Beyond the Startup
Beyond the Startup features Atlanta-area business owners and leaders sharing their entrepreneurial journeys. We explore how businesses get started, the challenges of growth, and the lessons learned along the way.
Beyond the Startup Ep. 2: Andy Cheatham
 Built to Last: How Advantage Fire Turned Niche Focus into 34 Years of Growth
On Beyond the Startup, host Lliam Holmes interviews Andy Cheatham of Advantage Fire, a full-service fire protection company started in spring 1992 after Selasco’s bankruptcy. Cheatham describes launching with four employees and a 4,000 sq. ft. facility, rapidly scaling by hiring former Selasco staff and assuming leftover jobs, and growing to about 175 employees and 80 vehicles. He explains pursuing an MBA for broader business perspective and learning to upgrade vendors (including IT support) as the company grew. Advantage differentiated by specializing in complex medical projects and lat...
Beyond the Startup Ep. 1: Pilot
 Beyond the Startup Ep. 1: From Chaos to Control — How MIS Solutions Was Built to Scale
In the pilot episode of Beyond the Startup, temporary host Scott Pressimone interviews Lliam Holmes, founder and CEO of MIS Solutions, an Atlanta IT company serving small to midsize businesses with help desk, purchasing, and support. Lliam recounts starting MIS in 1995 after his Fortune 100-focused employer repeatedly turned away small-business requests. With encouragement from his mentor, Pete, Lliam bootstrapped the company with his wife, Jennifer, and another partner—MasterCard. He describes early lack of strategy, learning to say no to non-core work, and m...
