In 2015, Alexandra Radford launched Edge Marketing Company to serve the strategic branding needs of Metro Atlanta small businesses. She later merged her talents with fellow entrepreneur Lauren Tatum, and The Edge Agency was born in 2017. Less than six years later, the pair of powerhouse women and the solid team they built hit $1 million in revenues. While the Buford, GA-based business continues to flourish and its team continues to grow, co-founder Tatum has announced her departure from the role of Chief Operating Officer to focus her efforts on a calling God gave her and her husband five years ago, Affordable Adoption Georgia. Chief Executive Officer Radford purchased Tatum’s fifty shares of The Edge Agency and is now its sole owner. 

“I heard God say ‘it’s time’ in the Fall of 2022,” said Tatum. “It was time to make room for a calling God placed on my heart five years ago when my husband and I adopted our youngest daughter, Tresley. While it was a difficult decision to leave The Edge Agency, I’m stepping into a new role to develop a project called Affordable Adoption Georgia by Banks, Stubbs & McFarland, where my husband is a Partner. My husband and I were so inspired by our own adoption process through a local Florida attorney that had a mission to partner with Crisis Pregnancy Centers to match families and provide an affordable adoption option. A traditional adoption through an agency can cost anywhere from $30,000-$60,000, while ours was just $14,000. With that model as inspiration, God sparked a fire in us to create a much-needed change in Georgia to provide the same opportunity and unite families for a much lower cost than an agency. After a lot of research, we realized that most Georgia attorneys do not match children with adoptive parents because of the extensive operations and hands-on work required. That’s where I came in. I knew I could not bring Affordable Adoption Georgia to life, lead The Edge Agency team well, and be the Mom I needed to be for my children. I spent many months in prayer, wrestling with the thought of selling my shares until I finally knew it was time to be obedient and surrender to this new calling. I will miss my leadership role at The Edge Agency, but most of all, I will miss the team and the culture we created. Both are unmatched. I am so proud that Alex and I built this business together with no financial backing and hit seven figures in less than six years. I am excited to take my entrepreneurial spirit and start again with another amazing endeavor that I pray will impact generations to come. 

Since its launch, The Edge Agency has grown from two team members to eight, serving over 200 clients across 40 industries. Tatum led team management and business operations in her former role, while Radford focused on business development, revenue growth, and fostering strategic partnerships. With Radford sitting in the CEO seat, The Edge Agency will continue to put values above profit and invest in team members first. Under Radford’s leadership, the company is implementing an entrepreneur operating system to streamline operations further while expanding its sales team to serve a growing client base on a broader scale. Edge Clients can expect full-service resources and expert partners who focus on an omnichannel approach to branding and marketing.

“When Lauren chose to sell her shares, I had a choice to make,” said Radford. “I could sell my shares along with her, or I could buy her out. I went to our office when it was empty one day and prayed. I left that day with complete clarity that God was nowhere near finished with The Edge Agency. Because He was calling Lauren in a different direction, that meant there was a new opportunity to step out in faith into what God has in store for me and the team now. And I couldn’t be 

more excited! Ours was a beneficial partnership that expedited The Edge Agency’s growth tremendously. Lauren remains a friend of Edge, as well as a referral partner and client.”

The buyout was effective January 1, 2023, and revenues have continued to rise since Tatum’s departure. In the words of Creative Director Lyndsey Lynn, "We haven't missed a beat, and we're still going strong!"

The numbers back that claim up. The Edge Agency’s business remains steady and is up 15% year-over-year from 1Q2022 to 1Q2023. Radford attributes that success to solid referral partnerships and increasing brand awareness that have helped the agency thrive since day one. She also credits her company’s devotion to philanthropy and its commitment to excellence – whether serving fellow entrepreneurs and the startups they create or partnering with billion-dollar brands.

“We serve our clients with a blend of creativity and business smarts to bridge the gap between strategy and design,” added Radford. “We are tireless in our efforts to create a positive client experience. At The Edge Agency, we put people and values before profit. I believe impact happens one person at a time, one day at a time. Impact isn’t a one-time exchange or one great speech. I hope that one day when we have hundreds of employees, there will be countless stories of impact and change because someone on the team believed in another team member. I believe that for our clients to have a great experience, we need the right people in the right seats and an internal culture that’s thriving. That is what keeps positive reviews, referrals, and repeat customers coming our way.”

Radford and her team at The Edge Agency invite prospective new clients to visit their website at www.theedgeagency.net. They can also visit the agency at 554 W. Main Street, Suite 1400, in Historic Downtown Buford, by appointment. Families interested in learning more about Affordable Adoption Georgia by Banks, Stubbs & McFarland are encouraged to contact Lauren Tatum at Banks, Stubbs & McFarland at [email protected].