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Ana Toomer’s finance background plays nicely into her passion for fashion, Maria Paulina. In this edition of ACE Best Stories, Ana shares insight on how to start a fashion line, why listening to your customers is essential and finding strength to push past the “no’s”.

Michael Spino has always loved running. He’s written books on the topic and built his business on the foundation of it. In this edition of the podcast, Mike shares how he turned his passion into profit by tapping into the mind/body association of running to create champions and inspire Olympians with TrueChampion, LLC.

Tonya Oxendine served 30 years in the United States Army. After her military retirement, Tonya wanted to take the skills she gained and translate those into a new career path. In this podcast, Tonya shares how she made the shift to become a speaker and influencer.

With her military background, Gwen Brandon knew PCG Screening would be a perfect fit when she purchased the business from its previous owner in 2017. In this episode, Gwen shares steps in the business owner transition process and tips for other owners looking to hire!

Sometimes, our toughest experiences become our most impactful. In this podcast, Platinum School of Performing Arts Founder and CEO, Tequila Wilkes shares how her childhood inspired her passion for the arts and desire to reach the underprivileged. We also talk tips for growth, leasing space, hiring and more.

Putting systems in place at the start of your business will greatly help when it’s time to grow. Rob Landers realized he was working 12-14 hour days and decided to do that for himself as a business owner and founded RL Commercial Systems. In this week’s podcast, Rob shares what processes he put in place to help his company become one of the fastest growing in the Southeast!

There's nothing wrong with "easing" into business and looking to family and friends in areas where you need help. Rosa Melgen, CEO of Dominican Hair Salon by Rossy, and her sister did just that! Rosa purchased the business and utilized her salon knowledge to grow the customer base while her sister handled the finances and marketing. Listen in as Rosa shares her story…  

Luvaboo founder and creator, Marcela Cortes knew she had a business on her hands as other parents began requesting the handmade toys she was designing for her own children. Now, as she attends trade shows and her products are popping up on shelves across the U.S., Marcela looks to amp up manufacturing and marketing. In this podcast, Marcela explains the process of creating a product and how ACE Loans is helping her along the journey!

Location and design, menu selection, employees to hire; all of these tasks and more are necessary for crossing off the to-do list of opening a restaurant. New owner, Ted Varno joins host, Eric Holtzclaw to share how he exited the computer industry to open Gyro City Hiram and how partnerships and word-of-mouth marketing have been key to promoting the new eatery set to open in January!

Ceata Lash searched high and low for a product to hold her curly hair without breaking or pulling on her scalp. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to make her own! On this episode of the podcast, Ceata walks us through the invention and manufacturing process of the PuffCuff and details what it takes to get product both on - and off - store shelves.

You know the saying, “location, location, location!” True, location is key, but finding the right spot takes more than examining inbound traffic. You may need to consider rezoning, rebuilding and more. Donna Simon, First Lady and Church Administrator of Galilee Way of the Cross Church and her helper, Adrian Smith join the podcast to share their story and how ACE Loans helped make the process run more smoothly.

When Ardina Pierre had the opportunity to purchase Nature’s Own Herb Shop, she was all in but didn’t take business ownership lightly. Ardina shares her story of transitioning from the hospital environment as a nurse to a focus on natural health, why she needed to completely revamp the retail store and her dedication to continuing education.

What do social work and a passion for entrepreneurship have in common? The pathway to helping others grow along the way! And that’s a center focus for Dr. Karen Starks, Founder and CEO of IdeaSpace. In this episode, Dr. Starks shares her move from teaching young entrepreneurs, to a business incubator in Birmingham to opening IdeaSpace in Georgia where she currently trains other social workers and business leaders. Dr. Starks shares tips on selecting space for your business, knowing when to pivot and more.  

“We spend all this money on skin care, and then we put on makeup made with junky ingredients!” Lake Louise, Founder of Lotus Moon Skin Care and Plain Jane Beauty joins ACE Best Stories to share about her natural beauty lines to help women age gracefully. Lake also previews her subscription-based box, set to release in 2018 and details both the challenges and successes of expanding business. 

Your health and your business performance are related! One on One Physical Therapy Owner, Karen Warren joins the podcast to talk wellness and taking care of your body - but she also shares insights into growing a business, finding and utilizing the correct space and learning when to just say “yes”!

Is remote care the future of healthcare? Ricardo Ibarria, CEO of Hygeia Health Inc. talks tech, the process of gathering customer data and explains the reasoning behind his “no investors” attitude on this edition of ACE Best Stories. Building a tech-based business can be among the most expensive businesses to launch. Ricardo provides tips for growing the right way in this industry. 

From regulations to hiring, running multiple businesses can be a challenge. Nicole Wimpy, owner of Jolie Day Spa & Salon, Gold City Growlers and Dahlonega Marketplace Events knows this first hand and joins the ACE Best Stories podcast to share how it’s done! Listen in as Nicole explains how she found the right market for three businesses that seem different but all work together. 

Many say the restaurant business is one of the hardest industries to achieve success in. Shenanigans Owner, Deb Rowe would agree, but says if you have a passion for your work, everything’s just easier. In this episode, Deb shares how she came into restaurant ownership and why community is the best form of marketing! 

Many business owners are so focused on running their business, they often neglect keeping an eye on what keeps their business running… money! Atlanta Bookkeeping Solutions CEO and Founder, Tennille Carter-Paul explains why you should update your books each month, or better yet, outsource your bookkeeping. 

Picking the right flooring for your needs goes beyond what you like. Clara and Cesar Olguin, the experts and founders of CIC Floors explain why environment, ease of maintenance and use of space must all be considered before the first piece is laid. In this episode, Clara and Ceasar share why customer education is key to business growth and how ACE Loans helped take them to the next level of customer service.