Lilburn Business Association May Luncheon - A Great Place For Businesses!

Lilburn’s Business Association meets each month at Killian Hill as part of their Meet, Eat and Learn series. This month, President Andrew Bell asked each of the attendees to stand up, introduce themselves and their companies and tell what one thing they are doing different to make their business stand-out and be successful.

Mayor Johnny Crist was the speaker this month addressing “Leading in Turbulent Times.” He addressed the issue of learning to be a leader in business without losing your soul.

After an experience in a flight simulator with his daughter, in which Crist explained that he virtually crashed his plane into a virtual San Diego during a simulated thunderstorm, his perspective changed. He recognized the gauges on the dash reflected the gauges in life. He spoke to the three that are important in being an effective leader – The Career Gauge, The Physical Body Gauge, and the Gauge of your soul.

Building a company with relationships with those who direct us, we should learn something new each day; not stay in a place of “this is how we’ve always done it.” At the same time, we can’t neglect our bodies or subject them to the stress of day-to-day challenges without being physically fit. “It does us no good to have a successful business if we can’t live to enjoy it.”

Finally is the Soul. In this area of our lives, Crist says, we can build great wealth “but what does it matter if you lose your family? Don’t talk to your kids? Lose respect of those close to you?” Close  relationships with spouses, family and friends must be part of the balance of a good leader.

Crist then discussed some of the changes in Lilburn and took questions from the floor concerning the Big League Dreams project. He explained that challenges of finding an economic development initiative that would work within Lilburn’s $32,000 per year median income. “We need an economic environment that attracts businesses.” The Big League Dreams fulfills many of the criteria to attract quality restaurants, hotels and other businesses. “The City played Cupid” when putting together BLD and an investor to make this happen.   

When questioned, Crist commented that  BLD is well in the works. The city foresees a ground breaking in September or October of this year and opening day during the late summer or fall of 2013. “We’re going forward. It’s a done deal.”

The next Lilburn Business Association event is a Business After Hours at Smoke Rise Golf & country Club on May 24 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. $10 Non Member Admission.