Listen on Sundays at 11 a.m. on 95.5 WSB and wsbradio.com
Each week, host Jon Waterhouse speaks with Atlanta’s business leaders to explore their inspiring stories, lessons learned, and tips for growth and success. From big business execs to indie entrepreneurs, these guests not only share their practical secrets, but also unveil the personalities behind the careers.
“Business touches all our lives and deserves to be explored,” says show founder, Richard J. Lenz. “Lenz on Business taps into the excitement and dynamics of business; the colorful characters who drive these companies, their entrepreneurial adventures, and the innovative ways they thrive and survive in today’s world.”
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Christopher Escobar, executive director of the Atlanta Film Society, owner of The Plaza Theatre and The Tara Theatre
Atlanta is well known for its place in the film and television industry, but when it comes to the celebration of the art itself here in Atlanta, this week’s guest occupies a special place in that regard. Since 2011, Christopher Escobar has been executive director of the Atlanta Film Society, which produces the Academy Award-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival. Escobar purchased the historic Plaza Theatre in Poncey-Highland in 2017. Having opened in 1939, the Plaza is the oldest continuously operating theater in the city. In 2023, Escobar purchased the Tara Theatre on Cheshire Bridge Road. It was the last movie palace to open in Atlanta and is its second oldest cinema in town. With Escobar at the helm, these independent theaters are thriving, hosting both mainstream and art house releases, as well as special events featuring the best in classic and cult cinema. Escobar talks about how he unexpectedly became a theater owner, his business approach, and much more.
John Funny, City of Brookhaven Mayor Pro Tempore and District 4 Councilman
On “Lenz On Business,” we often talk about the intersection of business and government. And an example we cite is City of Brookhaven, the acclaimed metro Atlanta community with small town charm and big city access. Past episodes have explored Brookhaven’s growth, and it just keeps on going. Mayor Pro Tempore Funny shares the latest, including the arrival of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital, the upcoming Brookhaven International Festival, the status of Brookhaven’s City Centre project, and more.
Tara Brown, COO, YourTown Health
Community health centers are a cornerstone of America’s healthcare landscape, and Georgia-based YourTown Health holds a special spot among it all. YourTown Health’s network of seven community health centers serve the communities of Meriwether, Pike, Lamar, Carroll, Coweta, and South Fulton counties. The centers are strategically located in areas facing limited access to affordable, quality healthcare. YourTown Health offers comprehensive preventative, curative, and life-enhancing services. This includes everything from primary care to chronic disease management, and much more. On this week’s episode, Brown discusses topics such as the history of community health centers, why they’re important, and how she approaches YourTown Health from a leadership perspective.
Brandon Hutchison, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta is a big NASCAR town. And just 25 miles south of the city is Atlanta Motor Speedway, a world class NASCAR race track and year-round multipurpose event facility on more than 840 acres. Brandon Hutchison tells us all about the business of NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway, from its history to what sets it apart from the rest to its secret to success.
Jo Garland, official spokesperson, Dragon Con
Dragon Con, Atlanta’s ultra-successful multi-media pop culture convention that takes over the heart of the city for five days each Labor Day Weekend, is just around the corner. It drops August 9 through September 2. Dragon Con focuses on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, film, and a whole lot more. It includes countless events, including its signature parade, so don’t be surprised to see super heroes, Stormtroopers, Klingons, and others marching along Peachtree Street. Not only does Dragon Con do bang-up business itself by attracting thousands upon thousands of guests, it’s truly a big shot in the arm for many Atlanta businesses. Jo Garland, the official spokesperson for Dragon Con, talks about the con’s history, its economic impact on the city, what to expect this year, and much more.
Dawna Miller, Founder, Arena Leadership Coaching
Arena Leadership Coaching specializes in elevating emerging executives into visionary leaders who live their values, optimize performance, and foster positive, engaging organizational cultures. They offer practical, actionable solutions and a strength-based approach to help unlock leaders’ potential to create sustainable value and growth. Their courses and e-books are available at ArenaLeadershipCoaching.com. Miller discusses what led her to start a leadership coaching business, the difference between leadership and management, the current leadership deficit, course highlights, and more.
Jerome Sabol, owner, and Josh Czerniak, service manager, Plumb Works
One of the city’s leading plumbing companies, PlumbWorks has been in business since 1989. The company proudly bears an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau. Sabol and Czerniak and talks with guest host Belinda Skelton about the business and an array of timely issues and practical tips listeners can use.
Doug Widener, President and CEO of the Piedmont Park Conservancy
Nonprofits have their own approach to business and this week’s guest has plenty to share from his unique vantage point, which involves a beloved, Atlanta mainstay: Piedmont Park. Widener leads the charge for the Piedmont Park Conservancy, a member and donor-funded nonprofit working in partnership with the City of Atlanta to maintain and enhance historic Piedmont Park. Founded in 1989, the Conservancy raises more than $5 million each year to do its job. This year the Piedmont Park Conservancy is not only celebrating its 35th anniversary, but the 120th birthday of Piedmont Park itself. Widener discusses the Conservancy’s dynamic with the City of Atlanta, the Conservancy’s diverse revenue streams, its master plan, and much more.
Jennifer Owens, District 2 Councilwoman, City of Brookhaven
Business and government often intersect. And a continuing example of that is the City of Brookhaven, the acclaimed metro Atlanta community with small-town charm and big-city access. Brookhaven is in the midst of great growth and change, and Owens discusses a variety of topics. Brookhaven recently officially designated its own entertainment district, the Dresden District, which features an open container policy in an effort to help promote economic development and pedestrian traffic. Owens touches on this and other topics including what Brookhaven does to attract businesses, the positive impact of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s presence, and its City Centre project.
Edwin Link, Executive Director for Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Atlanta has no shortage of museums and cultural institutions, and overflows with world-renowned art, history, political, and science exhibits. This week’s guest tells us all about one of those museums and how they make it work as a nonprofit business. Since opening in 2003 next to Centennial Olympic Park, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta has become the city’s premier source of hands-on and exploratory learning for young children. It receives more than 160,000 guests annually and has welcomed more than 3.4 million visitors to date. Link discusses his approach to leadership in the nonprofit museum space, how they work together to complement the surrounding museums, and much more.
Leigh Burns, Director of Community Partnerships, Fox Gives
Originally opened in 1929, Atlanta’s Fox Theatre is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. It hosts more than 150 performances each year. From concerts to ballets, comedy, and movies, it attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually. On top of that, the Fox gives back in a big way through Fox Gives, its expanded philanthropic outreach arm. Fox Gives provides historic preservation expertise, consultation, and education to performing arts venues in Georgia and beyond.
With a focus on environmental and economic impact, Fox Gives offers multiyear preservation grants, arts education programs, and vocational mentorship, leveraging resources to stimulate local economies and keep the artistic pulse of communities vibrant. Burns tells us more about Fox Gives, its impact on historic venues and their communities, and much more.
Sierra Wallis, owner, Odd Bird
As consumers, it’s easy to take for granted all that goes into a retail business, especially independent ones. Evolution, adaptation to customer interest, and rebranding can be part of the process. And this week’s guest has experienced all of that and more. After being a longtime employer of Sq/Ft, a popular gift shop on the downtown Decatur Square in Decatur, Georgia, Sierra Wallis purchased the store and eventually decided to rebrand. The store had morphed from its original incarnation as a primarily a shoe store to a full-fledged gift shop specializing in playfully fun and cheeky gifts, including puzzles, greeting cards, T-shirts, books, housewares, jewelry, socks, and much more. Wallis discusses the process of rebranding, the art of curating inventory, the significance of operating a small retail store, the importance of delegation, and other topics.
Neal Idnani, co-founder and CEO, and Samir Idnani, co-founder and CFO, NaanStop
Brothers Neal Idnani and Samir Idnani had a longtime dream of creating a restaurant that would make Indian food more accessible to an American audience. Since 2012, they’ve been doing just that with their NaanStop restaurant concept. NaanStop serves fresh, authentic, and approachable Indian cuisine made from their mother’s recipes in a modern, fast-casual setting. They currently have a trio of popular Atlanta-area locations (Downtown, Atlantic Station, and Buckhead) with more to come. They share an array of colorful adventures and experiences they’ve had along the way, their calculated approach to growth, their franchise plans, and more.
Raphael Holloway, CEO, Gateway Center and Diane Capriola, co-founder, Little Shop of Stories and the Decatur Children’s Book Festival
This week’s edition of “Lenz On Business” is extra special with a pair of fantastic guests. Raphael Holloway kicks off the show to tell us more about Gateway Center and how this Atlanta-based nonprofit focuses on the needs of the homeless community. Since 2005, Gateway Center has been making efforts towards their vision of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
They specialize in housing placement and stability, health and wellness, family and community engagement, job skills training and placement, and adult and financial literacy. On Saturday, May 4, Gateway Center will be hosting its 3rd annual Everybody Vs. Homelessness 5K at Westside Park in Atlanta.
Throughout the second half of the program, Diane Capriola takes us behind the scenes of Little Shop of Stories, the popular downtown Decatur children’s bookstore, and how she made her dream a reality. Little Shop of Stories is presenting the inaugural Decatur Children’s Book Festival May 3–5 in downtown Decatur, and Diane tells us all about it.
Doug Warner, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer and Josh Rossmeisl, Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Your 3rd Spot
Your 3rd Spot offers more than 85 games, ranging from board games to bowling, shuffleboard, high-tech darts, and a state-of-the-art curling experience played on synthetic ice. In addition, the space features a retro-modern arcade stocked with classic and modern video games, an indoor cornhole arena, and a 4,000-square-foot patio for more outdoor-oriented activities. Your 3rd Spot is open daily and you can learn more by visiting your3rdspot.com.
Mike Killeen, founder of Amplify My Community and the Amplify Decatur Music Festival; Christine Mahin, director of the Amplify Decatur Music Festival; and Drew Robinson, board president of Amplify My Community
On “Lenz On Business,” we often take a look at folks who are using business to make a difference in the world, and this week’s guests do just that. Their work has an incredibly positive impact on the community, and they do this in a big way through the power of music. Amplify My Community is a nonprofit that produces concerts and festivals in order to raise money for other nonprofits working to alleviate homelessness and poverty on the local level. Its signature event is the Amplify Decatur Music Festival, which is presented by Lenz and produced in partnership with Eddie’s Attic. It includes four days of musical events, taking place April 11-14 on and around the Downtown Decatur Square in Decatur, Georgia. The big Amplify Decatur Music Festival ticketed event drops Saturday, April 13 in the Decatur Square. The show features Melissa Etheridge, Dawes, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Run Katie Run, and Jitterbug. You can learn more and purchase tickets by visiting amplifydecatur.org.
Joann Cebulski, Alicia Cardillo, and Patricia Pichado, Seed & Feed Marching Abominable
Whether they’re weaving down the street like a multicolored amoeba in the Inman Park Festival Parade, busting out with an impromptu jam session at a MARTA station, or falling to the asphalt in unison while in mid-march, if you stay in Atlanta long enough, you’ll likely stumble across the Seed & Feed Marching Abominable. The Seed & Feed Marching Abominable is an all-volunteer marching band, known for their wild costumes and spontaneous performances.
Performing throughout Atlanta and on the road, on stages and in unexpected places, they play in support of community events and fundraisers of all kinds. This year the Seed & Feed Marching Abominable is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an array of performances, including the Amplify Decatur Music Festival, taking place Saturday, April 13, featuring headliner Melissa Etheridge. You can learn more about the Seed & Feed Marching Abominable by visiting seedandfeed.org.
Jerome Sabol, owner and president, Plumb Works
Sabol is the award-winning owner and president of Atlanta-based plumbing service, PlumbWorks. He’s also a master plumber himself. One of the city’s leading plumbing companies, PlumbWorks has been in business since 1989. The company proudly bears an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau. This week Sabol returns to the show and talks with guest host Belinda Skelton about the business and an array of timely issues.
Meisa Salaita and Jordan Rose, co-executive directors and co-founders, Science ATL, the engineers of Atlanta Science Festival, Yvonne Whitaker, NCR Foundation
The Atlanta Science Festival, a celebration of all things science, takes place March 9-23 with more than 150 events dropping throughout metro Atlanta. The Festival takes over the program this week with Salaita serving as guest host. She chats with Rose about operating the Festival, which is celebrating its 11th edition this year. Additionally, the pair chats with Whitaker about the NCR Foundation’s sponsorship of this year’s Festival, its presence at the Festival’s Exploration Expo, and the business dynamic of a nonprofit.
Jerome Sabol, owner and president, Plumb Works
On Lenz On Business, we have business professionals from a variety of different industries, some that may or may not touch our lives as individuals. One industry that most of us have had contact with in one way or another is the plumbing service business. And this week’s guest knows all about it first hand. Jerome Sabol is not only the award-winning owner and president of Atlanta-based plumbing service, Plumb Works, but he’s also a master plumber himself. He shares tips on how to best prepare your home plumbing for the winter, current trends in the industry, tips for aspiring plumbers, and much more.