b'SMALL BUSINESSAscend Strategy & DesignProviding Clients with Growth PotentialThe journey to small business ownershipgrowth potential, Shenton, Carter, and ElliottCarter, the chief creative officer, says the began several years ago. In 2015, Anneofficially purchased Ascend on Oct. 5, 2020.companys success comes from eachFlower Power: Shenton and Steven Carter started Ascendplayers strength. We wouldnt haveDuring the COVID-19 Inbound Marketing, a division of NexxtepNot a decision taken lightly, Shenton says,considered this venture if the team wasntpandemic, John and I wanted to continue working with StevenVicki Cooper, owners Technology Services, located in Valdosta,as strong as it is now. It extends more thanof Twin Creek Flowers, Georgia. A few years later, Gretchen Elliottand Gretchen, who are both very capable,just the three of us to take each projecthad to adjust their joined the Ascend team, and the marketingtrustworthy, smart, and they let me workto an upper echelon of work, referencingbusiness model.agency continued to expand its services andwith themits a great partnership. Ascend team members John Fuller, director client base. With a slight name change to Ascendof web development, and Greg Block, video Strategy and Design, the full-serviceproducer and graphic designer.We started Ascend as a little marketing marketing agency continues to offer a suite agency within Nexxtep, Shenton says. Weof services, including branding, websiteWe are all in this together, he says. ForWe found during found that businesses dont traditionallyme, there is confidence knowing we have turn to their IT company for marketing anddesign, inbound marketing strategies, videothis entire team together. COVID people website design. They typically turn to aproduction, and customer relationship marketing agency. Thats why we decidedmanagement (CRM) services. As the chief experience officer, Elliott iswanted fresh flowers focused on client management and moving to brand Ascend differently, to create a newNow serving as Ascends CEO, Shenton saysprojects forward, including businessesto brighten up their culture and identity within Nexxtep. the name change speaks to the companyslocated throughout the U.S. and Canada.Twin Creek Flowers homes. I think they In July 2020, when Nexxtep was purchasedmission to provide clients with the bestWe were fortunate while working with by Dynamic Quest, Ascend was not partstrategies and tools to reach their growthNexxtep that we had the opportunity toBusiness Blooms During Pandemic also like the idea of potential. We are always looking ahead and of the acquisition. Change in the corporatewanting to expand and serve our clients andgrow the business, she says. We are allWhen John and Vicki Cooper launched Twin Creek Flowers in 2019,field-grown bouquets, structure provided Shenton, Carter, andpassionate about what we are doing, and Elliott with the opportunity to purchaseidentify the newest trends in the market. excited to continue to grow and help ourthey focused on selling wholesale to florists in the immediate area,especially the zinnias with plans to expand in 2020. However, like most small business Ascend Inbound Marketing.Moving toward a seamless transfer, she says,clients grow. owner, the COVID-19 pandemic created a detour. and sunflowers.Wanting to continue providing their clientsWe retained all of our clients and contacts with strategies and tools to reach theirand have not skipped a single beat. The onlyascendinbound.com After purchasing a small farm in Hahira, Georgia, the Coopers started- VICKI COOPERthing different is our mailing address.getting their infrastructure ready to grow primarily snapdragons, zinnias, and sunflowers.The Coopers also reached out to Alyssa Foskey, a business consultant with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Valdosta State University, to get their business up and running.Alyssa helped us go about contacting florists within a 50-mile radius of Valdosta, John says. She had access to listings and information that was hard for us to get on our own. With the first crop of flowers blooming in the fields, the COVID pandemic put an immediate halt to weddings and events, a major revenue source of floral businesses. Just before COVID hit, we felt poised and excited to see all the flowers blooming, Vicki says. When the weddings and events Creative Team: Representing Ascend Strategy & Design, left to right, John Fuller, Greg Block, Anne Shenton, Gretchen Elliott, andstopped, most of the florists closed, or had business drastically Steven Carter reduced.14 SG MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 BUSINESS + CULTURE 15'