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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Recent Lenz on Business Shows
Brock Nix, founder of Common Roots Farmers Market
This week we’re delving back into indie start-up territory with Brock Nix, founder of Common Roots Farmers Market, which recently opened in Avondale Estates. Brock combined his family history of farming and produce with his business knowledge when he launched Common Roots Farmers Market. It’s a 12,000 square-foot market, specializing in exceptional quality, low-priced produce, grab-n-go meals, premium meats, seasonal outdoor selections and more. Brock talks about the inspiration behind opening his own farmers market, facing supply chain challenges, how to differentiate a business from the competition, and much more.
A tribute to Mike Reeves, Atlanta restaurant and live music entrepreneur
Atlanta lost a true legend recently: Mike Reeves, an entrepreneur who made an everlasting impact on the local restaurant and live music scene. He not only co-founded Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurants and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, but he was co-founder of some of Atlanta’s most iconic live music clubs: Cotton Club, the Point, and Smith’s Olde Bar. Tributes from co-workers, musicians, patrons, friends, and many others have been pouring in. Mike not only was a successful businessman, but more importantly, he was a champion of others, often sharing his expertise, and he was a generous philanthropist, always there to help those in need. We had the pleasure of having Mike on the show several years ago. And as a tribute to Mike Reeves, we’ll be playing excerpts of that conversation. Reeves shared restaurant start-up secrets and behind-the-scenes rock ‘n’ roll stories, including hanging with David Bowie and other legends.
Loretta Goodson, CEO of University Cancer and Blood Center
Loretta Goodson returns to the program to talk about the service and business aspects behind University Cancer and Blood Center (UCBC), which has been serving the oncology and hematology needs of patients in Athens, Northeast Georgia, and beyond for more than 40 years. A major topic of discussion is the practice’s upcoming Comprehensive Cancer Center, a more than 120,000-square-foot campus, offering the full spectrum of cancer care in one place. When it opens in August 2023, UCBC’s Comprehensive Cancer Center will be the first community cancer center of its kind in the region.
Mike Killeen, founder of Amplify My Community and the Amplify Decatur Music Festival, and Christine Mahin, director of the Amplify Decatur Music Festival
Some of our favorite guests on the program are those who are making a difference in the world. And this week’s guests are no exception. Their work has an incredibly positive impact on their community, and they do this in a big way through the power of music. Amplify My Community produces concerts and festivals in order to raise money for other nonprofits working to alleviate homelessness and poverty on the local level. Christine and Mike talk about its signature event, the Amplify Decatur Music Festival, which includes four days of musical events, taking place April 27-30 on and around the Downtown Decatur Square in Decatur, Georgia. The big Amplify Decatur Music Festival ticketed event drops Saturday, April 29 in the Decatur Square. The show features St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Patty Griffin, James McMurtry, The Suffers, Town Mountain, Jackson County Line, and The Sundogs.
Anthony Perry, founder, Credit Building Professionals
This week’s guest had an orthodox path on the road to becoming a credit building professional. After owning a professional training business and helping clients with their taxes, Perry eventually began learning all about credit building. This led him to create his own company, Credit Building Professionals. He joins host Jon Waterhouse to talk about topics including how he helps clients establish and achieve better credit, how he assists businesses with credit issues, credit myths, and more.
Ralph A. Castillo, CPA, CEO of Morgan Medical Center
Independent hospitals are incredibly important to the communities they serve, not only for the health and welfare of the citizens but also due to the fact they create an economic ripple effect. Our guest this week, Ralph A. Castillo, CPA, CEO of Morgan Medical Center, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He discusses the importance of independent, community hospitals, shares how Morgan Medical Center is reaching its goal of becoming a Patient-Focused Center of Excellence, and explains his three-legged stool vision. For the last 60 years, Morgan Medical Center has served the people of Morgan County. Morgan Medical Center prides itself on the care they provide through modern technology, enhanced treatment facilities, upgraded amenities, and affordable healthcare.
Christian Fletcher, CEO of LifeBrite
Lenz On Business often explores the business of healthcare and its many forms. This week’s guest knows that business extremely well, including the mechanics of leading a company that successfully helps others and how to persevere in the face of adversity. The Atlanta-based LifeBrite operates LifeBrite Laboratories, which provides clinical testing services to healthcare organizations, physician practices, pain management clinics, addiction clinics, and employers nationwide. Another division of the company, LifeBrite Hospital Group, owns and operates a rural hospital in Danbury, NC, bringing much needed care to a community in need. Fletcher talks about these and other aspects of his business, including the challenges of overcoming a business-related lawsuit and how he emerged victorious on the other side.
Dr. Donovan Christie, founder, Anwan Regenerative Center
After years in the healthcare field, this week’s guest became an entrepreneur and opened his own concierge practice specializing in lifestyle medicine. Dr. Christie’s business, Anwan Regenerative Center, practices anti-aging functional medicine and focuses on utilizing the triad of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Dr. Christie talks with Jon Waterhouse about what led him to open his own practice, his current perspective on healthcare, the definition of lifestyle and regenerative medicine, business lessons he’s learned along the way, and more.
Mike Killeen, president and CEO, Lenz, Inc.
The show is sponsored by Lenz, Inc., and we have the captain of that ship with us this week. Mike Killeen has been with Lenz, a full-service marketing agency specializing in healthcare marketing, since 2002. He entered his current role earlier in 2023. Additionally, Mike teaches healthcare marketing to graduate students at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and he’s been doing so since 2016. Mike is also founder of Amplify My Community, a non-profit organization that travels from city to city, throwing fundraising concerts to benefit local organizations working to alleviate poverty and homelessness. Its signature event, the Amplify Decatur Music Festival, takes place in and around downtown Decatur April 28-30. Mike and Jon talk about Lenz’s history, the company’s future, Mike’s thoughts on marketing, and much more.
Meisa Salaita and Jordan Rose, co-executive directors and co-founders, Science ATL, the engineers of Atlanta Science Festival Andrea Kidd, co-founder Lush Plant Co.
The Atlanta Science Festival, a celebration of all things science, takes place March 10-25 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 the business behind the Festival, which is celebrating its 10th edition this year. Additionally, Salaita interviews Kidd about her indoor plant business, Lush Plant Co.’s involvement with this year’s Festival, and much more.
Michael Cameron, owner and design consultant, Gotcha Covered
This week’s guest is entrepreneur Michael Cameron, owner and design consultant of Gotcha Covered of Brookhaven-Dunwoody. Michael explains what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and business owner and shares how technology has revolutionized the window treatment solution industry. Gotcha Covered is a retail business specializing in window treatment solutions for homes and businesses. Providing designs and custom window treatment installments, Gotcha Covered offers a wide selection of shades, shutters, blinds, draperies, and motorization options for every style and budget.
Ralph A. Castillo, CPA, CEO of Morgan Medical Center
Independent hospitals are incredibly important to the communities they serve, not only for the health and welfare of the citizens but also due to the fact they create an economic ripple effect. Our guest this week, Ralph A. Castillo, CPA, CEO of Morgan Medical Center, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He discusses the importance of independent, community hospitals, shares how Morgan Medical Center is reaching its goal of becoming a Patient-Focused Center of Excellence, and explains his three-legged stool vision. For the last 60 years, Morgan Medical Center has served the people of Morgan County. Morgan Medical Center prides itself on the care they provide through modern technology, enhanced treatment facilities, upgraded amenities, and affordable healthcare.
Lauren Fernandez, CEO and founder, Full Course
Some say the restaurant business is one of the most challenging fields around. Well, this week’s guest specializes in making that aspect of the business world easier for budding restaurateurs, especially women and minority business owners. Lauren Fernandez is CEO and founder of Full Course, a restaurant development and investment firm which incubates and accelerates emerging fast casual restaurant brands. Lauren began Full Course through her own investment. She joins Jon Waterhouse to talk about the company’s consulting, development, educational services, and how she focuses on helping clients grow through conscious capital and coaching.
Anthony Perry, founder, Credit Building Professionals
This week’s guest had an orthodox path on the road to becoming a credit building professional. After owning a professional training business and helping clients with their taxes, Perry eventually began learning all about credit building. This led him to create his own company, Credit Building Professionals. He joins host Jon Waterhouse to talk about topics including how he helps clients establish and achieve better credit, how he assists businesses with credit issues, credit myths, and more.
Jerome Sabol, owner and president, Plumb Works
With Atlanta’s recent cold front leaving many to deal with freezing pipes, it was fitting to invite Jerome Sabol from Plumb Works back to the program. The Atlanta-based Plumb Works, one of the city’s leading residential plumbing companies, has been operating since 1989 and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Sabol returns to explain how he built a successful business with no prior business experience, how to navigate a sudden influx of customers with limited staff support, and shares initiatives that uphold Plumb Works’ philanthropic goals throughout the year.
Dr. Benjamin Lefkove and Ron Sanders, PA-C, founders Viral Solutions
This week’s guests are incredibly inspiring, and their company has had and continues to have a profound impact on metro Atlanta and beyond. Dr. Ben Lefkove and physician assistant Ron Sanders of Viral Solutions first founded Viral Solutions drive-up COVID-19 testing sites in 2020 in an effort to resolve the testing crisis in Georgia. Today they offer COVID, flu, and RSV testing along with COVID-19 vaccinations at their seven Viral Solutions locations in the metro Atlanta area. Additionally, they have now launched First Class Healthcare, a correctional facility healthcare company that serves correctional facility residents who have typically not received proper healthcare. They talk in depth about these projects and their exciting plans for the future.
Jeff Roth, owner, Premier Tree Solutions
Many entrepreneurs try a wide range of opportunities before settling on the field of their dreams. This week’s guest has a fascinating entrepreneurial history. A US Navy veteran, Jeff moved out of the Armed Forces and into the nightclub business, eventually owning venues in Atlanta, Georgia and Orlando, Florida. After stepping away from the bar world, Jeff began chopping his way into the tree service industry. For more than a decade, he’s been the owner and operator of Premier Tree Services, which provides professional tree services to metro Atlanta clients. These services range from tree removal and trimming to storm damage, stump grinding, and crane work. Jeff joins host Jon Waterhouse to talk about his entrepreneurial spirit, the importance of diversification, the secret to employee dynamics, and more.
Diamond Dallas Page, DDP Yoga
Just in time for New Year’s resolutions, we revisit an interview we had with Diamond Dallas Page, founder of the wildly successful fitness program DDP Yoga. This retired professional wrestler combined yoga positions and calisthenics with physical therapy principles to create a unique program that continues to spawn incredible transformation stories. He talks about the genesis of the business, his experience on “Shark Tank,” his documentary “Relentless,” and more.
Alicia Dean, Elvis Presley Enterprises and Graceland
Elvis Presley recorded some classic Christmas music, so Christmas Day is a great opportunity to talk about the business of Elvis, one of the most recognized and celebrated entertainers of all time. We revisit an interview we had earlier this year with Alicia Dean, a marketing, promotion, and events specialist for Elvis Presley Enterprises and Graceland, the Memphis, Tenn.-based tourist attraction. Later in the show, Jon plays an interview he had with one of Elvis’ closest friends, Jerry Schilling, and we find out what it was like spending the Christmas season with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jon also shares some tips on how business owners and managers can alleviate employee burnout.
Maria Licata, team leader, Maria Licata and Associates; associate broker, RE/MAX Around Atlanta
What’s the latest in Atlanta’s residential real estate scene and what does the future hold? This week’s guest has some seasoned perspective. For more than 30 years, Maria Licata has been one of the top-producing agents in the Atlanta real estate market. In fact, she continues to be among the top 1% of real estate agents in the nation for 25 years running. Join “Lenz On Business” as we dive into an array of relevant topics, from local inventory issues to interest rates to what to look for in a real estate agent.
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.