In 1988, Denise Burnett, RN, BSN joined her friend Carol Paterson, who had an idea to start a specialized nurse staffing company. During the first year they worked to build their client base and nurse base, but were taken off course when Carol was diagnosed with cancer. In 1990, Carol passed away and Denise became President and owner. Denise has been widely recognized for her success in achieving the vision for O.R. Nurses, Inc., which is “to assist our client with uncompromising quality patient care, by providing medical professionals who demonstrate excellence in temporary staffing, and doing so in the most cost-effective manner that benefits both the client and the patient”. Today O.R. Nurses, Inc. demonstrates the core values of Integrity, Clinical Excellence and Professionalism in providing temporary healthcare staffing locally, regionally and nationally.

At the meeting of the Entrepreneurs Roundtable on Thursday, April 22, 1010, recording industry legend, Al Bell, shared the following poem.  The poem certainly reflects a true entrepreneurial spirit!

It Couldn’t Be Done

Edgar A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Members of the panel were:

Andrew Forsdick, Addison Capital Advisors
Gordin McMurtry, Paragon National Bank
Andrew Seamons, Pittco
Ken Woody, Innova

The panel was be moderated by David Waddell, Waddell & Associates.

The Church Health Center , Executive Director

As the first non-profit member of the Society of Entrepreneurs, Dr. Scott Morris is an example that the entrepreneurial spirit is not limited solely to capitalistic ventures. He is founder and executive director of the Church Health Center, which opened in 1987 to provide primary health care to the low-income, uninsured working people of Memphis. The center, a health care ministry supported by the faith and medical communities, averages 30,000 patient visits a year. In January 2000 the Hope and Healing Center was opened as a part of the Church Health Center to provide a state-of-the-art wellness facility that combines the wisdom of disease prevention and the experience of health professionals with the love and encouragement of the faith community.

William H. West, M.D.

The West Clinic, Chairman Emeritus
The Prevention Group, Chairman

A graduate of Harvard College and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Dr. West is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He is founder-emeritus of the West Clinic in Memphis, TN, one of the largest cancer treatment programs in the southeast, and has published numerous articles in the peer-reviewed medical literature. Dr. West has a career long interest in health care delivery systems. He brings a valuable perspective to screening and prevention as Chairman and Principal Investor of Lifesigns.

Dr. Jerre Freeman

Physician and entrepreneur Dr. Jerre Freeman, is Founder of Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates (MECA), Founder and Chairman of EagleVision, and Founder of the World Cataract Foundation.

A pioneer in the areas of cataract surgery, lens implant surgery and laser vision correction surgery, Dr. Freeman is the designer of several lens implants and the Punctum Plug, a non-surgical insert to help correct dry eyes.

Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates was formed in 1976 when Dr. Freeman joined his private practice with Dr. Thomas Gettelfinger. The practice is currently housed in a two-story free-standing outpatient surgical center in east Memphis. MECA was the first of its kind in Tennessee.

Freeman has an appetite for overcoming challenges, and the World Cataract Foundation grew from a challenge for production of an inexpensive, high quality product suitable for global use as a cure for cataract blindness. Freeman developed a lens that could be used universally. Taking it a step further, he developed a means to provide the surgery for free. The World Cataract Foundation has sent teams to 25 countries. For 35 years the Foundation has made trips to Ometepec, Mexico. In November 2005, 1800 people were screened in Ometapec and over 500 surgeries performed. “These countries are not easy to get to,” explains Freeman, “if they were we wouldn’t need to be here.”

Freeman holds a total of 18 patents. He is founder and chairman of EagleVision, a company created to develop his patented ideas into products. EagleVision began when Dr. Freeman came up with the idea of the Punctum Plug. Knowing the product was unavailable in the marketplace Freeman used his own capital to start the company and manufacture the plug.

Dr. Freeman has been awarded with a number of recognition awards including: the National Medal of Honor for Humanitarian Services from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Dedication to Service Award from the Bluff City Medical Society, the Global Citizens Award from the World Affairs Council, Outstanding Alumnus from the University of Memphis, Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and the Dean Campbell Award for Service Over Self from the Germantown Rotary Club.

Spence Wilson

As President of Kemmons Wilson, Inc., Spence Wilson knows entrepreneurship quite well, having spent a lifetime with one of the city’s most well known – his father. He understands and embodies the importance of blending creative energy and vision, initiative and innovation, and he has worked to turn Kemmons Wilson, Inc. into a leading hospitality development and management company, focusing on hotels, resort time sharing, real estate development, home building, aviation services, and entrepreneurial and venture capital opportunities.

Audiences are captivated and entertained by Don’s personal anecdotes, used to drive home the business solutions he offers in his presentations. Participants leave each of his presentations on-track and focused, with new skills, attitudes, and ideas that work at the “street level”. While he has earned a reputation as a motivator, Don provides more than a “cheerleading” session. He empowers audience members with skills and cutting edge strategies needed to succeed in today’s business environment.

Dave Barger

Entrepreneurs are always looking for new ways to connect with their clients and expand their customer base. Social Media and Social Networking offer a world of possibility and promise to do just that, but they also come with hype and hucksters.

As social media grows in prominence, and as it rises to the top of marketing venues, how is a small business to navigate between the benefits of Facebook and Twitter and their time drains? Is there a simple system to social networking success?

The short answer is no.

Dave Barger, CEO and President of LunaWeb, a Memphis Web development company offers an alternative – a ’social’ business philosophy to help businesses approach the use of social media in a business setting and help tell the difference between those who would hurt and those who would help – a philosophy that starts even before entrepreneurs set to the work of joining the conversation.

A University of Memphis graduate with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, who spent time in the Navy and working for major corporations, Barger understands the operating nuances of Corporate America, as well as the impact “the voice of the customer” has on any organization.

Now, he has become a leading resource in Memphis for a new revolution in the field of online communication, “Social Networking.” He has been sharing his vision of business in the world of Web 2.0 to entrepreneurs and established companies all over the Memphis area. “Social networking is the realization of a promise the Web made in the early 90’s, that the people would have a voice. That promise is finally coming to life with the proliferation of social media and the wide acceptance of social networking,” Barger said.

2009: 08/20: \”Social\” Philosophy for Business

Marty Barton

Speakers: Bob Adams and Marty Barton

Entrepreneurs typically start a business because of a great idea, a passion for a certain process, or a desire to be the master of their own destiny. But most entrepreneurs overlook the fact that starting a business often means becoming an employer, and they aren’t always ready for that challenge. Even established businesses can easily lose sight of the changing landscape of employment laws that can jeopardize their profitability and even their existence. Managing your employment duties and risks in these changing times is becoming more and more important to your company’s survival.

Whether your business is a one year old start up or a 25 year old veteran, you’ll want to hear about the 10 most commonly misunderstood areas of employment law. These are issues most employers think they understand, but experience has told us they often don’t and they can represent significant risks to your company. Join us July 21 as Adams Keegan Founder and Chairman Bob Adams, and Sr. VP and General Counsel and Marty Barton help us to understand how to identify and manage these Top 10 Employment risks to your business. With over 22 years experience helping small and medium sized businesses manage their employment duties while growing their business, their insight will be both entertaining and educational.

2009: 07/21 – How to identify and manage the Top 10 Employment risks to your business

Reggie White

Reggie discussed the advantages and disadvantages of franchising, evaluating franchise opportunities and the keys to franchising success.

2009: 05/19 – Fundamentals of Franchising – Presented by Reggie Wright