Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Elias
Hi Corey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in New Hampshire and have an older brother and a younger sister. We learned about hard work from a young age. My father, the hardest working man I’ve ever known, still works in retail at 77 years old logging over 20,000 steps a day. I was spoiled growing up; not with material things, but with lots of attention. My mother stayed home with us and was the local babysitter to make extra money, so we always had kids over to play with. It was an excellent childhood, but in order to be able to attend college, I knew I had to earn scholarship money somehow. When I wasn’t working or in school, I was training for cross-country or track. This work ethic earned me a State Championship and a college scholarship.
After earning undergraduate degrees in marketing and psychology and a masters in finance, I entered Corporate America in the sales arena where I learned of my love for working with people, building relationships and solving problems. I was a top producer and moved into team lead, then Management and then Director level positions over 8 years with one company. My entrepreneurial journey started at this time as well with a side hustle of renovating homes and helping my wife get a dance studio up and running (which has turned into an awesome success story at the North Georgia School of Ballet in Sandy Springs – ngaschoolofballet.com.)
Then, the best thing ever happened; I had my first child. My baby girl (she’s no longer a baby, but this sentiment still stands), Abi, was born and suddenly my priorities shifted, and I knew the long hours at my corporate job were not going to cut it. This is when I jumped off the corporate ladder completely and which culminated in the creation of Georgia ADU, combining my passion for helping others with real estate. I now have two children and am so excited to see how this story continues as they grow up surrounded by entrepreneurship in our family businesses.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We had financial hardships growing up, but we were taught the value of hard work and to appreciate what we had. My Father worked retail, so lots of Holidays and long hours away from the family. He took on second and third jobs working nights at a gas station and early mornings delivering magazines to support us. Because of his hard work and my Mom always being there for us, it never felt like a struggle.
I got to college via my talent at running, but halfway through my freshman year I was hit with a knee injury that nearly derailed my entire college running career. It took two years and countless hours of rehabbing 7 days a week, but I was able to battle through the injury and set some personal bests and a school record after my comeback. I still owe a big thank you to my coaches and training staff who believed in me and kept my scholarship in place while I worked through these challenging times.
One of the toughest, more recent challenges was navigating owning a dance studio during a pandemic. Dance classes over Zoom are just not the same and we struggled with low enrollment, and we were unsure what the future might hold. Ultimately, the community we had poured our heart and our time into over the years came streaming back through the doors, bringing all their friends to help us get back on our feet.
A favorite quote of mine from Nelson Mandela “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
As you know, we’re big fans of Georgia ADU. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Georgia ADU is metro Atlanta’s premier builder of custom accessory dwelling units – commonly called ADU’s, in-law suites, guest houses, granny flats, tiny homes, etc… Most ADU’s range in size between 400 and 750 sq ft. My father-in-law and I bring a combined 60+ years of building experience to the company and have the mission of being “built different.” This means clarity on pricing, good communication and a turnkey service where we handle everything – surveys, design, drawings, engineering, permits, construction, project management all the way to handing over the keys and the warranty. We take all the normal hassle that accompanies a construction project of this magnitude off the homeowner’s plate. We work hard to make it an enjoyable experience and celebrate the new asset they have created.
Our process is simple for the customer. First, we help the client understand the ADU regulations and zoning laws to determine what type of dwelling is possible in their city. Then we work together with the customer, discuss ADU design ideas and look at some model ADU floor plans to choose what is best for their needs and budget. They approve the design of their dreams, and we get to work. About 6 months later we hand over the keys to their move-in ready ADU. We can also assist with backyard offices, pool houses, basement or garage conversions and additions/extensions as well.
Many of these are being built for aging parents to have them close to home, but with their own independent space. We love helping homeowners create the perfect space for aging family members while also increasing their property value, offsetting expenses and setting them up for possible future rental income. We are proud to provide excellent quality at a great price and we do it with core values of honesty, integrity and trust. ADU’s are offering a more affordable housing option within existing neighborhoods, contributing to denser, more sustainable urban development. This is a family company, and we take pride in our mission and product. Check out georgiaadu.com/blog for some great information on ADU’s around metro-Atlanta.
How do you think about happiness?
Living life through the eyes of my children and watching them grow up absolutely makes me the happiest. Bringing them to job sites and watching a dream come to life and meeting our customers is beyond rewarding.
The wife, kids and I love to always be active in the community. Having served on non-profit boards and many local volunteer events has brought a lot of satisfaction and helped our children learn as well.
If I can ever find some downtime, I love to compete and can be found on the tennis or pickleball court with some friends pretending I’m a professional.
Pricing:
- Custom home building has long been a mysterious pricing process. We are working to be a different kind of builder and eliminate the constant change orders that a normal consumer would usually encounter. We work to be upfront and over-communicate to take the hassle and complexity out of getting an ADU built. The price of our ADU’s includes all the costs associated with the project, not just the build cost and we take staying within budget very seriously. We aim to provide a high-quality product that will last several lifetimes, but at a reasonable price. Visit our site at GeorgiaADU.com and our blogs for more information.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.GeorgiaADU.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgia_adus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563064273054
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyelias/
