Tuesdays with Corey interview with Rachel Shattah, Patrina King, and Lisa Waters

Rachel Shattah is the retired President/CEO of the Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia. She is an energetic and client committed Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, the finest Real Estate Brokerage in Atlanta. When you list your home for sale with her the first step in your comprehensive marketing plan is your home is marketed on 940 websites. Her membership in the Atlanta and Cobb Board of Realtors and Cobb Board of Realtors affords her status as Realtor. No matter what Metro Atlanta location or price point, her clients receive dedicated professional assistance they deserve in selling and/or purchasing their new home. Her accomplishments are many as her client's best interest always comes first in every communication, negotiation and transaction. She has earned awards, designations and recognition in the areas of real estate, non-profit leadership and management, government affairs activities, insurance management and sales, membership recruitment and retention, member services development, strategic planning and implementation, major event planning, marketing, volunteer board development and participation, and business consulting. She loves family, friends, clients, customers and living life to the fullest. A great deal of her happiness is having opportunities to help others achieve their goals, challenging and rewarding work, keeping healthy in mind, heart, body, spirit and soul. She completed her first half marathon with Team in Training benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the Savannah Rock n' Roll Marathon. She enjoys a good walk, an interesting book, a lovely sunset, a full moon, the beach, traveling, golf (had a lot of fun teasing her real golfer friends with her 2 holes in one), tennis, plays, concerts, and cooking (not to mention eating too). Her top priorities are her relationship with God, Family, Friends and Clients. Her greatest happiness is being a Mother of two wonderful adult children Emory Christopher and Deborah Anice.

Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn.

Patrina King is a Youth Advocate, Human Resource professional, and Founder of Golf Women Mean Business, LLC. In the field of human resources, her forte is background checks, recruiting and employer unemployment claims. Patrina understands that being successful is not always a straight process. She decided against choosing any of the 36 opportunities to play collegiate golf and attend college without any extracurricular activities in order to focus on getting her career started. Patrina’s excellence in business goes hand in hand with her fondness for philanthropy and charitable causes. She is the previous owner and operator of a pre-employment screening company that was headquartered in Metro Atlanta, GA. She used her knowledge from her business to educate youth and young adults on how their actions (sexting, online social media, school fights, drug and alcohol use, theft, etc) will affect future jobs and college applications.

Patrina is a current member of the Women’s Solidarity Society, a society within The National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. MECCA Chapter. Her past affiliation with various organizations and events such as SHRM-Atlanta, United Way VIP, Executive Women’s Golf Association, the National Black MBA Association, and an Interview Expert for Women For Hire, has endowed her with unparalleled expertise and experience. Patrina studied Technical Management with a concentration in Human Resources at DeVry University and Human Resources at Keller Graduate School of Management.

Along with her interest in women’s rights, Patrina has developed a great passion for educating professional women on how to use golf for business. Today, her life and career reflect that passion with informative and down-to-earth training through Golf Women Mean Business. Patrina has been featured on various television and blog talk radio shows. However, the epitome of Patrina’s efforts to educate professionals come in her workshops and speeches which aim to “humanize” golf for those who are hesitant to give the sport a try.

Patrina’s current home is in the Metro Atlanta Georgia area with her husband. She has been serving with the Mayor’s Youth Program of Atlanta since 2007, providing Atlanta public high school seniors training on workforce readiness and job interview skills. She allots time in her activities for events with 21st Century Leaders, Junior Achievement, and various other high school groups. In spare time not filled with work, volunteerism, or friends and family, she divulges her love of athletics (softball, golf, and football) through sports watch parties and playing rounds of business golf.

Connect with Patrina on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Lisa Waters is the Owner and Senior Care Advisor of Amada Senior Care, headquartered in Marietta, GA. Amada Senior Care is one of the fastest growing home care provider companies in the United States, focused on serving aging and disabled adults who elect to remain in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. Since 2007, Amada Senior Care has built a business model that encourages seniors and their families to explore all of the different care options available and create a customized approach. At Amada Senior Care in Marietta, GA, we are passionate about enriching lives by creating an outstanding and nurturing care experience for our clients and their families. We take care of the big picture by guiding our clients through care options. We also take care of the smallest details with a smile and a positive attitude. Our clients’ well being is our business – and our goal is to help them thrive.

Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn.

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it's time for Atlanta Business Radio, spotlighting the city's best businesses and the people who lead them.

Katy Galli: Welcome to another episode of Tuesdays with Corey on our Atlanta Business Radio Show. And I'm joined here with our Corey with The Long Term Care Planning Group. How are you doing, Corey?

Corey Rieck: I'm doing great, Katy. Thank you.

Katy Galli:Yeah. So, who'd you bring with you in studio today?

Corey Rieck: Well, we've got a great show today on Tuesdays with Corey. As you know, the premise of the show is that we interview successful business owners and C-suite executives and talk about their contributions to their communities, industries, and companies. And today, we have the great distinct pleasure of having Rachel Shattah, who has many years of successful C-suite executive experience and is a realtor now. Rachel, welcome.

Rachel Shattah: Welcome and thank you for hosting us today.

Corey Rieck: And we have Patrina King, who's built an incredible business helping women earn business on the golf course. Patrina, we look forward to hearing your story and welcome.

Patrina King: Thank you. Glad to be here.

Corey Rieck: And Lisa Waters, who is a successful business owner of Amada Senior Care. Lisa, welcome.

Lisa Waters:Thank you so much for having me.

Corey Rieck: Well, Rachel, we wanted to start off by having a conversation with you and talking about your career. You've had many, many years of success helping an organization, PIAG, Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia, helping them over the last 30-40 years. Tell us about how you got involved with that.

Patrina King: I was working for Carmel Forest Industry, and I was promoted from an accounting position to a sales position. And part of that process was being interviewed by the HR director of Carmel or Carmel Forest Industry. His name was Bill Green. And so, two months after that had occurred, he took a position as Executive Director of what was then PAG, which is Printing Association of Georgia. And then, two months later, he called me and offered me a position. And this was a a small association. And I was working for a sizable company and sort of had a path going. I was entering outside sales, which was the first for a female. So-

Corey Rieck: Did you just say, Rachel, that you were selling something?

Rachel Shattah: Yeah.

Corey Rieck: That doesn't come as a complete shock to me. You realize that, right?

Rachel Shattah: Well, it did to me, but anyway. So, the key really that sold me on going to work for him because this was a small organization versus a large, and he just absolutely convinced me that it would be a total learning experience that I wouldn't get anywhere else. And it was like at a ground floor. This went from a huge organization to a staff of then of like four. And it was all about helping people. And so, he absolutely sold me on that. And I have to say, at the end of the day, all that was true. I got an incredible education. I got to do a lot of different things for a long period of time. And then, of course, he left in 10 months from the association, and Paul Massey took his place. So, that's how I got there.

Corey Rieck: So, you spent a period of time when you started, six or seven, years working with membership, and major events, and finance with the Printing Imaging Association of Georgia. Tell us a little bit about that, and what that involved.

Rachel Shattah: The association, I mean, literally, when I got there, unbeknownst to me, the first thing I realized is that we were operating in the red. And so, it was like ground up and we grew. Actually, grew to the extended period of time from four employees to 22 from a budget of a million dollars to over $13 million. And at the time, it was whatever it took to get things done, and we were organizing a board, and it was just exciting. I mean, not one day was ever the same. You felt valued because you were helping people succeed in business. And that's the whole goal was to provide programs, services, and resources to help printers and imaging companies succeed.

Corey Rieck: So, the purpose of the association that you had so many years of involvement was to help other folks in the printing business, it sounds like. Is that accurate?

Rachel Shattah: Right. It was the trade association representing printing and imaging. So, you had the responsibility of educating, providing programs, and services, and resources. And then, also, marketing the value of print. And also, of course, government affairs issues. So, it's anything that would help from a mom and pop shop, all the ways to the big boys and girls.

Corey Rieck: So, from 1977 to 2003, you held the role of Senior VP of Membership, Major Events, and Finance. You must have learned an incredible amount and had a lot of different experiences during that timeframe.

Rachel Shattah: That's true. And I have to say that was kind of the most fun years because the printing industry had really hit outgrowing GDP since probably the mid '60s and till it plateaued at about 2000. So, things are great when it's going up, and everything just has fallen into place, and you're making money. And at that point, I was always proud to say print was king. And then, now, I, sort of, have to fall back and say, "Well, maybe data is king." And if you think about it, it was such an honor to represent print. You think in terms of what has been more significant to our world, there's not much because print really brought knowledge and everything else to the masses.

Corey Rieck: So, you had all that experience. And then, they asked you to run it.

Rachel Shattah: Yes.

Corey Rieck: And how is that?

Rachel Shattah: Well, I worked with Paul Massey for 25 years, and we were close. I mean, everybody in the whole organization was really fairly close. I mean, we evolved together. There's just a lot give and take. And so, they asked him to leave. And so, that was very hard for me. And my agreement was ... I mean, it was really quite a pool because my agreement was that I would help them keep it all together until they recruited a new president. And then, I had planned to do something else. And then, during that time, I just helped. There was a lot of need, and there was a lot of ... you can imagine in a transition like that, there was a lot of fear within the staff, and the board was directing ... if you had any experience with an association board or a nonprofit board, it's a lot of diverse thinking about what should be going on. So, it was all out change, change. And I had to sort of communicate that change to a staff, to a membership without losing members and things. So, it was challenging. It was rewarding at the end, but it was really challenging. And then, within four months, they offered me the position, and I just didn't feel I could leave.

Corey Rieck: So, how many people worked for you in that role?

Rachel Shattah: At that point, it was about 21.

Corey Rieck: And then, how many members were there in your association?

Rachel Shattah: When I started at PIAG, there was probably 114 member companies. The largest number of member companies that we had was almost 600. And then, from about 2000, things kind of leveled off. And then, of course, in 2008, I mean, everything kind of ran off the cliff, both from the economics of things, but also print was hit with technology.

Corey Rieck: So, how has the printing? You've seen a lot of evolution with the printing business since getting started here in 1977. Walk us through some of the major changes that have happened there.

Rachel Shattah: You could start as far back as cold type, lead type going to ... I mean, hot type going to cold type, I guess, all the way now through ... it used to be huge, and there are still huge web presses that are doing publications, and magazines, and all kinds of things, but it shifted. The biggest shift that I felt that a lot of members held off them the most was really taking digital seriously. I can remember some giants sitting at the board table saying, "That ain't going to happen." And it happened. And when it really took off, it was very quick. And so, you had the downturn, and you had companies that had vested millions of dollars in large presses. And if they were leveraged at that time, it was a very sad. The path going up was a lot slower than the path coming down. And that hurt a lot because, also, you had all these smaller companies and family-owned companies, this was their world, and they had a plan. and that plan was to retire with selling that company. And you had companies in the mid-range that would say $15 million in sales that dropped to $5. It's a tough recovery.

Corey Rieck: Yeah. So, you mentioned when you sort of got started that the association was in the red.

Rachel Shattah: Yeah.

Corey Rieck: What other challenges did you face with that?

Rachel Shattah: Well, it was just redefining what the goals were. And in most trade associations, to a degree, started originally about government affairs. They came together to help get regulations that helped them. And for the printing industry, whatever affected small business, because it was the fifth largest small business world in the nation for years and years, affected them. So, usually, [indiscernible] came together to pool their resources and funds and get being taken serious on the Hill.

Corey Rieck: So, you ran the organization as President and CEO from 2004 to 2007. Then, you evolved into another role, Executive VP of Member Relations and Director of Government Affairs, which you held from 2008 to 2013. Tell us about that role.

Rachel Shattah: Gosh, it was a learning experience for me, for sure, because there was a lot of dynamics. There's a big difference being the doer, getting things done, and keeping people connected than running the show. And I really like working with people and creating programs, and services, and events, and things like that. I really wasn't that happy about politics, and having to deal with the numbers, and all that kind of stuff. My philosophy had always been up to then, you do it so well, the numbers just work out. And now, you're accountable monthly for budgets, and you've got board meetings, and you've got different personalities. And remember, during this time, it was after kind of the peak. So, now, in the industry, the industry changed from everything is great, and everybody's making money, everybody is happy to fear about, "Okay, how are we gonna get-" So, there was a lot of dynamics in the industry, as well as a changing association. So, I mean, we just had to refocus and get back. It was a lot more bottom line-driven. And so, I think one of the most successful things during that time that I helped influence and navigate was the merging. I was responsible for five organizations. Four of them were nonprofits, one with profit. Education Foundation and the PIAG itself. We had a trust, Healthguard trust, and then we had a worker's comp trust. And then, we created a a for-profit corporation and an insurance agency because it was small business. During part of these times, which is still the same. they really were having trouble getting insurance, any insurance at any price. So, collectively, we created, first, the trust. And then, when things were changing, legislation was changing, then we actually created a full-fledged insurance agency. And that was already in the works when I took it, but because of the change in dynamics, I talked to the board and I worked through the process of merging our Healthguard with PIBT, which was in California. And they were huge. So, I believe in my heart of hearts that really was insurance for the PIAG for their future financial.

Corey Rieck: Well, you clearly added a tremendous amount of value with your business acumen. And you're working with your staff of 20. You're working with your members, a number between 114 and 600. You're sort of shepherding everybody through the changes, through the way we sort of used to do it, to the digital age. And certainly, it must have been a lot of experiences in there and just trying to keep everybody calm and open to doing things in a new way. I mean, that must have been challenging in and of itself, right?

Rachel Shattah: It was challenging to keep me calm.

Corey Rieck: You said that, Rachel. I didn't.

Rachel Shattah: Because think about this, I had never experienced a transition like this. And I thought that we were going to be, immediately, this great team and everybody now was gonna get to do the things they want to do, but there is a huge dynamic in transitioning, and downsizing or rightsizing, however people like to use the word. So, you've got a lot. And then, being promoted from within. And I just didn't understand originally what that was about. I had to learn on the job.

Corey Rieck: Well, I think, after 35 years, people would beg to differ with whether or not you understood it because you clearly picked it up if you had two high-powered positions there and you ran the organization.

Rachel Shattah: Thank you.

Corey Rieck: [00:16:03] So, you had this incredible ride there with the PIAG Association. And now, you're helping people find homes.

Rachel Shattah: [00:16:12] Right.

Corey Rieck: And how was that transition?

Rachel Shattah: You know what, my litmus test for PIAG was whatever is in the best interest of the member. And-

Corey Rieck: That's not a shock to me either.

Rachel Shattah: And then, I just transitioned that into, "Okay. What is the best interest of my client?" in every communication and every decision. And on top of that, for goodness sake, at PIAG, my joy was helping people, and being a part of that, and watching, and sometimes even participate. So, now, there's not a greater - usually, for most people - investment of funds and happiness than a home. So, I get excited about that.

Corey Rieck: Well, and it can be a difficult path to travel if you are a first-time homebuyer or you just don't know all the ropes to skip and the ropes to know. So, it's helpful to have somebody to, sort of, help guide you through that issue. If you could give yourself, I'm not going to say younger, the less experienced version of Rachel some advice, 15, 20, 30 years ago, what would you tell her?

Rachel Shattah: I think I would say be sure that you look in the mirror every day, and you like what you see, and that you find something to do that you really care about and that you have passion about. And then, do it very well. And to do it very well, you've really got to stay on top of learning and education and somehow know that you have to dispel fear and come up with courage. And every day, make somebody smile. And I would say make sure that you have something to look forward to, that you're doing something that you like, that you're helping others achieve their goals, figure out something everyday to do to help somebody else do their best self. And at the same time, have faith in God, whatever road you want to go on that. Have a attitude of gratitude for sure, because most of us are very blessed. So, I don't know.

Corey Rieck: Well, there's a lot of advice in there. And if there was a young lady that wanted to follow your same career path, what would you tell her?

Rachel Shattah: It's not the same path today, for sure. It is, I think, more numbers driven, bottom line driven. There's more data now that you collect, and you just have to really be on top of things. And so, if you choose something like the association world or any smaller organization, you were a bajillion hats. So, you're not the specialist. And it seems to me a little bit that the expert and the specialists are the ones that are faring well today, highly educated, very armed-wrapping around technology as their efficiency tool. If you like something that is in the association world, most associations now do have some experts in different areas - the marketing, the technology, the government affairs. So, you could have the reins of something like that and still sort of be the generalist. I think, you open your eyes, and you jump in, and you always keep on keeping on.

Corey Rieck: You've obviously done that very, very well. Rachel, if somebody wanted to be the benefactor in our listenership of your experience with trying to get the right home, how would they get a hold of you?

Rachel Shattah: My phone number is 404-423-3050. You can reach me. My website is www.rachelannrealestate.com. What did I leave out? And my email address is rashattah@gmail.com.

Corey Rieck: Rachel, you've been a great guest. Thank you for telling us about all of your success and continued success. Thanks again for being on the show.

Rachel Shattah: Corey, can I thank you for the show? And can I thank you for your passion in what you do? It's kind of neat. You really have a heart for seeing others succeed, particularly females, and then you protect them by offering them long-term care, which is incredible. Thank you.

Corey Rieck: Rachel, thanks so much. Next, we have Patrina King. Patrina, welcome.

Patrina King: Thank you so much.

Corey Rieck: So, Patrina, you built a business around helping women learn how to play golf and to conduct business on the golf course. Is that a fair assessment?

Patrina King: That's correct, yes.

Corey Rieck: How did you get into that?

Patrina King: Okay. So, I got into it by blowing an opportunity on the golf course myself.

Corey Rieck: Hang on a second. There's a story here, right?

Patrina King: There is a story, there is a story, yes. I have been playing golf since the age of seven. And-.

Corey Rieck: So, that's what? Five years?

Patrina King: About seven years, yeah.

Corey Rieck: [Okay.

Patrina King: And so, I played throughout high school. I had 36 golf scholarship offers. My dad taught me how to play. And he actually started at five. And then, by seven, I was considered competitive. But I only played with him and his friends. It's like the old men and I'm the young girl.

Corey Rieck: Be careful. There's one of us in the room-

Patrina King: Sorry. All the time, seven years ago. So, what happened is I didn't go to college on any of those scholarships because I didn't think it was fun. When I played in high school, I did not have a lot of girls to play against. And they had to like find people to play against me. And then, I was playing with the guys. And it just wasn't a good experience. My girlfriends are out having fun. I'm on the golf course practicing. This is lame to me back then. And so, when I decided to say no, I mean, when I got the opportunity to say no, I said no. I didn't have a choice but to play golf. My dad made me, but I didn't do it in college.

Patrina King: And so, I went to college the regular way. I have student loans. I pay bills now. That's another story, and I beat myself up sometimes about that. But I started my first business. And it was a background investigations company. And my client was on the golf course. I couldn't go to your average networking meeting. I had to go where decision makers were. And so, I started back hanging out at the golf course, and I met a guy there. And he saw me a few times. He would come to the driving range. We will play a little bit. He'll ask a few questions give me pointers. For some reason, guys like to do that without being asked, but sorry. But he-

Corey Rieck: I guess I got to realize at this point that I'm outnumbered here.

Patrina King: Yes, yes. But I had a feeling he was someone I needed to get to know. So, I accepted it. I know how to play the golf game. And so, I finally lent the opportunity to go play nine holes with him. And we played nine holes. And I beat him really bad because I was taught to play competitive. And I was playing by all the rules. And by this time, I knew who he was and what was on the table. And so, I needed him to know if I got to work with him, I would do everything correctly. I'm young, I'm black, I'm a female. That's not what you see normally on the golf course for business. So, I want to do everything correct.

Patrina King:Well, he never spoke to me again because of that score. So, I learned ... and I didn't understand why. Like he didn't want to go to what we call the 19th hole, which is where you go and kind of talk after the round. He didn't want to do that. He had to get back to the office. And I'm like, "Okay, this is weird," because we had great conversation prior to the round. And so, I talked to my dad about and he was like, "Well, you just don't beat the person you won't business from. You just don't let that happen." And that was the story behind where golf business came from because women don't get those opportunities a lot. And so, I'm like, "All right. I tried to run from it," but my mentor, you know Ms. Nancy Lewis-

Corey Rieck: You can't run from there.

Patrina King: Not at all. And she-

Corey Rieck: Not for very long.

Patrina King: No, no. And she just kept saying it, kept saying it. She's like, "Other women need to know about this, you have to teach them." And I'm like, "Yeah. Yeah, golf is golf. That's just something I do. No one's interested." And so, she had me sit on her panel one day at a conference that she had. And my notes and what I talked about in that conference and on that panel became my business plan for the business.

Corey Rieck: Yeah. So, to me, I see that as being very valuable, having a woman that's sharp, understanding how to play golf and being on the golf course. A lot of deals are closed on the golf course. So, tell us about running your golf women-mean business organization.

Patrina King: So, the business itself is great. I get a lot of people who are interested. I get a lot of people who just kind of stay in interest area because they don't know. And golf, when we mean business was created to take the the whole intimidation factor out of learning how to play. And we do that by starting with like the outing that's not even really golf-related. It's to get women in the same room who are just as clueless as the person that they brought. And then, we make them feel comfortable, and we move them over to training. And that part is great. I will say the part that I currently have, I'll say, issues with or I just wish it get better is diversifying, believe it or not.

Corey Rieck: What do you mean by that?

Patrina King: So, the golf course, as we know, the perception is white male. And then, you have no females go out there, but even within the female side of things, we are still separate. It more comes down to race at that point. I mean, you kind of go out with who you feel comfortable with, or who you hang out with, you grew up with. I don't take it either way. It is what it is, but I think that is one thing that I wish we can get past. Like it's one thing to get out there with other men. But then, I think we should be able to come together as well as women. And so, that is probably my issue or downfall.

Patrina King: And then, scaling will be another thing that I think I wish I could do soon. And the reason that's an issue for me is because it's hard to duplicate me because I have a very competitive background in golf, but I also really like the more relaxed side of it. And so, what I find with women, we're either too golf-heavy or no golf at all. And so, I kind of feel like, for me, having that best of both worlds thing and that pushing anyone either way, that's a little bit challenging to find.

Corey Rieck: What you just said is very novel. I think that gives you an advantage being able to go out to compete hard, and then also being able to go out and relax. A lot of people that have done anything at a high-level experience have great difficulty going out and just sort of doing it casually. So-

Patrina King: Exactly.

Corey Rieck: ... you've learned something you could probably teach a lot of people about that.

Patrina King: Yeah. Try.

Corey Rieck: What challenges do you face in your business?

Patrina King: Those are probably the most, the bigger ones. Just diversifying. We're probably 89% African-American because you attract what you look like naturally. I get that. And we're in Georgia. Well, Atlanta, DC, and then St. Louis as well. We have a few that are non-black, but I would love to diversify. And that will be my challenge at this time. And then, the scaling piece. Finding someone who can come in and make the newbies not feel so intimidated by saying, "You got to get your handicap done right now, and you got to do all of this," when really they just want to get out there and be able to swing the club. Like they don't really care. And if it's too hot, they're not going to be there either. We have to be able to understand that.

Corey Rieck: Yeah, I think that's important. A lot of ladies that are thinking about this, there's a lot of things, right? I mean it's a lot harder to go play golf than maybe what meets the eye. And just getting lessons and understanding the equipment, just understanding the equipment is a big deal.

Patrina King: It can be. And which is why we start that particular part of training online. We don't even ask our ladies to come to the golf course to try that. It's more of getting them in the terms, and the etiquette, and the rules, and understanding it before you see it because a lot of people will don't take lessons. And then, it's like, "What now?" And I definitely don't want that because I get a lot of women that say, "Yeah, I got golf clubs in the closet," or "My granddad or my dad gave me clubs. And I don't know what to do with them." And that comes from everyone is just saying go take a lesson, but then what do you do with that? There are things that come with that.

Corey Rieck: So, it seems like your organization gives ladies sort of a blueprint. You get them started online, you kind of give them a taste. But there's a very, very lengthy list of steps-

Patrina King: Yes.

Corey Rieck:... before you actually get to the golf course.

Patrina King:Absolutely.

Corey Rieck: So, you're doing a great service there, as I see it.

Patrina King: Thank you, thank you. I mean,one of our masterminds, it's called the Business Golf Blueprint. That's exactly what it is.

Corey Rieck: Yeah.

Patrina King:Yeah.

Corey Rieck: You've written a book, Nine holes, Nine Goals. Tell us about that.

Patrina King: So, the idea behind or the inspiration for Nine Holes Nine Goals came from our signature training, which is a three-day golf intensive. So, it's a retreat for women where we take women away for three days, and teach them how to play in three days. A lot of times, you take lessons over months, and weeks, and all of that, but we do it all in three days. And so, we're teaching them how to play. We're going over how the business is done. But then, when they leave, and then they get with people on the golf course, they don't really know what to do. And so, Nine Holes. Nine Goals kind of gives you a step-by-step or hole-by-hole, I should say, blueprint of what to do. Hole number one, how do you start the conversation or how do you get to know your partner? Do you even want to do business with this person? You may not even know that. So, this book will tell you how to get and get to know the person. And then, a lot of people think business is done on the golf course. So, as soon as they get people on the course, they're like, "Okay, this is what I do. This is what I got. Can we do this?" And that is so not the case that. And I talk-

Corey Rieck: [That is a huge mistake that people make.

Patrina King: That is so big. And that's the reason for the book.

Corey Rieck: But the reason that you would go out and play golf in the first place is to get to know the person.

Patrina King: relationship.

Corey Rieck: For them to get to know you. Right, 100%.

Patrina King: Yes, yes. It's relationships. Business comes from relationships, people. How do you get sports sponsorships? I mean, of course, we all need a template. You would know that, for sure. But it's relationships. And then, building relationships on the golf course because you have their undivided attention for that amount of time versus in any other networking event or space where you're going to talk to so many people in three to five minutes.

Corey Rieck: So, how do you know, you personally. when playing golf, what determining markers are there out there for you to figure out, "Hey, I want to do business with this person or I don't"? What decides that for Patrina King?

Patrina King: For Patrina King, there's this thing called intuition that I like, but that's the women's thing. But really, it's how they conduct themselves on the course of golf. The golfer around of golf will tell people a lot about their personality. So, if you're on the course, and you just have a bad hole, if you're breaking your club, you're cursing, you're throwing your ball across the street, you're speeding off, you're doing all this, that's something that Patrina King doesn't really build with, and I will normally cut the round short. You know like the guy that dumped me and I'll just say, "Hey, I got a meeting that just came up and I got to run. So, yeah. But for someone that I want to do business with, I kind of feel that we are getting to know each other. A lot of the right questions are being asked. A lot of the conversation becomes organic. It just kind of keeps going. That's when I know that someone that I want to, at least, continue to get to know and ultimately do business with.

Corey Rieck: It seems it would be helpful to ... anybody can get along when there's a five-mile-an-hour breeze, and the seas are calm, and they're smooth sailing. Anybody can do that. To me, it would be of interest to see, okay, if a guy makes a bad swing or has a bad hole, how does he or she respond? And I think it's important if you're gonna do business with somebody to know that end of that person. Would you agree?

Patrina King: Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, that's why I choose ... people want to go to coffee with me, and I'm like, "I normally don't even do business with people who don't play golf." And it sounds weird, but like you can send what I call your representative, which is your face that you put up in meetings, and we're doing this, and during lunch, and coffee, and all of that. But after 30 minutes to an hour together, and then there are things that you have to focus on, and other elements that are not going perfectly, I can't go on to see you actually who you are.

Corey Rieck: So, yeah, it's a different way to get to know somebody to determine if they're appropriate clients or business prospect, I'm sure.

Patrina King: Absolutely.

Corey Rieck: You have a lot of other experience with Patrina King & Associates - human resources, consulting, which I'm sure is a hot topic. How do you use what you've learned in the background, checking in HR? How do you apply all that to your business that you have now?

Patrina King: So, really, I can't say I do. It is kind of separate. Any business, it is people, and you want to deal with certain people. And I guess just playing golf kinda helps me understand how to deal with different personalities and understand different needs and things that come. But I'm just kind of too different. Just really two different things.

Corey Rieck: Yeah, because your company, Patrina King & Associates, you can do HR consulting, IT related things, speak with confidence. Which of those three areas do you think you do more work in?

Patrina King: So, okay. Patrina King& Associates, it's myself, which is the HR person. And then, there are other joint ventures under that. So, the Speak with Confidence and then the IT operations, those are more joint ventures of members of golf who I made business who offer a service that I feel is important to people outside of branding, marketing, the normal that you get to see all the time. You got a whole bunch ... you got a branding person on every corner, you got someone that can do your marketing in every corner. But then, how do you know how to get your message across? And when you speak, how do you get your business and making sure everything is in order. So, those other two were actually joint ventures.

Corey Rieck: Yeah. You're busy.

Patrina King: I'm busy.

Corey Rieck: You've won a lot of meaningful awards over the years. And which are some of the most meaningful awards that you've won?

Patrina King: So, over the year, I can't say one is more meaningful than the other. And I'll explain that. I think in a world where there are so many people doing great things, and so many people ... it's just so many people that can be recognized for everything. And for the little bit that I put out to be just recognized, period, I treat them all the same. So, I mean, they range. I mean, like the one from the Presidential Service Award all the way down to building a house for Habitat for Humanity, I treat them ... they're all on the same level for me.

Corey Rieck: All equally outstanding.

Patrina King: Thank you.

Corey Rieck: You have ties to the LPGA. How did you establish those ties? And how does that organization help your business?

Patrina King: So, I have ties with the LPGA and the PGA of America. And the LPGA, that side of things is more of instruction. Their instruction is, I think, they have to go through more instruction than the PGA people, the PGA trainers. And then, they're females. I mean, of course. And a lot of females are more comfortable with learning from females. So, I hire the best of the best is what I like to call it. So, Onita Castillo is one of my trainers from the LPGA, and she's a global class A instructor. So, she is the person that teaches the other teachers. So, we bring her in to break things all the way down for our ladies. And then for the PGA of America, I am involved with their diversity side because they also understand that golf needs to be diversified if we're going to save the game. We want to grow the game, save the game, so I work with them a lot on ways to bring diversity to golf.

Corey Rieck: Do you have a favorite player on either tour?

Patrina King: I do not. Patrina King.

Rachel Shattah: There you go.

Patrina King: That is a great question because I don't necessarily follow the pros as much because my client, they wouldn't know. I introduced them to the pros and let them see. And I told them to find someone with their build and see what they do on the course to get their swing better or whatever. But to get into the competitive side and all of that, I don't. But there is a guy that will be my top person. I won't say his name because I'm golf women mean business.

Corey Rieck: Fair enough. You also founded Women's Golf Day in Georgia.

Patrina King: [Yes.

Corey Rieck: What prompted you to do that? And tell us about that.

Patrina King: So, Women's Golf Day. So, there is a National Women's Golf Day. And national, of course, when you think national, it's all over, is big, is huge. You don't get to touch anything. It's just kind of a blanket. You know it's happening and who really care. So, because I live in Georgia and the home base for the membership is here in Georgia, I felt like we needed to let the rest of the nation know that we have golfers here, and we're serious, and we exist. And when that day comes, which is also June 6th, we do things especially for women in Georgia.

Corey Rieck: That's outstanding. If you had to give yourself a younger version of yourself, some advice 5-10 years ago, what would you tell her?

Patrina King: I would say be yourself and know that the world will adjust. Don't really try to go with the status quo, which is something that I think I did early on. And as soon as I was able to become myself, it was just like, "Oh, this is easy. Why wasn't I doing that before?" So, I think I would say, yeah, just be yourself, the world would adjust. And then, if something doesn't feel right, don't do it. Don't feel bad about moving on. Just go where things feel right. Right?

Corey Rieck: If there was a young lady that wanted to follow your path and take a similar approach to their business life, what would you tell that person?

Patrina King: I will tell her to set a goal, but not only a goal, have a clear end goal in mind and to stay the course because a lot of times, we set goals and there are a lot of opportunities, opinions, everything that will come along the way, which will throw them off track because it looks great. But if you keep your end goal in mind, everything else will flow, just like you like it.

Corey Rieck: Stay the course.

Patrina King: Stay the course.

Corey Rieck: That is an outstanding advice. And Patrina, if our listenership wanted to get in touch with you via phone or e-mail, how would they do that?

Patrina King: They can reach me. I will give my direct cell, my direct business cell, 678-861-4183. And my email address is pk@golfwomenmeanbusiness.com. And my personal website is Patrinaking.com. You can reach me at any of those.

Corey Rieck: Well, Patrina, congratulations on all your success and all that you've done in such a young age. You've been a great guest. And we certainly wish you the best on a go-forward basis. Thanks for being on the show.

Patrina King: Thank you. I appreciate it.

Corey Rieck: Lisa.

Lisa Waters: Good morning, sir. How are you?

Corey Rieck: I'm not too bad. How are you?

Lisa Waters: I'm great. Thank you for having us here.

Corey Rieck: Well, Lisa Waters is the successful owner of Amada Senior Care here based in Marietta. Tell us about your company, and what it does, and how you help people.

Lisa Waters: I'd love to. Amada Senior Care is actually a Spanish word that means to be loved and love. And our census makes up mainly of seniors and our veterans. So, what we do is we provide care for those who cannot always help take care of themselves. At one point, they could do this on their own, but helping them with their everyday things like maybe just laundry, or taking their medicine on time, having a nutritious meal, that sort of thing, or take them to doctor's appointments, we can all help with that.

Corey Rieck: Well, you help them with their activities of daily living, right?

Lisa Waters: Yes.

Corey Rieck: And those are?

Lisa Waters: Well, like bathing, dressing, simple things that we take for granted each day. Meals alone, they forget. Their medications. And just keeping them interactive with the community. By providing a caregiver in the home can help nurture that, and then let them stay at home where they thrive best.

Corey Rieck: How did you decide to get into that business?

Lisa Waters: I struggle with that, sometimes. I always-

Corey Rieck: It doesn't look like it.

Lisa Waters: Thank you. Well, it's actually my husband's idea. He approached me with the idea. And at first, I thought it was some sort of multi-marketing type deal. I said, "Please don't talk to me about another multi-marketing type business. I don't want to get involved in any pyramids or anything like this." He said, "No, this is totally different. Please, just let's sit down to talk with them, and have a conference call." And I did. And they pretty much sold me on the type of concept. But giving back to the community was more of what I wanted to do. And it was in line with the passion. I always knew I wanted to do something more. And I think being in the senior space was definitely a place where I wanted to be passionately.

Corey Rieck: Well, you've had a lot of great success building things, planning things, leading things. And you're very, very organized, extremely personable. And this seems to me like it would be a natural transition for you and Alan..

Lisa Waters: I feel that way just because I'm very much of a nurturer. So, when I sat down with somebody, I'm going to listen to them and zone in on those needs. Sometimes, I may not even think it's a need at the time. So, it's up to me to make sure that I'm educating my families and my community what resources they have. And of course, I can help lead them in that direction. But my crossover from coming from corporate into a small business, I knew I could take that skill set by leading CFO, CEOs, board of directors, all cases. I could take, and that transition, and say yes, I can run my own business, and I can do it well, and I can help support my community.

Corey Rieck: How many people work in your organization, Lisa?

Lisa Waters: Well, we are a franchise. So, we have over 90 locations. But me and my husband, Amada Senior Care of Marietta, we're the first here in Georgia. So, we feel like we're the trailblazers in senior care here to represent Amada. So, there's our 90 locations. So, we started this four years ago, we were number 17 as far as the location. So, they have really grown. We're up to 90 now. So, we're very excited about really spreading the Amada Senior Care concept, the approach, but doing it the right way without over saturating the market because we still want to have that personable approach with each family that we take on because they become our family.

Corey Rieck: Yeah, I think one of the things that I've gotten loud and clear knowing you and Alan over the years is that you do treat people like family. And it does make a difference in your business. And so, if a family needs help, you're able to send one of your caregivers to their home to help them. And so, that, to me is very important because families with this long-term care issue, they have the opportunity to be the plan themselves or they can leverage the specialized skills that an organization like yours brings to the table.

Lisa Waters: Right. Again, it's really sitting down with the family, but bringing everybody who's going to have a say. We want to be a whole. And not every family member agrees. A lot of the-

Corey Rieck: You mean families disagree on things?

Lisa Waters: Oh, gosh, yeah. You could see. Oh, my gosh. There's a lot of family dynamics out there. So, what we really try to do is come up with a holistic approach where everybody can, at least, be happy with the decision as a family and determining what the best plan of care is going to be for that family or if it's going to be the mother and father that's making a decision on their own or, at least, have the support of their loved ones behind them.

Corey Rieck: How many employees does your organization have?

Lisa Waters: Well, we're still a small business. We're growing. So, I have three internally if we want include Alan, my husband. He's boots on the ground. Same as me. But we have two awesome internal staff that really ... I mean, they will literally stop what they're doing. Their passion is the same as ours. So, when we take that into consideration, and we're interviewing our caregivers, we make sure that they have the same passion as we do for the seniors and our veteran. So, that's highly important.

Corey Rieck: And then, the caregivers, how do you find help?

Lisa Waters: It's their story. We basically could feel that vibe over the phone. How were they representing themselves over the phone? Are they going to take my call? Are they going to return my call? Are they going to show up for their interview? So, those are the type of people that we can weed out, usually, on the forefront. When we sit down in front of them, we really just put the paper away. Let's just sit and talk, and talk me a little bit about yourself, and what made you decide in this profession because caregiving business is not for everybody.

Corey Rieck: You can say that again.

Lisa Waters: It's difficult. It can tear up families and it can make a family. So, let's put it that way. And so, when we talk-

Corey Rieck: Well, there's no question about that.

Lisa Waters: Yeah. So, when we sit down with that potential candidate, we make sure that this is what they want to do because I don't want to waste their time and I don't want to waste my time. They're gonna be the face of Amada, and I would expect them to have the same passion. So, that's what we look for.

Corey Rieck: Do you have specific things that you look for? I mean, compassion, familiness, togetherness, maybe teamwork.

Lisa Waters: It's their story. It's their story. I can tell you 90% of my caregivers have that story where they've taken care of their own loved one. And that's where it stems from. And that's where you dig deep in the soul, and you know they have that gift for caregiving because, again, we go back to it's not for everybody.

Corey Rieck: Yeah, that is definitely a gift. What is it that you like best about running your organization?

Lisa Waters: I think it's really helping the families because that's where my passion is. And you know what? Growing up, I didn't have grandparents. So, being around with my community gives me the opportunity to have what I didn't have in the past growing up. So, now, it makes me tear up. And giving families jobs. A lot of them are single women, with families to take care of. So, let's give them the opportunity to grow and they can start here.

Corey Rieck: Well, after knowing you and Alan for a number of years, I mean, you're very special people.

Lisa Waters: Thank you.

Corey Rieck: I mean, there's no question that you're able to build trust and immediate relationships. And to me, that seems like it would be very advantageous for what you do.

Lisa Waters: Yeah, trust is definitely big on the priority list just because I'm bringing a caregiver in. How would they know? They're trusting me to make the right decisions for them, right? Because anything could happen. So, we have to make sure that it is the right fit for that right family. So, we kind of do the profiling. I know this caregiver has a passion for this, but my family over here has these similarities. So, I'm going to put them together. So, it's not just a caregiver who's available to work. It's a caregiver that has the right fit for this family.

Corey Rieck: What challenges do you face as a business owner, and then, specifically with being in the home care space?

Lisa Waters: I think it's really educating the families on what their options are. A lot of them, the generation that we're dealing with now, the baby boomers, they're very prideful. And so, a lot of them are veterans. And they think they don't need the care. They don't want it. And so, it's up to us to say, "Look, you don't want to end up here in a nursing home. Let's keep you here at home where you're going to be the happiest. Let us come and take care of you for a little bit. Let us make your meals for the rest of the week. Let's make sure you're taking your medicine on time." So, that usually, after a while they think about it, they think, "Yeah, it's best for me to stay at home. I don't want to end up in a nursing home in front of a window. So, I can stay here at home and thrive."

Corey Rieck: Most folks, don't they want to stay in the community that they've created?

Lisa Waters: Absolutely, absolutely. Most of their friends are all in the same ... they don't want change. They don't want to accept it. But sometimes, we have to show them a slight curve so they can maintain their lifestyle.

Corey Rieck: Yeah, that doesn't surprise me that you're able to get families to understand that. You're a pretty good sales person from what I've seen. What challenges are out there with families, and understanding what you do, and understanding what the government does, and more importantly, what they don't do on this issue?

Lisa Waters: Most of the time, they don't want to be involved because they're too busy. So, we-

Corey Rieck: What does that mean? You mean they don't want to deal with the fact that somebody wants to help at home?

Lisa Waters: Yes. They're like just deal with it sometimes. So, it's up to us to educate how important it is to be part of that care plan because I've learned that if they did not, at the time, want to contribute, they will regret it. So, you have to think about they're going to be seniors at one time. They're raising a family. Is this the way you would want your children to treat you at some point? So, it's really breaking it down deeper, like, yeah, I am a high profile, except that I do have to make time for my family because without them, they would not be here essentially. That's the way I look at. It's like paying it forward each day and might as well do it for your own family first.

Corey Rieck: Well, I think you and Alan's approach to doing things and becoming family is even more advantageous for a family that has family members that don't want to deal with this. Because then, you're going to help them and-.

Lisa Waters: I'll be their advocate.

Corey Rieck: ... and be their advocate.

Lisa Waters: Absolutely.

Corey Rieck: And help them get to the right decision.

Lisa Waters: Well, and do the right thing if we see that there is a need there. Let's say I have a client that I can see that he's declining maybe in his physical being, then let's call his doctor and say, "Look, we found that he's declining or caregiver's noticing it," we can get home health in there to provide additional therapy or get them on the right meds to get them stabilized, or maybe they're getting a UTI, nobody's recognizing that. So, we are their eyes and ears of that either non-existent family or an extension of that family.

Corey Rieck: And so, it seems like you would help the family by helping the person that needs the care. But also, perhaps running interference and following up with doctors regarding your treatment regimens, or-

Lisa Waters: Absolutely.

Corey Rieck:... meds or pharmacies. Is that accurate?

Lisa Waters: Yes, it takes it a lot further than just providing the care, the right caregiver. It's making sure that all of their needs are being met, so that they're still thriving for as long as how we can have them.

Corey Rieck: So, you really are an advocate. It really seems like you take measures to weave into the family so you can be a better resource to them.

Lisa Waters: Absolutely. I will literally take time off, and I'll go spend time with my own clients. I'll say to the caregiver, I'll say, even though there I'm there, or sometimes I'll just go work a shift because I need to get to know how my clients are feeling, and how they really feel about the caregiver. They may not open up. So, I want to make sure that they are happy and that the choices that they're making are the right choices.

Corey Rieck: See, you said something just a minute ago that to me is very, very telling. And that is that you are not only sort of managing this whole process, but you're also getting your hands dirty and you're out there doing the work. And so, you're understanding. To me, that would be advantageous because you're able to understand the people to work for you, what they're dealing with. And then, also, perhaps, you know, lend more perspective to what that family can get-.

Lisa Water: Absolutely.

Corey Rieck: ... in terms of your services.

Lisa Waters: Absolutely. Because we are not just an in-home care agency. We provide a lot of other services. Like you said, resources. So-

Corey Rieck: What are those other services, Lisa?

Lisa Waters: So, for instance, let's say, a family, they're still vibrant, but they didn't want the neighbor they lived in. So, they want to be a more vibrant community. So, I can help them with retirement community, whether it's assisted living and they can actually transition in age or in care. Meaning they can start it independent, maybe move to assisted living. And then if memory care came up, there's some Alzheimer's or dementia. Then, we can easily just transition to one place. They don't have to keep moving around from place to place to find the right care. We can help them with financial coordination, long-term care insurance. Corey, I know that you speak that well. That's your biz, but we help them with the claims services. So, we'll take it from point A to point B. We'll do policy analysis. And then, find out if there's any other fundings that are available through veterans' aid and attendance benefits or even just any vouchers, non-profit vouchers that are available to them to help minimize out-of-pocket expenses.

Corey Rieck: Yes. So, you're clearly an advocate for clients and certainly the veterans, there's a lot of information out there. And sometimes, it's not widely understood what exactly those folks have access to that has-

Lisa Waters: Absolutely.

Corey Rieck: ... so unselfishly served our country. So, that, I see is another huge benefit that you would bring to someone, especially with a loved one that has that-

Lisa Waters: Yeah. And a lot of times, they don't realize they qualify for that benefit. So, we try to make them aware of it, so they can get that. And if they've earned it, they deserve it. So, we'll fight every effort into the way to get that benefit for them.

Corey Rieck: Is it fair to say that you're also able to help clients, not only with your position on the continuum of care, housing and services that people may need, but also to help them with adult day care, assisted living.

Lisa Waters: Everything.

Corey Rieck: Because you-.

Lisa Waters: Everything that you can think of that to come along with any type of care, we would have that help, have a resource for that.

Corey Rieck: And you vetted these resources and you would know, hey, who are the good providers and so forth?

Lisa Waters: Absolutely, because we've been hands on. Just like us as a new business owner, somebody is gonna throw us a bone at some point. So, it's up for us to do our ultimate best and shine. It's the only way we're gonna get opportunities. It's so competitive out there in the senior care space. We have to show with what makes us different. We have to prove it to them.

Corey Rieck: Well, you and Alan are definitely different. And knowing you as people, and how empathetic you are, and how passionate you are about making sure that the right thing is done by these folks, that comes through loud and clear.

Lisa Waters: Thank you. I hope so, yeah.

Corey Rieck: What do you think is today, on February 13th, what do you think is the biggest challenge in home care, generally speaking.

Lisa Waters: Really, to be honest to you, it's our government. We really need for them to really dig deeper and provide more benefits for our seniors, because there are so many out there that are suffering. Our veterans are suffering. So, we really need to be the voice of reason, voice of respect. They are still people. They're still here. They're existing.

Corey Rieck: If you could give the younger version of yourself advice, first of all, would you take it?

Lisa Waters: I actually have two out there. Hopefully, they're listening. My daughters. So, yes.

Corey Rieck: Knowing what you know, you've had so much success running things in corporate, you've had this corporate success and you have this business now that you're delivering tremendous value to folks that need help in their home, if you could look back 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and council yourself, what would you tell yourself? What would you do?

Lisa Waters: Well, I'm always a big advocate of thinking big. I'm a dreamer. And then, try to follow through with that. Think big. Be open to change. Be open to differences, I think is it. And then, just really push yourself to the limits. Don't give up. Be prideful. Be confident. And then, always give back to others. Pay it forward. Pay it back somehow. Like Rachel said, if it's a smile, it's a smile. Nothing is too little to give.

Corey Rieck: I think you're right about that. I appreciate that. If there was a young lady that wanted to follow your path, what advice would you have for her?

Katy Galli: I would just tell her, like I said, think big. Entrepreneur. The world is a big place. It's up for you to find your way with that is going to be. And I agree with Rachel that do something you enjoy doing, that you're passionate about, and stick with it. And then, just incorporate as much as you can on top of that and just build from there or one building block that can make it so much bigger.

Corey Rieck: You're right about that. If the listenership wanted to get in touch with you and Amada Senior Care about your services, how would they get a hold of you via phone and or e-mail?

Lisa Waters: Okay. Our office main line is 770-545-6198. Our website is www.amadamarietta.com. And of course my email is lisa.w@amadaseniorcare.com.

Corey Rieck: Lisa, you've been an excellent guest and congratulations on all your success. Thank you for your contributions to the senior market and with your expertise. And thank you for being on the show.

Lisa Waters:Thank you. I thank all of you.

Corey Rieck: I would like to thank everybody here. Katy, thank you for hosting another good show. Patrina King, thank you, Rachel, thank you. It's been another great show. Tuesdays with Corey. We'll see you next time.