Defying the odds, we made it to the 20 year mark

EDITOR’S NOTE: In a Citizen exclusive, columnist Joe Domaleski shares his thoughts on the occasion of his company’s twentieth anniversary.  Congratulations to you Joe and the entire CFC team.

Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming – the one-man company I started with a small bank account, thoughts, and prayers has made it to the 20-year mark! According to data from the Small Business Administration, 20% of new businesses fail during the first years of being open, 50% during the first five years, and less than 30% remain after ten years. The failure rate of new businesses is 70% by year ten. Let that sink in – most new businesses fail. I’ve often said that starting and running a business has been one of my biggest sources of joy, but it’s also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Join me as I look back at key moments in our 20-year history.

In the spring of 2003, I launched Southside Consulting, Inc. My first column in this newspaper talked about the reasons I started the business. The name of the company was designed to communicate two things. First, we were going to be local and focused on the south side of Atlanta. Secondly, the name of our company needed to be broad enough to cover whatever we ended up deciding to do. When in doubt, just tell people you’re a consultant – so that’s what I did, and Southside Consulting, Inc. was born in March 2003.

Our original plan was to focus on technology, websites, and general project management. Leveraging years of IBM technology consulting experience, I put together an expert contractor team to provide top notch services to other small businesses. As I began to tell friends about my plans, I got all kinds of advice – some good, some not so good. Two specific pieces of advice ended up being the cornerstones of our business, even though I didn’t know it at the time. I was advised to (1) Join the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and (2) Get involved in a civic or non-profit group. I did both and am so glad that I did.

When you’re a start-up, the most important immediate business objective is to tell others about it. I printed up some generic business cards and started telling anyone who would listen about our new company. Right off the bat, two friends from Church became my first two clients – Judge David Moore with Peachtree Law Group (for whom we built a website) and Attorney John Kimbell (for whom we implemented an office computer network to help his firm Edge & Kimbell). Thanks, guys, for believing in me.

Shortly after joining the Chamber of Commerce, I found out about the Chamber’s annual community business expo and decided to attend. During the expo, I handed my business card to Shari Gee, with Strokes of Geenius. She took one look at my pitiful homemade cards and said I needed a logo. I hired her on the spot, and she did the original logo for Southside Consulting. That would also be the beginning of a collaboration with Shari for the next 8 years. She was our original Creative Director.

When you become actively engaged in the local community, word spreads rapidly. I received invitations to join several boards and participate in volunteer activities. Looking back, I admit I may have overextended myself, but the lessons gained were invaluable. I eventually made the decision to streamline my involvement by focusing on a select number of groups and increasing my commitment to the Chamber. The invitation to become a Chamber Ambassador and enroll in the Leadership Fayette program marked a pivotal moment, as it was through these programs that I crossed paths with Mrs. Vicki Turner.

Even today, Mrs. Turner remains an influential figure in the community, and it’s a privilege to collaborate with her on the Fayette Fire Foundation board. In 2005, she recognized potential within me that I hadn’t yet seen, urging me to consider applying my efforts at Southside Consulting with her flourishing family enterprise, AIS Computers. This fusion took place in 2006, positioning me as the new President while her husband, Tommy Turner, assumed roles as CEO and Board Chair. My commitment to the community continued through affiliations with the PTC Rotary Club, the Fayette YMCA (now part of Coweta/Fayette YMCA), and other groups.

My leadership tenure at AIS Computers was an enjoyable one as I got to blend my technology consulting and website experience with their retail-oriented expertise in Apple computers. During this phase, I crossed paths with Cal and Joyce Beverly, proprietors of the newspaper where you’re currently reading this story. Our collaboration on their website and technological infrastructure marked another important moment in my business’s expansion. This friendship and partnership remain steadfast to this day.

Throughout the “AIS years,” I had the privilege of collaborating with exceptional individuals, including one young woman who continues to be an integral part of our team. Fresh out of college and seeking a local technology role, Lindsey Thompson joined our technical department. Over time, we navigated numerous challenges together. Originally her mentor, it’s been a pleasure to see her flourish as a leader. She’s now successfully mentored others (and doing a much better job than me) Currently serving as our Vice President of Operations, she the number two person within our company. Lindsey has stood by me since 2007, embodying an unparalleled work ethic and loyalty that continually inspire me.

In 2009, a recession and housing crisis sent shockwaves through the country, impacting AIS Computers along with countless other businesses. Responding to the changing landscape, Tommy and I made the challenging decision to divest from the Apple retail sector, a move that birthed AIS Solutions Group. The retail operations transitioned to another company, which subsequently relocated to Ashley Park in Newnan. I bought out the rest of the company as AIS Solutions Group. Tommy was very generous and helped me to finance the buyout.

As AIS Solutions Group (still the legal name of our company), we redoubled our efforts in computer support (Apple and PC), as well as web design and general consulting. In 2010, I was elected as the Board Chair of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce. Although I might have appeared optimistic on the surface, those were undeniably some of the most challenging times for our business. The Chamber itself was grappling with difficulties due to the recession’s impact on its members. True leadership reveals itself during tough times, where loyalty and genuine friendships come to the forefront.

Despite nearly losing everything in 2011, we persevered. Throughout it all, our tight-knit team (including Lindsey) stood with me, weathering the storm together. Our clients also displayed unwavering loyalty, many of whom remain our valued customers to this day.

Partly in response to the recession and partly due to shifting market dynamics, we opted to exit the technology support sector, choosing to exclusively focus on website design and associated graphic endeavors. Thus, in 2011, we embarked on a rebranding journey, leading to the birth of Country Fried Creative. Shari, who remained a part-time collaborator, crafted our initial logo – a design that still forms the foundation of our current emblem. The rebranding effort yielded positive results, marked by an uptick in business activity.

I’m often asked, “Why Country Fried Creative?” Great question. We thought it was a fun name that leveraged our love of the South, fried foods, and being creative. The original logo was designed to evoke images of roadside diners – a marketing motif we still use today. Coincidentally, Zac Brown Band’s song “Chicken Fried” became a hit – although neither concept is related.

At the inception of the company, web projects were primarily centered around technical aspects. However, as technology evolved, the role of creativity in web projects grew increasingly vital. Coming out of the recession, we landed a client for whom we managed an e-commerce website. This connection introduced me to Janine DeMichele (now Baggett), who was working part-time for the client. Janine’s strong work ethic, meticulous attention to detail, and creative brilliance instantly left an impression on me. Her freelance contributions eventually evolved into a full-time position.

Today Janine serves as our full-time Creative Director and Vice President of Creative. I can confidently say that Janine is the most exceptional creative professional I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Guided by the remarkable duo of Lindsey and Janine, I’m truly blessed to have the finest executive team steering the company. Last fall I penned a column in this paper with advice for my new executives.

Under the rebranded banner of Country Fried Creative, our enterprise began to expand – acquiring new clients, broadening service offerings, and welcoming additional team members. In 2016, we introduced social media marketing services, further enhancing our portfolio. My daughter Tori joined the firm part-time, helping Janine with social media and content management. Here’s a picture of “the original five” just before we started growing the business.

The year 2017 proved to be a milestone, and in January 2018, I was honored with the distinction of being selected as the 2017 Fayette Chamber Business Person of the Year – the Chamber’s highest award. I’m still not sure I was deserving of that award but it was definitely a booster shot of confidence that we must be doing something right. Additionally, we collaborated with the Chamber and local government officials to launch the “Create Your Story” branding campaign in conjunction with the Fayette Visioning team.

Later in 2018 we started to expand our creative service offerings into branding, logo, and print design projects. Also in 2018, we started to participate in the Fayette County Schools Work-Based Learning program in which high school seniors compete to intern with local companies. We still participate in the program and have watched as some of our early interns have successfully completed college and gone on to successful careers. Two of our former interns still work for us.

Our biggest year in terms of growth was 2019 in which we doubled in size in terms of employees and clients. We entered the “COVID years” with a strong team, that was already working from home. We helped our clients pivot to remote working models and helped save more than one business during those challenging times. See, during COVID many businesses had to change their operating hours and offerings.

Digital marketing was really the only effective way to get the word out and we were uniquely positioned to help. Several organizations later told me that we helped saved their business by helping them stay connected with customers. It was also during 2019 that we fully embraced the broad range of services we offered and started identifying ourselves as a Digital Marketing Agency.

In 2021 we were named the Fayette Chamber Small Business of the Year, a team award that truly recognized the efforts by all of our team members to run a high-quality, successful company. Since then, we’ve continued to adapt our service offerings and methodologies to provide high-quality, relevant, marketing services to a mostly local clientele.

It may sound like all is well, but over the years we’ve had to overcome a number of challenges. Frankly, 2023 has been a challenging year. Although I’m not sure that economists are in agreement, my own thoughts are that we’re in a recession. During good times I’ve seen growth in all types and sizes of businesses in our community. It seems right now that only the very large organizations are doing well – particularly those attached to large sources of funding. Our business is doing well (could always be better) but I know a lot of companies are struggling. Interest rates are up and companies that couldn’t hire enough people are now starting to lay people off. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making some people more effective and for others it’s putting them out of a job.

In hindsight, our journey from a one-person company to a thriving enterprise has been defined by resilience, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence. As I look back over our 20-year history, one undeniable truth emerges: the most vital and cherished ingredient of our success has been people. From the very beginning, the support, belief, and dedication of friends, clients, mentors, and team members have been the driving force behind our achievements. Their unwavering commitment, collective expertise, and shared enthusiasm have propelled us through challenges, innovations, and growth. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue this journey with the same spirit of camaraderie.

There’s a lot of other things I could have done to make more money and perhaps work less over the past 20 years. It wouldn’t have been the same. This journey of ours has helped me to learn a lot about myself and meet some incredible people along the way. Here’s to another 20 years of home grown, community driven focus by all of us here at Country Fried Creative.

[Joe Domaleski, a Fayette County resident for 25 years, is the owner of Country Fried Creative – an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Peachtree City. His company was the Fayette Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year.  Joe is a husband, father of three grown children, and proud Army veteran.  He has an MBA from Georgia State University and enjoys sharing his perspectives drawing from thirty years of business leadership experience. ]