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Mississippi Business Journal
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TOP ENTREPRENEURS
Aug. 21 - Sept. 3, 2020
Cliff Osbon
Lateshia Pearson
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Jessica Phillips
Bernard Reed
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Office of Evolution, Flowood liff Osbon, along with his wife Angela, is the franchise owner of Office Evolution in Flowood. Office Evolution is now open close to the airport and Flowood conference center. Office Evolution is perfect for a growing business, including private offices, conference rooms, and virtual office solutions. Osbon spent nearly 18 months in the process of opening the business. For a number of months, they evaluated multiple franchise options among flexible office space operators. They completed their franchise agreement, spending a number of months evaluating real estate options, ultimately deciding on the Flowood – Airport – Conference Center area. Osbon graduated from pharmacy school at the University of Louisiana-Monroe in 1984 and has had a number of non-traditional pharmacy practice experiences and several unique business experiences. These included nine years of community pharmacy practice, and five years as a Senior Manager of CPSI, among many other opportunities.
O! How Cute
essica Phillips is the owner of O! How Cute Boutique & Gifts and Flirt Jewelry. O! How Cute Boutique & Gifts consists of three retail gift boutiques focused on providing unique, affordable gift options to customers in the Jackson metro area. Since opening our doors in 2005, O! How Cute has been able to expand its footprint from one location to three as a result of its customer centric growth strategy. Phillips graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2006 and has been in the business world since 1996. She is a member of the Ranking County Chamber of Commerce, the Pearl Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Flowood and the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. Jessica says her husband Andy is a major role model in her life as are her father and father in law. When not working, Jessica says it is all about family time with her husband and two children as they do many activities, including trying to make it to Orlando for Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal once a year.
National Women’s Brunch Organization ateshia Pearson is changing the mindset of individuals across the globe. As the founder of National Women’s Brunch Organization, Inc., Pearson is gaining major acclaim and public notoriety as a force of empowerment, inspiration and encouragement for others to start a business, practice self-care, and to gain control over their own mind. Through her coaching, financial literacy and empowerment brunches, and her professional experience, Pearson is able to get others to move outside of their comfort zone, and believe with and in them by helping them imagine themselves at their highest level of happiness, and success. Pearson’s coaching, brunches, and mindset techniques have proven to produce efficient, positive, and life lasting results. Outside of being a mother, a wife and full time entrepreneurs, Pearson says “one of the best things that happened is having the faith to step outside her comfort zone in order to become a better version of herself in order to inspire others.”
Reed’s Metals
ernard T. (Bernie) Reed, understands the mindset of today’s consumer, and he has built a thriving business based on meeting his customers’ needs. Reed is the owner of Reed’s Metals Inc. based in Brookhaven, which provides metal roofing and metal buildings direct to consumers. Reed is originally from Florida, but he grew up around the country as his family worked in a seasonal agricultural business. As an adult, Reed planted his roots in Monticello and started a pine tree reforestation business; however, the business was seasonal so he wanted to find something else to do in the off season. In 1998, at the age of 28 he decided to start Reed’s Metals with a pair of hand shears and a forklift. From that humble beginning, the company quickly grew and today Reed’s Metals has over 160 employees in five locations: Brookhaven; Tupelo; Benton, Arkansas; Lake Charles, Louisiana; and Jackson, Tennessee.