The Gwinnett Chamber Foundation recently hosted an inspiring event, Grow. Thrive. Repeat. — Your Growth Blueprint: From First Win to Repeat Success, bringing together more than 40 local business professionals eager to learn how to grow, scale, and define a lasting legacy in Gwinnett. This half-day session, made possible through the generous support of Georgia Power, LISC/Verizon, Excelstra, Sage Business Counsel, and breakfast sponsor ARK Temporary Staffing, offered actionable insights for entrepreneurs and small business owners ready to turn early wins into long-term success.
Legacy Leaders: Stories of Grit and Growth
Attendees heard legacy-defining stories from three of Gwinnett’s most accomplished business leaders:
- Bill Russell, Founder of Russell Landscape – shared his journey from a small startup to one of the Southeast’s largest landscape companies, emphasizing operational excellence and customer relationships.
- Sunny Park, CEO of Global Sun Investments – offered wisdom on strategic growth, risk-taking, and building a values-driven business portfolio.
- Teri Jondahl, CEO of CAB Incorporated – highlighted how to scale while preserving culture and community impact, underscoring the importance of innovation and resilience.
Each leader focused on key lessons learned: the power of perseverance, the value of aligning people and purpose, and the necessity of taking calculated risks to create a lasting business legacy.
The “Orchestra Seat Section” – Professional Partners Adding Practicality
To complement the wisdom of our legacy leaders, a distinguished group of business growth professionals joined the conversation and provided practical, real-world application for attendees ready to take their next step toward legacy leadership:
Jonathan T. Wu, Dr. Rhonda Anderson, Cherish De La Cruz, Todd Anduze, Aysha Abdullatif, Eunicia Peret, Danielle Laughlin, and Jason Palmgren contributed valuable insight into topics like capital readiness, business law, tax strategy, real estate acquisition, and organizational development — ensuring participants left with both inspiration and actionable tools.
Moderators Who Made the Conversation Come Alive
A special thank-you goes to Demetrius D. Jordan and Addam Taussig, whose expert facilitation kept the dialogue dynamic and helped translate the panelists’ stories into clear, actionable strategies for attendees.
Key Growth Takeaways
The event addressed some of the most pressing growth challenges facing entrepreneurs:
- Capital Readiness – how to prepare to access and deploy capital strategically.
- Team Building & Talent Development – creating the right team culture for scale.
- People Over Profit – prioritizing people, relationships, and community impact as the true drivers of sustainable growth and lasting legacy.
- Exit & Succession Planning – ensuring businesses are built to last beyond the founder.
Why This Matters
Events like Grow. Thrive. Repeat. showcase the strength of Gwinnett County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With resources from the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation, local businesses can access the mentorship, education, and funding pathways needed to grow sustainably.
Thanks to Georgia Power, LISC/Verizon, Excelstra, Sage Business Counsel, and ARK Temporary Staffing, this inaugural event was a resounding success — helping today’s business owners prepare to become tomorrow’s legacy leaders.
