Business – Hampton Roads Weekly

Aug282024 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Live Like Freddie…

Positive poignant lessons learned from a beloved businessman as told by his daughter. The Brown Paper Bag By Connie Aron Meyer Each year, this very week in time on the calendar, my mind travels back to another decade with my dad, Freddie Aron, at Rogers Men’s Clothing store in Portsmouth, Virginia –and the all important lessons in business and in life that I learned there. It is after a hectic, but wonderful Christmas season, and is time now to clear away last year’s merchandise to make room as new fresh spring items flood in our back door. I am standing behind the large, U-shaped, mahogony counter that houses the cash register, gift wrapping area, and the shelves filled with paper bags. There were two kinds of bags stored ther...

Sep192023 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Live Like Freddie…The Best Advice in Business and Life

Business, Community

Positive poignant lessons learned from a beloved businessman as told by his daughter. Misguided Traditions… Jadis and Freddie turn wounds into wisdom By Connie Aron Meyer The most influential woman in my life was an amazing American woman who happened to be Black. I identified Jadis in this way, because this is the way Jadis taught me. Being American always came first, before being identified by the color of her skin. Jadis and I spent our days together in the turbulent 1960’s, when I was a child and Jadis was the glue that held our household and family together. Jadis helped us in our home “watching out” for me, cleaning, washing, drying, ironing, prepping meals-everything my parents did not have time to do for us since they both worked long hours. My dad,...

Oct172021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Tarnished Truth: Enjoyed Locally… Celebrated Nationally

Business

Congress finally did something right! Congress finally did something we can appreciate and enjoy! Granted it happened back on May 4th, 1964 when they declared bourbon a distinct product of the United States. Thank goodness for this, otherwise we wouldn’t have such an illustrious local gem as Tarnished Truth Distilling Company. Enjoyed locally, awarded nationally, Tarnished Truth produces many different types of spirits, but what they are most proud of is their bourbon. Tarnished Truth, founded just a short time ago in 2017, has certainly made its mark in this area when it reclaimed the Hunt Room downstairs in the historic Cavalier Hotel. Most of us wonder where the “Tarnished Truth” moniker comes from. The distillery’s name stems from the legend that ha...

Jul262021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Insider Insight from Virginia’s Queen of Green

Business

I walk through the doors of my once-favorite boutique in Virginia Beach and am met with an exciting shock of sensory-overload. Dr. Kara Coe, a national philanthropist and entrepreneur, has transformed the 6,000 square foot space into an epic luxury retail smoking experience. About one third of the building is an Alice in Wonderland themed smoke shop, complete with shelves of artisan smoking accessories and a granite custom craft e-nic juice bar. The remainder of the building is a plush members-only smoking lounge filled with smiling customers. Just to get to Coe's office with an appointment, I am vetted two times by security guards who were once Navy SEALS. When I reach her office, I am met with her warm smile and the heady scent of midnight flowers coming from the candles lit inside....

Jun162021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Is Regionalism Right for Hampton Roads?

Business

Is Regionalism Right for Hampton Roads? - HRW Interview with Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer The idea of regionalism is one that has been discussed for years. Now it will receive more attention as we explore the best way to move ahead together post-COVID. The strength of Hampton Roads is our diverse economic drivers and geographic composite. That is also one of our greatest challenges. Since Hampton Roads is essentially a “cul-de-sac” and we do not have a single voice to speak for all of our cities and counties, we must continuously work harder to attract new business than the average locality in the United States. Our region is the 39th largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in the Country. We as a region must do more to work together to attrac...

May252021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Get Ready To Bounce Back

Business, Community

by Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D While we’re all bunkered at home there’s plenty to be concerned about - including those closest to us, our families, friends, colleagues, and businesses. All are taking a hit. Friends we’ve known for over twenty years are sick with COVID-19 but recovering. Friends are losing their businesses, and some their own jobs. While all of this is happening Tiger King is dominating online conversation, so you know something is more than a little off in America. But the most visionary among us are looking to what happens next, because surely this, too, shall pass. The other side of the curve will get here at some point and then we will be looking at each other wondering how we CTRL-ALT-DELETE our lives and our businesses. While I see...

Jun122020 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Established And Emerging Leaders of Hampton Roads

Business

Andy Hodge Atlantic Union Bank Regional President, Coastal Virginia What drew you to Atlantic Union Bank at this stage in your career? After spending 15+ years with two large national banks, BB&T and PNC, I was drawn to a smaller, regional bank where I could have more impact on the business. Atlantic Union Bank’s executive leadership team is second to none – smart, diverse and dynamic, as opposed to the typical executive leadership teams you see in most banks. The story resonates – we are building a Virginia Bank that harkens back to a time when the Commonwealth had numerous dominant banks. My team and region contribute directly to the Bank’s performance and our presence is felt. At the same time, we are able to make decisions on our cl...

Apr232020 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Get Ready for the Bounceback

Business

By Michael Cohen Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D. is founder and CEO of Cohen Research Group, a forward-thinking research and technology firm based in Virginia, as well as an adjunct professor for Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches digital political strategy. You can follow him on Twitter @michaelcohen and learn more about his work at http://michaelcohen.us. While we’re all bunkered at home there’s plenty to be concerned about - including those closest to us, our families, friends, colleagues, and businesses. All are taking a hit. Friends we’ve known for over twenty years are sick with COVID-19 but recovering. Friends are losing their businesses, and some their own jobs. While all of this is happening Tiger King is dominating online conversation, so you kn...

Aug152019 by Web PublisherNo Comments

The Outrage Mob Goes Shopping

Business, Community, Headlines

By Kerry Dougherty It’s official. We’re turning into a nation of sniveling babies. Always looking for new ways to be offended. Exhibit A: Macy’s. Seems a “podcast host” most of us never heard of spied some novelty dinner plates in the popular department store and was so outraged by the sight of them that she started yapping. On her podcast, I presume. Next thing you know, the milquetoasts running the company knuckled under and announced that they’d stop the sale of the horrifying plates. What was on them, you ask. Something racist? Homophobic? Vulgar? Nope, the plates had concentric circles, for portions. The smallest said “skinny jeans” the next bigger had “favorite jeans” and the biggest circle said “mom jeans.” How dare they! Apparently these plates are guilty. G...

Aug152019 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Contemporary Woman Leader of Today: Cheryl McLeskey

Business, Community, Headlines, Uncategorized

Hampton Roads Weekly had the pleasure and privilege of sitting down to talk with Cheryl McLeskey who is our contemporary woman leader of today. This dynamic, warm, multi-talented woman has overcome incredible odds with the help of her God-given strength. We are lucky to have Cheryl as a tireless leader in Hampton Roads. TAKING OVER THE HELM OF MCLESKEY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT I have to give credit to my late husband Wayne for building a solid foundation through decades of hard work. He developed high-quality residential and commercial projects all around the region to help serve people. Becoming CEO of the company after my husband‘s death in 2012 was very difficult as I fought through grief. Through the great senior leadership team that Wayne trained for decades, and the n...