Atlanta Business section is where we discuss tips and tricks on how to improve or market your business better! We also dive into some of the small businesses in Atlanta that you should be on the look out for as they grow and prosper. The Atlanta Tribe shows Atlanta in a new light.

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How to Start a Gwinnett Blog – Blogging Basics

I can not tell you how many people ask me, how can I start a Gwinnett Blog? I like to write, should I start a blog? Well, because of all of those questions, I am going to make a post on it! This post is mainly targeted towards small businesses, young entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to be creative! Therefore, I want to discuss the common question I get all the time, How do I start a Gwinnet Blog?

For this post specifically, we will be going over some of the basics of blogging. In later posts, we will discuss strategies to developing your blog, how to gain more traffic, and how to monetize your blog. Although, the basics are important to start with. Therefore, let’s dive into the basics on how to start a Gwinnett blog!

Gwinnett Blogs

Although, you might be thinking why Gwinnett?

While Gwinnett has almost a million people living in it alone, most people would not think of it as a marketing opportunity due to its proximity to Atlanta. Although, those people would be wrong because Gwinnett is a perfect place to start a business. In particular, it is the perfect place to start a Gwinnett Blog!

Over the years, I have learned that every single business would like the same exact thing. That is, more business! There is no better way to achieve this than to start utilizing one of the best tools of the 21st century, the internet. Likewise, everyone would like to make a little more money on the side, and entrepreneurs love additional exposure for their projects.

Now that we are all set, lets discuss the basics of blogging. Specifically, I am going to explain domains, hosting, wordpress, and even discuss some of the top themes on the market.

Blogging Basics

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, we need to understand that blogging can increase traffic, but it will take time. I am talking 6 to 9 months of time. That is why, you need to start today and not wait any longer! Also, there are a ton of things to learn involving websites, domains, hosting providers, SEO, Social media, and marketing besides just the basics.

While there may be a handful of you reading who have prior experience with some of this stuff, most people do not. Therefore, we are going to go over each aspect individually and discuss what the purpose is, how to get the best option, and what to look out for.

Buying a Domain

While this might seem obvious, purchasing domains can be quite tricky. A majority of people, including myself, prefer to buy domains off of GoDaddy. I personally have over 50 domains on this platform, and continue to purchase more as I find a need.

GoDaddy, is by far the simplest and most convenient option right now on the market for purchasing domains. All you need to do is set up an account, search for your desired domain, and purchase it.

Although, this is where I must warn you of a few things. For one, domains do not last forever. You must set your newly purchased domain to auto-renew yearly in order to not accidentally lose it.

In addition, most domains are inaccurately priced on the website due to the algorithm set up to price each domain. For this reason, I highly recommend contacting GoDaddy support and building a relationship with one of the representatives if you plan on buying domains frequently. Another good thing about developing a relationship with a GoDaddy rep is domain availability. A lot of domains may not be readily available for purchase but they will be “parked”. Make sure to reach out and inquire on these domains because more often than not, you can purchase them.

If you are looking to just purchase one domain for your shop or blog, do not get over your head. Most people think they need to have the “.com” option of their domain, but sometimes those can be in the thousands of dollars. Do not spend thousands of dollars on a domain. It is honestly a waste of money, and there is no real difference between “.com”, “.net”, or most of the available options. There are a few exceptions like the “.app” option, but that’s not important right now.

Blog Hosting

Once you have your domain, you will need to get a hosting provider. This is where costs can also add up. To start, I used HostGator which was friendly, easy to use, and cheap. HostGator is by far one of the cheapest options on the market. Although, if you are a serious blogger or serious about growth, you can quickly out grow HostGator. I out grew my plan within the first 9 months of blogging, and they disabled one of my websites due to the high traffic and CPU usage.

I had to spend weeks migrating all of my files to a new hosting provider, which is now NameHero. NameHero is not only faster than HostGator, but it also scales much easier for all of my growth needs. I went ahead and got their largest plan, and so far I am very happy.

Hosting is extremely important for several reasons. First, your hosting provider really dictates your page speed, available traffic size, and the up-time of your website.

You definitely do not want a hosting provider with multiple outages a month, and you do not want one that will take your sites down. Therefore, I highly recommend going with either NameHero or Siteground. Both are great options and easy to use.

WordPress

For those of you who are brand new to blogging, you will want to use WordPress for the backend of your website.

WordPress is essentially a backend platform for your website or blog that you can use to post, make adjustments to your site, create ads, manage subscription lists, place photos, and many more things. WordPress is a great platform, and I actually still use it for most of my blogs since it is so simple.

A few reasons why I love WordPress:

  • Endless plugins (updates and products that you can install or customize at any time to suit your needs)
  • Easy to navigate platform for new bloggers
  • Did I mention that WordPress is free?
  • Endless themes that pretty much build your website for you
  • Easy integration for things like Mailchimp to store and collect emails
  • Great SEO functions like Yoast SEO to make sure your content is ranked well online
  • Basically it does everything you could need a backend to do while keeping it simple and user friendly

Really though, WordPress is a blessing for all beginners. Spend only a few hours on it, and you will easily be making posts, adding photos, and enjoying yourself.

WebsiteTheme

The last thing we are going to discuss for blogging basics is themes.

Themes are pre-made websites or basically templates for your website. I highly highly recommend purchasing a theme you find appealing and using that to start off. There are multiple things to consider when doing this though!

First, you want to make sure to purchase a LIGHT WEIGHT theme. I made the mistake of purchasing AVADA when I started blogging. While the theme is amazing and has a ton of cool features, my website was horribly slow. It would take 10-20 seconds to load. Google and other search engines will penalize you for a slow website, so make sure to use a light weight theme.

My advice is to keep it simple. Find a nice clean website theme that has a decent rating and following. My theme was made by Kresi and it is called Enfold. Personally, I do not like it. It has a good amount of bugs, and it can be difficult to navigate. I have personally wasted hours and hours trying to adjust things like the logo or site colors. You really do not want to waste your time on things like logo size. The good thing is that it comes with native widgets to promote your social media sites on the side of your posts and ways to share posts on almost any platform for people reading your content.

I suggest taking some time to shop around on ThemeForest which is sort of a marketplace for website themes. There are plenty of awesome options for website themes on there.

Most importantly, you need to love your website. Pick a theme that represents your content, purpose, and artistic style. My style is clean and simple, but yours might not be! If you are really creative and want to customize every part of your website, then I recommend checking out DIVI website builder. Divi is currently the best fully customization theme on the market.

Gwinnett Blog Post

Well, I hope some of this helps you start your own Gwinnett Blog! This post was mostly to cover the basics, give you some good places to start, and encourage you. Now get out there and start your own Gwinnett Blog, but make sure to check out part 2 of the post to learn more!

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Lovies BBQ – Smoked Comfort in Buckhead

Established in 2012 per the Georgia Corporation division, but opened in 2013, Lovies BBQ started off as a small brick and mortar location in Buckhead, Georgia. Quickly, this small operation become one of the most frequented Barbecue spots in all of Buckhead. Lovies is quickly bringing back the comfort food of BBQ back to the busy streets with its slow smoked meats, community focus, and unique menu.

Lovies BBQ In Buckhead

Since 2013, Lovies has continued to grow in terms of popularity and services. There newest fastest growing service is their catering with the ability to serve from 20 to over 1000 people anywhere in the Greater Atlanta Area.

Even at this large number of people, they still maintain their food quality and premium service. A great feature is during the holidays where they offer full smoked turkeys to be picked up for Thanksgiving and Christmas given you placed a reservation ahead of time.

The secret is their huge smokers they have built and utilize to run these massive orders. These smokers give them the ability to prep for huge orders consistently without messing up their normal services and daily customer base that come to the store to dine or order to-go.

Lovies Location

The location of Lovies is a great spot for any thriving restaurant. Right in downtown Buckhead has huge demand due to all of the business men and woman that require lunches daily. Occasionally myself and my colleagues will even visit the BBQ spot for lunch and sit outside on the patio. The food service is always quick, the prices are reasonable, and parking is typically available.

Luckily, this location is also close enough for most people in Buckhead to walk to. Simply cross over 400 if you are coming from Lenox and walk across the street in front of the Atlanta Tech Village. Lovies is on the first floor of Naanstop the Indian restaurant, right beside the Chipotle.

Address in Buckhead

If you still need the address to find the location, here it is: 3420 Piedmont Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305

Hours of Operation

Lovies operates at standard hours of operation with some changes around the holidays. For simplicity, here are the normal hours, but remember to check up on their website for holiday hours:

  • Mon-Fri 7am-9pm
  • Sat-Sun 8am-9pm

On most of the days you can catch the owner helping run the shop. He even walks around speaking to the guests and getting to know them. I believe the business has done so well because of his passion for his customers and like-able character. The constant attention to detail really sets this place apart from many other franchise options in the area.

Favorite Menu Items

Let me just say, everything I have tried on this menu has been amazing. There are a few things in particular that really set the bar to new levels, so I am going to focus on those items.

Brussels Sprouts

I know what you are thinking. Why in the heck would I put brussel sprouts as a favorite menu item for this place? Hear me out. I love roasted veggies as much as any vegan, but these things are special. Not only do they slow roast the brussel sprout, but they marinate them in a brine of balsamic vinegar. Although this may not sound appealing, they are by far my favorite side on the menu, so make sure to give these a try. Just for reference, every person from my office orders these with their meal.

Brisket Tacos

If you’ve read any of my other food reviews or blogs, you will know I have a soft spot for brisket. While not all BBQ spots in Atlanta offer this meat dish, this place always does! Not only do they offer it, but they have weekly specials like the brisket tacos that are absolutely amazing. Get ready to get a little mess, because these tacos will make you want to never stop eating and probably get on you some.

Brisket Biscuit

While the tacos are a fan favorite and seasonally added to the Friday lunch menu, the Brisket Biscuit is also a hands down favorite. By the way, try to say Brisket Biscuit 5 times fast. The biscuits, I am fairly sure, are buttermilk biscuits hand made from scratch. These suckers are so fluffy and tasty that I could easily have a meal of just biscuits. The ONLY down side is they fall apart while you are eating your brisket biscuit. To be honest, it just makes you slow down and savor the meal even more, so I have no complaints.

Salads

Again, do not hate me for suggesting a favorite other than straight BBQ. I want to show some variety for this place. Therefore, the salad portions are amazing. The bowl is huge, and I have never seen my co-worker finish his entire salad when we go here. All I am saying is, you have no excuse for being vegan and not eating here. There is plenty of love and Lovies for every food critic and snob.

In case you still are not sold on Lovies, here are some of the other popular options on the menu:

SANDWICHES

All sandwiches come with one side.

  • Pulled Pork or Chicken – 8.75
  • Beef Brisket – 9.75
  • Lovies sliders (mini pulled pork, chicken, brisket, or chicken tender sliders) – prices vary

Biscuits

  • Brisket Biscuit – 4.50
  • The Lil’ Kay (Tender with honey and hot sauce) – 4.50
  • Chicken Tender Biscuit – 4.00
  • Country Ham Biscuit ( with Red Eye gravy) – 4.00

Plates

Each Plate comes with a choice of two sides.

  • Pulled pork or chicken plate – 11.75
  • Rib Plate (1/2 pound of ribs) – 12.75
  • Beef brisket plate – 13.75
  • Combo plate (pork, chicken, ribs) – 14.75
  • Smoked wings (6 slow smoked wings) – 10.75
  • Chicken tenders – 10.75
  • BBQ Quesadilla (pork, chicken, or brisket) – 12.75
  • Ribs (half slab) – 14
  • Ribs (full slab) – 22

Salads

Each salad comes with a choice of dressing which are Ranch, Italian, Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard, or Oil/Balsamic Vinegar.

  • Pulled pork or chicken – 11.75
  • Sliced beef brisket – 13.75
  • Chicken tender salad – 12.75

BBQ in Buckhead

While there are plenty of options to grab lunch and dinner in Buckhead, Lovies offers more than just a tasty food experience. There is history and culture in their restaurant, plenty of love from the owner, and a local feel right in the middle of the busy streets of Buckhead.

Do not forget to reserve your turkey ahead of time for the holidays with them and keep up with their social media pages!

More BBQ

If you like BBQ and want another place to try out, then check out my other blog post here about an up and coming spot in Grayson, Georgia, Big Daddy Que.

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Big Daddy Que – Smoking the Competition

Established in 2012, Big Daddy Que started off as a food truck and catering company that had a small brick and mortar location in Loganville. Through word of mouth and tasty food, people found out this place meant serious Barbecue. Now, Big Daddy Que is smoking the competition in Gwinnett with its high quality meats, friendly attitude, and special sauces.

Big Daddy Que

Over the years, Big Daddy Que has amassed a strong following through Gwinnett county even winning best BBQ in the county in 2015. Through strong community relationships and determination to provide the best BBQ around, they opened a new Brick and Mortar location right in the town of Grayson which is apart of the new Rail Yard.

The new location at the Rail Yard is a great spot for this thriving BBQ restaurant. On the weekends you can catch the owner in the back smoking racks of ribs and brisket for the busy nights. Since everything is smoked and prepped on site, you can guarantee that the meats are fresh, tinder and practically fall off the bone making it the top of the line BBQ spot around.

In addition, Big Daddy Que has a special way of making you feel welcome and at home. The owners are constantly walking around checking on the guests and making sure your dining experience is perfect. Their menu reflects this home feeling by offering tons of fun name options for all types of BBQ dishes.

BBQ Menu Options

My personal favorite thing to order on the menu is the brisket sandwich with a side of fries and fried okra. I grew up a brisket lover and that has never changed. Luckily, I have a new favorite spot close to home that can satisfy that brisket kick.

Another great thing about this BBQ spot is they always have brisket on the menu. A crowd favorite, brisket is not always offered on a lot of the menus around Gwinnett, but this place does it right. You can even ask for a little bit of bark on the sandwich which is the burnt part of the meat to add some additional flavor. Did I forget to mention, the sides are enough for two people, so make sure to bring a friend because there is plenty to share in the basket full of fries you get.

Here are some of the other popular options on the Big Daddy menu:

Appetizers

  • Pork and Cheese Fries– Fries, pulled pork, melted cheddar, pepperoni bits, sour cream
  • Ultimate Meat and Cheese Fries– Fries, pulled pork, chopped brisket, chopped turkey, melted cheddar, pepperoni bits, sour cream
  • Fried Pickles– Dill chips fried, spicy ranch
  • Kait’s Pig-n-Cheese – Mac Daddy Cheese, smoked pulled at the peak pork, sweet sauce
  • Smoked Sausage and Cheese Platter– Smoked sausages, assortment of cheeses, pepperoni peppers, famous rub

Sandwich

  • Big Daddy Sammich– ½ pound of slow-smoked pulled at the peak pork, creamy coleslaw, sauce
  • The Roger Dodger– ⅓ pound of slow-smoked pulled at the peak pork, pickles, red onion.
  • The Andrew – ⅓ pound of slow-smoked pulled at the peak pork, pimento cheese
  • Brisket Sandwich– Slow-smoked seasoned beef brisket, sauce
  • Big Daddy Dawg– 100% beef half-pound, cheese, slaw
  • Southern Dog– 100% beef hotdog, cheese, coleslaw

Sides

  • Big Daddy Que beans
  • Mac Daddy Cheese
  • Brunswick Stew
  • Squash Casserole
  • Fried Okra
  • Collard Greens
  • French Fries
  • Green Beans

Barbecue Sauces

  • Sweet mustard – Strong mustard sauce that reminds me of a hot dog from the Baseball Park. It is rather good, but I liked using it on my sides like the fries.
  • Vinegar Sauce – Thin sauce with a tang. This sauce goes really well on a sandwich to give it a little twist of flavor. You could also mix this sauce with some of the other for added flavor.
  • Spicy Sauce – Thick sauce with a kick. Personally, I enjoyed this sauce although it was quite thick. Either way, it was nice to mix it up with the other sauces by using this one every other bite.
  • Sweet Sauce – Standard tasty BBQ sauce with a hint of sweet flavors. This sauce really is the bread and butter of most of the dishes here. It is your all time favorite and typical BBQ sauce. I might have had too much of this one.

BBQ in Grayson

While there are plenty of options to dine in the small town of Grayson, Big Daddy Que sure makes for a great family experience. There are always smiling faces coming out of their restaurant which means every person likes what they find here.

Make sure to swing by and see their new location soon or you might just miss out on a great new spot to dine!

More BBQ

If you like BBQ and want another place to try out closer to Atlanta, then check out my other blog post here about a spot in Buckhead, Georgia, Lovies BBQ.



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Boulder Creek Coffee House – Comfortable Coffee Kitchen

If you live in Gwinnett or if you just need a place to escape and grab a cup of rejuvenating joe, then I have a spot for you. The Boulder Creek Coffee House is just the place to feel relaxed and grab a hot cup of liquid energy.

The local coffee shop has slowly been growing in the hearts of all those close to the Lawrenceville Square. Due to all the suggestions and recommendations, I had to try it out for myself and write a quick blog post about it.

Boulder Creek Coffee Shop

Boulder Creek Coffee Shop

Due to all the people talking about this place, I had to make a stop and try it out for myself. Being an avid coffee drink and a fan of all places comfy, it was a great idea. As a small town coffee shop, there are little expectations put on this place to be quality, but the shop does not disappoint.

Hosted in an old vintage house right in the middle of downtown Lawrenceville, the Boulder Creek Coffee House is in a perfect location to get plenty of exposure. The location offers people a get away, right in the middle of downtown as the busy cars drive right by the house.

Even parking is a breeze since the parking deck for the Lawrenceville square is right next door. Simply pull in on the left and park for free! Afterward, walk right outside of the parking garage and on your left will be the vintage white house.

If you are going in the front of the building (Pictures at the top), you will see beautiful lights strung out across the yard to give you a peaceful and bright feeling. In addition, people get to walk in the front door just like entering a real home.

Find A Place To Chill

After entering, walk through the house until you come to the second entry way on your right, and you will find the main counter. Here you can browse the menu and place any order. There is plenty to select from on the menu from coffee, pastries, to even some real food options for those looking for a bite to eat.

After ordering, you can go find a seat downstairs by the warm fireplace, on the couch, or tuck yourself away in a comfy corner. There are great options for seating down stairs, but if you do not see a good one, just walk up stairs and find a good spot by a window in one of the many rooms available.

Even if those spots are all filled up, there are several tables around the porch that anyone is welcome to sit at given the weather is decent. Heck, there is even a hammock in the front strung out across two trees for people to enjoy. Clearly, seating is rarely an issue at this coffee shop, and there is plenty of inspiration around the house for creatives to pull from.

Renting a Room

Boulder Creek Meeting Rooms

A cool thing about this coffee shop is that you can rent rooms for meetings, parties, or simply to get some work done with your business team! The rooms are all upstairs and offer a good amount of privacy given there is a door you can shut. Each room is quite big and can easily fit around 6 to 8 people comfortably.

Lawrenceville White House

While the coffee shop is a hit among the town and people that visit, the old house has some history behind it. You see, the house was owned by the Mayor, Jule Oakes. As the story goes, Oakes loved coffee with a strong passion. So much so, that the mayor kept a percolator full of brew going at all times that would fill the house with the vibrant smell of fresh coffee.

The mayor had a select preference for his coffee which is refereed to as “Cowboy Coffee”. This was coined as a term of the times and meant he loved his cup of joe strong as he could get it. Even his grandchildren and friends would comment on just how much the old mayor loved his coffee. The Boulder Creek team like to think, Oakes would be happy of the fact that his home is now a coffee shop for all to enjoy.

Menu Items

Since you will probably come here for more than the site of the old white house, here are some of the menu items I tried out, some of their most popular, and a few that sound pretty good!

Coffee Styles

  • Quick Brew
  • Pour Over
  • Siphon
  • Cold Brew
  • French Press
  • Espresso

Specialty Coffee

  • Nutella Cappuccino
  • Mocha
  • Cortado
  • Shaker
  • Iced Latte

Tea Options

  • Cheek Breeze Tea
  • Georgia Dream
  • Iced Matcha
  • Matcha Lemonade
  • London Fog
  • Chai

Pastries

  • Baked Fudge
  • Fussell Cakes
  • Affogato
  • Cheescake

Tasters

  • The Riviera
  • Boulder Burrito
  • Avocado Toast
  • Overnight Oats

Food

  • Chicken Salad – tasty and freshly made
  • The Guy Spicer – Chicken, pepper jack, jalapeno raspberry jam, crushed red pepper, whole wheat
  • The Montana – Roast beef, pepper jack, mozzarella, peppers, toasted ciabatta
  • Warbington – ham and cheese, la monte cristo, gouda, rosemary
  • The Patterson Melt – grilled quesadilla, chicken, bacon, pepper jack, chipotle aioli
  • Godfather – toasted ciabatta, chicken, parmesan, mozzarella, marinara, oregano

Final Thoughts

Overall, my experience was a positive one, and I would definitely go back to Boulder Creek Coffee House. The wifi worked well, the coffee was strong, and the seating was comfortable. Not to mention there was a great vibe, and the location was perfect for the group I met with.

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Writing a Movie You Love

Writing has always been my Achilles heel of filmmaking. I love directing, cinematography, lighting, and editing, but writing has always been difficult for me. I always strive to be original and creative, but when I sit down to write, I either end up writing a movie that already exists or something i’m not even interested in. Therefore, I want to point out a few tips that could help in writing a movie you love.

Recently I have been working on a short film script and I always get to a point where I’m disinterested in what I’ve written. However, I think I’ve finally created a checklist for writing something I love while also making something worth watching. It’s simple, but it’s worth checking over when you’re writing your next film.

Entertaining Theme

Movies have always been about entertainment. Making something you and your audience want to sit down and enjoy.

It seems obvious to say but when you sit down to create something it’s easy to get lost in the process of making it, how its going to look on camera, and who you’re going to cast. Although, when you take a step back and look at it from an audience members point of view, you have to ask “is this entertaining?”. If it is, then carry on and make your movie, if not, maybe take a second to see what you could change to make your audience happy.

Theme Design

Now that you’ve catered to your audience it’s time to cater to yourself. Look over your script and make sure it touches on themes you care about. What message are you trying to convey with your film? What do you want the audience to learn from watching your movie?

These questions will help you come up with a story that you are passionate about. This step is vital in my opinion. Because, there’s always a point in a project when I think to myself “why am I doing this?”. If I don’t have an answer, I throw the script out. If I have a message I want other people to hear that I genuinely care about, then that pulls me through the doubt I have about the project.

Film Budget

Budget, of course, controls everything. It can be difficult to write a story within your budget, so what I suggest doing is writing your story however you want. Afterward, start to scale it down to something that is doable with your budget. Don’t sacrifice your message, but keep in mind that a well done, low budget movie is better than a poorly done big budget film. It’s all about quality.

This part in particular is something I struggle with when writing. I would love to make sci-fi movies, but at the moment, I don’t have the resources to make them convincing.

As I mentioned, when you’re writing, let your mind flow free. Create whatever you desire, but when it’s time for draft two, start to scale down to something you can realistically make. There’s nothing wrong with shelving a project either. If you have a script you absolutely love but can’t make it at the moment, then hold onto it. Make something else before hand and work towards making your next film a reality when you have the time.

Short Film Making

It’s easy for me to get caught up in an idea only to realize that I either don’t like the script, or I’ve rewritten a movie I already like by accident. So, when you’re sitting down to create your next script, keep yourself in mind, remember your audience, and write within your budget.

Over the past few months I have been working on writing my own short film. These steps have helped me stay on track and create something I love. Hopefully, these steps can help you in writing a movie you love as well.

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Grayson Coffee House in Gwinnett – A Place to Gather, Drink, and Relax

Grayson is a small town in county of Gwinnett that has been growing rapidly over the past 15 years. One of the largest contributing factors to this growth has been small businesses like the Grayson Coffee House!

Grayson Coffee House

The Grayson Coffee House has been a staple in the small town of Grayson since 2014. What once was an old white house beside the Grayson Elementary School that had little purpose, has now become one of the most frequented places in the city.

Today, everyone visits the coffee shop become not only a great place to get coffee, but also to gather. The coffee shop has a meeting room that can be used for all kinds of events. The more the merrier in this town, because there is always a group of people trying to meet up.

In addition, there is a growing trend of musicians in the city of Grayson that use the coffee shop as a venue! Typically, this is on Saturday nights around 6 pm where local musicians will serenade the guests throughout the night. You can catch plenty of your favorite local artists here, so make sure not to miss them by keeping up with the music schedule!

Coffee In Gwinnett

Surprisingly, the white house has made such an impact that the entire county knows about it. The coffee shop has won best coffee house in Gwinnett multiple times beating out a couple of other hot spots in towns much larger than ole’ Grayson.

This is mostly due to the home town feel the old house gives, great coffee offered by the establishment, and the constant care shown from the owners. Everyone that enters the shop is treated like you’re walking into someone’s house and the vibe is always upbeat and pleasant.

Coffee Review

Besides the public accolades, here is my personal review of the coffee shop.

Parking

On busy days, it is sometimes hard to find a parking spot because so many people love this place, but if this is the case then you can always park nearby and walk over! Even if they do not have room inside then hopefully the weather is nice to sit out on the deck. I have done that a time or two.

While the parking can rarely be a small issue, it does not deter myself in anyway from constantly going to the coffee shop even at the busiest hours.

Jittery Joes

The coffee here is supplied by Jittery Joes which is always bold and savory. I am a fan of strong coffee, so I always like a black cup of coffee in the morning to get the senses working.

Along with the coffee, a huge plus of this coffee shop is the bakery items, sandwiches, and of course the frozen coffee choices. I have never had a drink here I did not like, and likewise there is nothing better than grabbing a fresh sandwich and soup while studying to make sure you can stay focused and not have to leave due to a hungry stomach.

Seating

A plus about the old house is all of the natural lighting that comes into the coffee shop. Most of the tables around the establishment are either by a window, or there is a large window right nearby to make it feel a little bit warmer inside.

In addition, most of the chairs are more comfy than your average coffee shop chairs which make work sessions more bearable. The wifi is also reliable which is a necessity for those trying to work online or blog.

My favorite places to sit are in the meeting room where you can grab a big table and spread your stuff out. Although, there are some nice tables in the back by a few windows that are partially secluded depending on how busy it is. As I mentioned above, the deck is always a solid choice as well on those summer and fall afternoons.

Menu Items

Here are some of my favorite menu items for the Grayson Coffee House:

Drink Menu

  • Coffee – Jittery Joes (Hot or iced)
  • Nitro Coffee
  • Cold Brew
  • Shot in the Dark – Coffee with an extra shot
  • Mocha
  • Latte (Hot or iced)
  • Frozen Maui Mocha (Comes in multiple flavors)
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (multiple flavors)
  • Chai Latte or Dirty Chai
  • Hot Apple Cider
  • Zoda Water

Food Menu

There are multiple bread options, cheese options, and bagel options for certain items listed below:

  • Assorted Bagels topped with your choice of cream cheese, cheese, butter, or chicken salad
  • Chicken Salad Sandwich
  • Turkey Cheese and Pesto
  • Pimento Cheese
  • Ham and Cheese
  • Yogurt and Granola

Baked Goods

  • Brownie
  • Cinnamon Rolls
  • Assorted Muffins
  • Assorted Scones
  • Cookies
  • Cupcakes
  • Fruit Bars

Drink, Eat, Relax

Overall, this small town coffee shop has grown up fast. Everyone in Gwinnett loves it, and that does not seem to be changing anytime soon. If you need a place to relax or just a place to grab a quick cup of Joe, make sure to swing by the Grayson Coffee House and get comfortable once you get in there.

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Sam’s on Main in Grayson – Mediterranean Grill Aiming to Spread Love and Hummus

The quality of food does not get any better in the little town of Grayson than the thriving and packed Mediterranean grill, Sam’s on Main. With quality and community at it’s heart, Sam’s has quickly become the hottest spot around all of Gwinnett.

Sam’s on Main Restaurant

From the very beginning this small mom and pop shop had a new flavor to it. Not only a flavor you could taste, but a flavor you could experience as well.

Unlike many places where you will walk in, dine and leave without so much of a meaningful interaction, Sam’s is immensely different. You will almost certainly see Sam himself come out of the kitchen, walk around the restaurant and greet every table throughout the night.

He has done this since the beginning of their restaurant opening in old town Grayson, and the impact is noticeable. Now, Sam and his wife, Nicole, seem to know every single person in the Grayson area.

In business, relationships are important, and in a small town, relationships are all that matter.

While Sam is a bubbly charismatic character with love for all, he is also a serious business man that knows what he is doing. Likewise, his partner Nicole leads the business in most of the financial and marketing aspects which help complete the team as a dynamic duo.

Restaurant Origin

Sam

While many people may think Sam just opened up this restaurant on a whim, he really did not. Sam has been a masterful chef all of his life and had been planning this for over a decade. Coming from Kurdistan, Sam made his way to the U.S with hopes of starting his own restaurant one day. That dream would take him many years to accomplish.

Along Sam’s journey he had the privilege to cook for large net worth clients, 5 star restaurants, and many tables around America. From these experiences, he has real sous-chef talent and creativity to bring to the table.

Eating at Sam’s

Let’s let the food talk for itself. The food at Sam’s on Main is by far an experience in itself. My personal favorites on the menu are the Knockout Shrimp and the Lamb
Sauté.

Knockout Shrimp

Knockout Shrimp

Similar to Bone Fish’s Bang Bang Shrimp, but way better, the Knockout Shrimp are out of this world. Lightly fried in a crispy batter with a peppery and sweet sauce drizzled over top, these shrimp will put any competition to shame.

You can order these bad boys as an appetizer or as an entree that comes on a sandwich. You’re guaranteed to love every bite. These shrimp have sort of become a staple of the establishment which got everyone quickly talking around town.

Lamb Sauté

One of my personal off the cuff favorites, the Lamb Sauté, is for those people not afraid to have all of their food on the plate touching. Sautéd with freshly cut onions, red peppers, garlic, roasted lamb and laid on top of a bed of Basmati yellow rice, this dish is a hungry man’s savory treat.

I am a huge fan of Sautéd food, so this might not be for everyone, but I recommend giving this a try!

Sam’s Menu

While my favorites are undeniably delicious, there is an array of awesome food to check out. Here are some of the most popular:

Starters

  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • Fried Calamari
  • Knockout Shrimp
  • Hummus Hummus Hummus

Flat Breads

  • Prosciutto and Balsamic Green
  • California Chicken

Burgers

  • The Bulldog
  • Portabella Swiss and Steak Burger
  • Bourbon Bacon Jam
  • Lamb Burger

Mediterranean Dishes

  • Gyro
  • Shawarma
  • Falafel Sandwich
  • Kofta Kabob Sandwhich
  • Grilled Pita Chicken Sandwhich
  • Shish Kabob

Seafood

  • ShaShuka Salmon
  • Chilean Seabass
  • Fried Flounder
  • Rainbow Trout
  • Knockout Shrimp

Entrees

  • Filet Mignon
  • Compart Duroc Pork Rib Chop
  • Choice Lamb Hind-Shank
  • New Zealand Rack of Lamb

Final Thoughts

Grayson, one of the smallest places in Gwinnett County, seems to keep up in terms of growth, development and food with the other towns in this large county. This is all thanks to amazing restaurants and businesses like Sam’s on Main.

If you are ever driving through this small town or if you live in the area, then make sure to stop into Sam’s at the rail yard. Make sure to take a moment to try out this hidden gem. More than likely, you’ll even get to meet Sam himself.

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Mah Jong Restaurant in Snellville – Simple Chinese Cuisine

If you are looking for a great spot to get some authentic and delicious Chinese food, then make sure to make a stop at the Mah Jong Restaurant in Snellville.

Atlanta is a huge place, but there are many amazing locations just outside of the city if you drive a little bit. This one in particular is native to the Gwinnett area. For those privileged to live close to or in the Gwinnett area, you more than likely already know about this little gem.

For those looking to find this place easily, it is right next to the Music and Arts center in Snellville. There is also a Party City a couple of doors down that makes it easier to spot. In addition, there is always plenty of parking which is a growing problem in the Gwinnett area.

Mah Jong Restaurant

Mah Jong Restaurant has been open for over 15 years and boasts of a great reputation in the community and as a restaurant. If you have ever been here, you will know they are fast at everything they do. From getting you seated, to getting your drinks, to cleaning off your table, and even to prepping your food. You never have to wait.

Dining Room

The main dining room has a somber vibe of an old Chinese style restaurant with all of the trinkets, music, and design to fit. Just sitting in the restaurant is peaceful and gives you a sense of being in another place all together.

While this area sits probably over 100 people comfortably, there is an additional back room for large parties or meetings that can be rented out and used by anyone. This is a great feature for a Chinese style restaurant because most of the dishes you order are family style at dinner, so sharing with a group of people is a great idea!

Another great feature of the main room is there are massive windows across the front of the building which let in tons of natural light giving the place a great warm and inviting feel to the entire experience. I recommend sitting near the window booths and enjoying the natural light.

Mah Jong Service

In addition, the service at Mah Jong is consistently impeccable and the waiters are extremely friendly.

There is one server in particular, Mum, that every time we come in will walk over and sit with us to say hello. It makes the experience that much more enjoyable and memorable when we slowly get to know the people that work here overtime.

Another great thing is usually someone is busing tables and cleaning while another person is constantly refilling waters, clearing tables, and catering to the guests. There are not many places that still offer this level of service in the Gwinnett area like Mah Jong does where you are being catered to at all times.

Chinese Food in Snellville

For Chinese food in Snellville, Mah Jong ranks among the top.

When you get here, it is always a great idea to order some hot tea! The tea is great in the cold weather and gives you a little energy as well. I always start off with the hot tea and a water.

Of course, the number one reason to come here is for the food. If you are unfamiliar with Chinese dining, then you need to know most of the food at dinner time will be family style.

Family style means when you order a plate of Sesame Chicken, you will get a plate of just Sesame Chicken and plenty of it. For that reason, it is best to come with 3 to 4 people and order several plates of food with an additional plate of fried rice everyone to share.

Typically, my favorite thing on the menu is the Honey Walnut Shrimp. The shrimp are fried with a slight crisp and laid under a nice base of tangy and sweet honey walnut sauce. By far some of the best Chinese shrimp I have had anywhere. It never disappoints.

Lunch and Dinner

As I mentioned above, the dinner menu will be for more of a family style feel. Make sure everyone knows what is being ordered and agrees to share their food. You do not want to bring stingy people here who do not like to share.

Personally, I like this system better because you get to try different entrees and have a more immersive experience with the people around you. The family style is great for encouraging conversation, trying new things, and making people feel welcomed.

The lunch menu will have independent dishes with a small side of fried rice and a fried Chinese chicken wing. Lunch portions are usually perfect for a single person and come with a spring roll or cup of soup for appetizer. While my family loves the soups, I cannot tell you how amazing their spring rolls are. They are so good, I always order two.

Here are some of our favorites from the menu:

Appetizers

  • Spring Roll (my favorite)
  • Stuffed Lettuce
  • Crab Claw Stuffing
  • Stuffed Chinese Breadstick

Chef Specialties

  • Peking Duck
  • Bird Nest Shrimp or Scallop
  • Tibet Chicken Hot Pot
  • Mint Leaves Triple Delight

Seafood

  • Shrimp Lobster Sauce
  • Black Pepper Shrimp
  • Mango Shrimp
  • Honey Walnut Shrimp
  • Szechuan Shrimp

Fried Rice

  • House Fried Rice
  • Lotus Leaf Fried Rice
  • Shrimp Fried Rice
  • Plain Egg Fried Rice

General Entrees

  • Mu Shu Chicken
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Mongolian Chicken
  • Sesame Beef
  • Tibet Beef
  • Szechuan Pork
  • House Lo Mein
  • Shrimp Egg Foo Young

Final Thoughts

To put it simply, Mah Jong restaurant in Snellville is one of the best options in Gwinnett to experience Chinese cuisine right outside of Atlanta. The authentic menu and warm environment will make eating here the highlight of your day.

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Lan Zhou Ramen – A Place to Delve into Chinese Cuisine First-Hand

Are you the noodle lover? Or always on a quest to find an eatery of savory and masterfully cooked noodles?

Well, if you are in Atlanta, you are lucky enough to go visit a fantastic Chinese eatery at Buford Highway. The restaurant is popular for its fresh hand-pulled noodles that are a true treasure for taste buds.

Lan Zhou Noodles

Initially, people confused this restaurant with New Lan Zhou Noodles, located in Chinatown food court; however, both eateries are designed with separate concepts. The names of the restaurants refer to the same place in China called “ Lan Zhou.” The eatery in China is labeled as “the noodle capital of the country” where noodle lovers come from different parts of the world to enjoy delicacies like, beef noodle soup.

Lan Zhou Ramen is a must-to-visit spot if you are visiting Pine Tree Plaza. The shopping center is home to the famous Chicago Supermarket.  Chef Liu’s Lan Zhou Ramen is another cheerful addition to the artistically designed shopping center. The skillfully cooked noodles are not the only highlighting features of this amazing spot of Chinese delicacy.  The sight of Chef Liu, masterfully stringing and pulling the strings of noodles’ dough, through dining hall’ windows is categorically a defining attribute of Lan Zhou Ramen.

You can enjoy three types of delectable noodles in the restaurant.  Try hand-pulled noodles if you want to see Chef Lui preparing them, choose knife-cut noodles if you are fond of Italian pappardelle, or go for rice noodles if you are health conscious.  All three varieties are served with stir-fried vegetables and eggs.

What Makes Lan Zhou Ramen Special?

The noodle capital has become a highlight of metro Atlanta.  That’s why you will not find the hand-pulled, Lanzhou-styled noodles anywhere else. The expertly prepared noodles are not less than of an art form. A chance to observe the whole process of noodle creation by gazing to the kitchen is, without a doubt, something you have never got to experience before. The immersive view of noodle preparation dramatically frames an enchanting act of stretching, spinning, and rolling cascading tendrils of soft dough.

Even if noodles have never been in the list of your favorite Chinese cuisine, visiting Lan Zhou Ramen is worth your time and money. The traditional method of noodles preparation is exciting to watch through the window. Also, it results in thicker and scrumptious knife-cut noodles that you will love to taste. When Chef Fu Li mixes it with a fragrant broth of beef, brimming with stir-fried tender meat, wilted greens, and regular or spicy cumin seeds of your choice, the dish turns out into a world-class delicacy.  

You have a choice to slurp the noodles up to their length, but if you feel you lack the expertise to do that, use a pair of scissors to cut the noodles sophistically.

Insight and Accolades

Opened in 2017, Lan Zhou Ramen has a masterfully prepared menu, featuring an authentic and unique variety of noodles and some other tasteful options. The owner Fu Li Zhang has experience of decades as he worked in China, New York, and now Buford Highway.  

Since its opening, the Chinese eatery has established a reputation of a premier restaurant for both Americans and Chinese dinners.

The delectable variety in the menu and exceptional ambiance are what made this restaurant publish in Atlanta Eater, Atlanta Magazine, and Dekalb Neighbor.

Lan Zhou Ramen has an incredibly welcoming ambiance that attracts dinners of all backgrounds and ages to try the scrumptious noodle. Adults and kids equally love watching the preparation process of noodles, in addition to their mouth-watering flavors.

Interestingly, the master Chef Li is planning to expand his noodle operation. He will be opening his next venture at Pleasant Hill Road with the name Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles. As the name implies, the new restaurant specializes in gluten-free rice noodles that will be paired with meat or vegetarian-based broths and toppings like cabbage fish, tomatoes, and chicken.

Explore the Menu

Menu of Lan Zhou Ramen comprises 38 dishes, ranging from fried to steamed noodles with sauce.  If you like eating noodles that are tender but chewy, having a knife-cut flat variety of noodles is the best bet for you.  The slurp ability and springiness of these hand-pulled noodles with beef broth and fluffy eggs are out of the world.

Beyond noodles, the Lan Zhou Ramen’s menu features some spicy and cold dishes such as shredded pig ears, stewed pork belly, and spicy chicken. The entries like pork chops and oxtail soup with rice make the perfect combination to go for when you are in for a party celebration.

You will be amazed by the goodness of Xiao long bao- Shanghai soup bun. The silky and supple skin is, without a doubt, one of the best hand-made creations.  Order these buns with flavorful and fragrant pork meatballs to indulge in the real Chinese cuisine taste.

Here is a quick overview of the Lan Zhou Ramen’s menu;

Exclusive Appetizers

  • Dry-Fried String Beans
  • Pork Intestine sautéed with Hot Pepper
  • Dry -Fried String Beans
  • Triple Chinese delicious Vegetables
  • Stewed Ox -Tripe
  • tomato and Eggs Stir-Fried

Chef Specialties

  • Xinjiang Stir-Fried Chicken – served with hand-made sliced noodles
  • Spicy Crawfish

Lan Zhou Noodles

  • Beef Hand-Pulled Noodle Soup
  • Ox Tail Noodle Soup (Hand-Pulled)
  • Roast Pork Noodle Soup (Hand-Pulled)
  • Beef Stew Noodle Soup (Hand-Pulled)
  • Intestine Noodle Soup (Hand-Pulled)
  • Chicken Noodle Soup (Hand-Pulled)
  • Seafood Stir-Fried  Noodles (Hand-Pulled)

Cold Dishes

  • Pig Ear (Shredded) in Chili Sauce
  • Koushui Chicken
  • Braised Tofu
  • Braised Intestine
  • appetizing Potato Shredded
  • Sliced Beef Tripe in Chili Sauce

Outstanding Dumplings

  • Steamed Pork Bun 
  • Lamb cooked with Cumin Seed Burger
  • Spring Rolls
  • Vegetable Eggs Dish Bun

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, Lan Zhou Ramen is one of the fantastic options to experience the true Chinese tradition and cuisine in Atlanta.  From the scrumptious menu to an interesting and warm environment, the eatery is an epitome of perfection.

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7 Tips for Building An Atlanta Startup Team

Over the past 3 years, I gained interest in small businesses and the idea of creating my own grew. Through a series of successes and failures, I have learned a few important lessons that could save you time and money if you are looking to create your own small business team. Let’s start with a brief backstory on how I got into startups, and the I will tell you my 7 Tips for Building An Atlanta Startup Team.

My Startup Backstory

For a little bit of backstory on my experience with small businesses, I launched my first startup in 2017 around an emerging market trend at the time. Here are some of the things I did:

  • Built a team of 9 people. This included people with skills in full stack coding, design & marketing, hedge fund data analytics, derivative market structures, legal finance, traditional markets, Initial coin offerings, blockchain, token economics, and of course business development. To put it simply, I had a stacked team of talented individuals.
  • Find initial investors. To start, we had anywhere between $300 to $500 thousand from investors looking to push into the market and manage for our hedge fund. We had structured the initial phase to allow for two more funding rounds.
  • Wrote a whitepaper. This is basically a business assessment and outline of everything your company will do that was around 20 pages of detail for the investors. We made it professionally, and too many renditions to get correct.
  • Set up branding. This was done with our design team which included marketing materials, color scheme, long-term purpose and company fundamentals. In short, this was very fun.
  • Establish the entity. I did this with strong legal guidance due to the unregulated industry we were getting into. We settled on an LLC for simplicity although we would pursue incorporating as an S or C corp later on.
  • Structure user accounts and investments. This entailed formulating aggressive and passive investment structures for the fund, tons of research, time delay release structures, exit strategies, and reserve partnerships with two companies in Singapore and Ohio to grow reserves to present value investments.
  • Choose a Legal team. We had several calls with a legal team from New York that specialized in our specific industry. This was by far the hardest part of building our startup because of the enormous legal complexity of the industry.
  • Run weekly meetings. These were used to discuss market strategies and get to know each other. Plus everything I did had to be voted on by the team and discussed to make sure all avenues were considered.
  • Delegate tasks and manage the team. On a weekly basis I had to be in contact and touch base with all 8 people on the team while still finding time to run my busy life. Let’s just say I was on the phone a lot.

The First Startup Failure

While this may sound like a solid gig and tons of work, the entire operation still failed from a single cog.

My partner at the time was tasked solely with communicating and working with the investors. Ironically, he had become so close with the largest investors that he was sold on the idea of rebuilding his own company with the same idea and funding group.

At one point my partner disappeared for 4 weeks and gave away a lot of our work to another group, bounced a series of checks off of our personal company account I was linked to, and basically demoralized the team. Soon after this, I called off the project and the team disbanded.

In total, I was out several thousand dollars and months of preparation and time. On top of this, I had to face plenty of unhappy people, dissolve the entity, and basically feel like a failure for a few months. It was not the brightest moment in my life.

Fold and Move On

I want to start off with this personal story of failure to show how far you can get, yet still fail.

Honestly, failure is all apart of the process of starting a company. There will be many failures, but what matters is learning and not giving up on your dreams.

From this failure, I have gone on to create two more startups. The second startup had a strong team of 6 people which quickly became 3. This was due to lack of dedication and understanding. Lessons were learned, and I moved on quickly from this one.

The third startup has currently been in progress for 9 months and is going strong. The team is stable, consistent, and dedicated to the long-term goal. In addition, there are several things I am doing throughout this startup to ensure the same outcomes do not happen as the last two. These will be in my tips!

That is enough about me to give you an idea of where I am. Therefore, here are my top 7 tips for building a startup team so that you can succeed and achieve your goals!

7 Tips for Building an Atlanta Startup Team

Since there are so many dynamics to building a perfect startup team, keep in mind that these tips may or may not apply directly to your situation. Apply them where necessary, but I will try to weed out any doubts along the way with examples which should help you deduce if you need the tip or not.

Also, keep in mind I am still learning and adapting myself. There is always more to learn, but let’s dive into my 7 tips for building an Atlanta startup team.

Figure Out What You Need

This may seem like commonsense, but it really is not. It is very important to know what you need versus what you want.

For instance, when I started my first first company, I wanted someone who could build a website, and code. Although, I did not need someone who could do that because I could have quickly learned and done it myself.

What this did was add to the stress of managing the team, limit my overall control of the process, and lead to complications down the line. When you are thinking about what you need for your startup, only go for the absolute necessities. The things you absolutely can not do on your own or learn how to do over a weekend. Then you will know who you need to target and get on your team with you.

In addition, the larger your team is the more problems that can occur. Keep it simple.

Work With People You Trust

This is by far one of the most important points. If you do not trust your team, nothing will get done. From my example of the first startup, there was clearly a lack of trust that lead to the project failing. Trust is key in a startup, and there is no exception.

Choose your team wisely, and always go for trust over talent. There was plenty of people in the past three years that have reached out to have my help on a project or startup that I refused due to the lack of trust, transparency or communication.

Communicate With Your Team

Speaking of communication, this is another obvious tip, but many people overlook. Make sure there is some sort of natural interest or friendship with these people you are working with. If there is no level of friendship or natural communication, then things will quickly become dry, unappealing, and difficult.

During a startup there are plenty of weeks where the work seems daunting, unappealing, or just simply too much. Without this level of friendship and communication, your team will never survive these phases.

Make sure to establish a strong personal relationship with your team though organic communication and interest.

Keep the Team Small

A huge mistake I made starting off on my startup journey was building teams there were frankly too big. This sounds great to have 9 or or 7 people working with you or pushing a project forward when in reality, it makes it harder.

This time around we have a team of 3 people which was plenty for this idea. Slowly, we added two more part time people to the team. Although, they are not fully needed and we do not rely on them to complete the project.

Rather we appreciate the support and work they give while understanding the brunt of the project relies on us 3 to complete and push the company.

Stay Focused On One Goal

Another simple tip, but rather effective. With my first two startups, I tried to have an array of people with different skills all focusing or specializing on different things. While this sounds great, it really lead to a lot of incomplete work and a huge lack of focus. With everyone working on one united goal of finishing a specific project, we have had much higher success in pushing the current project to further stages.

Make sure not to divide your team into different areas or onto different ideas. Keep everyone focused on one idea, and you will have a much higher chance of success.

Short-Term Goals

While the long-term goal is to launch the project, keep in mind that the short-term goals for startups are much more important. Companies are not built in a day and neither will your startup.

Any reasonable timeline should be between 6 to 12 months for any startup. The larger the market you are looking to enter into, the longer the timeline should be. Make sure to set up short-term goals for your team to accomplish, but do not be surprised if things take longer than expected or there are hiccups along the way.

Instead learn to adapt and push past these obstacles because they will come. Short-term goals will help keep the team focused and driven though the months of work and focus.

Macro vs Micro Decisions

This is a little more in depth and leads into some of the team psychology. While I try to make sure everything was getting done and properly, as the leader of the project I have to allow my team the ability to be creative.

For instance, I have a vision in mind of how the project should look and operate. At the same time, I have to let my designer put his ideas and spin on the project. This can be hard at first. Over time you have to allow your team’s vision and input to take shape as much as your own.

In essence, allow your team members to make a lot of the micro decisions. These can include small things like color scheme, font choices, design ascetics, some functionality, and even marketing. While they do this, realize your job is to make more macro decisions like timelines, launch dates, partnerships, legal structuring, and things like this.

Do not micro manage your team. Instead, show them trust in their abilities and watch what they deliver.

Startup Tips and Tricks

These are my 7 tips for building an Atlanta startup team that you can use! I am constantly learning more tips, but over time I have learned that simple is better. Keeping things simple saves time and increases productivity. In addition, make sure to invest in your team. They will more than likely make it worth your time and effort and thank you later.

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