Latest / The Commercial Builders’ Network (TCBN) / Atlanta's Airport Corridor: Where Competition Becomes Collaboration
Transcript
- speaker-0: You're talking about 176 square miles of 15 jurisdictions. You have some of the most underserved, underrepresented, under-resourced communities of all of Metro Atlanta right here, around the most efficient, the busiest airport in the galaxy. Well, that's a legacy residence, but don't have an opportunity to grow with the growth. Resource partners in the room, and we average a fifty plus percent ratio. So everyone who every two people who walk in, one person's walking out with a career. So think about that, right? Every two people walk in, one person's walking out with a career. speaker-1: This is the Commercial Builders Network, where trust is restored, power is reclaimed, and legacy is built. Let's get to work. Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to another episode of the Commercial Builders Network. My name is Tanisha Reid, and I'm your host. And today we have the amazing Shannon James Sr. He is the president and CEO of Eritropolis Atlanta Alliance, which is a public-private partnership driving economic growth and opportunity across South Fulleton and Clayton County. He is a native of Albany, Georgia. Shannon's journey began with a full basketball scholarship involved at Dawson State University, where he developed the discipline, leadership, and vision that would shape his career. He went on to spend over fifteen years in commercial banking before making a pivotal decision to dedicate his work to community and economic development. Today he is one of the most influential leaders in Georgia, helping to shape the future of the region surrounding. Hartsville Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the most powerful economic engines in the world. Through his leadership, the Aerotropolis region is being reimagined as a hub for business, workforce development, and inclusive opportunity, ensuring that communities surrounding the airport aren't just near growth, but are a part of it. How are you doing today, Shannon? speaker-0: Doing great. How about yourself? speaker-1: I am awesome. It's good to have you. speaker-0: To be here. speaker-1: Look, look, you a busy busy man. The people the people need ya. The people been requesting ya. speaker-0: It definitely feels that way, but ⁓ it means you we're doing good work. We're doing speaker-1: Awesome, awesome. So we're gonna dive right in. I would love for you to tell the people about little Shannon and and what was life like back in Albany that helped to shape who you are today. speaker-0: Wow. ⁓ so you you're forcing me to go back now, right? So ⁓ the young Shannon ⁓ was definitely a young, curious ⁓ young man, right? ⁓ who wanted to do more in life. ⁓ I found a lot of my skills and talents through the boys and girls clubs of East Albany, Georgia. ⁓ how to build relationships, how to play. spades, how to play video games, how to play ping pong, but more importantly, how to play basketball, right? ⁓ the sport that ultimately ⁓ took me out of Albany, Georgia through a full scholarship. And found a lot of friendship, a lot of mentors ⁓ through the Boys and Girls Club. And it really helped shape who I am today. I mean, I learned my etiquette skills. ⁓ you know, I learned how to, you know, be a a friend. ⁓ and how to deal with adversity and even controversy ⁓ through the boys and girls club. And so I I owe a lot to the boys and girls clubs of America, more importantly, East Albany Boys and Girls Club. And so ⁓ ended up making the high school basketball team and ⁓ ultimately that opportunity led me to college. ⁓ through a full ride ⁓ once I made it a Val State. It really opened my eyes, right, to what the world is like, ⁓ what opportunities that are out there. ⁓ you know, my college roommate who is my best friend to this day, ⁓ who's also from Albany. And, you know, it's where I found my career. You know, I was fortunate to Be introduced it to into banking. ⁓ while I was in college, I was working, I was going to school, I was playing sports. And what I quickly recognized once I became a teller, ⁓ customer service rep, was that, you know, numbers, I I've always been great with numbers. I was a business major and commercial banking was very aspirational. And so, you know, I knew in order to get into commercial banking, which is extremely difficult. ⁓ and honestly, I didn't see anyone who looked like me in commercial banking. So I was moving in uncharted territory. ⁓ and not only commercial banking, but management training. And I was fortunate to become the first African American accepted into the management training program for Park Avenue Bank in Valdosta, Georgia. And so when I went through that program, it really teed me up for my future in commercial banking. ⁓ once I finished my trainee program. I was promoted to that's how I got to Metro Atlanta, ⁓ Inguinette as a junior lender. And ⁓ honestly it's just been history and banking ever since and then ultimately here in this role with the Aerotropolis. So ⁓ you know, my journey has been ⁓ I wouldn't say truly traditional, but it's definitely been my own, right? I I was able to kind of craft my skills in the boys and girls club and find out who I was and where my skills and strengths were. And that ultimately led me from high school to college. And and then college helped me identify an industry and a career. And that career took me from Valdosta to Atlanta. And now once I made it to Atlanta, which was such obviously a bigger city than South Georgia, you know, I really honed in on crafting my skills. building relationships and I was fortunate to leave that bank and go to Sun Trust Bank at the time. Man, I'm s showing my age, Sun Trust in Camp Creek back in 2011. And that's when I landed in this area near the airport. And and I've actually been here ever since. So I spent 15 years in banking and now I've been in this area for 15 years. So I'm I am in a very unique position right now. speaker-1: Awesome. So I know that within your fifteen years, you not only did the commercial lending aspect, but also portfolio management. Through that time, I know that you actually were working during the financial crisis of twenty twenty twenty two thousand eight two thousand eight. Yes. Tell me how navigating that ⁓ that time was and how did you make it through? speaker-0: Well, that's a really good question. As you notice, right, I kind of really glossed right over it. I I think for me it was it was a bit of trauma, right? I mean, two thousand and eight to twenty eleven was the Great Recession. And so, you know, it was a really a tough time to be in banking, especially in the state of Georgia. ⁓ we led the nation in bank failures. ⁓ we the state of Georgia, especially Metro Atlanta, is a real estate driven market. And so you really had to, you know, deal with adversity and be, you know, at the top of your game during that period. And so for me, you know, I think it was really about leveraging my skills and my relationships and my ability to work hard. And so I I wasn't afraid to come in early mornings. I wasn't afraid to stay late nights. And I went from, you know, development and commercial lending to managing risk and special assets. For those who are familiar with the SAD department, special assets department. You know, I was basically managing foreclosures. I was, you know, managing trouble debt. ⁓ I was managing a lot of the other real estate owned property that the bank had foreclosed on. And so I really sharpened my teeth around that time, around 2008 and 2011. I learned about, you know, how, you know, extending yourself during Good and bad times can really expose yourself to risk. And and I also saw where, you know, bad things happen to good people. And so through that period, I think my skills of understanding how to manage loans and understanding cr credit underwriting ⁓ and understanding credit analysis, it allowed me to really navigate my way through the Great Recession and honestly come out the other end a lot stronger. a lot more thoughtful and a lot more skilled and desirable as a banker. And, you know, I was able to really write my own ticket after that. A lot of people left banking during that time. ⁓ but for me, I had literally just had my son as well. So in 2008, I had my second child. So it was, you know, I had a lot to be thoughtful about and to work towards and work for. And so I had a different purpose. ⁓ it wasn't just about me. It was about You know, my kids and I was a young husband and I had a lot of ambition. And so you couple all those things and and you find a way. Listen, my I grew up finding a way. So hard times wasn't new for me. speaker-1: It's funny. I had watched ⁓ an interview of this basketball coach who said, you know, it isn't life all we're always looking for the moment where life is going to get easier. And it's like life is just hard. We just learn how to manage hard. That's right. We get better at managing hard. So that's right. speaker-0: I love that quote. So real. speaker-1: Yeah, absolutely. So tell me about during your time in banking, how did it help you learn about managing risk opportunity and seeing how money really works? 'Cause a lot of times, especially in our community, ⁓ getting that funding and getting those opportunities seem like they're limited. maybe we're not positioning ourselves the best way or presenting ourselves the best to get those opportunities, but what did you learn during that time? speaker-0: Well, you know, it's it's really interesting, right? It was it was an opportunity for me to truly understand, like you said, how money works. And I think oftentimes the individual, especially as a human being, we we don't realize just how important our personal credit and our personal cash flow ties into, you know, a project. And so what we call Global cash flow really helped me wrap my arms and my mind around how cash works and how credit deals are determined. And a deal isn't just the deal, right? You know, a credit analyst or underwriter is not just looking at that spot moment. ⁓ they're looking at your entire portfolio of work, meaning how you've managed your personal credit and what your personal credit score is, how you've managed your own personal debts. And how your debt to income ratios are. And then how does that project perform? And your ability and your expertise, meaning your experience, ⁓ to now navigate the the critical risk that come with doing projects, that you're gonna be successful. And honestly, banks, they're they're really just managing risk. They're risk mitigators. And so if the individual has the skill set to improving themselves, not only individually first, ⁓ and I think that's where oftentimes a lot a lot of individuals and particularly especially African Americans, where we're not necessarily taught about credit growing up, right? You learn about credit e once you're an adult or you're leaving college even, not necessarily in college. And even for me, right? My mother never talked to me about credit. We never had the cash conversation. We never really talked about being thoughtful and living below your means and not taking on credit cards or getting a credit card and paying it off or ⁓ or really understanding what a credit score is and how it works. And so, you know, what I recognized was that the individuals who had legacy ⁓ you know, individuals around them who helped them understand at a early age and often and position them well, they were more seasoned and more qualified and more prepared to get those deals and approvals versus individuals who were really strapping to figure it out on their own. And what I also recognize is that there is strength in numbers, right? When you're working on a project and you've got an individual who you can go into the project with you, not just you yourself, you it's you and someone. And now the deal is looking at not only you but that other individual, then the likelihood of approval increases if you're both strong. And so, you know, and it's difficult to find a partner, right, to do business with. ⁓ oftentimes we try to go at it alone. But if you can collaborate and partner with someone who has similar ambitions, similar backgrounds, or at least similar goals and you both bring something to the table under this unified objective, then your likelihood increases of now achieving access to credit and getting your projects achieved because now the bank is looking at you as not just one individual. Now it's two people and there's a greater likelihood of A, them recouping their funds in case you don't pay them back. Because I don't think people really think about that. Banks are thinking about, you know, if you don't pay us back, how we're gonna get our money? Is either through ⁓ you know, liquidating the asset that they're the collateral that they're giving you. But that's honestly the other that may be the first sense, but the secondary ⁓ is even more important, meaning what what personal assets may be tied to it, what equipment or or or anything else that can help them recuperate their losses, because when the bank takes it back. is not worth what they gave you the money for. So they're taking a loss literally immediately. So I'm saying all that to say I quickly understood and began to understand how credit works and how cash flow works and how credit underwriters and credit approvers look at different deals and projects. And one of the biggest asks is like a line of credit. Everyone's looking for a line of credit, right? ⁓ but a line of credit is very difficult if you don't have a proper collateral to now collateralize that line of credit with because a lot of people want it unsecured. That's just like a credit card. Well, how are you managing your credit cards, right? What's your credit score? And what's your ability to pay back this debt if it's not secured, which makes it even more riskier? And so, you know, all of these things are so important, but to to most individuals, they're not really thinking about all that. They're just thinking, I got a business. I need help. You're a bank. You've got the money. I've got the business. Let's do business together. It's not that simple. speaker-1: Yeah. It's funny 'cause my ⁓ first credit lesson was just don't get a credit card. You went off to college just with when those people come up to that s that campus, you better not you just better not. And that was just it. That's that was the extent and it wasn't until right before I buy was buying my house that someone said, Let me get a credit card and do this the proper way And I got blessed with being able to purchase my first home in like twenty two, twenty three, twenty two. ⁓ but I didn't learn that from at home. I came out here and ended up networking and then getting those opportunities. So my baby brother's coming out of Winston Salem and I'm I'm about to get my claws on him to make sure we get him in the right position. speaker-0: Carolina, you need to. It's important. We've got a you know, it's it's one of those very s it's one of the most sensitive topics you can have is money. Yeah. And you if you don't really understand it, you feel uncomfortable talking about it. And honestly, especially for me growing up, my family didn't understand money. ⁓ and so they couldn't educate me about it. Well, I understand money. And I'm teaching my kids. I've been teaching my kids since they've been, you know, able to even go to a register and pay for their own candy. I let them use their own money and I let them figure out what they're supposed to get back and you know, so on and so forth. So it starts at an early age. speaker-1: Awesome. So what was the point where you decided that you wanted to come out of the Bay and Arena and go into community and economic development? speaker-0: Hm. Yeah. So I I think for me, you know, so I've always had a big heart for a community, right? So I I keep saying I'm from East Albany, right? I went to the East Albany Boys and Girls Club. Anyone who knows anything about Albany, Georgia, ⁓ will understand that it's a city in southwest Georgia. ⁓ per capita, depending on what you look at it, could rank anywhere from third to fifth poorest in the country. And, you know, when I was in the city, I recognized how important it was to have resources available like a boys and girls club that allow community to come off the streets and not just be in the streets and now have a safe place to go and learn skills and and be productive versus just kind of just having nothing to do. And when you got time on your hands, you can get into stuff. And you know, I recognize that. And what I also recognized was that when the city was robust and it was, you know, it we more people were having more things, it was because we had more jobs. ⁓ it was when we when we began to lose jobs, then our communities began to suffer more, our households began to become strained, and people started to resort to other things, right? Whether it's You know, doing something they didn't want to do or or or result in a crime. And I think, you know, for me, I I was fortunate to recognize that at an early age. And not only that, I will couple that with watching my mom, my own mother, ⁓ who helped us scale up. You know, she went from participating in a program with a van that would come pick her up in the mornings, because we didn't have a car. And would take her to an early learning ⁓ daycare center to basically do training. And she went from like this paraprofessional through this training program to a paraprofessional. And then she then I watched how we went from no car to a car. And it was like, ⁓ my God. And then she went from a paraprofessional to like an assistant. And then we went from a no car to now we've got another house we're renting, of course, but we had another house. And we began to scale up. And she went from an assistant to a teacher. Then she went from a teacher to a director, or assistant director. Then she went from assistant director to director. So I personally experienced what it's like for a parent to have access to resources and to scale up through a program that helped her, you know, gain the tools and the skills. And scale, right? And mobilize. And so I'm like a personal beneficiary. And if that wouldn't have happened, then I wouldn't have had an opportunity to see it, feel it, touch it, and and then be exposed to opportunities like the Boys and Girls Club, because we went from one side of town to another side of the town, which was a little better, but it was still, you know, a challenge. And and so I recognize the impact of not only what jobs do for communities and cities and areas, but what workforce programming can do for individuals and human beings and families. And so I never lost that. Like I never lost that. Like even though, you know, I was fortunate to, you know, be thoughtful in school, make decent grades and go to college and become get in banking, but at the heart of who I am is still that Lil Shannon who was Grew up in an environment that was challenging, i.e., poor. And watched my mother help us scale up and then settle for what we were looking at in our environment. And it just never lost me. And so when I got in banking and I came to South Fulton, i.e. Clayton County as well, you know, I was able to look around and and I was looking around this area and and I was doing deals, doing projects, and I was building relationships and I was, you know, making all these. of new friendships and understanding the dynamics and and also saw a lot of people who looked like me. And it just it just felt like home, right? It felt like home. And, you know, when I recognized the Eritropolis Atlanta Alliance really had all the key stakeholders of the whole region at one table. And here I am, a banker doing deals with with a lot of these people and people who run at a table. You know, I saw the opportunity and then the opportunity, you know, obviously met the demand and here I am. speaker-1: Awesome. So for those who don't know what who Eritropolis is, can you explain what it is and the role it plays in the community? speaker-0: ⁓ man, so Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance is a twelve-year-old regional public-private partnership, right? We're a three P and we are a 501c6. We also have a foundation, right? We have a 501c3 as well, but we are a 501c6. ⁓ our mission is to serve as a catalyst, keyword catalyst, right, for regional economic competitiveness. For the area surrounding Hartsfield, Jackson, Atlanta International Airport, right here in South Fulton and Clayton County exclusively. ⁓ you're talking about 176 square miles, ⁓ 15 jurisdictions. ⁓ and some of the what we and data suggest, you have some of the most underserved, underrepresented, under-resourced communities of all of Metro Atlanta right here, around the most efficient, the busiest airport in the galaxy. Well, That's a mismatch, right? You've got the busiest and most efficient, the regional anchor of the Southeast, and you just step outside and now you're talking about what what's going on. Well, the the difference is there's a it's very complicated. You've got a lot of jurisdictions, multiple jurisdictions that surround the airport. And for those who are familiar with the state of Georgia, Georgia's a home rule state. So each city has its own land use and zoning requirements. So, how do we as an organization now bring those cities from operating in silos to now working together and communicating across jurisdictional boundaries about what their plans are and how to support each other ⁓ versus competition amongst each other? So it's like cooperation. So what we're preaching is cooperation. And our mission, our vision is to create an inclusive, keyword inclusive. World-class destination for all those who live, learn, work, and play in the Aerotropolis region. And so, mission and vision, right? We've got two lofty goals that you know we're trying to serve as a catalyst for this economic competitiveness. And if we serve as a catalyst, our vision is to create this world-class destination. I think it's important people hear economic competitiveness is a big term, right? Well, we see that as when corporations and communities are thriving, right? They're not mutually exclusive. When corporations and communities are thriving, hence you have a public-private partnership. You've got the public sector and the private sector now communicating with each other and working together, trying to build an ecosystem that is a lot stronger. And so that's what we've been able to do. We've been able to bring the Porsche and the Deltas and Chick-fil-A's and Pro Lodges and Woodward Academies and Microsoft and and all these other entities together now along with the Tri-Cities and Union City and Fairburn and Chattahoochee Hills and Jonesboro and Lovejoy and Lake City and unincorporated Clayton County to now talk to each other, right? We're now we're communicating across jurisdictions and to industry. And now how do we do that work? ⁓ To now reach our mission and vision, we do that through collectives. We have an economic development collective, we have a workforce development collective, we have a community development collective. So we've got three initiatives that we got all of these activities happening that will help drive the mission and vision, right? So those tasks that we've created that are in these collectives, all of those initiatives, all those activities are driving. the work that's gonna make our vision and our mission happen. And so, you know, from an economic development perspective, we're hosting bus tours, right? We're doing brokers receptions. ⁓ we're bringing the region together at Georgia Economic Development Association conferences and hosting big events where we're now bringing state project managers together to now build relationships with our local EDs and even the aerotropolis and learn more about opportunities that exist here so we can attract more jobs. So we can steer more projects here, which will in turn help create investment for our jurisdictions. And what that does, those investments steer income for our balance sheets for our cities, right? Now you get more fire, you get more police, you get you get a lot more support for our school systems. And so all of those mechanisms really help drive the ecosystem. So economic development is a huge, huge initiative for us. ⁓ you know Porsche Car's North America is how we got started. ⁓ without Porsche, there would be no Eritropolis. And so kudos to Porsche Cars North America for seeing the vision and and staying committed to our initiative. They're at the top of our investment ⁓ structure and they've been an early adopter and huge supporter. ⁓ we also have workforce development initiatives, right? ⁓ those workforce development initiatives, what we feel is like as these jobs continue to come and even existing jobs, how do we make sure our communities And our schools are able to participate, right? So legacy residents are not are really being exposed and being pushed out or or don't have an opportunity to grow with the growth. And so that's a huge mantra for us and what we're trying to accomplish. So we're doing, you know, ⁓ career, college, and resource expos where we're bringing almost 600 seniors and juniors from Fulton County Schools and Clayton County Schools every year to the Georgia International Convention Center. To now be exposed to a lot of local industries who are in this area. We have about 50 to 60 every year. And then we'll host breakout sessions to help them with soft skills and building their resumes. And so, you know, how do we continue to expose our future leaders, you know, to opportunity so they're not just looking left and right, like they know, okay, I remember this group, I've connected with them. I I want to do this. Or, you know, they may want to go to college, they may want to go to Clayton State, they may want to go to Atlanta Tech. You know, they may want to go to Clark Atlanta or ⁓ or or or an institution, or they may want to go into a program that is six to eight weeks that gives them certification and now they got credentialing to go get a livable wage or career. And so we're helping them understand their choices. There are choices out here and let's help them get closer. ⁓ we're hosting hiring fairs. We've got a hiring fair coming up on May the ninth, ⁓ at the Georgia International Convention Center, who are great partners of ours. And we We typically average anywhere from six hundred to a thousand people. ⁓ we have over forty to fifty corporations in the room. We have resource partners in the room and we average a fifty plus percent ratio. So everyone who every two people who walk in, one person's walking out with a career. So think about that, right? Every two people walk in, one person's walking out with a career. So, you know, we've been really thoughtful about workforce development. We're doing ⁓ place based training initiatives. We just finished a Healthcare cohort with literally a hundred percent Clayton County residents in healthcare. And we had 17 individuals go through a free eight-week program where they gained soft skills and hard skills and credentialing and then placement into healthcare careers. And we hosted it right here in partnership with Strive ATL and LISC ATL. And so we're doing a lot of work. I can go on and on, but we're doing a lot of work in workforce development. It's really like our anchor, to be quite honest. We can control that needle. ⁓ economic development is a different space, right? You gotta it's so many variables, you gotta depend on other folks. But workforce, we're controlling that, right? We're making sure we connect the dots. And then last but not least is community development. How do we make sure that we're being thoughtful about housing and transportation and placemaking, right? That this isn't just some waypoint. This is a destination. And so we've got all types of grants that we've gone after with our local jurisdictions and partners. ⁓ thanks to the Atlanta Regional Commission who are No question, big partners of ours. We are literally birthed from the ARC and it has allowed us to really drive this region forward, meaning we're planning more, we're more coordinated, with less spontaneity. We don't we're trying to decrease all that spontaneity and be more intentional with whether it's housing. We have a housing study going right now with Clayton County. ⁓ we've done ⁓ studies along key corridors. We're working on multimodal trail networks. ⁓ we're trying to extend the belt line right now from the Southwest Trail into the Tri-Cities, into Clayton County, and even further. And so, and we have a huge art this ⁓ installation program that we're working on. And if you guys came down here, you'll probably see our logos in different places because we're working with folks like Artsy Bella, ⁓ who is an amazing local artist, Ashley Bella, who is phenomenal and doing phenomenal work right here. So So I can go on and on, right? I can I can spend a whole hour talking about this, but we've been very intentional about serving as a catalyst, right? We've got a lot of folks at the table. We've got the chambers of commerce. We've got the development authorities of Clayton County and Fulton County. We've got all of your mayors for all of the cities in South Fulton and Clayton County. We got the airport. We got everyone coming together and working together to try and solve some of our most difficult challenges here. Or would I s shall I say opportunities? speaker-1: Love this. I love this. It's interesting because ⁓ I've only been back ⁓ about two months and I had left during COVID and come from Maryland. And I came back and I was thinking about moving down there and I was like, How are these prices higher than Bookhead? What is what happened? And I was like, of course I wanted to move somewhere brand new because I like new. But but I was like, ⁓ wow, there's a lot that's happened. Now what I the question that I have is that area is typically is historically known for being impoverished. ⁓ and I know you got a lot of workforce and that you I kind of answered that before. I was like, I wonder what how is the community actually responding? And with our community, a lot of times trust is an issue from both the side of those decision makers and the people that are of the community historically, what did it take to build their trust and help them get on board to the vision that you guys have? speaker-0: Mm. So really good question. You know, I I honestly I I would have to say it's the people who are on our board. ⁓ but the board I think has done a really good job of giving us like immediately credibil immediate credibility. ⁓ it allows us to, at least from a ⁓ visual perspective, show that we've got some credible people representing us and driving the stick, right? And then I think once you get past those the board, I think it's the work. You know, people begin to see, okay, well, I see they got a good book board, but show me the work, right? Show me their objectives and goals and outcomes and impact, and then I can better gauge who they are and and and should I support them. And I think when people look at our work and our body of work, ⁓ it quickly illustrates that ⁓ we are very thoughtful, intentional, and very much so engaged in driving, you know, impact. And so, you know, all of those things that I mentioned, right? That we're bringing the region together and we're activating these sites and we're making sure that we're pushing for, you know, our local residents to be able to participate and we're trying to make this place look and feel safe and supported. ⁓ people quickly recognize that okay, you're either on our side or you're not. I mean, it it's okay. ⁓ but I think they see who we are and what we do and and who's representing us. And then when you've got folks out there in the streets in the trenches ⁓ saying the same thing that we're doing, it just reiterates or reinforces ⁓ you know, our core competency. So I I just think it's ⁓ in indicative of our board ⁓ and our work. And and our consistency, right? We're not all over the place. We're not wishy washy. We've been very consistent for twelve years. speaker-1: I love it. So what was that initial conversation like with these different ⁓ 'cause you said that every every city and every county kind of has their own zoning stuff. What was that initial conversation from people who have been doing it the same way? 'Cause again, there's a mindset shift where it's like, let's not rewrite the will, let's keep doing the way and saying, no, if we come together, this is a different result to get them on board. speaker-0: Yeah, honestly, that's that was probably the most one of the most difficult things, right? Because this was more of a behavioral shift, ⁓ because their behaviors were, all right, we're gonna do this, and I'm not really I don't really care about what's happening to my left or my right or in front or in back. And I think once we were able to show them and help them connect the dots on how much more successful and impactful ⁓ not only they could be, ⁓ but the their neighbors could be a as a result, you know, over time, it definitely helped. Because here's the thing, right? We started out at seven cities. We started out with seven cities. We were very small. We might we may have had, I don't know, twenty-five or so investors. Well, those behaviors, right, and and that constant education and awareness and having partners like the Atlanta Regional Commission to help kind of push you up, ⁓ you know, then we were able to help them understand other areas that were successful, right? These shared ideas and best practices, those who are kind of doing what we're proposing and and why it's working and winning for them, even greater than what they were anticipating before considering our ⁓ our concept. And so we went from seven cities to now we're fifteen. And so now ⁓ we've got we've got two counties and we've got like three or four, maybe five that are pushing and pulling on us right now, ⁓ trying to become part of this work. And so, you know, we've had a lot of success. ⁓ and now not only with that, we're watching other organizations in Metro Atlanta even create spin offs of kind of what we're doing. So, you know, sometimes, you know, that's a a great form of flattery. And I think our leaders recognize that. speaker-1: Awesome. So I know that you spoke about some really big name companies that have come to the area that are part of the mission. Where's the space for small businesses to get in on these different opportunities of development? speaker-0: I'm so glad you asked. So, you know, we quickly recognize that, right? That, you know, we we're a big industry outfit. You know, if you look at our portfolio, ninety-five percent of them are big corporate partners. And so we were very thoughtful about that when we finally pushed forward on our headquarters, our space. And so we now have a headquarters, ⁓ and our headquarters is literally in College Park. We sit on the Clayton County side of College Park near the GICC. We've got about just over 9,000 square feet here. And our space has co-working space. And so our space is called the Aerotropolis Center for Innovation, Training, and Entrepreneurship. Innovation, Training, and Entrepreneurship. We're pushing to try now to create a space. For small businesses to now come into our ecosystem, right? Now be able to rub shoulders with not only these projects and information, but now work with each other on how to expand their networks and to do more business. And in this space, we're hosting, you know, all types of opportunities for either access to capital, which we've got some cohorts. And I'm sorry, we've got some sessions going right now. Our first two sessions are at capacity. ⁓ we're now pushing for our Masix. ⁓ session, but we also are in discovery of thinking about procurement with our local jurisdictions and our big corporate partners. How do we continue to expand some of those small businesses entry points into, you know, these larger public or even private space opportunities? And and more importantly, how do we create an ecosystem so more entrepreneurs can get to know each other and do business with each other or even partner with each other ⁓ so that they become even stronger together. And so we've now we have a space for entrepreneurs. Come see us. We're right here at 2077 Convention Center Concourse, Suite 150. We're right next to the Renaissance ⁓ building, the hotel, ⁓ literally adjacent or behind the Georgia International Convention Center. speaker-1: Awesome. So are there ⁓ any like bidding opportunities for these small businesses and how does to work with your partnerships and things of that nature? speaker-0: Absolutely, absolutely. So, you know, a lot of our entities or partners, ⁓ you know, they they host those RFPs or ⁓ or bidding opportunities internal. And so once you're inside the ecosystem, you you have access to okay, what Delta's doing, ⁓ what the Clayton County public schools are doing, ⁓ what College Park is doing, what East Point is doing. So that's in essence what we're trying to do. We're trying to now say, hey. You know, let's create an ecosystem. So now you've got access to information. ⁓ but now how do you now use that information to build relationships and then go after projects and and even scale? That's that's our goal. speaker-1: So is there a membership sort of alliance and what does that look like to speaker-0: Yes. So there's so it's kind of a two pronged approach, right? So you've got the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance. There's a tiered membership structure there. ⁓ and so on our website again you can find those those membership opportunities. And then for our land here takeoff center, ⁓ there's also a tiered membership ⁓ and what we're talking about now. ⁓ the memberships range from a basic at a hundred and fifty dollars a month. ⁓ they can scale up to two fifty, even five hundred. ⁓ dollars a month. So they're tiered as well on the LHTO side. So you've got two opportunities to example examine. Whether or not you're interested in the Aerotropolis, there's a tiered membership level. ⁓ it ranges anywhere from $1,500 up to $25,000. Or if you're looking at the LHTO side, which is $150 a month, anywhere up anywhere up to ⁓ $500 to even potentially We've got one office left if you're looking for dedicated office space. ⁓ right now is about twelve hundred dollars a month. speaker-1: So what is your perspective on the current gap between infrastructure construction and development currently? speaker-0: Whew. ⁓ so there's a huge gap ⁓ in regards to infrastructure. ⁓ and when you say infrastructure, we're talking about ⁓ you know, like real infrastructure where we're talking about like roads and bridges, or we're talking about ⁓ infrastructure in regards to ⁓ like capital, access to capital, ⁓ relationships, ⁓ pathways. I wanna make sure I'm clear. speaker-1: More capital and pathways. speaker-0: Yeah, so I I would honestly have to say it, you know, if you would have asked me this 24 months ago, I would have said it was decent. ⁓ because when I think about those access points or pathways, I think about resources. And under the previous administration at the White House, ⁓ they were very thoughtful about creating, you know. various pathways and opportunities ⁓ for entry and or scale scalability or mobility. Well the new administration in the last less than twenty four months have really scaled back on what that looks like, at least from a federal perspective. ⁓ it it is it is it is a challenging space. And so and that from a state perspective, you know, the they at least in the state of Georgia, they've done a decent job of maintaining resources that were available over the past five to ten years. ⁓ but the challenge is is the ability to enter into the market, the enter, the entrance. And so ⁓ the ability to scale and meet those dynamics are are still a challenge, right? Can be sometimes far reaching. So if to answer your question, I would say, There needs there there there needs to be a lot of help. ⁓ there's a lot of opportunity ⁓ and need for support and growth in that infrastructure space because there's not enough capital. There's not enough ⁓ resources and a lot of that access and resources have been really pulled back over the last ⁓ twenty four months. And so, you know, and if they if it was already a challenge a bit before somewhat. Then it it is it is almost impossible at this point. And so you almost have to be, you know, the best of the best ⁓ to now get into the room. Well, we recognize that. That's why we're trying to figure out how do we get more people in the room to at least explore working together. So now you're stronger ⁓ in collaboration versus ⁓ working in isolation. speaker-1: With that, I know with the workforce being a situation, is there any opportunities? I know there's a workforce gap that's about to happen in construction. Well, it's currently happening in construction, that is huge. And with all the infrastructure, physical infrastructure and all the construction that's happening, how are we guys, are they also in the conversation of creating training and opportunities for this next generation who might not know that they can, you know, come from humble beginnings and goes to making six figures in five to six years in a field that has been looked down upon for many years but has become very lucrative without debt. ⁓ are they in the conversation as well? speaker-0: Absolutely. So we have been working in the construction space in regards to pathways for about a eight years now. ⁓ we partner again, we partner. So we're not trying to recreate wheels, right? You heard me mention Strive ATL and all these other partners. There's another partnership that we have that we've done pathways in construction. They're called construction ready. So I would for push and promote anyone to Google construction ready. ⁓ but we've done an excellent job of working with construction ready. We've probably trained now over 500 local residents over that eight year span in construction real estate like certifications. And we boast honestly about a ninety-four, ninety-five percent placement rate. And so we're huge in the construction space and advocates for it. And I wanna give a major shout out to my board of directors who continue to support our organization to fund these initiatives. These cohorts are absolutely free for local residents. And I love to watch and see them come back and to see them out and to for them to come to me and say how those cohorts have changed their lives. ⁓ and now they are, you know, able to take care of them not only themselves but their families. And some have gone off and gone independent. And so yes, ⁓ I would answer your question with we are knee deep in the construction support and readiness space and we've partnered with construction ready to do just that. speaker-1: When you come up on retirement, what do you want to be known for? speaker-0: Ooh. ⁓ you know, I don't know if I'm ever gonna retire. You know, I don't I don't see myself stopping. ever. You know, I just I don't have that thought or even mental capacity to think about retirement. You know, and I tell my kids this and we laugh and joke about this, and they even say it. They're like, man, daddy's gonna work until he falling over. He's gonna die walking into a meeting. ⁓ but I just I l I love being active. I'm like a working dog. I I used to have a cone corso. And, you know, if you keep them active, they stay healthy and they live longer. Well, that's what I plan to do. ⁓ I work out, you know, anywhere from four to three to four, even sometimes five times a week. ⁓ I am constantly I consider myself a thinker. I'm always thinking. ⁓ I like to travel. I like to learn new things. ⁓ you know, I love to have my wheel spinning. And the moment they are forced to stop, I'm afraid of what may happen because I may break down and I don't see myself breaking down. So I don't think I'm gonna speaker-1: Absolutely not. You're doing some major things. So at least what is the legacy that you want to leave? speaker-0: Legacy. ⁓ you know, now being in this seat for about eight years, I've I've had the good fortune of watching us go from, you know, basically unhoused to now our own space and really people believing in us. They're calling on us. And, you know, I I really think about you know, how what I want to be known for when my time is up. And, you know, I would love to be known as a change maker. ⁓ someone who was bold and audacious. And because I could have stayed in banking, okay. I could have just kept going down the corporate route and got into the C s well hell I was in the C suite and just kind of rolled my way on through. And made my money. ⁓ But it's bigger than that, right? ⁓ you know, I know that when I think about our ancestors and those who have fought hard for us to even be in this space, especially a place like Atlanta. I love Atlanta. And so for me, you know, I want to make sure I'm carrying that torch. You know, that torch that, you know, many others have laid the groundwork for. And I want people to look back and say, Man, he kept it going, right? Like it didn't fall on, you know, we're standing on some tough shoulders, some broad shoulders, and hopefully someone will see me and say, Man, I'm I'm gonna keep that torch going too. And I'ma stand on his shoulders and I'm gonna push it forward. And I think if we keep doing that, I think as a people, we're gonna rise like the Phoenix. I may not see it in my lifetime. ⁓ But it needs to happen during a lifetime. And it's gonna happen. speaker-1: I love that. Do you have any acts from the community? speaker-0: Asked. speaker-1: Yeah, and yes. speaker-0: Whew, I would say follow us. I I think the community, I would ask them to follow the organization ⁓ on social media, aeroatl.org, Aerotropolis Atlanta. You know, a lot of people may not be familiar with us. They this may be the first time they've heard of Aerotropolis. Like, what is an aerotropolis? And, you know, if you think about it, Aero, right? Like Aerospace is is very driven in this sense of Aviation, right? We're working near the world's busiest airport. And what we're trying to do is create an aerotropolis, like a metropolis, an aerotropolis. And one day, ⁓ people are gonna look around Metro Atlanta and then instead of going north, instead of going west, instead of going east, they're gonna come south. Yeah. And that's what I'm really hoping for, and that's what we're trying to create. And it's happening now, trust me. I mean, when people come down here who hadn't been here in a while, they're like, ⁓ man, this place is growing up. Well, we're just getting started, man. And, you know, my ask is that people continue to believe in the South Side. ⁓ you know, my ask is that people don't just buy into the narrative and what they perceive as the perception. There are great things happening down here. There are great people down here. There are great opportunities here. This place is safe. This place does have opportunity. It does have great opportunity for education and and careers. And my ask is that you come down here and see it for yourself versus whatever 10 20 second slot you see on IG or TikTok. speaker-1: I love that. Well, thank you so much, Shannon, for your time. It's been awesome. speaker-0: It's been an absolute pleasure. Absolute pleasure. Looking forward to you coming on back down here. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah.