Any visionary who wants to see their vision grow, needs a person. We are here to be your guide, believing that you should always be the hero of your story.
Gary’s first entrepreneurial endeavor came in his early 20’s; growing a car and marine detailing business from a couple of buckets and some rags, to a thriving company outfitted with a fleet of trucks and enough equipment to service 3-states. From that day to this, Gary has not lost his passion for taking ideas and putting them into action, whether it be for himself or someone else. In 2013, he created and launched Thrive, a finance system and software product to benefit healthcare patients without insurance. In 2015, this system was recognized as the runner up in the North Carolina Edison Project. After that experience, Gary was presented with many opportunities to teach and mentor other entrepreneurs and from that continued momentum, Norris Ventures was born. Selling Thrive in 2017, Gary made Norris Ventures his primary focus and finally, he was able to devote 100% of his time to helping businesses grow and reach their potential, which for him, is living his dream. His other passions include writing books, playing his guitar and working on his 13-acre farm.
After more than a decade as a national women’s event speaker and author of 3 published books on grief and healing, Marlo completely changed gears in 2011 and became an entrepreneur within the yogurt and coffee vertical. Immediate success of her brand led to the development of a franchising company with locations across the southeast United States. It was from that experience that she honed her skills in scaling, strategizing, marketing and brand culture. Marlo brings all of that expertise to Norris Ventures and works with clients to create and execute the strategies that will help them reach their goals; while also being our resident editor and head manual writer for the team. In her spare time, she loves to cook and create new recipes that support her lectin-free lifestyle as well as spending time with her family and dogs around the campfire.
Ben received a BFA in Graphic Design from The Savannah College of Art and Design and came to Norris Ventures after several years of developing his craft in both the healthcare and commercial arenas. He oversees the design and creation of all print and graphic mediums, as well as all web development and digital platforms. Ben’s favorite design projects are the ones that include brand identity and creating the right aesthetics to represent our client’s vision with relevancy and cohesion. Ben’s outside-work interests include history, sustainable farming and craft beer.
After receiving degrees in both biochemistry and food process engineering from Purdue University, Carey’s love for communication and education finally took the front seat in her career and she began teaching in the private sector, as well as tutoring in group and individual settings and never looked back. She originally joined the Norris Ventures team in 2018 as the head of business development but now serves as our Media Director, overseeing the planning and placement of all print, audio and digital content for the company. Her passions include spending time with her 4 children, running marathons and serving as President of the Randolph Youth Theatre Company.
Desiree was a West Coast girl before college brought her cross-country to SCAD-Savannah. It was there that she began her Fine Arts degree and met her future husband, Ben! Upon Ben’s graduation, they married and moved to NC where Desiree completed her degree at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Desiree’s main focus is cohesively translating the brand identity of our client’s business into the interior and exterior design aspects of their model. She also assists Ben in graphic projects and marketing production. When not working on projects for Norris Ventures, she's usually antiquing, researching French gardens or cooking for her family and friends.
Ziggy is the office OG who represents all of the fur-babies in our lives. She’s been with Desiree and Ben since their college days and she keeps everyone at Norris Ventures straight - especially when it comes to treats and the most comfortable places to nap.
Stability, growth and expansion: this is where we focus our collective abilities because we know this is where we can make the most positive impact on businesses and business owners. So this isn't just what we do - it's who we are