Tag Archive for: #stephenpearson

Pearson a Bundle of Intelligence, Leadership, Passion and Success

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Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner and champion of downtown revitalization in Henderson, has died. He was 57. Friends and colleagues remembered Pearson Friday as an entrepreneur dedicated to making Henderson a better place for the community to enjoy.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Pearson chaired the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission for almost a year. “He brought his business development expertise and background to our downtown development efforts, invested in our community and led our DDC with passion and determination,” said City Council member Gary Daeke.

Pearson and his wife, Amanda, opened Sadie’s Coffee Corner in fall 2019, and quickly got involved in the community. “Stephen and Amanda Pearson chose us for their business location out of every other town and that made him special to me and our Chamber of Commerce from the very beginning,” said Chamber President Michele Burgess.

“He had a vision for revitalizing downtown Henderson and he was willing to put in the work and the investment to make it happen. Stephen used to love to use the hashtag #whynothenderson. He saw potential here, where others see dilapidation. His enthusiasm and energy and his positive attitude will be greatly missed,” Burgess said Friday.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon remembered Pearson as a champion for downtown Henderson. He said Pearson “described himself as a disruptor, because he wanted to change the way that we do things in our community for the better… His passion for downtown Henderson was unmatched and he will truly be missed by the Henderson community.”

Pearson brought experience as well as enthusiasm to downtown development; he had a doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership and was an adjunct professor at UNC-CH and Utica College in New York, in addition to being chief operating officer to Sadie’s Coffee Corner.

Dennis Jarvis, former director of the Henderson Economic Development Commission, said Pearson “wanted to change the world, so he thought ‘I’ll change one block of Henderson first.’ He succeeded.” Jarvis added that Pearson was “an innovator, an educator, a veteran, an animal lover and larger than life. He was a bright light and inspiration to me personally and professionally.”

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington remembered Pearson as someone who truly wanted Henderson, and the downtown area especially, to succeed. “No one is ever ready to receive such sorrowful news,” Ellington told WIZS News Friday, “and with much sadness the City of Henderson mourns the loss of a man that will be remembered as big in stature, but most importantly big at heart.”

In an April 22, 2020 interview on Town Talk, Pearson said Sadie’s supportive customers and community partners, combined with his belief that downtown is the “epicenter of the growth in Henderson,” would help ensure the coffee shop’s continued success.

Joe Hedrick, a regular patron at Sadie’s said “Steve Pearson had a great vision for our community and a determination to make downtown Henderson a better place for all of us.”

Pearson revealed in that Town Talk interview from 2020 that he and his wife believed so strongly in the downtown’s potential that they would be developing another downtown location that would include a business incubator, a business accelerator and will include a classical pizza, cheese and wine tasting shop.

Mayor Ellington said the Pearsons were active, positive members of the community who “continue to impact downtown in ways we haven’t seen in years.” More development in the Garnett Street area is a way to carry on Pearson’s mission of a vibrant Main Street, Ellington said.

Brian Boyd, a friend of Pearson as well as a coffee shop patron and board member of the Chamber and Henderson-Oxford Airport Authority, had this to say:

“God blesses us with giants in life that have large presence, vision, compassion and care. Giants do not always get the most time to be here, but they make the most of their time and leave a legacy that can continue through everyone they touched. I will miss my friend Steve and I am sad by his passing but still motivated by his vision for the growth and continued betterment of our Henderson community, kindness and care for all people and determination to progress in all things.”

Boyd said he and Pearson had talked about Henderson and its potential for continued growth and development. “Henderson was a place where he wanted to leave a legacy of hope and change for the good,” Boyd said of his friend. “He loved his time here.”

Downtown Henderson

TownTalk 04/22/20: Pearson Discusses Challenging Times, Community Excellence

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Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Pearson, who holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership, addressed the importance of striving for community excellence and discussed business survival in challenging times.

With last week’s opening of the drive-thru portion of the new Starbucks on Dabney Drive, less than a year since Sadie’s fall opening and in the middle of a national shutdown, Pearson and wife Amanda know a thing or two about facing competition.

“Competition makes the entrepreneur reevaluate and come out of some of the complacency that they run into,” Pearson said. “There are ultimately two ways to approach the situation – sit on your hands and say ‘woe is me’ or find a way to move forward.”

Pearson said Sadie’s supportive customers and community partners, combined with his belief that downtown is the “epicenter of the growth in Henderson,” will help ensure the coffee shop’s continued success.

In fact, the Pearsons believe so strongly in the potential of the area that they are investing more money into a downtown location, with completion expected in the next 18 months.

While additional details will be revealed at a later date, Pearson said he could share with the public that the new downtown venture will be “a business incubator, a business accelerator and will include a classical pizza, cheese and wine tasting shop.”

Pearson said he believes these business ventures are adding to the excellence being built in Henderson. “We can build excellence in this community. This is a vibrant, intelligent community with a lot of impassioned people. I’m very excited to be a part of what I see to be a growth spurt in Henderson.”

“People love to build excellence in the past. If you talk to people about Henderson, they’ll say what a bustling, great town this was 20 years ago, 30 years ago,” continued Pearson. “We have to build excellence in the future, but we build excellence by being brilliant in the basics. We have to understand business, we have to understand the economy and we have to understand the needs of the community.”

To hear the interview with Pearson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

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Town Talk 04/01/20: Pearson Addresses Importance of Online Security, Avoiding Scams

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Pearson, who teaches classes online at UNC-Chapel Hill and Utica College, and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership, followed up on his Town Talk interview from last week.

While Thursday’s Town Talk focused on tips for working efficiently from home, Pearson utilized today’s segment to address the importance of employing proper online security measures when working remotely.

Much like the current social distancing model is being encouraged to help prevent human illness, Pearson explained similar practices should be used to protect computers and other electronic devices from viruses.

“Make sure you aren’t migrating viruses into your corporate network while you are working from home,” said Pearson. “You want to make sure you are using a platform that you have some control over.”

To have control over your technology and what your company’s network may be exposed to, Pearson suggested the creation of separate user profiles for each individual on a shared computer. “This ensures your work profile and your children’s gaming profile are separate, for example, and lessens the chance of interaction between the two.”

Other suggestions, per Pearson, include keeping corporate files on an external storage unit connected to your computer and installing a good antivirus program that updates daily.

Another suggestion to protect both your computer and your bank account is to beware of scams related to COVID-19. Much like disasters of the past, including 9/11 and hurricanes, the coronavirus pandemic is bringing out fraudsters who prey on peoples’ fears and generosity in a difficult time, said Pearson.

Pearson suggested not opening emails from institutions that you did not initially contact for information and doing some research before donating to any online site as primary ways to protect yourself from fraud.

For businesses looking for loans during the shutdown, Pearson suggested sticking with known and trusted sites such as www.SBA.gov or contacting the VGCC Small Business Center for further assistance.

Fake loan sites with “requirements” such as a $2,500 loan application fee are already being reported and trusted sources can help determine the legitimate from the fraudulent.

To hear the interview with Pearson in its entirety, including additional security suggestions, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Town Talk 03/26/20: Dr. Stephen Pearson Provides Tips on Working From Home

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Pearson, who teaches classes online at UNC-Chapel Hill and Utica College, and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership, provided tips for working efficiently from home.

With many employees temporarily working remotely due to coronavirus-related business closures, Pearson’s advice is especially timely.

While working from home may seem exciting or “like a vacation” at first, Pearson said the biggest challenges in successfully making the transition are the distractions that are created by other family members, other home-based duties and social media.

“One of the biggest impediments of working from home is home life itself,” said Pearson. “There are a lot of distractions that take you away from the workplace.”

One way to keep yourself in the work mindset while at home is to stick with your normal “getting ready for work” routine. “I always tell people if you are going to work from home, treat it as a workday,” explained Pearson. “You get up, you shower, you shave, you eat breakfast, and then you go into an isolated area where you can shut the door and put a sign up that says ‘at work’ so that you aren’t distracted by the family.”

Pearson said this model will work more effectively if you discuss the need for privacy, take breaks throughout the day to interact with your family and leave your workspace at your usual stopping time.

On the other end of the spectrum, Pearson agreed it can be just as difficult for some employees to shut off work for the day while working from home. “Again, it’s all about the mindset. You have to make that mental transition between work and play.”

The bottom line, according to Pearson, is to “remember you are at work and have an obligation to your employer. Give them what they pay for and provide them with the service you would provide at the office.”

To hear the interview with Pearson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.