Black Around the Bloc

Location: Atlanta

  • Gymnetics

    Fitness expert, Ellen Ector brings over twenty years of nutrition and training experience to her private, Atlanta based studio, Gymnetics Fitness. Built on the idea that fitness should be a part of your DNA, Gymnetics has become the premier source for personal and group training to Atlanta’s elite. Always an avid runner and lover of sports, the Ohio native relocated to Atlanta, GA in 2000 and has competed in over 400 competitive road races and several triathlons. One of her proudest moments is being honored by the state of Georgia for creating a walking program for adults with disabilities that resulted in outstanding results and weight loss for it’s participants. Ellen is currently working on continued efforts to end childhood obesity as well as training children in track, field and cross country. With the latest release of her and her daughter’s highly anticipated workout DVD,”ECTORcise! #TheChallenge Volume 1,” 63 year old, Ellen Ector, is a force to be reckoned with in the fitness industry.

    Lana Ector is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist who specializes in weight loss and group training. As a college athlete, she participated in a number of fitness competitions that segued into her work as a fitness instructor and trainer to Atlanta’s elite. As a nutritionist, Lana has created customized meal plans to match her clients individual metabolism and weight loss goals. Serving as co-owner of Gymnetics Fitness, she is committed to providing her clients with the motivation and support needed to implement a healthy workout regimen into their daily routines. Dubbed the “Fitness Vixen”, Lana’s mantra is that every woman should have killer abs and glutes!

  • Coze

    Nestled inside a 100-year-old building on Trinity Avenue; Coze Downtown Atlanta is a private and intimate event space boasting with aged brick walls, 14 foot beam ceilings and tattered wooden floors. A vintage feel with a modern flair, Coze transforms into a venue fabulous for your most intimate occasions. Emerging 2012, the orange door has swung open to welcome many gatherings in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. From birthday bashes to cozey showers to strategic team meetings, Coze can accommodate all your event needs.

    We envisioned an entertaining space that was intimate and inclusive of capturing life’s milestones. A space that gives the affordable flexibility to create your own vision; while incorporating her event expertise to ensure a memorable event. Our passion for spaces and curating experiences merged together to create infinite event possibilities.

    Outside food and beverage is permitted to accommodate your personal taste and your favorite vendors are always welcomed. We are proud to be the home of Atlanta’s most intimate events and evoke lasting memories for all who fellowship within our cozey venues.

    Coze Stone Mountain coming soon… 

  • That’s a Wrap

    Mia Canada has an eye for > 

    In 2006, she founded That’s a Wrap! Atlanta, LLC, which quickly grew from seasonal kiosks in malls to a thriving year round gift wrapping boutique in Atlanta, Ga. That’s a Wrap! uses bold designs, festive papers and the highest quality embellishments to create one of kind presentations that help personalize your gift and add that special touch to every occasion. Featured on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta, NPR’s A Closer Look, in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Champion Newspaper and Wal-Mart World, That’s a Wrap! is Atlanta’s premier gift wrapping boutique with an impressive client list. Her awe inspiring creations can also be seen in major motion pictures and cable networks shows such as American Made, Survivor’s Remorse, Satisfaction and Preacher’s of Atlanta. Mia has been known to design, wrap and present gifts so beautifully, the recipient has waited hours even days to unveil its contents!

  • City of Ink

    A Custom Tattoo Parlor and Art Gallery located in the heart of Atlanta’s Old 4th Ward Historic District specializing in clean line work, bold color and realistic shading >

    353 Edgewood Ave | Atlanta, GA | 30312

  • SMPL Industries

    Sneaker and culture vloggers Bull1trc & Tonyd2wild created SMPL Industries a few years ago and its been an underground hit ever since.

  • Mr.Shut Up and Train

    Welcome to the home of AEIM Fitness. Led by a successful Atlanta Personal Trainer, Rahman “Ray” Grayson, and his AEIM Fitness Team is committed to helping their fitness clients improve their appearance and build self-esteem. Ray provides personalized fitness and nutrition plans specifically tailored to meet the needs of each client. Whether you are aiming to lose weight, build muscle, or gain endurance, “Mr. Shut Up and Train” has a workout plan for you!

    As President and CEO of AEIM, Ray has extensive knowledge in the fields of business and personal training. Upon receiving his degree, Ray’s passion for sports and fitness led him on this journey to revolutionize the fitness industry. Employing his signature “In Motion” >

    Recently, Ray has been featured as a fitness expert in dozens of well-known publications

    nationwide, and AEIM’s presence in the media has led to new streams of clientele.

    To ensure that each client receives the proper amount of personal attention,

    AEIM employs a fleet of qualified and dedicated personal trainers. The ‘AEIM’

    team offers group sessions and one-on-one training. Motivating, educating,

    and promoting the adoption of healthier life>

    mission. The fitness philosophy endorsed by Ray and his team

    states that results should be measured from a functional

    standpoint (i.e. your appearance, how clothing fits,

    or by the way you feel), rather than by arbitrary

    numbers on a scale.

    Ask yourself, “Are you ready to SHUT UP AND TRAIN?”

  • KTX Fitness

    Eleven years ago, Keith Thompson made a decision to change his life. A native of Cleveland, Ohio,

    Keith grew up as an obese child. He was working for a large telecommunications company as an

    Information Technology professional in 2008, at nearly 300lbs; he was frustrated with his weight and

    his health. Bored with the diets, books and the gym, Keith found no success in any of those

    approaches to weight loss. Until one day Keith attended a step class at a local gym and loved it.

    Keith had finally found a program that worked for him and ultimately lost over 70 lbs.

    Keith’s natural contagious energy and positive attitude in the step classes were so infectious that his instructor noticed that people were coming to her class because of Keith. After learning of Keith’s story of determination in his own life, watching him warm up the class one day and subsequently teaching it, his instructor decided to provide a scholarship for Keith to receive his group fitness certification so that he could become an instructor. He took the scholarship and found more than success. He found his passion.

    In 2009, he became certified as a group fitness instructor with the AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness

    Association of America) and started teaching step and cycle classes at a nationwide gym. Due to the

    high demand, his classes were offered in 3 different locations in less than a year. While the local

    gym was fond of Keith, management became concerned with his approach to teaching as it was

    untraditional and like nothing else that they had experienced. Soon thereafter they amicably parted

    ways. With a passion for helping to transform lives with an untraditional approach and his love for

    step and cycling, KTX Fitness was birthed.

    With membership growing daily, classes at capacity and long lines waiting, KTX Fitness has become

    very popular for its unique approach to health and fitness. Not only has KTX Fitness become a hit in

    class but outside of class as well with over 1Million+ shares on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and

    other various social media sites. People from all over the world are watching Keith’s high energy

    leadership over hip-hop and rhythm and blues base lines. In fact people from as far as California and

    Texas have come to Atlanta, Georgia to meet Keith Thompson and experience one of his classes.

    KTX’s Cycle, Step, and Zumba are uniquely different and literally an exercise party as it provides a

    fun and challenging workout that is sure to have participants working every muscle. With seasoned

    riders typically on the front row, the remainder of class moves in tandem while riding the stationary

    bikes. The best thing about KTX’s technique is that no matter what a participant’s fitness level is, if

    they get on the bike, pedal and dance at their own pace, they are sure to get a great workout.

    The same experience is true for KTX’s explosive step classes, which are near and dear to Keith’s heart based on the fact that step classes were the beginning of his fitness journey. Best of all, the classes are enjoyed by a broad spectrum of people. Keith has developed programs for children as young as 5 years old to seniors. It is truly a program that can be enjoyed by everyone.

    Keith is also the Founder of the Fit for Life Foundation a 501c3 entity with a mission to encourage

    the communities we serve through various events and programs to join the movement of being Fit

    for Life™, by caring for themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually.

    Keith’s passion is utilizing his natural gifts to encourage people around the world to get and stay fit

    as a fitness instructor and as a motivational speaker. Keith travels the world teaching and inspiring

    individuals to transform their lives while having fun doing it.

    Keith understands that being fit isn’t just about the number on the scale: it’s about a life>

    about believing that you deserve to be healthy. It’s about dedication and hard work. It’s about

    celebrating and enjoying life. Keith travels the world bringing this infectious passion for health,

    wellness, and most importantly, self-love, to every class that he teaches and every person that he

    encounters.

    In addition, Keith has appeared on the Roland Martin Show, The Braxton Show, The Rickey Smiley

    Show, Married to Medicine Show, Good Morning Atlanta and The Queen Latifah Show. He was also

    featured in Men’s Health Magazine 2017. He was CNN Best Trainer of the Year. He hosted the

    largest cycling class in South Korea in 2017. He have several viral videos with over 5 million

    viewers. He currently run 2 studios in Atlanta, Georgia; one at the Adamsville Recreation Center and

    one at the King Recreation Center. He is currently on tour in Beru, Indonecia, Singapore, Hong

    Kong, Brittian, Turks & Caicos, Brazil, Nigeria, and Canada.

  • Mccoughtry’s Ice Cream

    Great ice cream and desserts don’t happen by accident and when Angel decided to open her sweet shop she knew that although flavor was paramount, fresh and natural ingredients were also a must! All of McCoughtry’s tasty treats are made fresh daily. The menu consists of unique indulgent ice cream flavors as well as vegan and lactose free alternatives.

    McCoughtry’s introduced their flavors to Atlanta’s tastemakers and celebrities in November of 2016. Their chef, Candy, presented a scrumptious spread of ice cream and dessert samples to their guests. McCoughtry’s signature sweet potato waffle sundae with butter pecan ice cream was a crowd favorite!

    Angel McCoughtry’s love affair with ice cream has no limits!

    Anyone who knows Angel McCoughtry will tell you that her love affair with ice cream has no limits.

    The 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist and super star WNBA athlete admits that ice cream has been her go to comfort food since she was a child. When it came time to start her first business, ice cream was the industry of choice. The idea began while playing basketball in Istanbul, Turkey after visiting several frozen dessert shops. Upon her return home to Atlanta, Angel got right to work and McCoughtry’s Ice Cream was born.

  • Citizens Trust Bank

    Some key highlights over the past year:

    Executed on the strategic initiative to take the Company private

    Executed and integrated a $35 million acquisition consisting of approximately 5,000 new customers

    Generated over 40% growth or $1 million in income before income taxes over the prior year to $3.80 million

    Experienced an 8% growth in assets and a 10% growth in deposits

    Produced approximately 18% growth in loans

    Improved the Company’s risk profile with historically low asset quality metrics

    Experienced double-digit growth across our digital platforms (including social media)

    Exited the U.S. Department of Treasury Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) while remaining well capitalized

    And enhanced shareholder value with a 43% and 67% growth in adjusted EPS –diluted and ROE, respectively, year over year based on operating income.

     We highlight the 2017 pretax results in an effort to give our shareholders a clearer picture of the tremendous operating performance of the Company, exclusive of the one-time $1.2 million tax expense resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The Company’s net income for 2017, including the impact of the adjustment, was $1.6 million which was approximately $400,000 less than the prior year.

    We are proud of the results and our team. These milestones were not accomplished without a tremendous amount of focus and discipline from everyone.

    In order to continue to deliver this level of performance, we understand that we are operating in an age of unparalleled change. Digital technologies are creating new challenges and opportunities at an unprecedented pace. That change is having an impact on everything from politics to education to the way people shop and interact with each other…on every continent. For Citizens Trust Bank, it has an impact on how we do business.

    The banking and financial services industry continues its shift from a sales and product business to one that targets the right markets, customer segments, and solutions that more closely fit specific needs. Customers are savvier and expect a one-stop shop for financial solutions. To win, we must operate differently: we need to embrace innovation, manage talent differently, and pursue key partnerships.

    In the face of this industry-wide evolution, Citizens Trust Bank remains positioned for strength. Not simply to survive and maintain our current business, but to transform the way we do business and interact with our customers.

    As we look forward to 2018, we will continue to push our agenda to evolve our Company for the future. We know that we cannot rest on our laurels—we must regularly examine, refine, and adapt our business model to deliver the most value to our customers, our community, and our shareholders. Our board and management contain highly experienced professionals with the right mix of skills, expertise, and insights to drive Citizens Trust Bank forward.

    Introduced in 2017, our three strategic pillars represent the basis for Citizens Trust Bank’s business model and strategic decision making processes. Execution of these three priorities is critical to ensure the creation of superior and sustainable financial performance, now and in the future. At Citizens Trust Bank, we aim to:

    Promote community, economic growth, and stability

    Remain personal and customer-centric in our interactions leveraging specialized digital platforms

    Enhance the Citizens Trust Bank brand to drive institutional growth

    Our focus is to simply to do more of what we are currently doing in a smarter and more efficient way, enhance our digital presence to drive brand exposure and growth, and pursue diversification in our lines of business.

    Promote community, economic growth, and stability

    Part of promoting community, economic growth and stability mean financially healthy businesses and people. That’s why our customer’s well-being is at the foundation of our business strategy. This customer-centric focus is present in our appeal to today’s customer needs—50% of our account acquisitions are online enhanced by convenience solutions such as mobile transactions, including Apple and Samsung Pay, Online Bill Pay, Mobile Deposits, and Commercial Deposit Capture as well as a variety of other consumer and commercial options. Also, the Citizens Trust Bank’s credit card remains among

    the country’s lowest rate, no fee credit card, as previously recognized by Kiplinger, Money Magazine, and Clark Howard.

    Wealth building and strong vibrant communities through homeownership is also our commitment and we are making a mark. We experienced 78% and 300% mortgage production growth in 2017 and 2016, respectively. We continue to simplify our customer’s engagement with us through our online application and totally paperless process. This has been beneficial to not only our customers but has allowed us to grow this business in a very efficient and productive way. We continue to make ourselves available to the community through outreach, including homebuyer seminars and expand our realtor relationships in every market area. Again, our goal is to do more of what we are doing!

    For the business community, we continue to enhance and extend our capabilities to include a broader range of services and product offerings to help our clients meet their strategic goals and financing needs. We are adding a tailored line of credit to our product mix to expand our reach to operating companies—and pursuing lenders whose skill sets align with our strategic focus and product solutions. The operating companies will provide further diversification to our portfolio and serve as another avenue for growth.

    Over the past three years, we believe our solutions have created value and impact in the community as we have invested approximately $130 million in business loans to help stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

    Our goal is to continue to push for convenience in every sector of our business. We will begin implementation of a small business loan app—to launch in 2019—that aligns with our efforts on faster and more convenient delivery of service to our business customers.

    Our commitment to the community does not end there, in an effort to promote financial stability and sustainability, during 2017, we partnered with local schools to reach over 2,200 students through our financial independence training program.

    Remain personal and customer-centric in our interactions leveraging specialized digital platforms

    In 2017, we consolidated our branch and operation’s network and overhauled the facilities to be more reflective of our brand. We also wanted to create a better and more efficient atmosphere for our associates to work, because we believe that a positive work environment is directly correlated to a positive customer

    experience. As we move into 2018, a customer-centric environment with personalized service will remain our primary focus.

    The digital transformation taking place in the financial sector is redefining how we do business. As competition and customer expectations for enhanced digital banking services increase, we must remain nimble and deploy strategies that will allow us to successfully adapt and grow in the digital age. In response, we will continue to allocate human and financial capital to advancing technology for an optimum and pleasurable customer experience and a broader market reach.

    Over the last several years our efforts in this area have produced great results, and we have experienced an explosion of growth in our customer base, which has grown more than 65% since 2015, from 10,000 to more than 17,000 customers strong. With this growth came a noticeable shift in demographics, highlighted by a 300% increase in the 30-49 age group. These customers bank differently, which has led to a significant growth in our electronic product utilization. In almost every digital channel—including mobile and online banking, bill pay and debit card usage—we have grown at least 130% since 2015. Our goal is to keep doing more of what we are doing!

    Recognizing the trends in customer engagement and activity, retooling our organizational structure is mission critical. We will continue to dedicate resources to fit the evolving customer interaction through technology, with an emphasis on our digital and social media platforms. Realigning our staffing and organizational structure in the client service areas—digital and in-branch—will allow us to engage our customers how and when they need us, and to achieve and sustain valuable and long-term relationships.

    Enhance the Citizens Trust Bank brand to drive institutional growth

    2017 was an active year of transformation in the bank’s delivery channels. With the success of our digital platforms, 2018 is the right time to incorporate an even greater focus on digital marketing.

    Even though we have made significant gains, we still have an opportunity to solidify that we are being heard, and our presence is being felt in the marketplace —especially in communities where we already have a strong presence. The correlation between who we are and what we do is impacted by how our audiences see, talk about, and engage with us.

    Therefore, marketing is key to the future growth in all verticals of our business. We will increase our marketing in the digital space, in light of the growth we have already experienced in this venue. We will focus on how we can most effectively speak to customers and provide the options to conveniently meet their financial needs. Engaging in partnerships to explore these opportunities will assist us in effectively obtaining desired results.

    As we leverage technology to improve our delivery of service to customers, we are also challenging our team to use the technology to enhance returns through efficient business processes. .

    Moving Forward…

    As we move forward, we are well positioned. We are committed to providing high-quality financial services and building lasting client relationships. We are dedicated to keeping pace with fast-changing technology, and the technological needs of our customers. We continue to recruit and retain quality talent to enable our strategic objectives.

    Together with our board, we will regularly examine, refine, and adapt our business model, and we believe our strategic plan— to promote community, economic growth, and stability; to remain personal and customer-centric in our interactions, and to enhance the Citizens Trust Bank brand to drive institutional growth – will assist us in achieving sustainable long-term value to our shareholders. As always, thank you for putting your trust in us and for your continued support.

     

  • Precision Athletic Corps

    PRECISION ATHLETIC CORPS Sports Performance Training

    Sports Performance Training at it’s BEST……….. We build an athlete’s overall muscle endurance while developing an elite level of strength & power, speed & quickness as well as flexibility & agility through high intensity spiritual, mental and physical plyometric, callisthenic and weight training programs that are designed for an athlete to perform beyond their peak performance level while playing.

    PRECISION ATHLETIC CORPS Fitness Bootcamp Training

    Fitness Bootcamp Training at it’s BEST……….. PAC Fitness Bootcamp is a premiere training program for any individual looking to get the best performance out of their body daily no matter their career. P.A.C. uses strength/power, speed/quickness and flexibility/agility training to concentrate on improving an individual’s neuro-muscular system. The goal is for initial movement—lateral, linear, or vertical—to become automatic, explosive, and precise physical, mentally and spiritually.