said she was “truly honored and at a loss for words” upon receiving the award. She gave thanks to her community, saying nonprofit careers require hard work and collaboration, and all the nominees onstage deserve honor for their work.

Cataldo Perrone of Pratt & Whitney presented the STEM Award to Christy Cheek, Executive Director of Buncombe County Schools Foundation, saying Cheek supports local teachers by enhancing STEM education in Buncombe County Schools. Cheek said she was thrilled to be the recipient of the very first STEM Award, and the support she received throughout her career helped her to achieve her accomplishments. She believes STEM provides significant educational value to students and to the entire community.

Lindsey Bnadad of Kudzu Brands presented the Impact Award to Celeste Collins who has retired from OnTrack WNC, saying the Impact Award recognizes a trailblazer making impacts through leadership and innovation, some of the attributes the woman-owned Kudzu Brand strives to embody. Collins said it felt amazing to receive this award and it is the honor of a lifetime. She encouraged attendees to remember the WomanUP tagline of Connect, Inspire, Support as women face challenges, and to “go out there and Woman UP!” Anne McClintic of MAHEC presented the Woman Executive of the Year Award to Vicki Banks, Chief Human Resources Officer, The Biltmore Company, saying this award recognizes a woman who distinguishes herself in her profession and fosters growth and development of women by sharing guidance and professional skills. Banks shared gratitude for the recognition of all the Award’s nominees and said it’s wonderful to be

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a part of that community. She said it is rewarding for all women and empowering to future leaders to empower women leaders in the community. She strives for equality in Biltmore’s staff, and ensures that women have a seat at the table and that their voice is heard.

Kevin Fraizer of Western Carolina University shared a story of his grandmother, a feminist pioneer, and his pride in being her grandson. He said women like his grandmother helped clear the way for others to follow, and women leaders have transformed WNC and beyond.

Fraizer presented the Rising Star Award to Adeline Wolfe, Real Estate Developer at Mountain Housing Opportunities who works to expand affordable housing in the region. Wolfe said there will never be enough time to thank everyone. Her mother and grandmother, in attendance, have been incredibly supportive of her, and her coworkers continue to inspire and lift each other up. She said it is important and vital to allow young women to step into their power and their voices, and the passion of her own life so far has been to use her voice to serve the greater good of the community.

Emily Wheeler of First Bank presented the Suzanne DeFerie Lifetime Achievement Award to Lisa Payne, Nutrition Director at Buncombe County Schools, saying Payne’s work has positively impacted countless children in the community.

Payne gave thanks to Suzanne DeFerie for blazing the trail that allowed these award recipients to be recognized, to the community, and to local farmers. She said she has advocated for free student breakfast and lunch her entire career, and she had not felt a prouder moment than when the school board voted to stop food insecurity for students in Buncombe County.

Congratulations to This Year’s WomanUP Winners!

Woman Entrepreneur Best in Business Laura McCann Founder and CEO of Adoratherapy

STEM Award Christy Cheek Executive Director of Buncombe County Schools Foundation

Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership CiCi Weston Executive Director of The Christine W. Avery Learning Center

Impact Award Celeste Collins Retired from OnTrack WNC

Woman Executive of the Year Vicki Banks Chief Human Resources Officer, The Biltmore Company

Rising Star Award Adeline Wolfe Real Estate Developer at Mountain Housing Opportunities

Suzanne DeFerie Lifetime Achievement Award Lisa Payne Nutrition Director at Buncombe County Schools

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Regional

Business News from Around Western North Carolina

Avery County

Park Improvements to Increase Recreational Opportunities SEVEN DEVILS - The Town of Seven Devils was awarded a $500,000 grant by the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for improvements to The Park at Seven Devils.

This is a matching grant, and the Tourism Development Authority has been setting funds aside to pay for half of the award.

The effort was spearheaded by Jewel McKinney, Parks and Recreation Director, and improvements will be completed over the next three years.

Source: Town of Seven Devils

Buncombe County

Tanger Purchased Asheville Outlets for $70 Million ASHEVILLE - Tanger, an operator of open-air shopping centers, announced in November that it has acquired its 38th shopping center, Asheville Outlets, as part of the continued execution of the company’s external growth strategy.

Tanger acquired the center for $70 million in an all-cash, off-market transaction, leveraging the company’s platform and utilizing its cash holdings and strong balance sheet to create value for all stakeholders. Asheville Outlets is the second fully-owned addition to Tanger’s outlet portfolio in Q4 2023, following the grand opening of Tanger Outlets Nashville in Tennessee in October.

Source: Tanger

Burke County

The Industrial Commons Awarded $10 Million Grant MORGANTON - The Appalachian Regional Commission announced a $10M

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Roundup

ARISE grant to The Industrial Commons to support the construction of a 40,000 square foot accelerator facility at the Innovation Campus. With funding from the NC General Assembly, TIC will complete the design process over the course of 2024 and plan to break ground on the building at the end of the year.

Source: The Industrial Commons

Caldwell County

Grant Supports Infrastructure for Evergreen Industrial Park SAWMILLS - The Appalachian Regional Commission announced approval of a $513,425 grant for the county’s Evergreene Industrial Park in Sawmills. The Town of Sawmills has been working with the County to develop the Evergreene Park since 2021. Grant funding will be specifically used to extend water and sewer lines to the 30-acre site, which is envisioned to ultimately include five 50,000 square foot building pads. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $513,425, bringing the total project funding to $1,026,850.

Source: Caldwell County

Cherokee County

Cherokee County Issued High-Impact Moratorium MURPHY - In September, Cherokee County adopted a comprehensive plan calling for the County to implement narrowly-defined land-use legislation in order to limit construction or expansion of high-impact industries and facilities that may be disruptive in residential areas.

The Cherokee County Planning Board determined that existing regulations are not congruent with anticipated impacts of expanding facilities, highlighting the

immediate need for additional regulation.

In October, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners enacted a one-year moratorium on such facilities.

Source: Cherokee County

Cleveland County

Multiple Manufacturers to Invest in Cleveland County SHELBY/KINGS MOUNTAIN - Governor Mike Easley announced PPG Industries FiberGlass Products Inc., a leading manufacturer of fiberglass reinforcements, plans to expand its facility in Shelby, investing $20.5 million and adding 120 jobs during the next three years. The expansion was made possible in part by a $300,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. Also, Greenheck Fan Corp., an international supplier of commercial and industrial ventilation systems, plans to expand its Kings Mountain plant, investing $10.3 million and adding 102 jobs during the next three years. The expansion was made possible in part by a $66,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.

Source: NC Department of Commerce

Haywood County

NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency Partners with Haywood County for Affordable Housing CANTON - The NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency is supporting Haywood County in the launch of their Affordable Housing Development Fund program and invites qualified public, private and nonprofit organizations to apply

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

regional roundup for financing for multifamily or singlefamily housing rehabilitation and new construction projects in Haywood County.

The program aims to provide rental or homeownership housing opportunities outside of the 100-year floodplain. A total of $10 million will be awarded by summer 2024 for housing projects that increase community resilience. The Haywood County Affordable Housing Development Fund Panel will be evaluating and selecting projects to be funded, which will include single-family and multifamily developments.

Source: Haywood County Government

Henderson County

Community Leaders Celebrate Ecusta Trail Groundbreaking HENDER SONVILLE - The Ecusta Trail is a future approximately 19-mile, multi-use greenway along an unused railway corridor between Brevard and Hendersonville. Conserving Carolina and the Friends of the Ecusta Trail have worked together to make the vision of a greenway meandering through the natural beauty of Western North Carolina a reality. With an outpouring of local support and several major grants, Conserving Carolina and its partners raised the money necessary to buy the land and pay for construction.

A groundbreaking on the first section of trail was held on October 28, 2023.

Source: Conserving Carolina

McDowell County

New Business Coming to Old Fort OLD FORT - In October, Governor Roy Cooper announced Triple Aught Design, a US-based adventure gear company, will create 70 new jobs in McDowell County.

The manufacturer will invest $1 million to build and operate a cutting-edge apparel and gear production facility and experience center. In addition to manufacturing, Triple Aught also plans to open a new retail shop and community gathering space adjacent

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to the factory. A performance-based grant of $210,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Triple Aught Design’s expansion to NC. Source: NC Department of Commerce

Rutherford County

Isothermal Community College to Add New Health and Sciences Building SPINDALE - Isothermal’s state legislative delegation visited campus in October to present a $30 million check for a new stateof-the-art health and sciences building.

The North Carolina General Assembly made the appropriation last month when the 2023-24 biennial budget passed into law. Bids for architects are currently being reviewed. During that process, a specific timeline for the project will emerge, though ICC President Margaret Annunziata says she hopes construction is complete during the 2025 academic year. The building will serve as a new home for ICC’s nursing and allied health programs. The majority of those programs have been housed in the old 1950s-era Rutherfordton Elementary School, which Rutherford County Schools vacated in 2009.

Source: Isothermal Community College

Watauga County

Watauga Medical Center Earned New Accreditation BOONE - Watauga Medical Center announced it has earned accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. To achieve CoC accreditation, Watauga Medical Center’s Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center underwent a site visit to confirm the program’s compliance with accreditation standards that evaluate the cancer care services offered by the program.

Source: UNC Health Appalachian

New Initiative for NC Agriculture Industry The Golden LEAF Foundation and the NC Chamber Foundation, with support from NC Farm Bureau and Google, formally announced NC Ag Leads, a strategic planning initiative for the North Carolina agriculture industry that will position the state’s number one economic driver for continued success. Golden LEAF has identified the NC Chamber Foundation to lead a strategic visioning and planning process that will bring together agriculture stakeholders to address industrywide, cross-cutting topics that impact commodities grown in our state, and to chart a course that strengthens North Carolina’s position as a leader for agriculture and agribusiness in the United States.

Source: Golden LEAF Foundation

Website Supports Financial Incentives for Employers The National Dislocated Worker Grant for WNC’s new website offers financial incentives for employers to provide on-the-job training for dislocated workers. Funding is available to off-set a portion of the worker’s salary during the training period. Employers are reimbursed to help defray personnel training costs. Reimbursement for the costs associated with training a new employee is calculated on a sliding scale and depends upon the availability of funds.

Source: Southwestern Commission

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New Year, New Strategies While creating business strategies is always key to growth and success, the start of a new year marks a traditional phase of reviewing, assessing, and implementing new goals.

feature A Timeless Formula Proves There are Always Opportunities for Success Author Meridith Elliot Powell designed a formula that helps businesses leverage change to create opportunities in any economic phase that transcend industries and company size.

During 2018 and 2019, Powell said, many businesses were having their best year ever due to a red-hot market.

Some business owners were waiting for uncertainty, assuming when an economic change happened, it would be a negative shift. Wondering why uncertainty always has to be negative, Powell embarked on researching companies that have been in business for the last 250 years and how they were able to take advantage of periodic economic downturns.

“My research uncovered nine companies that have survived through depressions, world wars, and a pandemic,” Powell said.

“From that, I extracted a nine-step formula that I guarantee if you put into place, you’ll not only shift how you think, feel, and act around uncertainty, you’ll actually start to make it work for your organization.”

Powell spent two and a half years doing research and interviews with various companies. Not looking for a specific process, her nine-step formula revealed itself organically. She found success often was not logical as companies predicted to achieve success didn’t always do so, and vice versa. It was often about mindset and the way a business was run more than tactical strategies.

“It wasn’t about resources or geographic location or even product,” Powell said.

“As I interviewed these businesses, these philosophies and ways of running a business became clear. It doesn’t matter what the challenge is, this formula that worked in 1795 is the same formula that worked in 2023.”

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The formula Powell uncovered is as follows: • Maintain a relentless vision. Deeper than just a vision, the first step consists of a focus so sharp that no matter what obstacles are in front of you, your mind will find a way to get there.

• Condition yourself for change. Utilizing a military phrase ‘embrace the suck,’ this is not about being a pessimist or an optimist, but being a realist in order to make the changes work.

• Competition becomes collaboration.

In the face of uncertainty, the challenges you face are too big for one person or one industry to solve. You have to start working with people, and instead of asking yourself, ‘what do we do to navigate uncertainty,’ you should be asking yourself, ‘who do we need to work with?’

• Make decisions according to core values. Every decision you make – from hiring, to the customers you work with, to the technology you use – all have to align with your core values. There is something powerful about those core values that will carry you through any challenge.

• Understand that it is a myth that people don’t spend money in uncertain times. You have to understand that in an uncertain marketplace, customers will only spend money with the person who is able to solve their most pressing needs.

What you sold before uncertainty and what you sell during uncertainty changes.

• Rinse and repeat. These strategies should become your way of life and the way you run your business.

In the fall of 2023, the biggest thing business leaders were concerned about was the economy. Powell said many of us have gone through so much with COVID, but now the uncertainty looks even more challenging.

“People are tired,” Powell said. “It’s hard to figure out how to grow with no idea of what’s coming. They have to figure out how to create a future-focused workforce and how to get their team comfortable.

Leaders can share this formula with their team, and If they can start to control the changes coming into the marketplace rather than allowing themselves to be controlled by them, it’s possible to start to shift how people think about uncertainty.”

Powell suggests business leaders need to reevaluate more often than in years past. With how often technology updates and how quickly the world moves, a keen understanding of marketplace shifts and the resulting impacts on customers can help businesses adjust strategies to remain successful. continued on next page

• Build your network. If you build your network, you can change your life. The better connected you are, the more successful you will be.

• Strengthen your team. Be highly selective about the people you choose for your team, and then invest in that team.

• Stay productive, not busy. Continue to look backwards to see what is working and what did not work, and get rid of the things that do not work.

Meridith Elliott Powell, author of Thrive: Strategies to Turn Uncertainty into Competitive Advantage.

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new year, new strategies Many of Powell’s clients were feeling a pressure on their margins by the fall of 2023. They were tightening budgets and changing sales processes, and for situations like these, she suggests going back to their strategy and making necessary adjustments. It’s about having the methodology to be in a position to be successful.

“In the face of uncertainty, there can always be opportunities no matter what the obstacles are,” Powell said. “Research and history prove there is always a chance.”

Finding the Right Strategy for Your Business New strategies for business success seldom arise; rather there are many old strategies that people don’t use because they either don’t know about them or they

have forgotten about them, according to ActionCOACH Bill Gilliland.

When businesses plan for their year, it’s always best to start with knowing the numbers, then figuring out goals, then determining the strategies that will help reach them. A yearly comprehensive business plan will provide the right strategies, and according to Gilliland, it’s best to keep it simple.

As the market and the economy will continue to change, the ability to react is crucial. According to Gilliland, inflation is here, and interest rates are likely to stay the same.

“There is a new generation that has never seen inflation,” Gilliland said.

“These business owners still have to keep up employees and maintain growth, and their business needs to be able to accommodate that. We are full steam

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It’s strong, and largely dependent on several sectors — healthcare, tourism and hospitality, and outdoor recreation.

People’s disposable income won’t be changing too much and things should stay similar to what we saw in 2023, but it could all change at the drop of a hat.”

Many business owners are still struggling with finding good help. No matter the kind of person a leadership team is looking to hire, the process of finding them is similar.

Gilliland often asks leaders how much time people are investing in the hiring process, and how much they are spending on doing the actual work of their business.

Small- to medium-sized businesses spend approximately 20 hours a week looking for staff when hiring, and larger businesses, typically those with 75 or more staff, often have human resources staff to exclusively search for new hires.

“The problem is easing up a little, but it’s really marketing,” Gilliland said. “You have to speak to your target audience just like you do when speaking to your clients or customers. You still have to use systems to find good employees, and having a hiring philosophy is important.”

Businesses should remain flexible in strategies used for growth. If one strategy was used to reach a particular level, a new strategy may be necessary moving into a new phase. If a certain strategy isn’t providing the necessary results, the business will have to determine when the time is right to move into a new strategy altogether.

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To determine an effective strategy, Gilliland suggests starting with foundational basics like basic levels of customer service, cash flow, and time management. Discovering the business’s niche, outlining consistent and repeatable systems, putting together a team, and eventually finding who can be put in charge to run the business for the owner are all challenges involved in realizing the best strategies for success. continued on page 16

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

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new year, new strategies “If it’s not working, the strategy needs to change, and energy needs to be focused on something that is a better use of their time. Prioritizing what is working and properly managing that time spent is critical.”

“There can be 400 to 500 strategies that are possible, but the right one depends on where you and your goals lie,” Gilliland said. “Every one can’t work for everybody.”

Testing and measuring strategies is always important, according to Gilliland.

If a business implements three or four strategies that are tested often, the best strategy will eventually come to light and will make up for the ones that don’t.

Testing and measuring strategies requires some level of analytics knowledge, so outsourcing these tasks to a bookkeeper or administrator may be helpful.

Determining how much the business is paying to attract each customer is a good starting point for this type of analytics. This helps to figure out if things are actually improving and by how much, and what the return on the business’s investment actually is. As many strategies like social media and email marketing have analytics built into their platforms, Gilliland said it is a mistake not to measure these strategies.

“How you make the best use of your facilities and finding out where they can improve is important for each business,” Gilliland said. “Take a couple of days to do your planning for the year as early as possible. If you don’t plan, you’ll just be reacting, and that’s not always helpful.”

Networking Strategies for Business Connections According to Laura Wagenknecht of Mosaic Business Consulting, women and

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minorities need to approach their business growth strategy a bit differently.

Since women in general tend to earn less on the dollar, they typically have a higher debt-to-income ratio, which often results in lower credit scores. Because of this, they receive fewer loans or receive loans for lower dollar amounts and pay higher interest rates — a combination that creates a greater challenge for female entrepreneurs. These aspects are even more pronounced for minorities.

N e t wo r k i n g e ve n t s o f t e n c r e a t e connections and oppor tunities for growing businesses, but women and minorities should approach these events with a slightly different strategy, according to Wagenknecht. Often, there is natural separation at these events, as people tend to surround themselves with others who are like them, creating a divide between men and women. “ We c ommuni c ate di f f e re ntl y,” Wagenknecht said. “Not only is the topic of conversation often different, men are often much more direct when speaking about their business and what they are looking for in a working relationship.

Women don’t need to jump into the ‘man’s world;’ they need to find their own voice and use it to present their business ideas and needs to the public.”

Many women struggle to use their voice, and when they are building a brand, it’s important to have their voice be heard, according to Wagenknecht. It’s

a marketing struggle to find the voice of the brand and effectively share it with the business community. The brand’s voice is how they will be communicating with clients and customers, so it’s important to put it out there effectively.

A brand’s voice will depend on the messaging and types of information that needs to be conveyed to the target audience. Voices of women-owned brands should clearly convey the brand’s intention in a clear, consistent manner. Networking is one way to convey that, but it’s important to evaluate how well it is working and be flexible with the strategies that are in place.

“Women like to make friends, but that may not correlate to building their business,” Wagenknecht said. “If it’s not working, the strategy needs to change, and energy needs to be focused on something that is a better use of their time. Prioritizing what is working and properly managing that time spent is critical.”

Narrowing down a business’s niche will help identify the right target market, according to Wagenknecht. Looking at what marketing channels are chosen and what kind of budget is spent to increase reach and engagement to hit new goals can be helpful in a business’s accomplishments, but there are different strategies for each of those. Getting clear on who the target audience is, what their needs are, ways to fill those needs, and how well each marketing channel is performing can help determine which

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

new year, new strategies strategy works best and where energy should continue to be placed.

For minorities, the same strategy considerations apply, according to Wagenknecht. Access to education, resources, funding, and, for those living in rural areas, the internet are all struggles that play a role in deciding business strategies. While a prevalent assumption is that we can meet our people in networking events geared toward everyone, networking in specialized groups for women or minorities may be helpful, as like-minded people who have overcome obstacles similar to one’s own can be powerful and inspiring.

Those in rural areas also network differently than those in urban areas. A networking event in an urban setting may be host to 300 or more people, so in

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rural areas, Wagenknecht said building genuine relationships with others can be hugely beneficial.

and building relationships, with the right strategies in mind, can help businesses reach their goals.

“It doesn’t matter if you are networking with someone in a ‘competing’ brand,” Wagenknecht said. “There are often referrals amongst similar businesses, so thinking about how you build relationships so that all sides are winners and support one another can lift everyone’s business and find joy in everyone’s success.”

Increasing Skill Sets for New Leaders Creates Opportunities

When determining business-building strategies, all business owners should assess where their business is now and where they’d like it to be, then work backwards from there, according to Wagenknecht. Discern how much revenue is needed and how many clients it will take to reach that number, then find the leads and convert them into clients. Networking

Though managerial leadership skill sets can vary from company to company, one of the most valuable skills for any business leader is effective communication, according to Western Carolina University’s Executive Director of Educational Outreach Carolyn Callaghan.

Managerial leadership qualities may vary from company to company or industry to industry, but understanding the value proposition of the company and continued on next page

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new year, new strategies “These business owners get to be a part of planning for their team’s growth, and these kinds of investments speak volumes about their dedication to the company and its values.”

translating that value to the business’s employees and customer base is the foundation of any leader’s attributes.

Leaders must gain a thorough understanding of their business’s key positioning indicators. Developing a strong value proposition based on the KPIs can help guide leaders on how to help their business stand out in the industry.

Once that knowledge is gained, leaders can better communicate that to their team, who can then more effectively share why customers should do business with their company instead of its competition.

Different generations working together may react differently to messages, so determining the best communication style for each team member and employee

can make a difference. What a typical workplace looks like continues to shift post-pandemic, which can create challenges in communication and conflict resolution. Leaders must assess the ability for everyone to effectively talk to one another, whether onsite or online.

“It’s critical for leaders to interpret the personalities of employees and play to their strengths and styles,” Callaghan said. “This can help leaders relay data and information more effectively, run more meaningful meetings, and offer more impactful presentations.”

Since COVID, many people are doing more of what they want and taking more chances, according to Callaghan. There is more mobility and people are becoming better adept at crossing careers. While many skills are transferable between careers, people also develop new skills for their new industry.

As people rise to leadership positions in their new career because of their gained skills and increasing expertise, it’s important new leaders gain the additional skill sets necessary when they reach upper-level positions. To effectively lead a team and maintain the business’s growth, leadership skills that may not have been needed before become increasingly important to develop.

Students at a continuing education leadership course at Western Carolina University.

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“They need to become an influencer for their team and staff to keep people motivated and moving forward,” Callaghan said. “Performing a strengths assessment and becoming aware of someone’s blind

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

new year, new strategies spots in order to become more selfaware can be the hardest part for them to overcome, but it can be helpful for anyone.”

Some companies are getting better at thinking about their own succession plans, according to Callaghan. She is seeing many companies growing their own leadership teams by actions like investing in customized training programs.

“Highly-detailed, specialized training programs provide skill sets to leaders they’ll need to develop their company’s strategic initiatives,” Callaghan said.

“These business owners get to be a part of planning for their team’s growth, and these kinds of investments speak volumes about their dedication to the company and its values.”

As leaders learn new concepts that can be put into place, it can change how

they look at their world of work. Knowing their personal value proposition and how employees and team members receive that can create feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment in their role.

“It’s not an intentional mindset shift, but it happens organically when leaders learn and realize the best ways to inspire their staff,” Callaghan said. “Many did not originally have leadership goals for their careers but ended up in leadership positions, and that can open up a whole world of what opportunities are there for them.”

Building Community and Increasing Self-Care Focus Boosts Personal and Business Success People in business have to ask the right

questions to get their needs met when developing relationships, according to Certified Life Coach Roxanna Pepper.

Win/win solutions can be created by intentional listening to the answers of these questions, and people have to be ready to honor and respect the answers.

People of color may have to show up a bit louder in their circles, according to Pepper. Meeting people and exchanging information about what is working for each person can be helpful, and using this experience to create action plans can help “turn the pages” along a business journey.

“I always get excited to meet new people,” Pepper said. “Just being in that space with a new person can allow both of us to create and add to whatever we are doing to make us successful. I can’t do it all by myself.” continued on next page

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new year, new strategies Pepper said staying determined and not settling is helpful in maintaining motivation in business as well. If a desire is found and a goal is set, things can always be done to work toward those goals.

Women of color especially have to do things a bit differently, and it’s important to stay confident and patient along the way.

“Patience is hard because many of us have been doing it for so long,” Pepper said. “We have to keep our power clothes on. The key is passion; you have to be excited and keep up the drive in order to keep doing the work for things to get done.”

Personal relationships are important to nurture throughout a business journey.

Pepper said if one person is not confident and not moving forward, that can cause conflict, especially in a marriage.

Balancing life and careers requires people to believe in themselves.

“So many people want validation from others, but you should already have that in whatever work you feel you have to do,” Pepper said. “You are going to get that automatically if you maintain your confidence.”

In addition to being a life coach, Pepper works in several areas she believes help provide what people need to be successful. She opened A Place To Go, a community center that focuses on healing and connecting within the community.

She hosts seminars and cooking classes among other things, and encourages a variety of people, topics, and events to happen at the center.

“My community is where my heart is,” Pepper said. “For years, I have wanted something like that, and it finally happened.

I love connections and conversation, and that is really what is needed for a lot of people right now.”

Pepper also teaches fitness classes at her local YMCA as a Livestrong Coach. She said exercise plays a major role in people doing what they do, as it’s important for them to take care of their bodies. If people don’t take care of themselves they have to pretend to feel good, but the physical part has to be there in order to really feel good.

“I wake up in the morning and say the same thing — ‘I look good, I feel good, and I am good’,” Pepper said. “You have to care for your body, drink plenty of water, and have regular checkups with your doctor.

If you don’t, something is likely to fall to the wayside.”

Pepper’s “real job” is working as an Early Childhood Program Consultant at the Children & Family Resource Center in Hendersonville. With all of the work she is doing, she said she gets her cup refilled by talking with others and taking time to

Roxanna Pepper teaching an aquatic fitness class at Hendersonville Family YMCA.

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new year, new strategies “When the strategy is there and all three of these are in place, there’s nothing people can’t do,” Pepper said. “People can live in the moment, embrace life, and celebrate life every day, and that’s something that will increase success for everybody.” recharge. She said everything she does is something she loves, and when she is doing work she loves, it is not work at all, which is how she juggles all her roles.

The juggling does require strategy, and part of the strategy includes maintaining balance, faith, and support. Balance requires knowing when to say no because everyone needs to have rest. People also need to have a supportive person in their life, and to be intentional with reflecting on themselves and where they are in each moment in life.

“When the strategy is there and all three of these are in place, there’s nothing people can’t do,” Pepper said. “People can live in the moment, embrace life, and celebrate life every day, and that’s something that will increase success for everybody.”

Aligning Personal and Business Growth It’s an illusion that a professional journey can exist without a personal one, according to Coach Meghan O’Malley. Many are taught that business and personal lives are separate, but they never are.

Sometimes people think if they just hit the next mile marker of success they will feel better about themselves, according to O’Malley, but their personal growth is still waiting for them. If they embark on their personal growth journey first, they can actually be holistically in a state of wellness and alignment, especially if their business is based on supporting others.

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“People are taught your identity exists around your personal power and being seen,” O’Malley said. “If you are going to be successful and impact people, certainly for a solopreneur or entrepreneur, you must continually work on both journeys.”

With many people in business conditioned to a “hustle culture,” people have been taught doing things the hard way and overexerting themselves is the way to reach success. O’Malley said this is the philosophy that gets in the way of people thriving.

“It’s hard for people to step out of it because it has become people’s identity, and their personal value is associated with it,” O’Malley said. “My personal definition of success now is living on purpose, thriving, and doing it all with grace and ease. It’s a radical thing to stand for in the world and invite people into a new way.”

O’Malley said our culture is moving in a direction of businesses becoming more humanized. When people leave their inner truth and needs at the door in order to meet outer markers others tell them “should” be most important, it becomes more challenging to find sustainable success.

Traditional business leadership is often about concrete metrics – dollar amounts, status, etc – instead of humanized metrics like aligning with one’s own unique gifts, skills, and well-being.

O’Malley believes true leadership doesn’t ask others to abandon themselves, and true success means people aren’t

betraying who they really are in an attempt to thrive.

“Doing things the old, familiar way can feel more comfortable because that’s what they’re used to, but that takes a LOT of energy. It’s true that doing things in this new way often feels weird or vulnerable, but continuing to do things that betray one’s humanity is just a different flavor of discomfort. We get to choose which flavor of uncomfortable we are going to lean into. We don’t have to choose a story that perpetuates harm just because it’s familiar,” O’Malley said.

When people in business operate from a place of fear and stress, it’s evident not only in their leadership, but also in their messaging and content. People are becoming increasingly attuned to “what isn’t being said” these days.

O’Malley said it’s easy to notice the energy of pushy, inauthentic, and forced messaging because of the way it feels to the recipient. Feeling aligned, empowered, and purposeful in business creates a natural magnetism, attracting the right clients, customers, and collaborators to help create success within your work.

“People have to get on the boat even though it feels weird or vulnerable to do so,” O’Malley said. “Fighting against the waves can feel more comfortable because that’s what they’re used to, but again, that takes a lot of energy. Success would come more easily if people come from a continued on next page

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new year, new strategies genuinely human and vulnerable place; that energy conveys well.”

Feelings of stress and anxiety are bound to come up for business leaders. When that happens, there are tools that can be used to recenter, and they don’t necessarily require hiring a coach or seeing a therapist.

Putting one hand on your heart and the other on your belly and just breathing for five minutes can be calming. Tapping, breath work, acupuncture, reiki, and other somatic exercises can help regulate the nervous system.

A well-regulated nervous system and frequent personal check-ins can allow individuals to align with their own values, how they feel, and what they truly desire in their life, according to O’Malley. The body holds a lot of unfiltered truth and wisdom, and people have been taught not to trust that.

People are often taught to ignore their emotional selves when stepping into professional roles, but emotions carry information that can help and guide them along their path. When feelings of fear and stress come up in business, those feelings are not only natural indicators that an individual is evolving, stretching, and expanding, but they can also be an invitation to embrace another layer of the personal growth process.

“Learning the skills of listening within, decoding the messages of the body, and checking in with ourselves about how we feel and what we need allows us to be most fully ourselves, which not only allows us to be more empowered in our own lives, but also expands our ability to have positive impacts on others. The ripples go much further than we realize,” O’Malley said. “Saying yes to this vulnerable, and

at times uncomfortably human, process of growth creates empowered magic in life, and can create sustainable success in business, too.”

Community Business Leaders Share Challenges Faced, Lessons Learned, and Tips for Success in 2024 Held annually at Blue Ridge Community College in partnership with the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and Vision Henderson County Leadership Development, the Henderson County Leadership Conference brings local business leaders together to learn and share recent challenges and strategies to proactively move into the new year.

On November 16, 2023, a keynote panel of leaders from around Henderson County shared their experiences from 2023 as well as predictions and tips that may be useful throughout 2024.

Laura Flores Real Estate Broker at NextHome WNC Realty The average price of a single family home has risen to $521,000. Paired with rising interest rates, increased prices have led to a decrease in sales over the last year.

There was a slight increase in inventory for the residential market, and the commercial market has approximately one year of inventory available with prices starting at $14 per square foot. Buyers are moving toward requesting seller credits during purchases, which may help buyers with closing costs.

John Mitchell Henderson County Manager Across the U.S. and the globe, individuals and businesses are feeling the effects of inflation. After the federal government moved $5 trillion onto its balance sheet, citizens were just beginning to feel the results in the fall of 2023. Wages increased to compensate for rising costs of living, and business owners raised prices to

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new year, new strategies maintain revenue. Local governments are raising taxes to maintain payroll for first responders and other public employees, and outdoor amenities like new trail projects increasing desirability of residential homes could raise real estate prices even further.

Debi Smith Henderson Tourism Development Authority Board Member, General Manager of Cascades Mountain Resort Tourism helps local economies in many ways, including providing revenues to the community from occupancy taxes collected from overnight stays. These funds are used to market the area to travelers, and encouraging people to stay longer can help provide more dollars to the community for projects like trails and parks. A challenge for travelers in 2024 are potential government shutdowns which may keep some people at home, and the TDA board is exploring ways to build additional opportunities for travelers to the area.

Cheryl Stuller Co-owner of Stuller Power Solutions Finding an available workforce has been a challenge across the entire service industry. High local home prices and lack of rental spaces have given rise to many employees commuting longer distances to work. Paying a living wage is also challenging for businesses, and many are raising prices to compensate.

Working with the public school system and local community colleges, Stuller hopes teaching students it’s possible to earn a living wage in the industry will expand small service companies.

inflation, provide competitive wages, and juggle a volatile market in a sector with an extreme amount of growth.

It is important that leaders are giving employees opportunities to participate in that growth, and Benton Roofing is working with Blue Ridge Community College’s apprenticeship program to demonstrate potentially good career paths in trades. They are also developing systems to streamline operations and provide positive employee experiences.

Mike Santacrose Owner of Arabella Breakfast & Brunch Revenues of many restaurants in the region decreased from February to November of 2023 by 20% to 30%. Owners constantly adjusted prices in anticipation of products’ fluctuation, many of which have increased 100% since early 2020, and labor costs have increased by 50% in the same time

Daryl Waldrop Co-owner of Pisgah Forest Gem Mine, Bigfoot, Ammo & More, and Fins on Fifth As the economy stings many consumers, people don’t have as much expendable money as they once did. Staying involved in organizations like the Small Business Center, Tourism Development Authority, and Chamber of Commerce allows business owners to continue learning continued on next page

The best relationships start with trust

Daniel Gibbs COO of Benton Roofing

htb.com/business

Industr y strains like supply chain challenges and personnel shortages mostly dissipated by the end of 2023, but many in the returning workforce prefer hybrid work models that may not be available for some positions. Construction business owners must now keep up with

Commercial | Business Personal | Mortgage

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frame. Instead of focusing on problems, adjusting focus to people, products, and procedures can help businesses improve. Dialing in profit margins and concentrating only on things that directly affect customers helps business owners do the best with what they have. Properly training employees and knowing who to keep is also significant in reaching success.

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new year, new strategies

Community leaders speaking at the Henderson County Leadership Conference, November 2023.

ideas that may help their business stay afloat. Business owners can’t continue to do the same things and stay afloat; they must be willing to be imaginative and stay current with what customers need and want.

Lisa Waldrop Co-owner of Pisgah Forest Gem Mine, Bigfoot, Ammo & More, and Fins on Fifth While some business owners are cutting employees or advertising to combat low profit margins, maintaining a position of working in a business can deplete the owner’s ability to run the business.

Hiring younger employees and providing hands-on training for how they can greet people and increase sales can be more time consuming, but can lead to more business-building opportunities.

Alan Ward Founder of Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards Volatility in the world will always exist, but business owners must be willing to

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take chances. Evaluating what may be coming next, reinvesting in the business, and maintaining a loyal group of people to work with can keep customers coming back. Having a passion for the business and having a plan to focus on goals will help owners overcome obstacles.

Maintaining a confident attitude and looking for opportunities in areas of adversity can help “up the game” on quality and engagement, leading to the creation of a better business.

Ruth Burge Vice Chairperson at Community Foundation of Henderson County In 2023, nonprofits participated in lots of collaboration and some sharing of leader management. With some government funding ceasing after COVID, a reduction in charitable gifts, and a buildup of needs for basic community services, workforce and other challenges have been exacerbated in the nonprofit industry. Returning to

proven fundraising techniques involving face-to-face interactions with potential donors and applying for grants an organization has the potential to receive without restructuring can help acquire funding without overwhelming staff, which historically has been seen as results of leadership persistence.

Chris Hykin US General Manager at Tageos Inc. Some businesses have had a slowerthan-expected start to becoming fully operational in 2023, which highlighted the necessity of sharing clear messages of priorities to team members. As growth rates increase for businesses, the next step is managing aspects of momentum including timelines, budgets, employees, and the supply chain. Measuring these aspects can clarify what business owners can do to achieve their next goal.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

WNC Business

Success Strategies From the Business Community John Hornsby, Hornsby Creative Group As you embark on 2024, remember to view your branding and marketing journey like a trail to a summit: every touchpoint is a milestone on the path to peak performance. At Hornsby Creative, we've found that prioritizing strategy first, akin to plotting a hike's route, ensures that our clients’ brands resonate deeply and leave a lasting mark in their industry's landscape.

Jesse Boeckermann, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Don't get too high with the highs or too low with the lows. You always miss 100% of the shots you don't take. You have no idea what people are going through.

Before you guess or judge, say "Hello. How are you doing?" and introduce yourself. Have patience. Success is giving your all no matter the outcome.

Priorities aren't what you say; priorities are what you do and spend time doing.

Jeffrey Kaplan, Venture Asheville Whenever I talk to a successful founder, I ask them "if you started your business today, with all that you know now, what would you do differently?"

The answer I get almost every time is "Focus. I would have tried to do less things, and instead focused on what I was really good at and what customers really liked, sooner."

Anne & Todd Smith, College HUNKS of Asheville Getting the right people in the right seats is really important.

Courtney Edwards, Skyland Solutions Get super clear on *why* you're in business, *who* your clients/customers are, and *how* your product/service helps them. And don't forget that it's supposed to be fun.

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industry spotlight

Business & Professional Services The business and professional services industry exists to support all other industries, encompassing a wide variety of services that can take tasks off the plates of business owners.

Staff members at Formation PR + Brand collaborating on a client’s project.

The business and professional services industry includes a broad range of business types including services in legal, accounting, graphic design, surveying, research and development, advertising, administrative, consulting, marketing, computer and web design, and more.

According to Riverbird Research, the 2018-2023 jobs growth rate in the business and professional services industry was 21% in an 18-county region

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of WNC, comparable to the state’s overall jobs growth rate of 23%.

Count y ’s industr y business which supported 1,512 of those jobs.

The 15,403 industry jobs in the region across 3,862 payrolled business locations was 49% lower compared to the national average. The average annual wage of this industry was $71,398.

Economic Growth Facilitates Industry Opportunities

The business and professional services industry in Buncombe County supported 8,051 of those jobs, followed by Henderson

For the first time in a long time, the number of people employed in the business and professional services industry was higher than those in manufacturing in late 2023, which the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Vice President of

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

Economic Development Clark Duncan said is indicative of growth across all sectors of the metro economy.

The growth rate is outpacing the area’s other large sectors like healthcare, retail, and tourism, as the overall growth of all economic sectors creates a need for more and more sophisticated professional services.

“You’ll see this organically in any growing economy,” Duncan said. “These types of businesses come into the market in response to growth; we look at it like an economic indicator.”

While larger companies and corporations may be able to handle every aspect of their own business, small- to mediumsized businesses must outsource some of their tasks.

“Local companies of a certain size are still leaning on outside council,” Duncan said.

“Many companies in this industry have been in Asheville for years and always offered world-class services, but the growth in the local economy is demanding more access to these services.”

Since the beginning of Venture Asheville 10 years ago, there has been an increase in the number of services needed in the venture community. While there is an inflection point at which businesses have the ability to hire out these tasks, there are increasing benefits to having experts perform professional services.

Startup businesses working in proprietary information or technology need intellectual property attorneys, growing companies need employment attorneys, and many complex legal agreements are needed during the process of fundraising with venture equity and capital. Firms dealing with contracts for business acquisitions are also doing well, as Duncan said it is important to make sure those types of things are done correctly.

The increase in hybrid and remote working models seems to be bringing more talent in this industry to the area.

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AVL Digital Nomads’ Founder Ric Pratte said approximately one-third of the group works in business and professional services, which may help fill the increasing demand for these services as they build relationships within the local community.

“We should be championing the growth of that sector,” Duncan said. “Employees in this sector earn higher average wages, so increasing employment in this sector means increasing the average wage for the region. We anticipate these individuals becoming engaged in local employment, and there’s no downside to adding to the number of talented, educated people living in our community. It’s an influx of the future workforce to our area.”

During COVID shutdowns, the workforce saw more significant job loss in other areas, as many workers in this industry just took their jobs with them. They’re portable, and didn’t show up on job loss graphs.

With economic uncertainty continuing into 2024, Duncan said this sector is in no way recession-proof, but these businesses will likely remain resilient in the face of uncertainty. Service providers such as accountants may be very busy as businesses may need to restructure in order to mitigate risks, though services requiring investments and other assets for development may shift somewhat.

Other shif ts are possible with the rise in popularity and availability of artificial intelligence. Decadal changes in manufacturing, for example, shifted from a higher number of jobs to a fewer number of jobs but a greater required skill level, resulting in increased higher-wage opportunities.

“What we’ve seen is that disruptive technologies create different types of jobs and new opportunities,” Duncan said.

“It will be interesting to see how we are leaning on AI and where it creates new opportunities for skills and employment in this sector in the future.” continued on next page

business & professional snapshot 12,693 Jobs in 2018 15,403 Jobs in 2023 21% Job Growth 2,710

2018-2023 Change in Jobs

$71,398

2023 Average Annual Wage Self-employed jobs are excluded from these estimates. Average Annual Wage includes wages, salaries, and proprietor earnings; excludes supplements.

3,862

Payrolled Business Locations in 2023 There were 49% fewer jobs in the 18-county region compared to the national average.

2018-2023 employment growth rate of 21% was comparable to the state’s 23%.

Jobs By County (2023) Buncombe 8,051 Henderson 1,512 Watauga 1,248 Macon 1,032 Haywood 661 Cherokee 605 Rutherford 542 Transylvania 391 Jackson 364 Polk 267 McDowell 188 Madison 105 Yancey 101 Mitchell 92 Avery 72 Swain 66 Clay 57 Graham 46 Source: Lightcast, 2023.1

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business & professional services Local expertise can be important for some companies and organizations. Allison said some of their clients choose them because they know the region and its unique attributes. Clients in other regions may choose them because of their expertise in certain industries and their commitment to understanding the vertical market.

“There are so many nuances to each region and its culture,” Allison said.

“Each community has its own culture and personality, and it’s important that the branding business you choose to work with understands that.”

Aaron Means, owner of Activate Business Solutions, teaching the importance of connection in marketing strategies.

Professional Services Facilitate Business to Client Relationships Professional branding and public relations services can help businesses make a positive impact by intentionally connecting with target audiences, according to Formation PR + Brand Owner Erica Allison.

Business owners are busy running their business. Even with a communications team, leaders often use specialized services as extensions of their own communications and marketing.

“Professional service businesses can provide mastery in certain areas,” Allison said. “Our business helps others develop a brand that goes beyond what they could develop on their own. They know themselves best, but we offer another lens through which to view it, and can implement market research data that they may not have time in their day-to-day schedule to work on.”

Branding and public relations service providers often spend a lot of time on

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market research. They collect data from audience surveys, participate in focus groups, attend communication workshops and leadership visioning, and partner with their clients to help them reach their end goal.

Service providers understand how to strategically communicate, and many specialize in certain industries and understand what is working in that sector.

More than just a logo, a business’s brand is a visual representation of the business and who they are. It represents emotion, energy, and the value the business provides to the people they want to reach.

Creating a brand narrative can help target audiences quickly grasp the brand story and messaging.

Public relations ser vices can help organizations create talking points to arm their team or board members so everyone interacts with their audience with a level of consistency. It is important for industries and large clients to be able to utilize services that can refine and define the business’s messaging, and position that brand to reach their audiences in a meaningful way.

The traditional definition of public relations is managing the relationship between an organization and its audience.

PR companies provide more than press releases; they produce thought leadership pieces, help create stories, and help businesses find their wow factor and unique selling proposition. They think about what is important to the business’s audience and weave in those aspects when producing content.

“It’s all about storytelling and where we can align them,” Allison said. “Not everything is newsworthy, so it may be more helpful to write blogs or newsletter content, as that type of media communicates directly with a company’s audience.”

Storytelling can also be helpful in annual reports. PR professionals work to make sure they are capturing the right stories that have an impact on the community.

Ongoing monitoring of what people are saying about their clients allows professionals to help determine what may be the most important aspects to address.

Crisis communication is something business leaders should keep in mind as well, according to Allison. Working with a professional to take inventory of weaknesses and vulnerabilities can be a proactive approach to managing situations in a way that reflects businesses in a positive light.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

business & professional services The progression of business growth in the region is creating many opportunities for those in the professional service industry.

With more businesses locating here, service businesses can easily get their name out by networking and maintaining an online presence. As there is plenty of work to go around, professionals can find clients that are the right match and align with their values and culture. By helping local businesses and organizations be successful, Allison said it helps the entire region to be successful.

Digital Marketing Services Expand Opportunities for Businesses Business owners often wear many hats, leading to time limitations which can make it difficult to focus on marketing efforts, according to Activate Business Solutions CEO Aaron Means.

While critical to growing any business, marketing tasks are often passed to someone who has to learn on the fly, and can end up pieced together with minimal psychological strategy. While hiring full-time marketing staff can be cost-prohibitive, outsourcing these tasks to a specialist can end up being a cheaper and more productive solution.

“These relationships are aspects of human connection that AI will not replace,” Allison said. “It takes time to understand the nuances of clients, and while AI may be able to write a nice sentence, it cannot really represent clients’ deep relationships The goal of marketing strategies has with the community. Branding and public statement-banner-1 copy 2.pdf 4 8/14/23 always 9:35 PM been creating top-of-mind relations professionals can do that much awareness for products, services, and better.”

brands. Before the internet, marketing was one-directional, but now, Means said there are many layers to good marketing strategies, and they are all based on building engagement with the target audience. Websites can be great for sales but they need traffic, and social media and email marketing can be great ways to increase visitors.

“People are looking to engage with fun, interesting content that offers them value,” Means said. “Sales have actually become a byproduct of this engagement.”

Digital marketing specialists have knowledge of best practices and new trends, according to Means. A business can create relationships with these specialists, setting expectations for Visit MountainCU.org for details. results and receiving data and analytics continued on next page

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business & professional services

Business service companies discover potential employer/employee matches at local job fairs.

in order to make necessary adjustments to their campaigns.

search engines like Google.”

Strategies for digital marketing can include website optimization, Google ads, email campaigns, social media targeted ads, and retargeting those who have engaged with previous content. Search engine optimization is also critical, and Means said a specialist will look at a variety of aspects including key words and phrases, how content is structured on each page, photo titles, and even the photos themselves.

Email marketing lists are highly important for businesses as well. They are a database of past customers and prospects, and Means said this is the only digital asset that businesses really own. An email list is a great target marketing method and an easy way to send follow ups, thank you notes, and event invitations. A business can easily drip content to prospects not ready to make a purchase, keeping them engaged and allowing the business to stay top of mind.

“It can be technical and time consuming, which is least suited for small business owners who don’t have the expertise,” Means said. “Once good SEO is established, the site also must be maintained, just like gardening. It will continue to need new content, photos, and overviews to make sure it all falls in line. Outsourcing this to an expert can make a big difference for things like where a website appears on

The hottest trend Means is seeing in digital marketing is automation. Smart features can retarget certain segments of email lists, and sales funnels can be set up in different CRMs so marketing paths can be directed to different groups of clients.

Specialists can help businesses prepare these types of campaigns which can increase open rates and engagement, and help lead prospects to making a purchase.

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Artificial intelligence is also a growing technology in digital marketing campaigns.

Business owners may be able to use this tool to improve the quality of written copy, create multiple ad versions for testing, choose subject lines, and more. While AI can generate a rough starting point for many types of marketing text, the product is not generally a copy-and-paste quality; it will still need to be polished to provide the necessary human touch.

“The real winning formula for digital marketing is getting the engagement that comes from emails and posting things on social media that people will enjoy,” Means said. “If businesses do more of that, they will see an uptick and more followers and create trends for people sharing their content. This creates a whole different landscape when it does come time to sell, and outsourcing or learning from specialists can create opportunities for growth.”

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

business & professional services CPA Expertise Continues to Support Businesses of All Types Certified Public Accountants have a specific set of skills and experience that many business owners do not possess, according to Wesley Jones, Managing Member at Envision Planning, LLC. Some small businesses have simple structures and may not need accounting or tax planning advice or assistance, but for those uncomfortable with their own accounting needs, a CPA can provide significant value.

The majority of CPA firms work with mostly small- to medium-sized businesses, according to Jones. Some startups or small businesses may not have the funds to hire their own full-time accounting

staff, though they need someone to help make sense of their bookkeeping and tax preparations. When businesses reach a certain size, they are often able to hire their own financial controller or CFO, but some companies still make use of a fractional CFO who regularly works with the business’s team to review and solve problems and produce reports for the business owner.

Most CPA firms are small businesses themselves, according to Jones, and understand the nuances involved in operating a small business. This can be helpful in providing services like creating a new company, obtaining an employer identification number, and starting payroll.

Businesses in every industry work with CPA firms, as do many individuals. Clients span a variety of sectors and include

doctors, builders, veterinarians, service providers, and retirees.

“I have seen an uptick of real estate agents seeking services,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of work in that area, and there’s a lot of word-of-mouth advertising. If we get an agent in one office doing business with us, they often suggest other agents on their team use that service as well.”

Though much of the work performed

by CPAs is not significantly different than at the beginning of Jones’s 20-plus year career, IRS regulations are always changing, and CPAs must keep up with those changes. In recent years, the IRS has increased its focus on cybersecurity, and CPA firms must have plans in place to protect client data and to manage a possible cybersecurity breach. continued on next page

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business & professional services CPAs are also required to participate in 40 hours of continuing education per year, two of which must focus on ethics.

The remaining 38 hours of education can focus on any aspect of increasing their professional competency, and there are many providers of education specific to this service, including the CPA Academy — an online hub of continuing professional education webinars, self-guided courses, and other resources.

Continuing education is also helpful for CPA firms offering additional services outside of tax planning. Some clients also request services like investment planning.

“I think a lot of CPAs are increasingly wanting to be business consultants or financial consultants,”Jones said. “You can do that without a financial planning degree. Some people want financial planning and some people don’t, but

it’s good to at least be able to check in with clients about different areas of their financial life.”

Many CPA firms have moved toward operating via digital portals, according to Jones. While firms still offer in-office meetings and document submission via “snail mail,” many firms place emphasis on their portals. This allows clients to review drafts, sign tax returns, and pay fees in one online location, and use of this model has grown exponentially since COVID. While most businesses are required to file their tax returns by March 15, Jones said December is the best time to do some pre-planning. A CPA may recommend making purchases for write-off purposes prior to the end of the year, and in January, many firms make recommendations to business owners regarding retirement contributions that provide personal

benefits as well as tax deductions. Firms may be able to estimate tax payments for the following year, providing an idea of necessary cash flow for the business.

“A lot of clients ask how they can pay less taxes, and working with a CPA will 99% ensure you’ll pay only what you owe,” Jones said. “Many firms have years of experience, and although there is a fee for this service, you’re paying for the experience that will ensure you pay the least amount of taxes.”

Professional Staffing Companies Ease Workforce Challenges Using a human resources and staffing business to acquire your next employee involves more than simple hiring — there are a variety of workforce solutions that can be available to businesses, according to Friday Services President William Irving.

In Q4 of 2023, many leaders were wondering what Q1 of 2024 would look like for their business. Some economists were projecting business growth, and some were predicting a rise in unemployment despite the lack of workers for the number of jobs available, according to Spherion Staffing & Recruiting Owner Molly Gaffney-Keebler.

“I don’t think there’s an industry untouched by the current staffing shortage,” GaffneyKeebler said. “If you drive through town, you’ll see Help Wanted signs everywhere.

It may be different in rural communities because there’s a smaller number of businesses, but especially in construction and manufacturing in metro areas, there’s a high need for an increased workforce.”

During COVID shutdowns, many who were approaching retirement took the opportunity, contributing to the workforce gap, according to Gaffney-Keebler.

Parents having trouble with childcare during that time either had to shift their work model or leave the workforce

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

business & professional services altogether. Companies adapting hybrid work models and/or flexible schedules have had an easier time finding good candidates to fill open positions.

Workforce solutions involve strategies to bring new employees into a company.

Hiring can include full- or part-time roles, contract positions, or temporary positions, depending on the needs of a company. A human resources business will learn the company’s nuances to help determine the best way to acquire the workforce each client needs to grow.

“People are the number one resource for any business to accomplish any task,” Irving said. “Better employees make better companies, and it’s a full-time job to have the conversations to find the right person and turn that into an opportunity for the company.”

Finding the right new employee requires an investment in time and energy. Not many business leaders are able to drop their existing task load to find the right candidate, according to Irving. Many leaders post available positions on hiring platforms such as Indeed or Monster in hopes of the right person putting in an application, but sifting through those few individuals to find the best one may not be the most successful hiring model. Most businesses will benefit from building a larger pool of candidates and evaluating their culture and skill set to determine the best fit.

“The most popular way we find employees is through referrals from people who have had a good experience with us,” Irving said. “We also do outbound recruiting and have tools that allow us to learn about people’s skills and goals. We also work through platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed because our goal is to meet as many people as possible. We’re constantly building our database because you never really know who is looking. This breaks down barriers for employers.”

Staffing services also have proprietary customer relationship management

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platforms used to search for potential employees, according to Gaffney-Keebler.

Building relationships with potential employees not only benefits immediate clients, but also creates a stockpile of candidates for a variety of companies.

“Some candidates come interested in one job, but may be better qualified for another position,” Gaffney-Keebler said.

“We look at their experience, their skill sets, and what their goals are to match them to a position and a client that is a good fit. Understanding the company culture of our clients as well as the needs and concerns of our candidates helps us to be a good matchmaker.”

With more jobs than workers available, employers can have a hard time standing out. Staffing services provide a wider breadth of opportunities without employers having to advertise and search

on their own. They have the ability to go directly into the market and recruit, and can use different strategies depending on the types of roles needing to be filled.

Different hiring models may be available to employers depending on the type of employee needed. Employers may choose to direct-hire the chosen candidate, and others may choose to have the candidates be hired by the staffing firm itself. By using the staffing firm as the employer, companies are able to avoid direct payroll, worker compensation, benefits management and eligibility, and some government reporting.

Human Resources firms may also be placed in charge of onboarding processes for their clients. With some training programs being one to two weeks long and costly for employers, outsourcing this continued on next page

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business & professional services Virtual Receptionists Jami Daniels.

Outsourcing certain tasks and roles to virtual employees allows business owners to fill gaps caused by the slim available workforce. Positions like receptionists, assistants, project managers,and a variety of other professional service positions can be virtual. In some cases, services can be offered 24 hours a day, allowing businesses to get complete coverage without having to hire the staff. The ability to work remotely in these fields is also beneficial for many workers, as working from home eliminates a variety of costs for these individuals.

“People want to work remotely, and with many frontline workers, daycare is a huge challenge,” Daniels said. “Working remotely is one less huge family expense, and less stress and aggravation than commuting to an office. Working remotely lets them enjoy benefits that haven’t always been available.”

Virtual receptionists and assistants can allow solopreneurs and micro-businesses to seem larger than they are, according to Daniels. For example, owners of trade businesses may be able to manage their sales pipeline while they are out in the field instead of adding those tasks to their endof-day list, also demonstrating a constant staff presence to their customers.

Laura Wagenknecht providing on-location consulting to clients.

process can help ensure the candidate is the right fit before being brought on directly by the company.

Most companies prefer their candidates have a positive attitude, reliability, and dependability. Some leaders like to see a good work history, longevity, and specific skill set, but Gaffney-Keebler said many employees have been reevaluating their jobs in recent years.

“People deserve the right to not know what they want to do for the rest of their lives,” Gaffney-Keebler said. “Some people are making big shifts in their career

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paths, moving into completely different industries than where they started. Others are looking for an increase in pay rates because the cost of living is increasing so rapidly. Our job is to streamline the process and get them into positions more quickly. It’s mutually beneficial for clients and candidates.”

Virtual Staff Help Close Workforce Gap A smaller workforce is leading to a larger number of businesses taking advantage of virtual staff, according to CEO of Brightbell

With fewer people visiting offices since COVID shutdowns, there is less of a need for many support staff to have a physical presence. By hiring remote workers to do virtual tasks, businesses may be able to fill more roles than hiring for each set of tasks. Having the constant ability to communicate with clients and customers also positions a business in the best light possible, adding an additional aspect of professionalism to the business.

A wide variety of administrative tasks can be handled remotely for a wide variety of businesses. Taking messages, answering questions, dispatching techs for repairs, sending appointment and event reminders, responding to emails,

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

business & professional services and more can elevate a business’s customer engagement. Some virtual assistants also offer personal concierge services, from scheduling flights to party planning.

Interacting with a person via virtual services allow businesses to feel very hightouch, according to Daniels. Customers get to interact with a human, and while not physically in-person, they can help fulfill the need for humanity in business.

“Technology has made us so far apart,” Daniels said. “Bots and FAQ web pages cannot realistically handle customers’ needs. Callers have also become more sophisticated. By the time someone is ready to make a call, they’ve already done their research and need to talk to an actual person. They don’t want to continue being blocked by walls of gatekeeping, and receptionists and assistants are helping

WNCBusiness.com

bring connections back to businesses.”

As the third-generation owner of Brightbell, which started in 1955, Daniels has seen periods of growth and shifts of receptionist needs in the region. Currently employing 30 individuals, most of whom live in WNC, they are seeing a greater interest in highvalue outbound reach.

“This is not telemarketing; this is whiteglove service,” Daniels said. “There’s been lots of growth in that arena. Another interesting thing is how voicemail slaughtered the answering service business years ago, but that’s now come full circle and no one wants to deal with voicemail anymore. People would rather just talk to someone and know their issue is being handled, and receptionists are filling that need.”

Remote services are supporting the needs

of all industries, according to Daniels.

Industries like manufacturing are already struggling to hire workers, so the fewer on-site individuals they have to search for means less for them to worry about.

People in remote positions are able to support a multitude of businesses and can scale to meet a variety of needs. The hiring challenge is nationwide and across all industries, and remote workers offering professional services can expand how much can be accomplished.

“More businesses can hire and fill their needs with fewer people,” Daniels said.

“The gap in hiring is helped by being filled with remote positions. These people don’t have to commute, and there’s no sitting around in an office waiting for things to happen. It’s a much more efficient model to fill real-life business needs with real-life human interaction.”

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it’s my job

Cheyenne Mathews Insurance Risk Advisor at ALLCHOICE Insurance

risks, she helps people discover insurance policies that match their desired budget and value, making sure all the necessary benefits are included in their policies.

Working with a communit y-facing business provides a warm working environment for ALLCHOICE Insurance Risk Advisor Cheyenne Mathews.

After graduating from Western Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing, Mathews went to work in banking with HomeTrust Bank and Equity Resources before meeting Jared Bellmund, managing partner of Hendersonville’s ALLCHOICE office.

While learning about mortgages and insurance from a banking viewpoint, Mathews got to know Bellmund and saw how he conducted business.

“I saw how he valued his character and his morals,” Mathews said. “He has a family-focused philosophy and values his employees. I also met Jack (Wingate, ALLCHOICE President and CEO), and that took it to another level. He cares a lot about his employees and wants them to be in a position to succeed in business and in life.”

Since joining the ALLCHOICE team in 2022, Mathews has worked to advise and educate people about the best way to find the right coverage for the protection they need. By identifying clients’ risks and advising how to best protect against those

36 |

Before writing a policy, Mathews does more than collect information from clients. She uses a process of comparing insurance carriers to determine which will best meet her clients’ needs, creates a spreadsheet, and makes a video to let them know all the details about each carrier’s coverage.

“We lay it all out and help people get good knowledge and have a good understanding of which coverage is best for them,” Mathews said. “It’s important to us to make sure people are set up and protected well.”

Mathews strives to relate to clients and understand their “holdups,” and understands why price is so important to so many people. Teaching people the long-term value of an upfront cost while emphasizing her sensitivity to their financial concerns can be tough, but her job is to make sure her clients will be properly taken care of if an accident happens.

To overcome this challenge, Mathews said she operates how her father raised her and conducted business — by putting herself in other people’s shoes.

“I strive to be transparent and come from a place of understanding,” Mathews said.

“I’ve talked about how to help save costs personally, and always let my clients know there are a variety of options out there that can work for them.”

Her reward for working through these challenges is hearing people express their satisfaction after she’s helped them find the right solution.

“Knowing the hours it took to prepare everything made them feel cared about feels good to hear,” Mathews said. “They know they are more than just a number, and it feels good to know I’ve helped to make finding the right insurance a stressfree situation.”

In addition to knowing her work genuinely helps her clients, another favorite aspect of Mathews’ job is the community involvement that ALLCHOICE encourages.

She said every staff member receives an allocation to help support a nonprofit or cause they are passionate about. Mathews sits on the board at Hope Coalition, and is actively involved in the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Fletcher Area Business Association, both of which encourage relationship building throughout the community.

Mathews also works as an assistant coach with the Henderson High School softball team, a nod to her own journey as a collegiate athlete playing softball for the WCU Catamounts. Her goal as a coach is to remove negative perceptions of collegiate athletics, making sure students have the mental confidence to know they are more than just athletes and they have healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and pressure that come with performance.

“I want to make sure kids know they are more than just a win for their team,” Mathews said. “It’s their impact on the world that’s important.”

— Cheyenne Mathews is a Risk Advisor at ALLCHOICE Insurance. Learn more at AllchoiceInsurance.com.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

get to know

Vistanet Telecommunications Encouraging Business Growth Via Improved Communication Systems

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

get to know “ We can help businesses with anything telecom, and it’s fun to teach people about the variety of services that can help them to reach their goals.

- Andrea Robel

In 2008, Andrea Robel, a telecom veteran, was working for the U.S. Census Bureau.

While marketing census participation for the 2010 Census in 25 counties throughout Western North Carolina, she quickly realized that many rural areas had critical connectivity needs. After attending countless city council, university, and community meetings where the need for improved communications was brought up over and over, she decided it was time to make a move and put her 40+ years of telecom experience and skills to the test. She created Vistanet Telecommunications, providing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to the region.

To ensure the company met community demand, Vistanet conducted independent studies and surveys in more than 20 counties. Robel attended community meetings and learned the real needs of area businesses. Her bottom-line goal was to bring increased Internet access to the region.

Robel initially considered fixed wireless services, then learned of Corning’s fiber offerings. She soon realized; however, that gaining necessary local investor support was challenging as fiber was not a widely available technology at the time.

WNCBusiness.com

Acknowledging the region was not ready to fully embrace fiber, Vistanet further reimagined itself. It now partners with all major carriers for fiber and coaxial internet connections in addition to its focus on providing state-of-the-art telephone service. As an FCC-registered phone company, Vistanet is now a onestop shop for a variety of internet-based telecom services.

“Because of our background and experience, we can pretty much go into any business and make recommendations on how to use these systems to their best advantage,” Robel said. “And, there are no consulting fees.”

Today, Robel is proud to say that she and her company have delivered and continue to deliver high quality competitive phone and internet service to businesses throughout NC.

Solo entrepreneurs can also benefit, as VoIP services can allow business owners to answer calls to a business number from a variety of devices including computers, tablets, and personal apps. Owners can recognize the difference between personal and business calls, keeping their personal information private while gaining security and peace of mind.

“We can custom-design business phone systems that work for any company,” Robel said. “We learn about a business and figure out what it needs and how to make it beneficial, install the system, teach owners how to use it, and train employees on how it works.”

“I know what it’s like to have a business that’s all-consuming; it’s critical to have balance and downtime,” Robel said.

“While it’s great to have your business phone ring 24/7, you want to be able to control it and know when family comes first.”

Old landlines are mostly gone, and the majority of communications now happen via VoIP. With the internet carrying phone signals, there is greater flexibility for businesses to do more over their internet connection.

With technology constantly evolving, Robel regularly attends trainings to keep up with the latest advancements. Her goal is to learn and to understand customers’ needs before they arise, and to stay upto-date on regulatory issues and FCC trainings.

Vistanet ’s ser vices are flexible so businesses are continually supported as they grow. For example, it has a call center service that provides data to businesses that shows how many calls a business is missing and then advises on how to make better use of their communications. They work together to spot patterns of when people are calling and learn how to better manage staff schedules which saves money and increases efficiency.

These analytics give businesses valuable insight into factors such as growth rate which can help with recruitment, hiring, and other strategies. Vistanet also partners with answering services, and outsourcing these tasks helps small businesses keep costs low.

Robel shared that she has seen growth in her clients’ companies following the implementation of Vistanet’s services.

One particular company saw a 20% uptick in revenue because they were no longer losing calls.

“It’s satisfying to see businesses grow and to add more staff and locations,” Robel said. “We can help businesses with anything telecom, and it’s fun to teach people about the variety of services that can help them to reach their goals. We’re not selling; we’re educating. That’s a good feeling.”

— Andrea Robel is the President and CEO of Vistanet Telecommunications. Learn more at Vistanet.co.

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industry spotlight

Healthcare

Regional healthcare systems respond to shifting community needs across WNC.

Patients have the ability to spend more time with their physician with the Direct Primary Care model.

According to Riverbird Research, the number of jobs in the healthcare industry, including the social assistance sector, decreased over a five-year span between 2018 and 2023.

The highest concentration is in Buncombe County which supports 22,128 jobs, followe d by H ender son C ount y ’s healthcare and social assistance industry which supports 7,489 jobs.

The number of jobs in the healthcare industry in an 18-county region of WNC decreased by 6% between 2018 and 2023, which did not mirror the state’s overall average jobs growth rate of 6%. The healthcare and social assistance industry supported 50,723 jobs across 3,071 payrolled business locations, earning an average annual wage of $57,128.

Direct Primary Care Models Grow in Popularity and Offer Recruitment and Retention Tools for Employees

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Direct Primary Care is a relatively new membership model for healthcare that avoids filing claims with health insurance companies. Dr. Chad Krisel at Integrative Family Medicine said all

other insurances are put in place to protect against catastrophe. As people began using health insurance for routine care and minor injuries or illnesses, the additional processes and paperwork led to healthcare practitioners requiring higher volumes of patients to earn revenue.

Krisel said according to Health Affairs, a monthly peer-reviewed healthcare journal, taking on medical insurance can cost an average of $83,000 per year per medical provider. Taking on a higher number of patients to earn enough revenue to cover those costs means doctors have less time to spend with each patient.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

“Taking insurance out of the equation allows physicians and staff to focus on face-to-face experiences with patients,” Krises said. “People should still have some kind of health insurance coverage, but a direct primary care membership model can help dramatically lower their monthly premium by allowing individuals to choose a plan with a higher deductible and less benefits. Plus, doctors don’t have to feel rushed, charting as fast as they can then sending a huge bill to their patients.”

According to Krisel, 85% of healthcare costs in the US are focused on treating devastating outcomes of treatable, reversible, and preventable conditions. A five-minute office visit with a primary care physician cannot provide enough insight and recommendations to fully evaluate lifestyle-based conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. With the third leading cause of death in the U.S. being medical errors, eliminating unnecessary procedures by implementing preventative plans to mitigate these conditions could save thousands of lives.

“By cutting out medical insurance, physician income needs are not as high,” Krisel said. “With this model, patients experience very short wait times and are able to spend 25-50 minutes with their doctor. This time allows an authentic connection, providing a deeper understanding of factors of preventable conditions.”

Several healthcare systems are beginning to implement direct primary care models into their existing services. President and CEO of Mercy Urgent Care Rachel Sossoman said offering this model in their eight clinics across five WNC counties not only provides improved access for individuals, it also provides employers the ability to offer medical benefits to employees at a reasonable cost.

Formerly working in human resources at Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation, Sossoman noticed a healthcare and benefits gap in what employers wanted

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to provide and what they could afford, especially the 70 0 -plus nonprofit organizations in the Asheville area.

“I saw that we were losing great people doing great work because organizations couldn’t offer certain benefits,” Sossoman said. “We felt like the logical next step is helping employers provide those benefits.”

Sossoman said employers’ ability to offer benefits helps with employee retention, and for nonprofits, this means more time can be spent on their services and the needs of the community. It also allows employers with a part-time workforce to decrease their high turnover rates by helping to retain those employees.

By cutting out administrative costs and paperwork as well as offering direct relationships with clinics, employers are also able to leverage offering benefits as a recruitment tool. Feedback from nonprofits and other employers has been positive, many never having the option to provide medical benefits to their staff in the past.

Since Mercy began offering its direct primary care model in October of 2022, Sossoman said employers and individuals have been signing up every day for different levels of membership.

“We’re seeing a substantial number of signups,” Sossoman said. “The growth of this program is such that it is quickly becoming a primary segment of what we do. We won’t let go of walk-in urgent care, but we are moving forward in making sure that we are fully serving all different types of populations who live in our community.”

Curated Data Collection and Support for Health-Related Organizations WNC Health Network is a 28-year-old nonprofit that supports the people and organizations supporting community health. Their focus comprises a broad continued on next page

healthcare & social assistance snapshot 53,995 Jobs in 2018 50,723 Jobs in 2023 -6% Job Growth -3,272

2018-2023 Change in Jobs

$57,128

2023 Average Annual Wage Excluding supplements

3,071

Payrolled Business Locations in 2023 The overall concentration of jobs in the 18-county region was on par with the national average.

2018-2023 job loss of 6% did not mirror the state’s gain of 6%.

Jobs By County (2023) Buncombe 22,128 Henderson 7,489 Watauga 3,829 Haywood 2,281 Rutherford 2,177 Jackson 1,933 McDowell 1,470 Polk 1,446 Transylvania 1,391 Macon 1,270 Swain 1,070 Avery 1,069 Mitchell 913 Cherokee 871 Madison 513 Yancey 410 Clay 286 Graham 178 Source: Lightcast, 2023.1

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healthcare collection cycle were identified as mental health, substance abuse, and healthy eating/active living. As a result, WNCHN created a campaign called View From Here WNC, which provides social media content and outreach to the region developed from a listening session with community leaders and healthcare professionals relevant to those topics.

“We’re seeing more people coming together to address those issues,” Braasch said. “Communities have said they need stronger messaging to disrupt the stigmas, and we are working together to generate energy around creating solutions, including letting people know what their resources are.”

Rendering of AdventHealth’s new Medical Office Building.

range of work including collecting and curating data for community health assessments, as well as supporting the facilitation, planning, and evaluation of projects, according to Executive Director Erin Braasch.

Community assessments formerly took place in individual counties, and Braasch said around 2010, hospitals and health departments decided these were better conducted as a region. WNCHN became an entity for collecting and curating data, allowing industry leaders to find information in one place rather than having to search through dozens of data resources on their own.

Industry representatives can review data to determine gaps in community healthcare needs and use that information to determine what additional offerings are needed in each area. Conducted every three years, the 2021 survey found the biggest impact on WNC’s families was COVID. WNCHN also looked into factors that may impact health, including

42 |

the ability to stay hopeful during difficult times, if people felt discriminated against in education or acquiring health care, and if they felt safe in their communities.

The data collected is used by hospital partners as well as individual and public health care organizations, public schools, and nonprofit partners around the region to determine and plan their service offerings. Data also helps organizations leverage funding as it demonstrates specific needs to funders.

“We have this regional collaborative effort for identifying the data gaps,” Braasch said. “Then hospitals fund the survey that provides the data they need to make decisions about what to try to solve in our communities. In the last data cycle, hospital partners identified wanting to understand receptivity to the telemedicine trend that was exploding during the pandemic. They’re just an example of the way partners identify data gaps that can help them with strategies.”

The top three priorities in the last data

WNCHN also provides results-based accountability training to a range of healthcare and nonprofit partners around the region. This type of training focuses on performance indicators to help organizations determine how helpful their work is for the community. It’s a standard online training offered twice a year for anyone who is interested. Braasch said community health improvement work using results based accountability is now being modeled and used by the North Carolina Department of Public Health and Human Services.

In its consulting work, WNCHN cocreates a tailored package of tools for organizations to determine specific needs and helps address them. Participants have include d organiz ations like MANNA FoodBank and Vecinos, which provides health and wellness services for the uninsured Latinx community.

Consulting work has also supported a variety of collaboratives including local governments, first responders, and school systems addressing substance abuse issues.

Braasch said WNCHN is a very accessible small team, and anyone interested is welcome to reach out to learn more. The organization is always looking for business leaders who may have an interest in

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

healthcare serving on its board of directors. Leaders do not have to be in metro areas, as their regional footprint encourages participants from rural areas of the region.

“We’re more than a provider of health data, we collect a variety of health-related data,” Braasch said. “The data might be of interest for people needing to know about population composition, housing, transportation, and other things business people think about when they’re thinking about growth or recruitment. The data could be very helpful for them as well.”

Addressing WNC’s Mental Health Concerns Celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2025, WNC’s National Alliance on Mental Illness is one of more than 700 affiliates across the country. This Alliance largely consists of family members who advocate,

support, and care for those living with mental illness.

NAMI model to expand the support for mental health care in the area.

There are NAMI affiliates in every state in the US. North Carolina is home to 20, including WNC and South Mountains, which cover about 60 counties of the state.

“Mental illness consists of a wide spectrum and variety of diagnoses,” NAMI Executive Director Robin Payne said. “It used to be a shameful thing to talk about, but this is a place with no shame or stigma. We are building relationships with these patients and creating huge advocacy and research arms in order to help.”

While some other affiliates have large networks and many staff, NAMI WNC is led mostly by volunteers, and had been entirely so until recently. Now, the organization has one full time executive director and two employees facilitating programming. They plan to add staff in order to expand programs and serve more patients.

The group’s more than 100 active volunteer members are seeing an increase in the need for support as more people feel comfortable coming forward with their issues, so they are building on the national

About 500 individuals annually engage with NAMI through various programming including support groups and educational events. Originally funded with one bequest, the organization is working on cash flow projections to learn where to look to raise funds.

“We haven’t sought funds in a while,” Payne said. “While memberships run continued on next page

When your impulse is always to help,

Learn more at itshows.com WNCBusiness.com

| 43

healthcare “We are at a crisis point of having enough mental health providers to serve everyone who needs help,” Payne said. “We have several agencies in the area, but position vacancies exist in all of them. It’s not an easy field to work in, especially for those on the front lines, and there are only so many resources to go around.”

Unique Offerings and Challenges of Operating a Rural Hospital

St Luke’s Orthopedic in Columbus.

between $5 and $60, we will be working with local organizations and corporations and applying for grants to gain the capital needed to provide more services, and potentially looking to generate our own revenue through additional programming.”

In addition to support groups, workshops, and educational programs, NAMI works with several mental health providers in the region including October Road, SeekHealing, and Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, according to Payne. These partners help make up the web of Vaya Health — a local management entity that funnels Medicaid funds to providers.

There are also peer connections within the organization that help patients transitioning out of long-term mental health care facilities like Copestone and Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center.

“Many patients come right to us when they leave those types of facilities,” Payne said. “This demonstrates the considerable need for organizations like ours within the community.”

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Some of NAMI’s members are active in lobbying for community inclusion, funding for patients transitioning out of mental health facilities, insurance coverage, and additional avenues of local support.

With NAMI board members working at Vaya and some sitting on Buncombe County Health Justice Collaborative, members bring information on patterns and needs within the mental health space.

They are noticing more mental health mentions across a variety of media outlets and seeing the numbers of support groups growing large enough to split into two, which Payne said is an indicator that more people are feeling comfortable reaching out regarding mental health needs.

One trend NAMI has noticed is an increase in major mental health diagnoses in younger age groups. The numbers of schizoaffective or bipolar disorder diagnoses among individuals 18 to 22 years old is growing, and anxiety and depression have increased among youth since the pandemic.

Payne said this is encouraging the growth of more agencies focusing on the trifecta of mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness.

St. Luke’s Hospital is a locally- and independently-owned Critical Access Hospital, which CEO Michelle Fortune said is crucial for the many rural residents in Polk County. There are numerous specialty practices including those focused on cancer, orthopedics, behavioral health for seniors, and two rural health clinics for family health that operate on a sliding scale.

“St. Luke’s consists of a lot of things outside of the main hospital,” Fortune said. “About 65% to 70% of our business is outpatient work, so we take care of a lot of people outside of the hospital.”

Within the rural health clinics, there are embedded specialty care practitioners like a surgeon and a cardiologist that work in the clinic two days per week, which Fortune said is crucial for patients of lower income that often see barriers to specialty care.

As a nonprofit, revenues go back into the organization to fund facility updates and to help others afford certain services. St. Luke’s does a lot of work with philanthropic organizations to gain grants, and the NC Office of Rural Health helped to identify a grant allowing the cardiology program launch. Other funding comes from fundraisers and donations from generous community members.

The Critical Access Hospital designation is a federal government designation that gives some funds back to St. Luke’s on their annual cost report for the Medicare patients cared for in their facilities.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

healthcare “That’s what keeps hospitals like ours able to care for the community,” Fortune said. “It’s probably the biggest help for us to stay open.”

Unique services are provided due to the CAH designation. There are “swing beds” - 25 inpatient beds can be used for skilled nursing care or inpatient admission. This allows for all-hours services and stronger outcomes, resulting in shorter stays for many patients.

Not only does the CAH designation assist with funding and allow for flexibility within the facility, it really highlights how important this location is to the community. With mountainous terrain in a rural county, it can take some residents 25 to 30 minutes or more to get to the next available hospital, and that could take much longer in the winter, according to Fortune. “This can mean the difference in life and death for those folks,” she said.

of devices to accommodate patients’ needs.

“We have to have creativity,” Fortune said.

“There’s nothing ‘cookie-cutter’ about trying to serve patients in a rural area.”

One creative solution has been to host a men’s health clinic combined with a car show. There are offerings including lab draws, skin cancer screenings, and blood pressure checks, and Fortune said this helps encourage people to actually show up for the preventative and diagnostic services that are important for their wellbeing.

“We are also investing time, money, and resources to do more preventative work to keep people healthy,” Fortune said. “There is a high rate of prevention related to things like cancer screenings and coronary tests. I know that sounds strange because some wonder how we’ll

stay open as a hospital if we keep people well — if we ended up working ourselves to not needing inpatient beds, then great.

We’ll have a whole different focus. Our goal is to keep people healthy.”

HCA Healthcare’s Investments in Mission Hospital Create New Services and New Jobs February 2024 will mark five years since HCA Healthcare purchased Mission Health. During that transaction, HCA committed to invest $238 million in capital investments within the first five years, but according to President of HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division Greg Lowe, the commitment was met within four years.

The for-profit status of the hospital has a direct impact on property taxes earned continued on next page

Because of the rural location, Fortune said there is a common misconception that the providers are not as good as those in metropolitan areas. Providers at St. Luke’s have trained at esteemed universities like Johns Hopkins and served on presidential panels for research and other nationallyled programs, and are now serving the rural communities in Polk County.

Staffing for entry-level positions can be challenging outside of metropolitan areas, according to Fortune. Housing prices are still costly like the rest of the WNC region, and there are no apartment complexes, so affordable options are limited for younger professionals. The retention level is high at St. Lukes, and Fortune believes programs with local high schools will get people interested in serving their own community and encourage them to stay local instead of relocating to urban areas.

Telehealth visits can be challenging due to limited Wi-Fi availability in the county.

Some local clinics allow patients to use space to conduct Telehealth visits with other providers, and St. Luke’s has to design these offerings to work on all types

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healthcare still needing care, was a $16 million investment. CarePartners’ Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly was doubled to expand services to McDowell and Transylvania Counties, adding caregivers, therapists, and other staff to provide care.

• The pediatric emergency department required a $3.5 million investment in order to designate the area and hire trained emergency medicine physicians who specialize in pediatrics.

Patients are now able to receive severe burn treatment locally at Mission Hospital’s new Burn & Wound Center.

by counties in which HCA/Mission has a presence, allowing more communities to see more revenue for public needs, according to Lowe.

• M ission Hospital McDowell, a $20 million investment in Marion, added 20 new rooms with the construction of an additional wing.

“We pay about $60 million per year in taxes,” Lowe said. “We’re probably the biggest funder of EMS services, public schools, and local government through our taxes, and that’s not just in Buncombe County. It’s in McDowell County, Jackson County, and Macon County; anywhere we own property, we’re paying property taxes.”

• The Mission Burn and Wound Center, a $7 million investment, provides care for burns that previously required patients to travel out of town.

Several renovations and expansions have occurred as part of HCA’s investment commitment: • The Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center added 38 beds to Mission’s mental health practice, a $65 million investment. During a two-year construction period, between 50 to 150 contractors were needed to work onsite daily. Many came from out of town and used local hotels and restaurants, which supported the local economy during the project. This facility also added 50 new jobs from kitchen staff to psychiatry residents.

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• The Angel Medical Center in Franklin was a $68 million investment, and an additional $7 million helicopter was purchased and a hangar constructed next to the hospital which allows rural patients rapid emergency response even during inclement weather.

• The creation of an OBED department for laboring mothers allows them to receive specialty treatment without having to be sent to the regular emergency room.

Combined with the mother and baby tower renovations, it was a $16 million investment Lowe said provides a whole new experience for new mothers.

• Upgrading and expanding facilities at CarePartners, a rehabilitation facility for those discharged from the hospital

“Investments in arising new technologies also happen all the time,” Lowe said.

“Some of these machines cost $80,000.

They’re not on a multi-million dollar list, but we’re investing in that kind of stuff all day long. It puts the technology, equipment, and resources into the hands of the experts so they can provide better and safer patient care. That’s what we want to do.”

In addition to upgrading and expanding facilities and equipment, more staff are required to fill the new spaces. Surgeons and doctors are being recruited to fill the available jobs, and more providers are being placed in rural areas to tend to patients’ issues that would otherwise require travel to Asheville.

MAHEC is the sponsoring institution for HCA’s residents, and HCA pays MAHEC to train residents and hopes to keep those physicians employed locally.

Having enough nurses and technicians is also necessary to address the increasing healthcare needs of the region, so HCA opened Galen College of Nursing in Biltmore Park in an effort to help meet that need.

“We said that not only are we going to open our own nursing school to add additional spots right here to train nurses,” Lowe said. “We also financially supported A-B Tech, Blue Ridge Community College, and Western Carolina University in funding the addition of faculty in their schools so they maintain student-teacher ratios while

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

healthcare increasing their student body of nurses.”

The Land of Sky P20 Council comprises industr y leaders and academic superintendents from local institutions who join forces to tackle workforce development issues. Serving as Chair, Lowe said an increasing number of programs are being developed to address the future of the workforce, and there are always team members on the board helping to support that demand.

“All of HCA’s investments are funded by our profits,” Lowe said. “It’s the right thing to do for the community, for the services, and for the creation of jobs and the economic impact. To be a part of all that is incredible, and it all goes back to our mission statement of above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.”

Expanding Access to Care Also Expands Diversity in the Community North Carolina determined a need for 67 additional acute care beds to meet the needs of Buncombe, Graham, Madison, and Yancey Counties from a health needs assessment in 2022. To meet those needs, AdventHealth is planning to add a new location, according to AdventHealth’s Communication and PR Director Victoria Dunkle.

Seeing an increase in the number of patients and providers saying they want more access to whole-person care, Dunkle said AdventHealth had already been thinking about how to meet that request.

“When we found out about the State’s need, we put together an application, and

we were honored that the State had said yes to us,” Dunkle said. “We take that trust very seriously.”

The new location must provide easy access for patients, avoiding congestion of the downtown Asheville area. AdventHealth had considered a property in the Candler area, but after due diligence, realized that property would not meet the needs of the hospital.

“We’re keeping the outlined service areas at the forefront of the placement decision,” Dunkle said. “There are lots of parameters and aspects to weigh in, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people reaching out for services in Henderson County as well as surrounding counties with additional centers to expand our service area.” continued on next page

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healthcare The approved application for the $50 million project allows the nonprofit to reinvest its revenue in the community and includes a medical surgical unit, labor and delivery with The Baby Place, and an intensive care unit. Dunkle said available services will be similar to those of AdventHealth Hendersonville’s location which includes cardio-thoracic, OBGYN, ophthalmology, oral and dental surgery, ENT, podiatry, urology, a 12room emergency department, dedicated C-section rooms, and more.

healthcare in the region. Having received several accolades from multiple national publications as a positive place to work, Dunkle said individuals will likely be eager to fill positions created by this addition.

“We’re a community hospital that will meet what the state said is needed, as well as meet the growing demand for more service options closer to where people live,” Dunkle said.

AdventHealth also broke ground on Hendersonville’s new Medical Office Building in October 2023. Dunkle said 2024 will be a big year for growing the hospital’s family of providers and growing access for the community in both Buncombe and Henderson counties.

With the addition of so many services, there is an opportunity for many people to begin or continue their careers in

needed to staf f the new facilities, AdventHealth works to grow relationships with students at local community colleges.

Nursing, residency, clinical, and certified medical assistant programs help bring awareness of opportunities to students, and training programs allow individuals to apply for a position and earn wages during training periods.

“Our whole-person care philosophy extends to our team members,” Dunkle said. “Entry-level workers can begin their career path having benefits. We are also seeing a lot of engagement from team members who make people feel included and like they are a part of a family, and the word is getting out.”

There is also a recruitment program for upper level positions, and Dunkle said doctors are expressing interest in becoming part of the AdventHealth team.

“We want the best physicians here in our community,” Dunkle said. “The potential influx of new physicians blending with those awaiting their next career move creates an amazing team. Those bringing their families and relocating here adds vibrance and diversity to our community; just another plus to our expansion.”

To help supply the additional workforce

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

Healthcare WNC’s

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Learn more about our nursing pathways:

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Practical Nursing

it’s my job

Marilyn Morrison

Licensed Practical Nurse at City of Asheville Employee Health Services moves and help each other out as needed, which keeps it a low-stress environment.

Whether we are busy or not, the clinic always runs smoothly.”

City of Asheville Employee Health Services is a specialized clinic serving city employees including firefighters, police officers, sanitation drivers, various trades specialists, those in public works, and more. Physicians at the clinic can serve as primary care doctors for city employees. The staff also perform annual occupational health physicals for city staff members, and can serve as a walk-in clinic for urgent care needs if someone gets sick or hurt at work.

A licensed practical nurse for more than 25 years, Marilyn Morrison has found joy in her current job at City of Asheville Employee Health Services.

Morrison’s nursing career has spanned several types of facilities. She worked in pediatrics for 15 years, spent several years working in a senior living facility, and recently worked as a nurse for a county jail.

Within the jail setting, Morrison was witness to a lot of mental illness and drug detox episodes. She was once attacked by an inmate, and was eager to return to an office clinic environment. In 2022, a new team took over the practice at City of Asheville Employee Health Services, and Morrison was happy to join.

“I really like that it’s a small practice,” Morrison said. “We all started together at the same time and have gotten to know each other really well. We are able to anticipate each other’s moods and

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As the clinic has a smaller number of patients than some other practices, Morrison is able to get patients in and out quickly while handling a variety of tasks herself. Her regular responsibilities include checking patients in and out, completing their paperwork, checking vital signs, checking hearing and vision, collecting samples for bloodwork, and more. Since all City employees use the same insurance, she doesn’t have to file insurance or process any claims.

Morrison said she enjoys the predictability of her job. When there is a new class of academy graduates, each of them comes to the clinic for their physicals. Being clustered in this way creates an easy preparation process for her, though she said there are surprises from time to time.

“One patient had fallen into a manhole in a street and was pretty banged up,” Morrison said. “There are sometimes minor cuts or other injuries that require minor stitching, but much more than that will require a visit to the emergency room.”

After 25 years as a nurse, Morrison is happy to work at a practice offering that predictability, a lower number of daily patients to care for, and a regular schedule.

She enjoys not having to be in a hurry and having conversations with her patients.

“Working with the City, I knew I would have better hours,” Morrison said. “It’s a regular Monday through Friday schedule with half days on Fridays. It’s also pretty low-key, more so than pediatrics. Those clinics have so many patients, it would sometimes feel overwhelming. Here, I usually see between five and 10 patients per day, and it’s nice to get to know the people representing our city.”

As she begins to think about retirement in the future, Morrison said she would enjoy taking more summers to work at summer camps for kids. She has done this four summers in the past, and two years ago spent two months at a girls camp in Maine with five other nurses.

“It was really fun,” Morrison said. “We saw the girls if they got sick or hurt, and had every Sunday off to explore the area.

When I retire, I’ll do that every summer.”

For now, Morrison is thrilled with her job as an LPN at Asheville’s employee occupational clinic.

“I’ve met some really great people and enjoy working with my team,” Morrison said. “I live in Haywood County but love to get into the bigger city. I truly love the atmosphere it provides.”

— Marilyn Morrison is a licensed practical nurse at City of Asheville Health Services. Learn more about City of Asheville Health Services at MarathonHealth.com.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

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get to know

Senior Oral-health Services Dental Care Services Improve Quality of Life for Senior Living Community Residents

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

get to know “ It’s a way to make a real difference, and our goal and passion is to improve and enrich the quality of life for everyone in their family.”

- AnnMarie Miller

In 2017, AnnMarie Miller and two other dental hygienists came together to start a unique healthcare business — Senior Oral-health Services.

Senior Oral-health Services advocates for the elderly and strives to bridge the gap in their regular dental hygiene regimen.

Hygienists at S.O.S. visit patients residing in hospice or nursing facilities, providing weekly preventative above-the-gum cleanings which remove plaque and bacteria from teeth and gums.

The idea for the business came to Miller during one of her continuing education classes. She became increasingly aware of the huge gap in oral care for elderly nursing home residents and wanted to do something about it. Many individuals in this population need assistance with tasks of daily living including basic oral hygiene, many are unable to travel to a dental office, and many caregivers aren’t trained to notice issues that may come up inside someone’s mouth.

Without regular dental hygiene, patients can be at increased risk for cavities, decay, and broken teeth, all of which can lead to systemic issues if not treated. If unfavorable conditions persist, patients are at an increased risk for aspiration of bacteria, heart issues from inflamed gums, and diabetes and high blood sugar.

Studies have even shown there is a higher risk of dementia when gum disease is present.

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“We’re the only service provider in the region that helps patients in nursing facilities with weekly dental hygiene,” Miller said. “Many individuals in this population may not be able to brush and floss; they may not have the dexterity to do that. We act as the middle person between them and their dentist and can catch problems very quickly. This helps them continue eating and chewing comfortably, helps with the way they smell, and helps with the way their mouth feels. It improves their quality of life.”

Senior Oral-health Services has grown from its three founders to a team of nine hygienists. Hygienists with S.O.S. visit patients in 16 facilities across Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties, and the number of patients they see at each facility varies from one to 20 or more.

Their business model allows each hygienist to decide their own schedule and how many patients they’d like to see; some work full time with S.O.S. and others use this position to supplement other income. Each team member receives specialized training for engaging with dementia patients as well as a caregiver certification through the American Caregiver Association, and they see the same patients every week to maintain consistency and increase the level of comfort for the patients.

“This is a population that has very special needs, and the work is not for everyone,” Miller said. “It’s a very fulfilling position, though, and our team members know they are making a difference. Everyone who has started with us has stayed with us, and it’s a great way for them to give back.”

Services are currently available via private contracts with the patient and/or their families, and Miller said their goal is to offer full-facility contracts to offer care to all residents.

with a couple of nonprofits in the area, and are working on grants that would allow us to offer our services to more people.”

Working with Venture Asheville has helped with the business aspects of growing S.O.S., according to Miller. As the three founders are clinicians without business degrees, learning with Bill Phoenix and Jeff Kaplan has helped with business decisions, marketing, sales, and finance.

“It’s been great to have a strong team of mentors to troubleshoot with and gain good feedback from,” Miller said. “We often get caught up in day-to-day things to handle, and it’s good to step back and consider the growth of the company and what systems can be improved so we’re ready when the growth happens.”

Feedback from facilities has been positive, according to Miller. The hygienist is essentially an additional person on a patient’s care team with no extra cost to the facility, and the hands-on regular care can dramatically improve the quality of life of their patients.

Patients’ families are kept in the loop with weekly treatment sheets and photos, and say they enjoy the added peace of mind the service provides.

“It’s an opportunity outside of the dental hygiene world that we know,” Miller said.

“It’s a way to make a real difference, and our goal and passion is to improve and enrich the quality of life for everyone in their family.”

— Senior Oral-Health Services offers weekly cleanings to supplement biannual dental care appointments for residents of senior living communities.

Learn more at SOSAvl.com.

“We are trying to figure out how to acquire funding to offer services to everyone in each facility,” Miller said. “We’ve spoken

| 53

industry spotlight

Real Estate & Construction

An increase of WNC residents combined with increasing interest rates creates shifts and challenges in the real estate and construction industries.

Commercial Construction project at WCU_s Lower Campus Residence Halls.

According to Riverbird Research, the number of jobs in both the real estate and construction industries in an 18-county region of WNC increased over a five-year span between 2018 and 2023.

In real estate, the 2018-2023 jobs growth rate of 45% was notably greater than that of the state’s overall growth rate of 24%, supporting the employment of 4,222 individuals across 1,619 payrolled business locations earning an average annual wage of $49,587.

The real estate industry in Buncombe County supported 1,845 of those jobs in 2023, followed by Watauga County’s real estate businesses which supported 720 of those jobs.

54 |

In construction, the 2018-2023 jobs growth rate of 14% was on par with that of the state’s, supporting employment of 18,671 individuals across 3,569 payrolled business locations earning an average annual wage of $55,084.

The construction industry in Buncombe County supported 6,955 of those jobs in 2023, followed by Henderson County’s construction businesses which supported 2,502 of those jobs.

Residential Housing Market Trends Shifting in WNC Based on data from September 2023, the regional housing market has seen prices level somewhat, primarily in Buncombe

and Henderson Counties, and that trend should continue through the first quarter of 2024, according to the Regional Vice President for NC Realtors Dave Noyes.

The median residential single family home price has increased by 8.6% year over year, and is up 21% since 2001. Often learning of WNC by hearing about Asheville, Buncombe County is typically more popular, according to Noyes; however, many of those relocating to the area get “sticker shock” and begin looking in outlying areas.

Sellers around the region were receiving about 98% of asking prices at the end of summer 2023, and moving into Fall, they were typically receiving 100% of

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

their asking price. Within the last year, the market has seen a slight increase in inventory, up by 4.3% in Henderson County and 4.1% in Buncombe County.

The number of days houses spent on the market increased from five days in June to seven days in October — a significant relative increase.

“It’s interesting to look back over recent months,” Noyes said. “Some houses are still sitting because of their condition or location in places like under power lines or next to train tracks, but prices are still higher.”

While Noyes said national news platforms may indicate housing prices are dropping, he doesn’t anticipate that happening in WNC, although value appreciation may slow. When housing prices dropped in 2008, people were overextended on their loans. With the current shift, there are trillions of dollars in home equity around the country, so a significant crash is not expected.

“With this equity trend, we are seeing many people selling homes in one area and using their equity to pay cash for another home in another area,” Noyes said. “This can lead to a significant increase to their household budget. They can take that money and put it toward retirement or other lifestyle purchases they’d like to make. It’s enough to change someone’s life.”

Buyers in the market have seen an increase in interest rates over the last year, reaching about 8% in early October.

Noyes said this rate almost doubles the payment on a $350,000 home compared to loans available in 2020. The higher interest rates drove many buyers requiring loans out of the market, but Noyes said he is seeing them slowly return. The added cost of interest; however, has lowered buyer budgets, slowing appreciation on available properties.

For real estate agents, these market shifts are changing the way they run their business. Agents who have begun their

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real estate careers since 2020 are having to learn new skills, and experienced agents are having to return to older patterns and strategies for conducting business.

“Open houses are returning, and more agents are going back to advertising and marketing campaigns,” Noyes said.

“Many are taking advantage of internet marketing, and some are returning to knocking on doors which leads to success because of building their sphere and knowing the neighbors. These lessons will produce more professional and wellrounded brokers.”

Homeowners with short-term rental businesses like VRBO or AirBnb are seeing lower returns with similar numbers of bookings. The operating costs of their rentals are increasing, thereby reducing profits. Noyes said with many owners seeing 20% to 25% increases in their home values, now may be a good time to sell.

Noyes said the National Association of Realtors’ Chief Economist Lawrence Yun predicts fewer short-term rental bookings, and with only a 2.5 months’ supply of inventory despite more homes coming to market, another possibility for STR owners is converting to long-term rental models.

“The market needs more houses for sale,” Noyes said. “There is also a demand for long-term rentals. Lots of newcomers to the area are renting at first to get a lay of the land, and they are paying a premium to rent. The cash flow for the homeowner is less than a short-term rental, but the tenants are also assuming more responsibility.”

With higher prices and lower inventory, Noyes said those originally looking to purchase a home in Asheville or Hendersonville may end up buying in outlying areas that are a little less expensive and less crowded. Current legislation may help too, according to Noyes, expanding circumstances under which multiple units may be built on one property. continued on next page

real estate snapshot 2,921 Jobs in 2018 4,222 Jobs in 2023 45% Job Growth 1,301

2018-2023 Change in Jobs

$49,587

2023 Average Annual Wage Excluding supplements

1,619

Payrolled Business Locations in 2023 The overall concentration of jobs in the 18-county region was on par with the national average.

2018-2023 employment growth rate of 45% was notably greater compared to the state’s 24%.

Jobs By County (2023) Buncombe 1,845 Watauga 720 Henderson 396 Jackson 228 Haywood 189 Macon 164 Transylvania 138 Rutherford 127 Swain 99 Avery 84 Cherokee 77 McDowell 61 Polk 30 Madison 25 Yancey 16 Mitchell 11 Clay 6 Graham 6 Source: Lightcast, 2023.1

| 55

construction snapshot 16,332 Jobs in 2018 18,671 Jobs in 2023 14% Job Growth 2,339

2018-2023 Change in Jobs

$55,084

2023 Average Annual Wage Excluding supplements

3,569

Payrolled Business Locations in 2023

The overall concentration of jobs in the 18-county region was on par with the national average.

2018-2023 employment growth rate of 14% was on par with the state’s 14%

Jobs By County (2023) Buncombe 6,955 Henderson 2,502 Rutherford 1,202 Watauga 1,068 Macon 1,056 Haywood 947 Transylvania 754 Jackson 725 McDowell 621 Avery 612 Cherokee 435 Graham 347 Yancey 336 Madison 274 Polk 269 Mitchell 207 Clay 192 Swain 169 Source: Lightcast, 2023.1 56 |

real estate & construction “When it comes to affordable housing or workforce housing, multiple buildings or spaces on one property would go a long way toward filling the affordability gap,” Noyes said. “It’s important to get workforce housing built.”

Inflation of Product and Labor Costs Creates Challenges in the Construction Industry The exponential growth of the WNC region maintains the area’s residential construction industry, according to Grove Manor Flooring Co-owner Sarah Cosgrove. While current residents haven’t been as eager to build new homes, Cosgrove has seen an increase in additions to and remodels of existing homes.

Cosgrove said many contractors are still booked for services a month out, less time than contractors had booked one year ago. Those using a subcontractor model may be more cost effective but less predictable with their availability timelines. Those hiring direct employees have a higher overhead, as it is becoming more expensive to pay living wages and offer health benefits.

“Quality and predictability means keeping quality employees and taking care of them,” Cosgrove said. “It is harder to run a business with this model, and sometimes we do lose jobs because of cost for this reason.”

Other cost factors for companies with this model include maintaining showrooms, owning their own equipment, and marketing campaigns.

The biggest challenge for contractors is finding staff who can afford to live in the area despite earning living wages, and Cosgrove said this applies across the region, not just in Buncombe County. The workforce as a whole needs to be paid well and have some sort of benefits, but for those wanting to build their contracting business, this can be a challenge.

“Gas prices and reliable transportation may become prohibitive for how far away people have to live to find affordable housing,” Cosgrove said. “We see a lot of people working here that live in Greenville, SC, and that’s a huge commute for a fourday project. It gets complicated to hire good folks who want to work.”

Cosgrove said major growth in housing will likely happen soon in areas like Transylvania and Madison Counties, or in outlying Henderson County communities like Edneyville. In many rural areas, there is a fine line between maintaining the availability of farmland and needing to increase the amount of available housing.

“We are at a housing crisis at this point,” Cosgrove said. “We need more that is affordable, and that doesn’t mean Section 8. We need housing that police, nurses, and teachers can afford, and right now we don’t have enough. We need to see a change in available housing for everyone, even with inflation, without taking shortcuts, and we’ll see that in more rural areas of these counties, not just in Asheville and Hendersonville.”

The lack of housing affects the workforce, and according to Cosgrove, if people can’t afford to live in WNC, they can’t come to WNC to work. The irony is that the people needed to meet the construction industry’s demand for either affordable or custom luxury homes are not able to afford the cost of building a home of their own.

In addition to the cost of the workforce, the cost of materials in general is also higher. A popular trend in Asheville and Hendersonville is to use sustainable reclaimed lumber, but that happens to be the most expensive product to put on a floor. White oak is becoming more popular than red oak, though inflation is affecting the cost of those quality materials.

“We are seeing people choosing to use more economic materials as they want to get more bang for their buck,” Cosgrove said. “Our wheelhouse is hardwoods, but more people are choosing materials like

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

real estate & construction luxury vinyl because of cost. People are being more cautious with their spending.”

After seeing price increases between 2020 and 2022 due to COVID impacts on lumber mills and vendors, the cost of subfloor materials is leveling out as there are fewer material shortages now than in recent years. Contractors working in painting, roofing, and other portions of the residential construction industry are also seeing prices leveling out, but Cosgrove said prices are not going down.

Serving on the Government Affairs Committee for the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Cosgrove said the team is working to keep additional unnecessary regulations off builders’ plates in order to keep costs down for homeowners.

Everything a builder has to pay for increases the price of the home, according to Cosgrove. Regulations on aspects of homebuilding including electrical and insulation work can lead to added costs, and the Builders Association is working so these don’t have to be passed on to the homebuyer.

“I’m really excited to know so many builders and developers in our region have sustainability, affordability, quality, and ethics at the core of their mission,” Cosgrove said. “Partnering with people thinking about more than the final dollar feels good, and that’s one thing I love about this region. It means a whole lot to be part of an organization that stays up on trends and ways to protect the homeowner. They think about the things that really matter.”

WNC’s Business Growth Creating Shortages in Available Commercial Spaces Nationwide, commercial real estate is trending toward increased remote and hybrid working environments, leading to large numbers of office vacancies. In some markets, commercial spaces are transitioning to the residential market.

With so many individuals relocating to and/or starting businesses in WNC, those trends are not happening in Asheville, according to Jessica Auge, Commercial Broker at Carla & Company.

Despite a strong remote work culture, vacancies are low in all commercial space types, and Auge said demand is still high.

While the number of large businesses occupying one large space is decreasing, there is an increase of multiple small businesses occupying similarly-sized spaces.

Demand for medical office spaces has increased as large medical systems are expanding in Buncombe County.

In Henderson County, much of the commercial real estate growth is a result of the County’s focus on developer-friendly economic development and attracting large companies.

“Because the Asheville area is an attractive place to live, work, and play, large businesses are giving the area a strong look when considering expansions,” Auge said. “Often, they end up having to look elsewhere because we don’t have the inventory and prices are still high.

The cost of dirt is so high, it’s difficult for developers to build and make a profit.

Physical infrastructure is limited as well.” continued on next page

Commercial real estate space in Battery Park.

WNCBusiness.com

| 57

real estate & construction The retail market is not seeing levels of vacancies that exist in other metro areas.

During COVID shutdowns, there was not a large exodus of retail business leaving downtown and other large shopping areas around WNC. Many existing retail businesses are still in place, and Auge said a community that loves to support local helped keep these small businesses running.

For industrial and flex-industrial real estate spaces, the demand is also very strong in the area. Auge said that sector is seeing more growth and more construction.

“As soon as they build it, they fill it up,” Auge said. “Local businesses are growing exponentially, and that’s really great for the area. We desperately need more small flex-industrial space because of the strong business community, and there’s not enough space for everyone.”

Auge said the region’s topography, geography, and geology can be a challenge for building industrial spaces. Large, flat tracts of land are more difficult to find outside of Asheville and Hendersonville, and she is seeing more demand for areas like Weaverville and Mars Hill.

“We get calls all the time from clients looking for small office/warehouse space with dock-door access, and it just doesn’t exist,” Auge said. “A lot of our time as commercial brokers includes educating clients on what is here and what is possible in the region. We strive to provide realistic expectations rather than just what people want to hear.”

While some business owners seem fixated on a certain area, according to Auge, Marion, Old Fort, and McDowell County are becoming more attractive commercial markets. The cost of land and rental prices are lower, residential real estate costs are less, and there is available infrastructure and flat land that doesn’t exist in Buncombe or Henderson Counties. Though there may be more commercial space availability in outlying areas, distance can come with its own

58 |

challenges, and many businesses want to be as close to downtown Asheville as possible.

Interest rates are also creating challenges for businesses looking for space. Auge said commercial interest rates are often higher than residential rates, and owner-occupied investments are more challenging, which can make it difficult for business owners to acquire lending.

Interest rates that may have been 5.5% to 6% in 2022 rose to 7% to 9% near the end of 2023, and 10% rates exist in some cases including with those seeking SBA loans.

“Business owners have a need, and time is money,” Auge said. “It can be scary for many, but they have to jump on an opportunity when they can and hope their interest rates go down so they can refinance at a later date. They are making concessions in other areas to make up for it because if they don’t take the opportunities, it can delay the growth of their business.”

New Resident Influx Expands Need of Support Services Commercial construction is an industry impac ted by all sec tors as WNC communities continue to grow. Sector trends directly impact the types of projects prominent in commercial construction, and Vannoy Construction’s Vice President Brian Walker said he is seeing growth in the number of projects within the education and municipality sectors, and healthcare sector projects are staying strong as well.

Supply chain issues that created struggles in recent years are starting to level out across the country, according to Walker, and the workforce shortage is still present, but getting better. In Q1 of 2024, Walker hopes to see continued improvements and pricing become more competitive.

Western North Carolina is an insulated region as it has been a desirable place to live before, during, and after the issues that came along with COVID. With an

increasing population comes an increased need for support sectors like education, healthcare, and hospitality, which all create a demand for more commercial construction.

“This creates a larger influx of work per capita here compared to other markets,” Walker said. “Not only are more new buildings being planned; there are a lot of expansions happening in the area as well.

Colleges and universities are continuing to grow, and there’s more funding for growing school systems in rural areas like in Transylvania, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties and beyond.”

While the recent state budget will funnel money into public projects, Walker said private sector construction may slow down as lending tightens up and higher interest rates make it more difficult for developers to finance their projects.

The growth rate of certain sectors may decrease, though the Asheville region may not see as much of a slow-down as other areas.

Since the planning portion of commercial construction projects take years, many developers are reconsidering new projects.

“Budgets have to include the new cost of borrowing money,” Walker said.

“After a long period of site selection, programming, and design that all takes months or years before a shovel is ever put in the ground, by the time the project is ready to go, banks may have become more cautious and the financial viability of the project may be questioned.”

Developers may have to get creative with financing options, according to Walker.

Some are entertaining other potential financing options including private investments, as private equity sources may be more flexible.

F or busine s s e s c onside ring new construction projects, Walker recommends working with experienced, professional continued on page 60

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

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real estate & construction

Area of concentrated industrial real estate on Hendersonville Road.

companies that are aware of the entire process — from conception to close and beyond. As the market changes, he said it’s good to have professionals that can keep a lookout for shortfalls throughout the process and guide the business accordingly.

Commercial construction companies are also challenged with staying nimble when facing future uncertainty. While many could hire more workers, Walker said Vannoy is hesitant to over-hire due to concern about market conditions six to 12 months from now.

“When we hire, we want folks to have a career they can retire from,” Walker said. “We’re focused on longevity and are sensitive to the individuals that work for us. We’d prefer to turn away work in order to maintain good certainty about our employees’ future and ensure we maintain our high level of quality and service.”

While many talented individuals work in the construction industry now and

60 |

predicting future shifts in the market is difficult, Walker said it is a good thing that the local education community is supportive in growing the construction workforce.

“We’re seeing K-12 programs expose more kids to our industry along with higher education institutions,” Walker said. “Schools on this side of the state are getting approved for funding to expand engineering and construction management programs, which will be tremendous for our community in WNC. Hopefully the students will stay here and work; the opportunity to be here and continue their career is important.”

After several years of mortgage interest rates hovering around 3%, current homeowners don’t want to trade in those low rates for rates around 7%. If those homeowners are not willing to sell, that means fewer homes are becoming available for buyers entering the market.

Lenders offering mortgages for land and construction saw more business through the end of 2023 than those who do not.

Low housing inventory means more people are considering building their own homes, though there are certain criteria and guidelines that must be met for these types of loans.

Creative Lending Helps Buyers Navigate Market Despite Increased Rates

“Land must be suitable for building for someone to acquire a loan,” Hunt said.

“A septic permit must be obtained so the soil must be tested. There are also limits on acreage.”

A large factor in the current low inventory of homes available for purchase has been the rise of interest rates throughout 2023, according to United Federal Credit Union Mortgage Advisor Patrick Hunt.

United Federal Credit Union offers portfolio loans, meaning loans that are not sellable to investment companies like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, according to Hunt. Portfolio loans may mean more

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

real estate & construction flexibility for buyers, allowing loans that may not be possible elsewhere as long as the risk is manageable.

“People may feel ‘shooed away’ after working with other lenders that keep telling them no,” Hunt said. “By having real, in-depth conversations with local lenders, people working toward buying may feel more encouraged to develop a plan and a process to obtain qualifications needed to make purchasing a reality for them. It’s not a prohibitive market, but people need to have realistic expectations.”

Hunt said many buyers perceive a misconstrued timeline for when they can actually make their home purchase.

While some programs offering 100% financing are available, they are not for everyone nor are they offered in every geographic location. The past several years in which mortgages came with a 3% to 4% interest rate gave people the ability to get prequalified quickly, but that is no longer the case.

Those that would have been prequalified for a mortgage of $400,000 in 2021 may have only qualified for $275,000 in late 2023, according to Hunt. If they are looking for a similar quality, style, and size of home, buyers are having to look farther outside of metro areas to find properties that meet their expectations.

“Those low interest rates were nice while they lasted, but they are not the norm,” Hunt said. “As people are getting used to what rates are looking like now, they are starting to get off the sidelines and jump back into the market, but they can’t get what they’d have liked to a year ago.

Starter homes are starting to look like starter homes again.”

Creative lending solutions can provide more options for buyers, but Hunt said buyers have to be cautious. Borrowing more than what the property is worth can be risky, and lenders have to make sure debt-to-income ratios stay within guidelines.

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Many loans have a maximum loan-to-value ratio of 97%, but it’s possible for buyers to obtain a separate loan for a down payment in addition to their mortgage loan.

“As lenders, we have to remind buyers to be cautious not to put themselves in a position where it will be hard to make their payments,” Hunt said. “Yes, rent payments can be more expensive than mortgage payments, but the last thing a lender wants is to have to foreclose and sell. Online companies don’t often have these conversations with their buyers, but we are here in the community and don’t want the community to struggle. We want people to still be able to enjoy their lives after a purchase.”

Buyers can sometimes acquire seller credits toward their mortgage, according to Hunt. As the market becomes more

balanced, some sellers are providing credits toward closing costs, which helps eliminate the need for buyers to spend cash out of pocket. Working with a real estate agent, particularly an agent maintaining relationships with lenders, can be an advantage as they understand the appropriate timing of requests for credits and have ideas on how seller credits could be used.

People who are ready to purchase may have to deal with current interest rates, but Hunt said property values will only continue to increase. By getting into a home now, buyers will be paying down the principal and increasing equity, which will improve their position to refinance if rates decrease. Waiting to buy may bring lower interest rates, but likely a higher purchase price for the same property. continued on next page

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real estate & construction

Highlighting outdoor spaces can add value to residential and rental homes. Photo by Maja Potocki.

“People will always buy and sell homes, and real estate always appreciates,” Hunt said. “There are always life events where people have to relocate. People are always going to need to buy and sell real estate, and the majority will need a mortgage to do so. Lenders will always be around to help families and individuals get into homes. Is it harder now? Yes, but we still have unique things we can do to create opportunities for people to be competitive in this market.”

Market Shifts Change Focus of Accessory Sectors Several business sectors exist as accessories to the real estate and cons truc tion indus trie s including landscape, renovation, interior design, handyman ser vices, and more. As the real estate market has become more challenging for many people to enter, renovating or expanding existing

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spaces has become increasingly popular, according to Carolina Outdoor Lighting Co-owner Maja Potocki.

“People aren’t buying as much right now,” Potocki said. “If they’re wanting a change but staying in the same house, they are investing money by repurposing and improving what they already have.”

Carolina Outdoor Lighting works alongside builders and landscape architects to install intentional outdoor lighting solutions for property owners. Potocki said property improvements like these increase the value of a home, and when the property value of one home is increased, it helps increase the value of neighboring homes as well.

“Investments in home and landscape improvements are meant to be enjoyed,” Potocki said. “It also encourages neighbors to make their own improvements, and invites a certain type of resident to relocate to that area later on. It can really raise the

bar for the whole neighborhood.”

With the popularity of WNC increasing and more people relocating to the area, people renovating, expanding, and upgrading their property are earning “loads of sweat equity,” according to Potocki. Property values in the area are only going to appreciate, and she is noticing more people choosing to invest in their current home rather than selling now, anticipating an even bigger return later.

“These homeowners can make a profit now, but many are adding value to their homes and keeping them because there’s no way to buy a similar or better home in the region with that same money,” Potocki said. “Asheville is only expanding.

Personally, I’d never sell right now. If I choose to improve my house instead and wait, I’ll be making way more. If I stay and my kids eventually inherit my house, they will have even more money if and when they decide to sell.”

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

real estate & construction While outdoor lighting, along with other types of home improvements, is an investment of initial cost, homeowners’ investments also include the time and energy it takes to coordinate the project.

The homeowner takes time to research companies to find someone they trust.

There is effort on their part to schedule and coordinate when to be present for the work to be done.

“If someone takes an hour to make phone calls and schedule contractor appointments, they’re not working for that hour,” Potocki said. “Once a project is scheduled, owners have to keep tabs on the work being done to make sure it’s all done right. Not everyone is willing to take that on, so any improvements end up adding way more value than the initial cost of the work.”

Potocki said since 2020, the trend in improvements has been focused on outdoor living spaces. Carolina Outdoor Lighting received many cancellation calls at the beginning of COVID, but most of those customers and more called later during the pandemic to begin their improvement projects. That trend has continued through 2023.

People are realizing the value of improving their outdoor spaces, according to Potocki.

Call volume has increased exponentially for her business, and she also sees an increase in the addition of things like decks and outdoor kitchens.

“Outdoor living is continuing to grow,” Potocki said. “The entire home services industry is getting more business because people are staying in their homes. They want to make their whole property stand out and improve what they have.”

Proper t y owners running vacation rentals can boost their business with improvements like outdoor lighting, as can real estate agents working with sellers. Potocki said photos of improved outdoor spaces increase the desirability of those rentals, and photos showing that outdoor spaces can be enjoyed, especially at night, can entice more buyers to homes available for sale.

“People want to enjoy their experience in any home, whether it’s theirs or someone else’s, and highlighting night time ambiance makes that property more attractive,” Potocki said. “It makes customers more comfortable in the new environment and makes the driveway and home more approachable. It’s a big benefit for anyone in the business of renting or selling a home.”

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it’s my job

Katie Dirrig

Transaction Coordinator at Pearl Property Support great service, and can save agents approximately 10 hours per transaction.”

As a licensed agent herself, Dirrig can even help with writing client contracts, allowing agents in the field to get contracts signed in a more timely manner. She also has relationships with several lending partners, which can expand options for certain buyers.

As interest rates increase, many buyers are pausing their search for a new home, according to Dirrig. Some lenders are working with active buyers to provide creative financing options such as seller credits which can be applied to their loans.

“It helps to have good relationships with lenders,” Dirrig said. “Helping agents make these connections can make a difference for some of their buyers’ mortgages.”

Katie Dirrig’s background in social work nurtured her helpful demeanor, making her work as a transaction coordinator a natural fit for her skillset.

In real estate, a transaction coordinator works alongside agents providing client care and support. Dirrig helps coordinate vendors needed throughout the transaction including inspectors, appraisers, attorneys, and lenders.

“The end goal is to help agents and their clients with a smooth, on-time closing,” Dirrig said. “Transaction coordinators help real estate agents to focus more on building their business and providing

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Dirrig began her transaction coordinator position with Realty ONE and has expanded her reach to offer this service to agents in other firms. While some firms in niche markets may offer an in-house transaction coordinator, there are many boutique brokerages that may not be able to directly provide that type of support to their agents.

Some agencies do offer transaction support via a virtual, overseas team, but Dirrig said that doesn’t compare to working with someone locally. Local knowledge and connec tions help transaction coordinators understand the market and the needs of both sides of the transaction, which better serves the agents with whom they work. She also knows what it’s like to be an agent herself.

“It’s a lot of coordination,” Dirrig said. “I’m working with a lot of different personalities,

and many have different ideas of various requirements throughout the process.

Agents have a very solo career with many tasks, expectations, and a lot of pressure, so it’s really helpful to them to be that backup support.”

With an abrupt shift to a more balanced market, selling agents have begun to do a lot more work on marketing their listings. They are back to hosting open houses, which Dirrig said they didn’t have to do a year ago. Having to focus more on marketing means listing agents must have a solid presentation, push homes on social media, and rely on others that can help with some of those tasks.

Dirrig also works on new construction transactions, which are a significant part of many agents’ business.

“New construction transactions require different forms and it’s often a longer process,” Dirrig said. “On top of working with agents, I also work with builders and general contractors, so there are more people on the team. More coordination and more management from a support system like me can be helpful for the agent, and can create a better all-around client experience.”

Dirrig said every buyer is different, and no matter the type of home, she is delighted to be using her skills and knowledge to help ensure smooth transactions for both agents and buyers.

— Katie Dirrig is the owner and transaction coordinator at Pearl Property Support, offering transaction coordinator services, web development, social media management, and copy writing. Learn more at PearlPropertySupport.com.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

WNC’S ONE REAL ESTATE CHOICE 30 Mayday St., Asheville, NC MLS #4068267

HENDERSONVILLE 319 N King St. Hendersonville, NC 28792

MONICA ROUSSEAU

BEN GRAHAM

Principal | Broker

Broker In Charge | REALTOR®

828-676-7264 Monica@ROGPivot.com

828-606-8922 Ben@ROGPivot.com

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ASHEVILLE 90 Southside Ave., Suite 300 Asheville, NC 28801 828 - 595 - 2494 FINDHOMESINASHEVILLE.COM

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get to know

Benton Roofing Regional Growth Helps Build Local Commercial Construction Business

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

get to know “It’s important to make sure that each employee feels like they’re a part of something bigger, more than just a place to collect a paycheck.”

- Amanda Bowen

The roofing industry is a family affair for Caleb Benton, owner of Benton Roofing in Henderson County. His father, Roger Benton, originally founded the company in 1978 in Jacksonville, FL, relocating to WNC in 1993 to cool off from the Florida heat after finding a school that was a good fit for his children.

After serving in the US Marine Corps, Caleb Benton decided coming home and joining his father in running the roofing company was the best choice. Though he didn’t have a construction background, he learned from his father and was able to grow the company, eventually deciding to take it over himself.

Benton Roofing constructs, inspects, and repairs roofs of all varieties. While they specialize in commercial roofing, they will occasionally work on residential projects with specialty tiles or shake, or roofs with historic or unique dynamics.

Certain types of roofing systems require specific certifications, and Benton Roofing works to maintain their status as a certified installer for these systems. They work with steep-sloped and flat roofs, TPO installations, gutters, and even have an in-house custom metal fabrication shop.

According to Marketing Manager Amanda Bowen, the company continues client relationships after installation with regular inspections, routine maintenance, and warranty services.

“We are here to be their roof resource,” Bowen said. “Different roofs have different

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longevity. Some can last 20 to 30 years, but building owners should get in the habit of general maintenance. You should have your roof inspected twice a year to make sure there’s no unexpected damage, debris, mold, or water.”

Many of Benton Roofing’s projects include new construction work. They regularly bid on new projects and partner with area general contractors, architects, and engineers, and provide business-tobusiness service for building owners. Other projects include re-roofing work and repair and maintenance services.

As their presence in the market has grown, the company has completed projects at some area hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and local government buildings, and recently reroofed the Biltmore Estate Winery.

things like employee anniversaries, shows appreciation by complementing hard work, and hosts team-building games and events.

“It’s construction, but at the end of the day, we’re all human beings,” Bowen said. “It’s important to make sure that each employee feels like they’re a part of something bigger, more than just a place to collect a paycheck.

We’re helping to build the infrastructure of our community.”

— Recognized as #54 on 2023’s Top 100 Roofing Contractor list by Roofing Contractor magazine and #4275 by 2023’s Inc 5000, Benton Roofing serves the Southeast region with commercial and industrial roofing expertise. Learn more at BentonRoofing.com.

Still in “growth mode,” Benton Roofing is currently having new facilities built, which they hope to be moved into by the end of the spring. The new location will include a warehouse, a metal fabrication shop, storage, and offices.

“I’ve been with the company for five years, and we had about 45 staff when I started,” Bowen said. “We currently have about 76 full-time employees, and we just hired a few more.”

A combination of supply and demand has helped Benton Roofing grow their business and their team. With a healthy run of projects and plenty of work scheduled, Bowen said leadership is always looking for roofers and superintendents. They’ve shifted marketing from general brand awareness to recruitment, and place a heavy focus on retention.

An increase of internal communication and an open-door policy helps employees feel they are a part of the team. Bowen said anyone can walk into anyone else’s office or send an email asking questions if they need help, and team members are happy to share feedback with each other. The leadership team works to share celebrations of

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wnc business partners

Steps for Selling Your Business

By Kégan English

Considering the sale of your business leads to a multitude of questions. How do I find a buyer?

How do I value my business? Is now the best time to sell? These are great questions and require careful consideration before making any decisions. This article will explore the various steps involved in preparing to sell your business.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Business and Yourself

Step 2: Determine Your Timeline

Before even considering putting your business on the market, it is essential to evaluate its current state. This includes analyzing financial records, operational processes, and customer satisfaction.

Take a critical look at your business and identify any areas that may need improvement. This will not only make your business more attractive to potential buyers but also ensure you get the best possible price for it.

Selling a business is not a quick process, and it’s important to have a realistic timeline in mind. Rushing the sale could result in a lower price while dragging it out for too long can lead to a loss of interest from potential buyers. Consider the current market trends and personal circumstances when setting your timeline.

The lending process can often take 90 or more days to complete. The biggest factors we see that affect the timeline are real estate appraisals, attorneys who are backlogged, and failure to secure all necessary documents for the lenders.

Key Piece of Advice: Evaluate your business and your future goals to make an educated decision if selling is right for you.

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Key Piece of Advice: Start preparing your business for a sale one to three years before you plan on going to market.

Step 3: Determine the Value of Your Business One of the biggest challenges in selling a business is determining its value. It’s vital to have a realistic understanding of what your business is worth based on its assets, profits, and potential for growth.

One of the most common methods used in business valuation is called the Market Method. This method can be compared to how your house is valued. With the Market Method for business valuations, we use advanced technology to review the

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

wnc business partners With proper preparation and careful consideration, you can achieve a profitable and satisfying outcome for both you and the future owner of your business. transactional history of similar businesses either in your local market or on a larger scale.

Key Piece of Advice: Be realistic about what your business is worth and understand the factors of value and sellability.

Step 4: Get Your Documents in Order Having all the necessary documentation ready is crucial in the selling process. This includes financial records, tax returns, legal contracts, and any other relevant paperwork. Having these documents organized and readily available will not only make the process smoother but also increase the credibility of your business.

Key Piece of Advice: We often come across businesses with poor financial records, so if you are considering a sale in the near future, we highly recommend seeking professional accounting help.

Step 5: Find the Right Buyer Finding the right buyer is crucial in ensuring a successful sale. You want someone who not only has the financial means to purchase your business but also shares your values and vision for its future. It’s so important for a business broker to understand the owner’s values and goals so we can determine if the potential buyer is the “right buyer” for you and your business.

Key Piece of Advice: Just because they are a “Buyer” does not mean they are the “Right Buyer.”

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Step 6: Prepare for Due Diligence Once a potential buyer is interested, they will put together and sign a Letter of Intent and conduct due diligence to thoroughly examine your business.

This includes digging into financial records, processes, contracts, and any other relevant information. Be prepared to answer questions and provide documentation during this stage.

Key Piece of Advice: Identify and answer the most common and expected questions before the due diligence period even starts. Also, make sure you can easily explain and prove all items on your P&L/Balance Sheets, including any adjustments done for the valuation.

Key Piece of Advice: Make sure the LOI is non-binding and allows you to continue marketing the business for sale. This way, you are not stuck to one potential buyer.

Step 7: Negotiate the Sale Negotiation is a crucial step in the selling process, and it’s important to have a clear understanding of your bottom line.

Be open to compromise but also stand firm on what you believe your business is worth. Business brokers should build a “term sheet,” which, exactly as it sounds, lays out all the terms of the sale. The term sheet will be sent to both party’s attorneys to not only save time (and money) but ensure accuracy.

Key Piece of Advice: Create a detailed term sheet that both buyer and seller

sign. This will be key to making sure both attorneys understand the deal.

Step 8: The Transition & Post Sale For some reason, everyone seems to forget to prepare for this step. It’s essential to plan for life after selling your business.

Consider your personal goals and future plans, and have a strategy in place for how to manage the proceeds from the sale.

Key Piece of Advice: Professionals are at your disposal, whether it be for tax advice, financial planning, or guidance on handling the transition from one owner to the next.

Selling a business can be a complex and emotional process, but by following these steps and seeking professional guidance, you can ensure a successful sale. Remember to take your time, evaluate all options, and be open to compromise.

With proper preparation and careful consideration, you can achieve a profitable and satisfying outcome for both you and the future owner of your business.

— Kégan English is president of Atlantic Coast Business Advisors, working with clients across WNC to facilitate the sale of their business and assist investors in acquiring their next venture. Learn more at AtlanticCoastBusinessBrokers.com.

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wnc business partners

Mastering Profitability in Complex Operations

By Ben Wann

Growth often brings complexity. As a business expands, its operations become more challenging to follow from an operations and transaction level to deliver diverse products or services, each contributing differently to the bottom line.

Here, complexity creeps in and distorts what was once clear and straightforward.

Many business owners reach a point of frustration where the numbers clearly no longer depict reality or help them use the numbers to make decisions and grow their organization.

Rather than surrender and default to using intuition to run their business, several steps could and should be taken to help bring back the clarity they need to understand the profitability of each product or service.

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STEP 1

Grasping the Fundamentals of Profitability Understanding Key Metrics Understanding profitability isn’t just about looking at your total sales. It’s really important to dig into specific numbers that tell you more about how your business is doing. Think of these numbers like a health check-up for your business.

First, there’s the gross profit margin. This is like looking at how much money you have

left after you’ve paid for the things you sell.

It’s a quick way to see if you’re making enough money from your products.

Next is the net profit margin. This one takes a broader look, considering all the costs of running your business, like rent, salaries, and other expenses. It tells you how much money you’re actually keeping as profit after everything is paid off.

Lastly, there’s the contribution margin.

This number helps you understand how much money each product or service is really bringing in after you take away

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

wnc business partners “Understanding product and service profitability is essential to ensure sustainable success as your business grows and becomes more complex.” the costs directly linked to making that product or service. It’s a great way to see which parts of your business are really making you money.

Embrace Driver Based Analysis

Conducting a Product/Service Audit

• Start with a Clear Understanding of Your Business: Understand what drives your sales, costs, and margins. This could vary greatly depending on the nature of your business.

A thorough audit or review of your offerings is vital. This involves evaluating each product or service based on its costs (both direct and indirect), revenue generated, and market demand. Such an audit helps identify which products/services are stars, contributing significantly to profits, and which are laggards, perhaps draining resources.

STEP 2

Implementing Cost Analysis Techniques Distinguishing Fixed and Variable Costs Understanding and separating out the nature of your costs is crucial. Fixed costs, like rent and salaries, remain constant regardless of sales volume. Variable costs, such as materials and production labor, fluctuate with sales. This distinction aids in accurately determining product/service profitability.

When determining breakeven in the number of customers or orders, fixed and variable costs are key aspects of the total equation. This analysis also helps you understand which costs increase and which don’t when you sell more.

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Driver Based Analysis offers a more nuanced approach to analyzing assigning costs, especially in complex operations.

• Use Simple Tools: Small businesses don’t necessarily need sophisticated software. A well-structured spreadsheet can be a good starting point.

• Regular Updates and Reviews: The effectiveness of this model depends on how frequently it’s updated with actual data and reviewed for insights.

STEP 3

Utilizing Data for Decision-Making, Data-Driven Insights In today’s digital age, leveraging data is a must. Utilize your business’s data to make informed decisions about product development, pricing strategies, and market positioning. Analyze sales trends, customer feedback, and market research to understand what drives profitability in your offerings.

Investing in the Right Tools Invest in robust analytics tools that can handle complex data sets and provide actionable insights. Tools that integrate with your existing systems (like CRM and

QB/ERP) can offer a comprehensive view of your profitability landscape.

STEP 4

Adapting and Evolving Regular Review and Adaptation Profitability analysis is not a one-time exercise. Regularly review your product/ service portfolio, adapting as necessary based on market changes, customer preferences, and internal business shifts.

Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement Foster a culture that values data, insights, and continuous improvement. Encourage your team to contribute ideas for efficiency and profitability enhancements.

Understanding product and service profitabilit y is essential to ensure sustainable success as your business grows and becomes more complex.

By following these steps, you can gain a deeper insight into your operations, make informed decisions, and steer your business toward greater profitability and growth.

If you need help with or want to learn more about the concepts above, reach out for a free consultation.

— Ben Wann is the owner of CFO Consultants.

Learn more at CFOConsultants.net.

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wnc business partners

What’s Your Plan?

By Bill Gilliland

“The difference between millionaires and billionaires is that billionaires have a written plan.” - Alan Pease In hundreds of seminars, I’ve asked participants “Why don’t people plan?”

I’ve heard all kinds of answers: fear of failure, fear of success, laziness, not enough time, scared, don’t know how, it might not work… Blah, blah, blah. They’re all excuses.

Yet when I ask the same people “Do you believe that planning is important?” they all say “yes.”

So, we can all agree that planning is a key component of being successful.

5/3/1/90 I advocate a 5/3/1/90 goal setting and planning approach. What that means is you build a five-year comprehensive plan, and to achieve your five-year plan, you determine a three-year set of milestones, develop a one-year plan, and implement a quarterly or 90-day plan.

5 Year Comprehensive Business Plan There are 3 basic ways to build a business plan. You can do it yourself, you can have someone do it for you, or you can do it with a facilitator or your coach.

DIY: The main advantage is that it is inexpensive. The disadvantages are that it

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takes a long time to get the plan in place.

DFY: It is expensive, possibly up to $30,000, and it is not really your plan.

DWY: It can be done in as little as two days and is moderately priced.

In any event, you have to have a five-year plan first.

Three-Year Milestones – Based on your five year goals, where do you need to be in 3 years to reach those five-year goals?

One-Year Plan – This should be done in November or December of the year.

Review the year, update your goals and complete a new 1 year plan. (If you’d like a template, just let me know).

90-Day Plans – People ask me all the time “why 90 days”? Ninety days is long enough to get something done and short enough to keep your eye on the ball. (If you’d like to attend one of our 90-day planning sessions, just reach out to me, and I’ll get you a free ticket.) One year is just too long for most people to focus. Have you ever done a one-year plan, set it on the shelf, and then in about November you come back and look at the plan and say, “Yeah, okay, how am I doing”? Ninety-day plans eliminate that.

A quarterly plan is divided into thirteen weekly plans . This simple ac tion of “chunking down” your plan into manageable steps guarantees movement towards your long-term goals. In the last week of every quarter, you will review your progress and complete another 90-day plan. Once a quarterly plan is in place, it becomes easier to hold the people you coach accountable to the plan.

Weekly and Daily Plans – Weekly plans should be completed on the Friday of the prior week, and daily plans should be completed before leaving the night before.

What ’s the most impor tant plan?

Answer: Your Daily Plan.

Get in the planning rhythm and watch your business grow.

— Bill Gilliland is a fivetime business owner, speaker, and business coach. To reach out or for more information on planning and scaling your business, visit NCBusiness.Coach or call 828-348-1787.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

wnc business partners

New Solution Makes Wi-Fi Easier for Businesses

By Ellen Stallings

Owners of small businesses often wear many hats, sometimes learning how to manage a variety of systems outside of the businesses’ immediate focus.

While most of us have some level of understanding regarding behind-thescenes technology that running a business requires, integrating those technologies into business operations can prove tricky, time consuming, and downright overwhelming.

RiverWave Broadband, a local provider of fiber optic internet service, announced the launch of SmartBiz – a new purpose-built solution for small businesses.

SmartBiz moves beyond connectivity by providing an all-in-one managed Wi-Fi experience. This streamlined experience is a new way for business owners to drive productivity as managing staff and business systems, securing their network, and delivering Guest Wi-Fi to customers is all easily managed with the white-labeled CommandWorx app.

customer Wi-Fi experience for data and transactions is essential for your customers and your business.

•Productivity. Filters restrict access to harmful or inappropriate content, helping to keep everyone using your network safe as well as increasing employee productivity.

• Consistency. Power outages can stop businesses in their tracks, but SmartBiz provides cellular backup capabilities that can increase resiliency for your business by keeping your business running even when the power goes out. Users will also experience seamless transitions between wired and wireless internet connections.

• Simplicity. Business owners are able to manage all of their business’s digital needs through one platform with access

to help over the phone or online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Combined with RiverWave’s fast reliable fiber optic connectivity and dedication to customer service, SmartBiz can provide top-of-the-line modern solutions for any small business in Western North Carolina.

By saving time (and money), business owners are able to place more focus on growing their business instead of worrying about their networks.

— Ellen Stallings is the President at RiverWave Broadband. Learn more about how RiverWave and SmartBiz can help your business at RideRiverWave.com/SmartBiz or by emailing Ellen@RideRiverWave.com.

A variety of benefits is included in this single managed-network service, including: • Visibility. Your staff and customers can access the internet via a custom-created and branded portal.This creates a highlevel experience from the get-go, and increases brand visibility by highlighting your colors and logo.

• Safety. SmartBiz offers proactive network monitoring and enhanced business-grade security for your entire business network. With malware, cyber threats, and viral attacks always being a concern, providing a safe and secure

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wnc business people to know KÉGAN ENGLISH

BILL GILLILAND

Kégan founded the “next generation” business brokerage and advisory firm, believing that the industry was in desperate need of change.

He and his team use their years of professional business consulting experience to elevate the business purchasing and selling experience.

Bill is currently one of the top ActionCOACH business coaches in the world, speaks on a wide range of business topics, and loves to teach business owners how to build “commercial, profitable businesses that work without them.”

CEO, Atlantic Coast Business Brokers

Kégan and his wife are full-time residents of WNC and prefer to spend most of their free time on adventures in the great outdoors with their two dogs.

Looking to purchase or sell a business?

Contact Kégan today to learn more about their services!

Award Winning Presenter, Entrepreneur, and ActionCOACH Business Coach

Bill lives in Montreat with his wife of 38 years, Lynn. They have two grown sons. In his spare time, Bill enjoys golf, fly-fishing, reading books on business and theology, and doing anything outdoors with his sons.

Schedule a Free Business Coaching session with Bill Gilliland to get started.

828-655-7411 AtlanticCoastBusinessBrokers.com

828-348-1787 BillGilliland.ActionCoach.com

KATIE HOLBERT

NICK IOSUE

Katie Holbert works in Business Development for Hulsey Media and is also the Associate Publisher of The Real Estate Book of Asheville/Hendersonville & NC Blue Ridge. She has a B.A. in Business Administration from Converse College, and a M.S. degree in Management/Leadership from Montreat College. For ten years, Katie has enjoyed working with the Hulsey Media team to provide a variety of professional marketing solutions for clients around the Asheville and Hendersonville areas.

As the Senior Commercial Loan Officer, Nick has more than 12 years of financial industry experience.

Prior to joining United, Nick was a VP of Business Banking at First Citizen Bank. He has a degree in accounting and corporate finance from Western Carolina University and is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Banking at UNC Chapel Hill.

828-513-3888 Katie@HulseyMedia.com

828-708-6548 NIosue@UnitedFCU.com

Associate Publisher, Marketing Consultant, Hulsey Media

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Sr. Commercial Loan Officer, United Federal Credit Union

Nick lives with his wife and two daughters and has served with the NC Young Bankers Association, the Brevard Chamber of Commerce, and Pisgah Forest Rotary.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

wnc business people to know CINDY KIMMEL

JEN MUNIZ

Cindy Kimmel is tackling the diminishing value of health insurance by bringing alternative health plans to local businesses. Her 15-year career in corporate employee benefits has given her valuable insights into the challenges of providing competitive benefits. With a focus on sustainable health plan solutions, Kimmel Benefits+ is committed to ensuring businesses can access affordable, highquality health plans. Holding a Master’s in HR and serving on the Western NC HR board, Cindy is a trusted advisor to her clients.

Previously having a career in the medical field, Jennifer returned to school to pursue a long-awaited goal — earning a Bachelors of Sales and Marketing from Western Carolina University. Jennifer gained experience in Social Media Marketing and B2B Sales in the brewery industry during her studies.

She is now the Marketing Consultant at Hulsey Media for the WNC Business publication, helping business leaders connect with a regional business audience.

Owner/Benefits Advisor

Marketing Consultant, WNC Business

Contact us today to schedule an introductory consultation.

828-275-6230 Cindy@KimmelBenefitsPlus.com

828-513-3888 Jen@WNCBusiness.com

DREW POLLICK (He/Him)

GREG ROBEL

Drew founded Craft HR Solutions with the vision of helping mission-driven, small and mid-sized organizations grow. He saw leaders struggle to find the experience and expertise needed to make critical impacts through their people. The Craft HR team offers solutions ranging from HR Assessments, Fractional HR, and project-based engagements to enhance compensation, benefits, recruiting, leader training, employee engagement, DEI, and more.

Set a time today to learn more about how Craft HR can help you achieve your goals.

Greg’s finance and economics degree from Mars Hill University means he’s fluent in cost savings and capital outlays. No matter your business goals, Greg’s telecom and network experience has given him a deep sense of appreciation of the powerful technology at the heart of Vistanet’s services and how it can help your company thrive.

Founder + Managing Partner

CTO, Vistanet

Follow the QR code to visit our website.

Greg’s professional experience includes: Inspecting, studying, and stress-testing every single Vistanet phone— ensuring that businesses, like yours, receive the most feature-rich and reliable tech on the market today.

828-222-0024 Info@CraftHRSolutions.com

828-348-5366, Ext. 304 grobel@vistanet.co

WNCBusiness.com

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marketplace A-B TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUPPORTING WNC BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

As the region’s largest community college, A-B Tech educates Advisor and trains the workforce, provides Supporting WNCcustomized training toFinancial ChFC®, CEPA® industry partners, and serves individuals through a Business & Industry Small Business Center and Business Incubation Program 828-793-4310 828-398-7900 designed to foster and support entrepreneurship, smallEdwardJones.com/ ABTech.edu businesses, and economic development.

Katherine-Morosani

The Best Relationships Start with Trust 1-800-627-1632 htb.com/business

Learn more at abtech.edu or call 828.398.7900 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA • (828) 398-7900 • ABTECH.EDU

Branding & Print Design for Small Business 828-233-5612 LSCreative.studio

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WNC’s Only Local, Nonprofit Urgent Care Network 828-210-2121 MercyUrgentCare.org

We’re Here FOR You, Because We’re Here WITH You 828-558-2163 MountainCU.org

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

work-life balance

A Passion for Court Dates

Pickleball Fosters Both Physical Activity and Friendships for a Remote Worker ages. There are always different genders too; it’s people from all walks of life that come to play. Some play during their lunch break, and some meet regularly multiple times a week. It’s a growing sport.”

Lalumondier has friends that travel around the region to play in tournaments, and many cities have their own specialized pickleball courts. While some metro areas in the state have professional leagues, Asheville does not, and she is hopeful Asheville will sponsor tournaments locally in the future.

Sheri Lalumondier and teammate Bonnie at an Asheville pickleball court.

Owning her own graphic design business since 1992, Sheri Lalumondier loves being able to integrate her passion of playing pickleball into her schedule of projects and deadlines.

Lalumondier had always belonged to a gym, and when COVID hit, her gym transitioned to providing Zoom exercise classes instead of hosting them on site.

One of Lalumondier’s friends wanted to teach her the sport of pickleball, and since outdoor sports were available, she started playing in October of 2020.

“I fell in love,” Lalumondier said. “I played tennis in college, so it was easy to pick it up.

Even though I still had a gym membership, I bundled up and played outside all winter long.”

More than an outlet for exercise, pickleball also provides a means for people to build connections.

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“I’ve built lots of new friendships through playing pickleball,” Lalumondier said.

“We meet for lunch, have parties, and travel to places like Hilton Head to play together. I’m going to Florida in January to play with another group. I belonged to the same gym for 10 years and knew the people going to the same classes as me, but pickleball offers a different level of connection. It could be because we’ve all found the same niche, and playing for three hours or so gives us more time together.”

Pickleball is growing in popularity, according to Lalumondier, and not just among retirees. While many frequent players are no longer working full time, she said others, like her, play to balance their work with recreation.

“The median age of players is dropping,” Lalumondier said. “It’s a great community and a good way to meet people of all ages.

It’s fun to get into a game with different

“For me and for other players who work remotely, it’s a great social event,” Lalumondier said. “It’s good to build connections, and having friendships and being active is a good combination for mental health.”

When her schedule gets busy and she has to work late hours to complete a project, Lalumondier said it helps knowing she’ll have pickleball the next day.

“I know it sounds cliché, but even if we don’t hit the ball well, we’re still glad we got out there,” Lalumondier said. “When I do hit the ball right, it feels really good, and I get those moments of ‘that’s why I play pickleball.’ Everyone benefits from having something they’re passionate about for work/life balance; something that makes you excited to get out of bed.”

— Sheri Lalumondier is the owner of Indigo Design and is actively involved with the Asheville Pickleball Association.

Learn more about pickleball and available court times at AshevillePickleballAssociation.org.

WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

Request Your Free Subscription!

WNC Business offers FREE magazine subscriptions to the local business community. Request your complimentary subscription to the magazine and email newsletter at

WNCBusiness.com/Subscribe.

Business Events Across WNC Thursday, January 4

Thursday, January 24

January Fresh Faces

10:00 - 11:00 AM Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Asheville Chamber leaders will cover new member benefits and introduce you to a member of our Impact Team who can help you get a jump-start on realizing a return on your membership investment immediately.

Henderson County Chamber’s Annual Dinner & Awards 5:30 - 8:00 PM Blue Ridge Community College

The Annual Chamber Dinner & Awards Program honors celebrating businesses in Henderson County.

Friday, February 2

Tuesday, January 9

Foundations Business Planning Class 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Virtual, Mountain BizWorks

Participants will gain an aerial perspective of your vision and the comprehensive business skills necessary to help bring your visions into reality.

Wednesday, January 10

Smart Series: Monday Morning Leadership 12:00 - 1:00 PM Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

This training program, based on the book Monday Morning Leadership by David Cottrell, offers basic supervisory and management training to all levels of leaders.

Smart Series: Building Bridges, Closing Deals 12:00 - 1:00 PM Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Unleash your sales superpowers with behavioral understanding.

Wednesday, February 7

Marketing and Branding Essentials 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM Virtual, Mountain BizWorks

The class will cover the basics of marketing strategy and tactics including multiple hands-on opportunities for you to brainstorm, write your marketing plan, and develop the fundamentals of your brand.

Thursday, February 8

Sales and Service for Introverted Business Owners

Thursday, January 18

Cybersecurity and Risk Management Basics 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Virtual, A-B Tech Small Business Center

Reduce the mystery surrounding cybersecurity with a lowjargon dive into principles and techniques that can help significantly reduce the risk of being harmed by a cyber-attack.

YPA Professional Development: AI – The Boundless Opportunities

5:30 - 7:30 PM Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Learn what AI is, how to use it, and how to get an advantage in many tools before you are left behind.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Virtual, A-B Tech Small Business Center

Methods and mindset to leverage your strengths as an introvert to grow your business and overcome scary sales stuff.

Wednesday, March 6

Smart Series: Meet the Media

12:00 - 1:00 PM Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Members of local media will be on hand to answer your questions about how to best engage with them.

For more events, costs, registration links, and details, visit WNCBusiness.com/Calendar.

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WNC BUSINESS Q1 2024

Invest in Yourself in 2024! workforce, and continuing education programs with online and in-person options.

Learn more at abtech.edu/welcome

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