Small Business Owners Took Leap as Entrepreneurs After Job Loss

The owners of an IT business started on a kitchen table after a layoff was named the  Small Business Persons of the Year on Tuesday. Aug. 23.

Julie and Michael Haley, owners of Edge Solutions received the annual honor at the chamber's Eggs & Enterprise Breakfast held at Country Club of the South after being named finalists in late July.

Last year's winner, Brian Riggins of the Magnolia Group in Roswell introduced the winners.

"This year's story of the Small Business Persons of the Year starts at their kitchen table. And unfortunately it starts with a job loss," Riggins said.

The couple had to decide to jump back into the job market, or take a leap and become entrepreneurs.

"So literally, with their entire life spread out on the kitchen table, they decided to take that leap and become an entrepreneur," Riggins said.

Now they employ 25 people and had gross revenue increase by 600 percent last year.

Edge Solutions is a majority woman-owned IT solutions provider delivering customer service and support, with IT solutions designed to meet its customers’ business challenges across the Southeast.

Julie Haley thanked her team for following their principles and for even taking pay cuts to start working for her company.

"As Brian said, we started Edge at our kitchen table," Haley said.

The couple was in shock after a layoff.

"We decided not to despair but to treat it as an opportunity," she said.

Other finalists included:

Laura (Beth) Cayce -  CaraVita Home Care and CVSC, LLC

CaraVita Home Care has provided in home personal care services to 15,000 seniors in the North Fulton and Metro Atlanta market for 13 years.

Darrin S. Cohen – Wealth Enhancement & Preservation of GA

Wealth Enhancement & Preservation of GA is an independent fee-based wealth management firm specializing in retirement income planning, asset accumulation, and preservation

Ted & Dawn Shield – GeoResults

GeoResults, incorporated in June 2001 as a telecom database marketing and consulting firm, focuses on the development of national database products and services and customized telecom solutions to help its clients achieve profitable business growth.