Category Archives: small business

Our Office Build-Out

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under_construction_animation_3Construction at ABG Capital is well under way and we’re excited to share some more great updates with you! When we wrote about The Start of Our Expansion a few weeks ago, we were talking about the contract we signed in September for about 2,700 square feet of new space. That meant bringing our office to 12,000 square feet.

Well, we’ve just upgraded from that. On March 29, we signed a new contract that added 2,900 square feet to our layout. That means that we’ll have about 15,000 square feet! That’s a huge amount of space from what we had with our very first lease back in 2007 that only totaled about 9,400 square feet.

The need for this expansion is due to the rapid (and we mean RAPID) growth of Inspira and VoIP Innovations; we have to meet the demands of our work flow! The original plan included a multi-purpose room big enough for about 50 people, some new offices, a call center for Inspira, and a gala kitchen. The amendments to the contract added even more to this.

There will now be a climate controlled call center that will house the Network Operations Center (NOC) for VoIP Innovations and GlobalPOPs as well as the call centers for Inspira, VoIP Innovations, and GlobalPOPs. We are also adding an even larger and more functional kitchen, a small conference room, and a few more offices.

These are exciting times for everyone at ABG Capital and we can’t wait to share more updates with you as this process continues.

Just another Friday at ABG

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Welcome back to our blog, it’s time for Just another Friday at ABG Capital!  We want to start off by recognizing some more new employees who joined us this week. We’d like for you to welcome Collin Ballantine and Kathy Scheidlmeier to the ABG family. They will both be working as Customer Service Representatives for Inspira. If you want to get to know them better, check out their blog post from earlier this week.

Today was the ABG Capital Month/Quarter End Meeting where we discussed what has been going on in each of our companies. At ABG Capital we talked about how much growth we’ve been seeing throughout the organization, the new training our managers have been receiving, the build-out and all of the fun and exciting things that are coming with that expansion. We also had the chance to recognize our Employee of the Month for February which is Sara Warhold, our Office Administrator. Here’s just one of the comments made about her:

“I voted for Sara as she has been a huge asset to helping out Erica and myself. Since she started, we were able to move some tasks that I was doing, over to her and she has handled those like a ROCK STAR. She was able to adapt to a new situation and she welcomed the extra tasks given to her with open arms.”

During this meeting we also got to hear how great of a job all of our Portfolio Companies have been doing. Inspira has been exploding with new accounts and relationships, GlobalPOPs is expecting to see more and more growth in the coming quarters, and VoIP Innovations is moving and developing way faster than expected.

Easter 2As we wrap this post up for the day, we want to say have a great weekend and a Happy Easter!

 

We’re Still Growing!

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Most people in the Pittsburgh area today are well aware of the winter weather that is still upon us. Fortunately, we have a reason to take our minds off of the snow! In a blog post last week, we introduced you to our new employee, Jacob. Well, today we grew by two more. We are pleased to announce that Collin Ballantine and Kathleen (Kathy) Scheidlmeier will be joining our Inspira team as Customer Service Representatives.

CollinSmallCollin is an AppleOne recruit and is coming to us from the National Real Estate Information Services of Pittsburgh where he was a Foreclosure Specialist who managed all stages of property sales.  Collin is currently finishing his degree online at West Virginia University, while doing stand-up comedy on the side. He performs at open mics throughout various clubs in the area. Collin volunteers to help raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and tonight he is performing an act specifically for the foundation. He also has a 14 month old son, Ezekiel, who just started walking, wish him luck baby-proofing the house!

KathySmall

 

 

Kathy is joining us from Fidelity Bank where she worked as a Consumer Loan Processor.  Kathy received her education from Point Park University and completed her course work in liberal arts at Slippery Rock University.  In her spare time, Kathy enjoys babysitting her grandchildren and being great aunt to quadruplets. Kathy loves to cook and volunteers in her community by running a hospitality team for her church.

Help us in giving these two a warm welcome to the ABG Capital family!

ABG Capital to Participate in Strategic Planning Session

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ABG Capital

ABG Capital

December brings us many things.  The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is among us, the final quarter draws to a close, many businesses are preparing year-end reports, and thoughts of the upcoming New Year are in our heads.  Many people take the time to reflect, both personally and professionally, on the past year and look forward to 2013.  On a personal level, many look at what they have accomplished over the year and make new resolutions for 2013.  Corporately, businesses may draw up year-end reports and analyze numbers to determine their goals for the upcoming year.  At ABG Capital, we do all of those things.  We utilize our ideals to enhance our work and personal lives.  Our ideals are to cultivate ideas and people through our C.O.R.E. (Cultivate, Overcome, Respect, and Evolve) Values for the purpose of Giving Back.

Employees of ABG Capital utilize these ideals personally in many ways.  We participate in various activities throughout the year, where we are given an opportunity to Give Back to our community.  These activities include working at the food bank, fundraising for Make-A-Wish, and cleaning headstones at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.  In addition to Giving Back, employees also are encouraged to live healthy lifestyles.  We do an annual Biggest Loser contest, where interested employees weigh-in on Fridays, and the biggest loser receives a cash reward.  Also, we bring in an inspirational speaker/author in on a regular basis to educate our team about healthy eating habits.

In terms of business, we take our goals, or New Year’s resolutions, very seriously.  Every year around this time, our companies participate in Strategic Planning Sessions, where goals for the upcoming quarters are brainstormed and strategized.  These 2-day sessions employ strategic planning and executive education adopted from the Gazelles Growth and Leadership Summits.  As discussed in this earlier post, http://blog.abgcapital.com/?p=141, ABG Capital sends key employees to these Gazelles Summits to gain valuable training on how to lead and grow their companies.  This education, along with a Gazelles coach, enables each of ABG Capital’s portfolio companies to evolve solid annual strategic plans.

As 2012 draws to a close, employees at ABG Capital are busy preparing for holiday festivities, gathering gifts and monies for Giving Back causes, and focusing their energies on having a productive 2013.

ABG Capital is 14th Among the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania

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ABG Capital

ABG Capital

What makes a workplace outstanding?  Ranking on Pennsylvania’s Best Places to Work list 5 out of the past 7 years, perhaps ABG Capital has the answer.  The focus at ABG Capital is on people and culture, which creates a work environment in which both businesses and individuals thrive.

ABG Capital is pleased to announce that it is ranked 14th among the top 71 small/medium employers in the state, according to the thirteenth annual Best Places to Work in PA awards program.  In addition to this honor, ABG Capital was also recognized locally by the Pittsburgh Business Times, ranking 41st on their list of Best Places to Work in Western Pennsylvania.  This was their 6th showing in the past 8 years.

The Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania program was created by four companies: Central Penn Business Journal, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Team Pennsylvania Foundation, and Best Companies Group.  These organizations developed this program for several reasons.  The organizations were interested in helping Pennsylvanian companies retain their current workforce, attract new workers, and to distinguish the businesses in the state that attract and retain Pennsylvania’s talented workforce.

This program evaluates and ranks the best places of employment in the State based on employee satisfaction and engagement, as well as workplace practices and policies.  To be considered for this award, companies are required to complete the assessment process, where employers complete Benefits and Policies Questionnaires and employees complete Engagement and Satisfaction Surveys.  Once this information is collected, Best Companies Group then sorts and interprets the data to determine company rankings.

“It is such an honor to once again be ranked with an elite group of outstanding companies in PA,” stated Sharon Kolesar, Human Resources Manager at ABG Capital.  “Here at ABG Capital, we create values to foster a healthy life balance for our employees.  To know that 75% of our ranking is based on our employees’ responses and feedback exhibits that our culture is effective.”

The winners’ rankings were announced Thursday evening, November 29, 2012, at an awards ceremony at the Lancaster County Convention Center.  Additionally, the ranked companies will be profiled in a supplement to the Central Penn Business Journal and other business journals across the state.

Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ABG Capital leverages its unique business management model to reduce costs through the consolidation of back office operations for its portfolio companies. By consolidating services like accounting, legal, IT, software development, employee administration and HR, we are able to eliminate redundancy among, increase efficiency and be very nimble to the changes that occur in the market.  To learn more, visit http://www.abgcapital.com

Happy Thanksgiving from ABG Capital

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Turkey Bowl

5th Annual ABG Capital Turkey Bowl

In 2008, ABG Capital started a popular Thanksgiving tradition, their 1st Annual Turkey Bowl.  Employees wanting to participate were put into teams, and spent an afternoon playing flag football games.  This activity quickly became a favorite among the ABG Capital team.

This year, the team carried on the tradition and hosted their 5th Annual Turkey Bowl last Friday.  Four teams played until there was a champion.  Afterwards, the participating employees chose an MVP and Hands of Stone award.  Those winners will be announced at the ABG Capital Holiday Party next month.

ABG Capital would like to take the opportunity to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.  We are truly grateful our valued customers and dedicated employees.

To see more pictures from our Turkey Bowl visit: http://abgcapital.shutterfly.com/pictures/1798

ABG Capital Employee Brings Aid to Hurricane Affected Areas

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Hurricane Sandy

ABG Capital employee and husband with family affected by Hurricane Sandy

Those of us unaffected by Hurricane Sandy may be unaware of the devastation caused by this media-named super storm.  This huge storm affected 24 states, caused billions of dollars in damage, destroyed thousands of homes, left millions without electricity, and killed over a hundred people.  Even today, three weeks after the storm hit the US, there are still over a hundred thousand people without power in New York and New Jersey.

Denise Breide, the Provisioning Project Specialist for ABG Capital’s portfolio company, VoIP Innovations, was anxious to help out.  She and her husband, Ron, decided to take a trip to the East Coast to volunteer their time to those in need.  Prior to leaving, Denise collected various household items and cleaning supplies from her friends, family, and coworkers.  ABG Capital’s CEO, Jeff Tapolci, sent along a company donation as well.

Last Friday, Denise and Ron took their full trailer to the coast to distribute their collected items to those in need.  What they found was shocking, heartbreaking, and scary.

“I couldn’t believe the devastation in these hard-hit areas, “stated Denise Breide.  “The media could never portray how much loss these people have experienced.  It was truly heartbreaking to see these families have absolutely nothing left.”

Denise and her husband were so moved by their experience last weekend helping out those affected by this severely distressing hurricane that they have decided to repeat the trip.  This weekend, they will again drive over to the East Coast, trailer full or supplies, to help those in need.  They have another trip planned to December as well.

See pictures of Denise’s trip here:  http://abgcapital.shutterfly.com/229

ABG Capital Employees Attend Health and Wellness Presentation

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ABG Capital Health and Wellness Event

ABG Capital Health and Wellness Event

Yesterday, ABG Capital employees had the opportunity to listen to a presentation by Lindsey Smith, Certified Health Coach from The Real You Nutrition.  Smith talked to the employees about staying nutritionally aware, not just during the holidays, but in their everyday lives.  She also explained how oftentimes people choose their eating habits based on their moods.  Along with her helpful healthy eating tips, she also provided samples of smoothies for all to try.  Smith brought along a few copies of her recent book, Junk Foods & Junk Moods: Stop Craving and Start Living!, which she raffled off to employees.

Check out Lindsey Smith’s websites at http://foodmoodgirl.com and http://www.therealyounutrition.com

For pictures of this event, please visit: http://abgcapital.shutterfly.com/pictures/1755

ABG Capital Team Volunteers at Area Food Bank

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On Friday, November 2, 2012, nearly 20 employees from ABG Capital spent the afternoon at The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.  This particular Food Bank distributes 2.2 million pounds of groceries a month, so they rely heavily on volunteers to help with packaging.  The ABG Capital team worked in the Repack Center of the Food Bank and helped package up hundreds of pounds of frozen meat, poultry, and seafood items that were donated from local grocery stores.

“It’s always nice to get away from the daily grind and give back to the community that has given us so much, stated Jason Tapolci, who along with his brother, Jeff, own ABG Capital.  “Activities like these provide us all with a little more perspective on what is truly important in life.”

“Our employees had a blast,” said Jeff Tapolci, CEO of ABG Capital.  “I always enjoy giving back, and to work side-by-side with employees that I don’t normally interact with was very special.”

Located in Pittsburgh, PA, ABG Capital leverages its unique business management model to reduce costs through the consolidation of back office operations for its portfolio companies. By consolidating services like accounting, legal, IT, software development, Employees administration and HR, ABG Capital is able to eliminate redundancy among our portfolio companies and increase efficiency.

See more pictures from this giving back activity here: http://abgcapital.shutterfly.com/210

Giving Back

ABG Capital Giving Back

 

 

ABG Capital Employee Update

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Atta Boy! Board

ABG Capital’s Atta Boy! Board

Over the past few months ABG Capital’s portfolio companies have received positive feedback from many customers.  To encourage a motivating workspace, ABG Capital employees created an “Atta Boy” board where they will showcase these reviews and the employees providing the exceptional service.  Recently, Jessica Young, Provisioning Manager at VoIP Innovations, was recognized for her excellent customer service skills.  Steven V. Jackson from InterQOS, Inc wrote:

“I don’t have much time for this kind of thing, so I hope you realize how sincere I am when I take the time to write a note in praise of a trade partner’s personnel. With a recent problem, I contacted Jessica Young as the LNP manager for VI. She listened with real interest as I recounted the bizarre situation and stepped up on behalf of VI to get the problem solved. I would guess she in fact furthered our joint cause by documenting an improved means of handling these types of future port-ins which will bring less work to us all and a better end user impression. She presented herself in a very professional manner in the midst of an obviously frustrating situation making a very good impression on behalf of all of VI.

A business is really nothing more than a collection of agreements. Stake holders agree to certain objectives leading to a profit. Employees agree to perform certain defined duties leading to a pay check. The chasm between these two types of agreements often presents the root of a business’s failures or successes. Jessica Young presented herself in this situation as a true stake holder who understood the broader scope of our issue. She protected our joint interests at the business objective level rather than the “how do I have the easiest job” level of a simple employee and that is worthy of our admiration. My sincere compliments to Jessica; and to VoIP Innovations for having her on your side.”

Also in the VoIP Innovations’ porting department, Heather Halpern, Provisioning Specialist, and Denise Breide, Provisioning Project Specialist, were both recently acknowledged for their hard work.  Matt Collins from CCD Service, LLC wrote:

“I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how grateful I am for Heather & Denise in the LNP department. There was a small wholesaler who closed their doors last week with a couple numbers. We know that the emergency ports are never fun but they went the extra mile to make sure that everything went as smoothly as it could.”

In addition to be spotlighted internally, these positive reviews, along with a caricature of these three employees drawn by our Graphic Designer, Ryan Rice, were added to our employee recognition “Atta Boy!” board.  Last month, Dave Smith, Provisioning Specialist who is also in the porting department for VoIP Innovations, was in the spotlight for excellent customer service.  See that post here:  http://abgcapital.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/abg-capital-employee-update/