Featured Stories
Meet the entrepreneurs, creators, and business owners shaping Metro Atlanta — one story at a time.
Claire Robinson on Nine Years of Nursing, Launching Afterglow Three Months Pregnant, and Building Sandy Springs’ Most Trusted Wellness Practice
Claire Robinson spent nearly nine years as a registered nurse before launching Afterglow Anti-Aging & IV Therapy in Sandy Springs — three months into her first pregnancy, during one of the most uncertain seasons of her life. She trusted her instincts anyway. Today, Afterglow serves clients from its Powers Ferry Road office and through a mobile concierge service that reaches homes, offices, gyms, hotels, and events across Metro Atlanta. What sets the practice apart is not just the menu of IV vitamin therapy, wellness injections, and regenerative skin treatments — it is the nursing-grade personalization that Claire brings to every single visit.
Dr. Lisa Monroe on Leaving Emergency Medicine, Building Thrive Wellness Center, and Why Recovery Is the New Performance
After 12 years in emergency medicine, Dr. Lisa Monroe walked away from the hospital to build something the healthcare system never gave her room to create — a clinic focused entirely on helping high-performing people feel and function at their best. Thrive Wellness Center in Alpharetta now has a waitlist, a loyal client base of executives and athletes, and a reputation as one of North Atlanta's most respected wellness destinations.
Marcus Reid on Starting with a Borrowed Truck, Building Milton's Most Trusted Custom Home Company, and Why He Still Answers Every Call
Marcus Reid bought his first teardown at 24 with construction savings and more confidence than experience. A decade later, Cornerstone Builders is the most awarded custom home builder in North Fulton County — known not just for the homes they build, but for the way they treat the families who live in them.
Jennifer Hayes on Turning Down Three Recruitment Offers, Building a Boutique Real Estate Firm, and What $200M in Sales Actually Taught Her
Jennifer Hayes spent eight years in mortgage banking before she ever listed a house. That background turned out to be her greatest competitive advantage. Today her boutique Johns Creek firm, Hayes Realty Group, consistently outperforms teams three times its size — not because of volume, but because of an obsessive commitment to doing fewer things better.
Chef Darius Washington on Cooking His Grandmother's Food, Building Community in Roswell, and Why He Will Never Chase a Michelin Star
Chef Darius Washington has cooked in fine dining kitchens across Atlanta, but the food he makes people drive 45 minutes for is the same food his grandmother made in a South Georgia kitchen with no written recipes and no interest in impressing anyone. Soulful Kitchen in Roswell has become one of the most beloved neighborhood restaurants in North Atlanta.
Chris Park on Building Atlas Fitness, Turning Down Franchise Offers, and Why the Waitlist Is Six Months Long
Chris Park opened Atlas Fitness during one of the most uncertain moments in the fitness industry's recent history. He had no investors, no franchise model, and no marketing budget — just a clear philosophy about what real coaching looks like and the willingness to bet everything on it. Four years later, Atlas has become the most sought-after private training studio in Alpharetta.
Sandra Cole on Making Every Avoidable Mistake, Building Roots & Wings, and Why Mentorship Is the Most Undervalued Business Tool in Atlanta
Sandra Cole started her first business at 27 with $800, a lot of confidence, and no mentor. She made mistakes that cost her years and money she did not have. When her business finally worked, she made a promise to herself: the next generation would not have to figure it out alone. That promise became Roots & Wings Foundation, which has now served over 300 first-generation entrepreneurs across Metro Atlanta.
Ryan Caldwell on Two Tours Overseas, One Beat-Up Trailer, and Building the Most Trusted Event Portable Company in Metro Atlanta
Ryan Caldwell came home from his second deployment to Afghanistan with discipline, a work ethic that most people could not match, and no idea what to do with either. He started Patriot Portables with a single portable restroom trailer and a used pickup truck. Eight years later, his fleet serves construction sites, luxury weddings, music festivals, and corporate events across the entire Metro Atlanta region.
Tamara Ellis on Leaving a VP Salary, Opening Grounds & Glory Coffee, and What 4.9 Stars Actually Takes
Tamara Ellis walked away from a decade-long career in corporate finance at 38 to open a specialty coffee shop in Cumming. Every person she respected told her it was a mistake. Grounds & Glory opened in 2022 and now has a line out the door on weekend mornings, a small-batch roasting operation, and a 4.9-star rating built on one thing Tamara refuses to compromise on: making every single customer feel like they matter.
Dr. James Osei on a Personal Mission, Building Align Family Chiropractic, and Why He Sees Three Generations in the Same Family
Dr. James Osei grew up watching his mother rely on pain medication to manage a back condition that he later learned was fully treatable. That experience did not just send him to chiropractic school — it gave him a mission that still drives every patient interaction at Align Family Chiropractic in Marietta. Seven years in, his practice has grown entirely by referral.
Dr. Michelle Tran on Walking Away from Group Practice, Building Bright Path Dental, and the Patient Experience That Changes How People Feel About the Dentist
Dr. Michelle Tran spent five years in a group dental practice watching the clock run the appointments. Patients were rushed. Relationships were thin. When she opened Bright Path Dental in Johns Creek in 2020, she built everything around a single premise: if patients actually like coming to the dentist, everything else follows. The practice now has a waitlist and a near-zero cancellation rate.