TELLING OUR STORY Atlanta Business League Podcasts

Marti Covington
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Biweekly

Successful African American business and professional people in Atlanta, GA share stories about their lives and explain how their careers evolved based on the choices they made. Two different podcast series are part of this broadcast. LESSONS from LEADERS allows individuals to talk about their achievements. ABL DUOs interviews two professionals about one topic. This series started in 2023 as part of the Atlanta Business League's official 90th anniversary celebration. The new season began in 2025. 

  1. Jul 27

    ABL DUOs: Shelly and Mark Wilson

    Send us Fan Mail BETTER TOGETHER The husband and wife team of Shelly and Mark Wilson have created more than one company that reached elevated levels of success. Two of their businesses employed several thousand people and had offices from California to Alabama.  However, running a successful enterprise wasn’t the main objective in their lives.  Both describe their roles as husband and wife as being more important than any of the titles assigned to them.   Shelly’s degree in microbiology brought a level of organization and analytical skills to the enterprises while Mark contributed a level-headed approach to being a CEO. He pulled skills he developed after working as an executive for Dun and Bradstreet for more than 17 years.  His industry reputation was so strong that, when he and Shelly branched off to start their own company,  they immediately attracted a dream list of Fortune 10 and 15 companies - without a sales team.  Global brand names such as Verizon Wireless, Google, Apple, Bank of America, Visa and AT&T were all clients.     The Wilsons operated two main companies during their time as entrepreneurs. RyLa Teleservices operated for approximately ten years. Chime Solutions, their second call service company, ran for eight years.   Their home offices were in several metro Atlanta locations. They started in Woodstock, GA and moved to Kennesaw. Chime was headquartered on the south side of town in Morrow.  It actually evolved from a venture capital purchase of a company called E-Verifle which Mark and Shelly closed to found Chime Solutions.  The success of their endeavors isn't the only reason to listen to this podcast.  Mark and Shelly's motivations for going into business are also interesting. Neither had a business background.  Mark’s first job was shining shoes in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Shelly is the daughter of an AME, African Methodist Episcopal, minister from Dayton, Ohio, who had  planned to be a scientist.   The information Shelly and Mark Wilson share actually could provide the outline of a master class in how people can use the tools given to them through the experiences of their lives. What you'll learn from this podcast is that Shelly and Mark took their tools and built something much bigger than anyone would have thought possible. The bonus is their accomplishments also influenced the business achievements of the second generation of their family.

    ABL DUOs: Shelly and Mark Wilson

  2. Apr 29

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Julius Hollis

    Send us Fan Mail This podcast will help you understand why the name Julius Hollis needs to be included when anyone discusses business pioneers from Atlanta, GA.  Julius Hollis describes himself as a "proud product of Atlanta" but he's actually more than that.  He's actually someone who understood what a person is supposed to do when he is the recipient of something priceless, like a legacy.  Julius is one of those rare people who never took the people around him for granted.   Former Atlanta Mayor and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew Young gave him his first full-time job and his relationship to the Black godfather of Hollywood was important enough that he was interviewed by Netflix in a documentary about Clarence Avant.  He is a graduate of Morehouse College and considers himself mentored by the man who is credited with forming the intellectual foundation of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, Dr. Benjamin Mays.  However, most people think of him as a businessman or banker.  Those are both accurate descriptions.   He spent years working for the Export-Import Bank in Washington, D.C. before moving back to Atlanta to help his brother, Michael, make history by founding Air Atlanta.  The airline was a bold endeavor that stopped flying in 1987. After it ended, the brothers went their separate ways.   But Julius took all of the experience and advice poured into him from his childhood, his family and his mentors and began sourcing mega-deals.  Some were with power companies and brought stable access to utilities to people in the Caribbean.  Others were in Africa and helped developing nations do a better job of standing independently.  All showed his master negotiating skills and heart for underserved communities all over the world.   One true key to his success is his understanding of what it truly means to be interconnected and how effectively applying that civil rights concept to commerce can be life-changing.

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Julius Hollis

  3. Feb 6

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Arthur "Bud" Smith

    Send us Fan Mail One of the greatest communication tools of the modern age has nothing to do with paper, pens, pencils, typewriters, computers or artificial intelligence.  It’s photography and a picture is really worth a thousand words.  Photos can speak to you whether you see them or take them; whether they’re in black and white or 21st color; blurred and damaged, unplanned or staged and professionally composed.  Photos freeze time.  Videos are able to record and replay history. But photos still have the power to create additional images in your mind. So imagine the legacy of someone who has a collection of more than one million pictures. The photographer, Bud Smith can make this statement and his pictures include one-of-a-kind shots of people such as Mohammed Ali, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Maynard Jackson, Lionel Richie and the Commodores. He’s snapped shots of momentous events such as the funeral of legendary civil rights icon and former United States Congressman John Lewis. In addition, he also has photographed  the homegoing ceremonies for almost every one of Lewis’s peers.  This incredible accumulation of photos also has shots of Atlanta’s first ticker-tape parade, which was for Richard Nixon and sports photographs from the beginning days of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team and a five-year chronology of aerial photos showing how Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was built . This edition of TELLING OUR STORY allows Bud to explain how his pictures live up to the title of this series.  He has a lifetime of interactions with people whom most of us have only seen on big and small screens, in newspapers and magazines.  Bud had the unique experience of actually providing the pictures we saw.   He worked for the Atlanta Daily World which was a Black owned newspaper, owned by a Republican family.  Johnson Publishing employed him for decades, as did individual record companies who had him follow big-name stars. Bud’s stories in this episode chronicle both his life and the cultural development in the United States through photos taken of leaders, exceptional performing artists, once-in-a-lifetime events, sports and architecture.  The insights he shares through his lens are the only thing more impressive than his memories of taking incredible pictures.

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Arthur "Bud" Smith

  4. 12/24/2025

    ABL DUOs: Judge Penny Brown Reynolds/Shirley Franklin

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of the Atlanta Business League’s TELLING OUR STORY podcast was recorded in front of a live audience.  It also honors the memory of a woman who helped establish the largest continuously operating conference for Black women business owners and professionals in the country.   The woman who spearheaded the formation of that conference isn’t a household name.  However, she was very well-known among decision makers at Atlanta City Hall.  This edition of TELLING OUR STORY introduces you to Alice White Bussey as remembered by two very well-known names, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Honorable Judge Penny Brown Reynolds.   Both explain why women like Alice, and others named in their discussion, make a difference when elected officials make choices.    Judge Penny and former Mayor Shirley also talk about their legacies in government and what they see for the future.  This live question and answer session is powerful, motivating and even dives into topics such as mental health stability and Shirley’s nine months of professional counseling.  The five hundred people who heard this exchange at an Atlanta hotel ballroom during the 41st Annual Super Tuesday conference in October 2025 left feeling renewed.   This podcast gives millions a chance to feel that way by listening to the deep insights shared by two friends who are also very wise women.

    ABL DUOs: Judge Penny Brown Reynolds/Shirley Franklin

  5. 09/30/2025

    ABL DUOs: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson

    Send us Fan Mail AS SEEN ON TV... More than 80 percent of the population in the United States watches reality TV and one of the most popular genres deals with home renovations.  Many of these shows are often produced to cater more to cameras than construction and there don't see a lot of people of color on camera.  That’s why real estate expert Egypt Sherrod and her husband, master builder, Mike Jackson, have garnered a worldwide audience of enthusiastic viewers.   In this podcast,  they explain that none of their TV projects were window-dressed.  In fact, some took up to a year to complete.  They also discuss why a business plan and the objective of doing more than just starring in a reality show has made them millionaires.  They’re a part of this series because, first and foremost, Egypt and Mike are astute business people.   In addition to having decades of experience in their industries, they have built companies that aren’t dependent on on-air programming.  Mike owns Jackson Draper Construction, which he runs with Egypt’s uncle, Mark.  Egypt has  developed products that sell nationwide at JC Penny and Target stores under her Indigo Road family of companies.  This episode of ABL DUOs explains how this couple was able to use their reality show to create sustainable business models while also building a following.  But there’s another inspiring story behind the slick production, most recently seen on their Emmy nominated HGTV series, “Married to Real Estate.” This is a married couple who has been together for more than 20 years and have a hilarious story about how they fell in love. They describe the dynamics of their relationship and explain how they use it to run successful businesses while also raising three children.   Through it all, they both focus on remaining positive while working in an industry that makes money showcasing negative behavior. The reward for their perspectives is the ability to build success in the face of obstacles.

    ABL DUOs: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson

  6. 09/30/2025

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King

    Send us Fan Mail THE DAUGHTER OF A KING The Reverend Doctor Bernice A. King carries the legacy of one of Atlanta, GA’s most important families. She is often identified as the CEO of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.  But that’s not why she is interviewed for this podcast.   Business ownership and financial independence are not usually discussed as being planks in the civil rights platform. Dr. Bernice ties them together and shares her thoughts about how a cultural trait she identifies as “I want to have my own” may be at odds with the ability to grow sustainable global enterprises.  Dr. Bernice is a small business owner and has made United States history in the field of banking.  While being the primary keeper of her father’s legacy and the field of traditional finance seem far removed from each other, Dr. Bernice explains why they are more closely linked than most people realize.  She also tells listeners that Operation Breadbasket, one of the last programs established by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. before his assassination,  was an important component in the civil rights movement. Operation Breadbasket was operated by the S.C.L.C (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) It involved home ownership and business development in the African American community.  This podcast shows how much her father,  the man she never got to meet as an adult, has shaped her aspirations in life.  It also highlights the influence her mother, Coretta Scott King, had in building her youngest daughter’s clear-headed approach to problems.  Rev. Bernice King holds dual juris doctor, ( J.D.) and divinity degrees from Emory University.  She is also an ordained minister.  She takes her calling seriously and in this podcast, shares her belief that the hand of the Supreme Being has guided all of her choices in life which include where she got her education, how she met her business partner, Ashley Bell and the opportunity that allowed her to pray for a Catholic Pope.  If you have ever had questions about the woman tasked with interpreting the concept of non-violence for current generations, listen to this podcast.  It will leave you enlightened and uplifted.

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King

  7. 07/27/2025

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Lisa M. Borders

    Send us Fan Mail                                        LISA M BORDERS: THE OMNI-PRENEUR There are legacy families in Atlanta, GA.  Some are internationally known for the influence they have had on Georgia based businesses.  Others have made different types of contributions to the metro area for generations, but most people only know the name of one family member. One of the goals of this podcast series is to look under the hood of success and examine some of the lesser-known components.  That’s why you’ll  learn a lot about family dynamics when you listen to the podcast episode about Lisa M. Borders.   If you’re from Atlanta and older than 70, you might identify her as the granddaughter of the late Wheat Street Church pastor, Reverend William Holmes Borders, Sr.  If you’ve lived in town since the 1980s, though,  you might remember her as a former President of the Atlanta City Council and Vice-Mayor.  People who are long-term members of the area’s health community will know Lisa as the first person to lead a capital campaign for Grady Hospital and the person credited for financially rescuing the hospital system.  In the world of sports, she’s known as a former CEO of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and she’s closely tied to leading endeavors for women’s rights.  She’s also chaired a global division for the Coca-Cola company.   Each of those accomplishments is noteworthy.  Collectively, they make Lisa an omni-preneur. It’s a word she used to describe herself during the 90-minute interview she participated in for this edition of Atlanta Business League’s TELLING OUR STORY episode.  Lisa tells stories that most people have never heard about several of her high-profile positions.  But she does something more.  She explains the motivation for choosing to endure verbal abuse, such as being called a racial slur every single day, during one phase of her education journey. She describes why she allowed herself to be treated like a chess piece by one of the most powerful business leaders in the city.  She also recalls, with joy, how what looked like projects likely to fail,  turned into some of the biggest blessings in her life – to date.  The guiding factor in many of Lisa’s decisions is a chorus of voices that come from the elder members of her family.  They taught leadership by the lives they lived, fortitude by the challenges they conquered and the benefits of loyalty based on a foundation of love by simply supporting each other to the best of their abilities.  One of the most incredible facts about the life of Lisa Borders is that it continues to evolve.  The podcast ends with one of the projects she is developing in 2025.   The conversation with Lisa Borders  is mind-changing in many ways.  It explores education, corporate C-suite leadership, sports, politics and health care from the personal perspective of a woman who has made unique and powerful contributions to each industry.  What you will learn at the end of this podcast is that she has set her sights on doing even more in the years to come.

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Lisa M. Borders

  8. 06/12/2025

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Lonnie A. Saboor

    Send us Fan Mail The purpose of this audio podcast series is to introduce listeners to successful African American business owners based in Atlanta and Georgia.  This episode is different.  You’re introduced to one man, Lonnie A. Saboor.  But his passion for the last 50 years has been to help small business owners become successful.  Most know him as the man who led the City of Atlanta’s economic development department for more than 40 years.  The people in that department, rebranded as Invest Atlanta and because of Lonnie produced more than 1,000 profitable business owners.   But Lonnie’s track record of helping small business owners actually started before he became known as the Invest Atlanta “Money Man.”   He created an incredible financial infrastructure for the city’s Nation of Islam businesses when he was younger than age 25.  In this podcast, you’ll learn what he did to stymie the Internal Revenue Service by making decisions that were absolutely genius. However, instead of applying his ability and access to resources only for himself, he shared his information about building credit, learning how to write a functional business plan and understanding the cyclical process of being an entrepreneur with anyone willing to learn.  That created a list of commercial wins that boosted commerce in Atlanta.  This podcast gives specific examples of the people behind those accomplishments.  Lonnie tells the story of how African American business owner, Howard Spillar brought the first Wendy’s franchise to the area.  He also explains why a man who came to him as a first-time business owner was able to grow sizable companies in two separate industries: food and real estate.  The story Lonnie tells about two brothers who started a business with three brick-and-mortar Atlanta locations based on their mother’s recipes from India shows how inclusive the opportunities are in Atlanta, GA.   What may really impress and surprise everyone though, is how long Lonnie has shared information with Atlanta’s community of new business owners.  Here’s a hint – he first took the job with the city in the 1970s.  Although this podcast episode doesn’t focus on the success of one business owner, it does explain how Atlanta’s legacy of working collectively has spawned a foundation of economic stability that few other cities can mimic.  Lonnie’s professional life story also  showcases how opening the doors of opportunity to hard-working people from multiple cultures can create an entire eco-system based on sound financial principals that will grow and thrive for decades.   This episode helps any listener understand more about why  metro Atlanta, GA provides a unique template for entrepreneurial success.

    LESSONS from LEADERS: Lonnie A. Saboor
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Successful African American business and professional people in Atlanta, GA share stories about their lives and explain how their careers evolved based on the choices they made. Two different podcast series are part of this broadcast. LESSONS from LEADERS allows individuals to talk about their achievements. ABL DUOs interviews two professionals about one topic. This series started in 2023 as part of the Atlanta Business League's official 90th anniversary celebration. The new season began in 2025. 

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