DI residents open pediatric dental practice on island
Daniel Island resident Dr. Isabel Driggers ("Dr. Isabel") this month opened her third area office in eight months – arranging to share dental office space with Dr. Zetz of Crescent Moon Orthodontics at 895 Island Park Drive. A pediatric dentist, Dr. Isabel opened her main office in Hanahan in August 2009, just one month after she and her husband Jacob, and their two children, moved to Daniel Island from Louisville, KY. Dr. Isabel then opened a second office in Moncks Corner in early fall 2009, leading up to the March 1 debut on Daniel Island. The Moncks Corner office is similar to the Daniel Island setup in that Dr. Isabel will be sharing space there with other dentists.
Initially, Dr. Isabel (operating as Coastal Kids Dental) will work on Daniel Island two days per month, with plans to see patients here every day as patient demand increases.
Dr. Isabel says that her greatest pleasure is working with kids and getting them out of pain, and that, in a complementary sense, her greatest challenge is "managing those who have had difficult experiences."
Coastal Kids Dental is managed by Jacob Driggers, Dr. Isabel’s husband – a CPA by trade who worked for KPMG in Atlanta for 10 years. Jacob explained that while Coastal Kids Dental will see children from ages 1-18, 80 percent of their current clientele is under the age of eight.
Prior to creating their main office in Hanahan, Jacob said that he and his wife visited numerous pediatric dental practices, with particular focus on office flow and the demographics of the community ("we have to be near the patients"). Jacob added that Coastal Kids Dental is a paperless practice – no paper charts, only digital x-rays. And starting this week, he explained, the office is moving to 100 percent paperless, a "final step to move 100 percent green" and a bid to eliminate "the nuisance of writing the same information over and over again on multiple sheets and at each visit."
DI resident is first Charleston partner of nationwide CFO network
Daniel Island resident Jim Jacobs is Charleston’s first member of the nationwide CFO network called B2B CFO – an organization of 150 former CFOs who work as part-time financial specialists for corporations across the country. The concept, at first, seems antithetical to good business practice – eschewing a full-time CFO and hiring, in their place, a part-timer to handle the same duties. But when you listen to Jacobs describe the advantages, you start to see the light.
B2B CFO, based in Phoenix, AZ, was started in 1988 by Jerry Mills, and for the first seven years Mills operated alone, hiring himself out as a part-time CFO. In 1994, Mills decided to expand the concept and started recruiting CFOs to join the network. Initially, recruiting focused on the major metropolitan areas, but in the last year, the company has undergone considerable expansion – there are now 150 "partners" in the network, up sharply from 100 just a year ago.
Jacobs, who has more than 20 years of CFO experience, said that essentially he’s running a sole proprietorship "but you have that cushion" of being able to seek advice from partners nationwide. Typically, partners try to maintain 8-15 clients at any time, and work commitment ranges from a half day per month up to a couple of days per week, depending on client needs.
Jacobs joined B2B CFO last November, just three months after he and wife Therese, and their five children (the oldest is nine) moved to Daniel Island. Jacobs likes the challenge and freedom afforded to the new opportunity and seems to respond well to "being out of my comfort zone." The appeal is three-fold – running one’s own shop, the variety of work entailed and the ability to draw on the expertise of more than 150 former CFOs. And to become part of the network, Jacobs and others are required to enroll in an online eight-week "integrity selling" class.
Locally, Jacobs has worked with The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center and just last week picked up a start-up firm in Washington, DC, which is looking for venture capital.
What advice would Jacobs give to a friend starting a business?
1. Have a good plan with goals that are measurable – and update them;
2. Know your financial situation;
3. Sign no long-term contracts, make no long-term commitments; and
4. Have a good strong focus on cash flow – make sure you know how much you need to live for six months.
Commonwealth Financial GROUP sets goal of $25,000 contribution
Daniel Island-based Commonwealth Financial Group is aiming to contribute $25,000 to Mt. Pleasant’s C.A.R.E.S. Clinic, according to president Britt Gilbert. Gilbert formed Commonwealth Financial Group, a financial advisory firm, in 2000, and two years ago created a 501(c)(3) foundation to support local charities. In 2008, Gilbert signed a three-year commitment to support the C.A.R.E.S. (Community, Aid, Relief, Education, Support) clinic, which provides free medical care to underserved and uninsured area citizens. And on April 20, Commonwealth Financial Group will host a major golf-tournament fundraiser at Daniel Island’s Ralston Creek Course – hoping to secure 100 players on 25 teams, and raise $25,000 for the clinic.
Gilbert said that "giving back" is part of the culture at Commonwealth Financial Group, with incentives built in to provide employees with time off to give back. For example, company employees, as a group, have recently worked with Habitat for Humanity and Water Missions International. The C.A.R.E.S. clinic is run by over 200 volunteer students and more than 80 volunteer practicing physicians from the Medical University of South Carolina.
To participate in the golf tournament, as player or sponsor, please visit www.commonwealthfg.com/CCC or call 843-884-4545.
