7 Charlotte men to watch and the moves they’re making in 2018
In March, we highlighted 5 inspirational women making moves in Charlotte. This month, we’re focusing on the men who use their skills, expertise and passion to make the Queen City a center for innovation.
Through inventive apps, podcasts and arts and literacy programs, these seven men play a vital role in redefining the future of our city.
Tim Griffin
Who he is: Founder and CEO of Cloosiv, an ecommerce app which allows brick-and-mortar merchants to reach customers through a single mobile interface.
His big move: Griffin founded Cloosiv after realizing the time wasted ordering and paying for goods through several apps. Instead of using three different apps to order a coffee, a friend’s birthday present and a grab-and-go meal, Cloosiv allows for users to purchase all three using the same streamlined experience.
Griffin told CharlotteFive that the name itself indicates the inclusion of all merchants and consumers. This year, the app seeks to target 200 merchant locations in and around Charlotte. It’s currently live in 25, with 35 committed.
His inspiration: Griffin finds inspiration through success and failure stories. His wife piqued his interest in several podcasts, which he listens to while traveling to merchant locations. The podcasts help him appreciate the emotional weathering that takes place during the early stages of many startups, and he often finds himself boiling over with ideas and inspiration on how to proceed.
“I think our early success speaks to the type of city that Charlotte is, eager to try something new, but not always presented with that opportunity,” Griffin said. “I’d encourage anyone who’s been thinking of branching out on their own to take that first step. It doesn’t have to be big, but it may just be the push you need!”
Follow his work: @cloosiv on Instagram, @cloosiv on Twitter
James Ford
Who he is: Founder of the Be More Foundation, a media literacy organization dedicated to addressing issues of economic mobility through social innovation.
His big move: Ford founded the Be More Foundation after working with youth, both after school and in the classroom. He found himself competing for the attention of his students, who relied on popular media and celebrities to form conceptions of what’s important and what’s worth investing time and energy. Noticing his students experienced difficulty separating media from reality, Ford decided to make a change.
“Because it was primarily youth of color, the value sets being transmitted were inherently stereotypical, toxic and degrading,” he said. “I could tell they didn’t have the tools to decode the messages they were receiving. Worst of all, no one seemed to be offering a counter-narrative, one that encouraged them to be more than passive consumers of media messages and ultimately be the change themselves. Since it didn’t exist, I decided to create it.”
Ford and the Be More Foundation partnered with Digital Charlotte at Queens University to allow creatives to prepare content and assist in the improvement of media literacy. The program currently serves Garinger High School and West Charlotte High School, but going forward, the organization seeks to expand to all high schools in the I-85 corridor.
His inspiration: Ford cites people of color in the media who have been able to “grab the mantle and craft their own narrative” as his inspiration. He admires the innovation of Tim Burrell, the “father of black marketing,” who made a difference in the advertising industry in relation to black people and culture, as he understood the ways negative stereotypes perpetuated through media. He also respects Oprah Winfrey, whom he deems “media goals,” as she built an empire and used her media influence to create space for important perspectives for people of color.
Among his other inspirations include Ava Duvarney (“Queen Sugar”), Donald Glover (“Atlanta”), Issa Rae (“Insecure”), Desus Nice and The Kid Mero (“Bodega Boys” podcast and “Desus & Mero” on Viceland), Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton (“Another Round” podcast) Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”) and Lena Waite (“The Chi”).
Follow his work: @bemore704 on Instagram and @bemorefndn on Twitter
Greg Schermbeck
Who he is: Founder and principal at SchermCo, which helps socially-conscious organizations solve problems through strategic advising and organizational development.
His big move: Schermbeck founded SchermCo to build bridges between the education and business communities. His company offers strategy and support services to leaders in education and philanthropy with a focus on innovative strategies, and reinvests some of the earnings back into the communities it serves.
This year, Schermbeck and his team plan to bridge the district-charter divide, encourage parent empowerment and build a connected network of afterschool programs and experiences.
His inspiration: Schermbeck cites his parents and his former students at West Charlotte High School as his biggest inspirations. Although his parents didn’t attend college immediately after high school, they always stressed the importance of education to both Schermbeck and his brother.
Schermbeck’s teaching career at West Charlotte also inspired him to delve deeper into the experience of the students in school, the education system and the importance of thinking differently about education. Before beginning any project, Schermbeck asks himself, “How will this affect students?”
“We believe that all kids deserve access to a quality education and that it takes every aspect of a community to make it happen,” he said. “We want to help drive that change.”
Follow his work: @schermco on Instagram, @schermco on Twitter
Keith Cradle
Who he is: Adolescent Program Manager, MSCO at the Bechtler Jail Arts Initiative, which provides underserved youth with an art-centric rehabilitation program.
His big move: Cradle coordinates the detention side of the Jail Arts Initiative and works in partnership with the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art to ensure that the program is viable, creates outcomes and sees participation.
A passionate advocate of the cultural arts, Cradle finds himself curating non-traditional programs that will benefit underserved youth in the Charlotte community. He recently founded a podcast, “Crafted with Cradle,” (@craftedwithcradle), that features people in Charlotte who discuss the good they’re doing for the community over cocktails.
His inspiration: Cradle draws inspiration from watching his friends and family work hard for their goals, and believes it’s the drive he needs to push him to accomplish his own. He encourages individuals to support the local arts by becoming members of museums, the opera, the symphony or the ASC.
“I repeat a personal mantra each morning, ‘Never Not Working.’ I want to always move towards the goals I have set for myself so that I can use my gifts/talents to continually help and lift our community,” Cradle said.
Follow his work: @mrcradle on Instagram
Larken Egleston and Tariq Bokhari
Who they are: Members of the City Council and the voices behind the “R&D in the QC,” a podcast dedicated to discussing major topics facing Charlotte.
Their big move: Each week after Monday City Council meetings, Egleston, a Democrat, and Bokhari, a Republican, head to an office to give two perspectives on issues facing the Queen City. Bokhari already possessed experience with podcasts, and the team knew about the desire for local political analysis that respectfully discussed bipartisan viewpoints (a rarity in the political realm nowadays).
Episode 14 just aired, and the team isn’t slowing down. They plan to keep sharing data points and breaking down complex issues in layman’s terms to encourage citizens to engage in new and creative ways.
“As the millennial generation is now coming into its own, they are beginning to take on the leadership roles in our society – everything from the workforce to charitable ventures to innovation,” Bokhari said. “The major area we are still lagging is political involvement and voting – one reason for that is the lack of on-demand, transparent information sharing what’s going (on) and how they can get involved.”
Their inspiration: Charlotte’s citizens continue to express interest in making the city a better place to live, work and play for both their families and their community as a whole, which drives the R&D team to share information. They aspire to help citizens better understand the workings of the local government and how they can engage with the process to advocate for the change they wish to see.
“We hope folks will not only listen, but engage,” Egleston said. “Local government will never be able to make Charlotte all we want it to be without the help of the public.”
He encourages citizens to reach out with feedback on the show and the city so the team is more aware of the issues that need to be addressed.
Follow their work: @LarkenEgleston and @TBokhari on Instagram, @Larken and @FinTechInnov8tr on Twitter
Chris Tropeano
via Resident Culture’s Instagram
Who he is: Head Brewer at Resident Culture Brewing Company, which opened in Plaza Midwood last year.
His big move: Resident Culture is known for its hop-forward IPAs. This year, the team put in a new 30-barrel tank to keep up with the demand, and they’re most excited to introduce Charlotte to their barrel-aged program through bottle releases. You can plan on seeing the first one soon!
Tropeano also holds another trick up his sleeve – he’s planning to create “100% spontaneous beers,” which he believes will be a true representation of the local flora and wild yeast. It’ll be the first of its kind for Charlotte and also some of the first in North Carolina.
[Related: Insider details on the brewery and beer garden coming to Plaza Midwood later this year]
His inspiration: Tropeano believes some of the best advice came from Tim Clifford of Sante Adairius, who told him, “Know where your inspiration comes from, but go in your own direction.” Experiences from his travels give him the knowledge and expertise to create something unique in Charlotte, alongside Phillip McLamb, CEO and founder of Resident Culture Brewing Company. Tropeano cites Sante Adairius Rustic Ales and Side Project Brewing as two establishments whose products inspire him and his craft.
“The brewing industry as a whole is extremely unique in that brewers tend to be collaborative rather than competitive,” Tropeano said. “It is really special to see businesses, who in other industries might be considered competitors, helping each other out and brewing beers and creating together. It really makes the brewing industry a pleasure to be a part of, and it makes my job a lot less stressful and more fun.”
Follow his work:@residentculture on Instagram
Photos: Tim Griffin, James Ford, Greg Schermbeck, Charlotte City Council
This story was originally published April 11, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "7 Charlotte men to watch and the moves they’re making in 2018."