Best of Gwinnett Podcast

We talk with Clayton Cain, a Gwinnett kid who grew up swinging for the fences—first on the baseball field, now in the courtroom. From ballparks to bar exams, Clayton's story is a southern original. He turned a love for sports into a life of advocacy, now helping athletes navigate contracts, concussions, and everything in between. Come for the hometown pride—stay for the way he fights for folks who play the game.

This podcast episode of The Guide To Gwinnett focuses on the event Paint Gwinnett Pink, which is a major annual event in Gwinnett County that celebrates breast cancer awareness and honors those affected. Nate McGill, one of the hosts, interviews Dr. Debra Miller, a medical professional with a strong involvement in the event. Dr. Miller shares her background, explaining her early passion for science and compassion for others, which led her to pursue a career in medicine. She initially considered primary care but found her true calling in oncology during her time at Wake Forest School of Medicine, where she was inspired by the dedication and care of the oncologists and nurses she met. The conversation highlights Dr. Miller's long-standing commitment to her work in oncology and her deep connection to events like Paint Gwinnett Pink, which help raise awareness and support for breast cancer. The podcast also encourages listeners to stay engaged with local events by liking and subscribing to keep up with the latest updates in Gwinnett County.

Thousands gather, united for a cause, at the pink-adorned starting line of this annual tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event not only raises awareness but also raises funds to support local cancer survivors and the Northside Hospital Gwinnett Breast Centers.

Matthew Dickison was appointed Director of the Department of Planning and Development in May 2023. He first joined the Planning and Development Department in 2021 as Deputy Director and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2022. In his new role, Matt will provide leadership and strategic direction to all divisions within the department. Prior to joining Gwinnett County, Matt served as Planning and Development Director for the city of Chamblee, Georgia, and an associate planner at Clark Patterson Lee and Associates. He has also served in leadership positions in the cities of Dunwoody, Johns Creek, and Suwanee. He began his planning career working for the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Matt is a professionally certified planner with a bachelor's degree in geography and a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Louisville. He also holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois.

Nate McGill, co-host of the Gwinnett Podcast, interviews Mark Farmer, Deputy Division Director at Gwinnett County's Office of Economic Development. Farmer shares insights into Gwinnett's Small Business initiatives and the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center, focusing on assisting entrepreneurs in starting and growing businesses. Key Points: Background and Expertise: Farmer's background spans journalism, law, photography, and economic development. His transition to economic development stemmed from an encounter with a neighbor and a shared interest in networking within the field. From there Mark went on to serve at Partnership Gwinnett for nearly a decade before heading up the Economic Development team responsible for the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center at Gwinnett County Gov. The Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center: Established in January of the previous year, the center serves as both an educational hub and business incubator. It offers various resources, including classes, workshops, coaching, and peer discussion groups, primarily catering to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Membership and Services: The center operates on a membership model, offering different tiers for businesses at various stages. Resident members enjoy workspace benefits, while affiliate members gain access to numerous resources without designated physical space. Graduation Plan and Accountability: Upon acceptance, members collaborate with a center manager to create a personalized growth plan. Monthly check-ins ensure adherence to the plan, demystifying business requirements and guiding members through essential steps. Support and Market Intelligence: The center extends beyond individual business support, collaborating with partners. Additionally, it serves as a source of market intelligence, identifying unmet needs in the community to develop potential solutions. Implications for Businesses: The Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center serves as a multifaceted resource hub, offering educational support, workspace, and individualized growth plans. For businesses in Gwinnett or those planning to establish themselves in the region, the center presents a valuable support system with potential networking opportunities and structured guidance through crucial business phases. Takeaways for Listeners: Entrepreneurs, especially in Gwinnett, will find the podcast episode insightful in understanding the resources and structured support available at the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center. Mark Farmer's journey and the center's approach shed light on the varied facets of starting and sustaining a business, providing practical insights for budding entrepreneurs.

Tune in to this captivating podcast episode featuring Jason Chandler, President of Gwinnett Medical Foundation, and the inspiring Adele Steele, a cancer survivor! Join us as Adele courageously shares her remarkable journey and the exceptional care she received at Northside Hospital, imparting her unwavering belief in trusting the expertise of medical professionals. Jason Chandler takes us behind the scenes of the transformative "Paint Gwinnett Pink" event, discussing its profound local influence and the heartwarming stories of resilience it has generated so far. Discover the power of community, hope, and determination as we delve into Adele's poignant narrative and Jason's aspirations for the event's future.

EPISODE SUMMARY & TRANSCRIPT (LISTEN)  Hey guys, this is David at Best of Gwinnett and I wanted to take a minute and just wish you guys a happy new year. I mean it seems like it's a long time coming. You know, we had the holidays, we had the national Football championship, MLK Day. I started losing track of where are the kids in school, when are they home, when are they not? I haven't felt like we had turned the corner to start this brand new year yet and I am so ready for it. So now it's mid January, and I kind of feel like it's time to start, it's time to work on making this year, the best year ever.  It's also like a favorite time of year for me because we are right in the throes of tabulating and validating Best of Gwinnett votes and every year, I mean honestly, Best of Gwinnett is just a labor of love because it's such a great little slice of history.  It's like a time capsule of all the active businesses of the previous year. I enjoy it so much because you know at heart, I'm an entrepreneur, kind of a business junkie if you will and it's just so inspiring to see so many businesses start up and thrive. Each year it's kind of a mix. There are businesses on the ballot that have literally been there for over 15 years and I keep seeing them come back time and time and time again, which is really fulfilling. You couple that with a lot of new business launches and I think, you know when you have the entrepreneurial spirit, You just look out and see your kindred souls trying to pursue the American dream too.  And, we're  just here rooting them on and cheering and just hoping they do well. And that's really the spirit that's embodied in Best of Gwinnett and why I think we love it so much. Right now,  we're tabulating and validating votes.   The results will come out public on February 14, that's Valentine's day.  And it's just because Best of Gwinnett contains everything we love and that's just a fitting day I think to release the results. So right now we're working on the keepsake annual, which is a full color beautiful gloss printed publication that really is like a chronicle capturing of history of Gwinnett business for that particular year. We're working on that now. You have a couple of weeks to get your marketing package secured if you want to be in that. it's both print and digital, That part I'm really excited about. You know, what's new for this year is we just, starting a new partnership with the Gwinnett County Library system. So all 15 branches are gonna be distribution points for the publications this year and you know, it's a pretty cool thing because you can stop by the library and pick up an extra copy if you want. And it's also distributed digitally and you know, I just looked last week and our subscriber base on the email newsletter program is over 60,000. So 2 to 3 times a week, were emailing 60,000 people, your audience, your market, messaging from Gwinnett magazine and Best of Gwinnett. And we don't have a lot of unsubscribers. It's just a tight knit, continually growing audience that you know, you can have access to with a Best of Gwinnett marketing package. So I'm pretty excited about that. And I'll tell you, what is also an interesting observation this year, now in this post Covid world, if you go into doctor's offices and dentist's and salons and, you know, nail salons, hair care places, you see magazines and collateral back in the waiting rooms. That's a really cool thing because the magazine is a tangible piece of marketing. We like to refer to it as proactive pr and anytime you can put communications into an environment for people that are captive like in a waiting room, you get a chance to expose and engage your brand to them. Whether we put the magazine in the waiting rooms or into the businesses themselves or into consumer's homes, we get reach. The combination of print and digital is just a really powerful marketing platform. So take a look at the Best of Gwinnett marketing packages at the link, I'm gonna provide you.  There are like six packages. They are bundled with email, marketing, social media, print, digital, even podcast and video options. And there's literally a package that fits all size businesses. And if that's not enough, we also offer some payment plans because sometimes it's important to match your expenses to your cash flow, your business so that you don't feel the hurt so bad when you make an investment. So there's payment plans that you can use to spread out your marketing investment. Six great packages. The Best of Gwinnett credential, you know, it's, it is a great thing to have as a business because your peers, your fans, your customers voted for you and it's just like a third party endorsement. And that badge is something that gets displayed all around the county and people do take notice of it. So we would love for you to be a part of it. Also just want to encourage you to be part of the digital and print keepsake annual because those annuals, like I said, they're just like a time capsule, you know, after doing this for like 25 years. It's really cool just to look back in history and see what was happening in, in the business community and Gwinnett at large and each year we get to add to it. And you know, still today, we have advertisers in the publication that were with us 25 years ago. So hats off to those businesses for hanging around and sustaining their business and continuing to succeed and coming back, you know, every, every year and then also just a big welcome to any new business out there. Glad to have you, we celebrate your journey, we want you to succeed. If there's anything myself, my team can do for you please reach out and let us know but take a look at the best internet packages. The deadline is coming up in a couple of weeks. If you have any questions you need any help just reach out. We'll be glad to help you and join me in making this year the best year ever. Now. One more thing I want to say, join me in, just working to set aside the negativity. You know, I get really tired of politics, all the shenanigans up in D.C. And you know one thing that's tried and true is through high interest rates, low interest rates, recessions, no recessions, republicans, democrats, it matters not our economy, our country is built on the backs of business people doing what they do and it doesn't matter, you know what's happening in the world at a given time. Business people just keep on keeping on, they keep working, they keep succeeding, they keep striving to be the best and I just want us to turn off all that noise and get back to focusing on our businesses, Taking care of our family, take care of our business and that takes care of our community. if we do That everybody wins and that to me is gonna be the key to making 2023, the best year ever. So check out those Best of Gwinnett packages, let us know if you have any questions, if you need any help. We are here for you glad to do it and thank you for everything you've done in the past. And let's be thankful for everything we are all about to achieve in the future. Y'all have a good one. DavidEmail David

Interview with Owners Buddy & Gaye Maughon