 Four years ago, Emil Bekyarov arrived in America, from Bulgaria, with only $400 in his pocket. Yesterday, he received the Georgia Green Loans “Greenovation” Award for his metro-area recycling business, B Green Services, LLC.
Bekyarov started out in his new country by washing dishes at restaurants and sleeping on the floor wherever he worked. There, in these kitchens, his business idea was born. “I thought, wow, these people have so much. They throw so much away. So I saw an opportunity to recycle glass bottles from bars,” Bekyarov said. “Also, like a lot of entrepreneurs, I fell into the right place at the right time and here we go–we had a recycling company.” Bekyarov and his fiancee, Angela Mattoon, founded the company in 2009. B Green Services provides recycling to hospitality businesses, restaurants, catering companies and shopping centers inside the Perimeter, including Hilton, Marriot, and Turner Properties. “The “Greenovation” Award is given to the ACE-funded entrepreneur whose business exemplifies the principle of preserving the environment,” Dorothy Yates Kirkley, Georgia Green Loans Advisory Council Chair, said. Kirkley presented the award to Emil at ACE’s Holiday Awards Luncheon at Druid Hills Golf Club. ACE provided Bekyarov with a Georgia Green Loan to refinance a truck loan with a punitive interest rate. The new loan improved his cash flow significantly and as the business continues to grow, Emil is planning to add a second truck. In his acceptance speech, Bekyarov thanked ACE and also cited the assistance of Andy Fried, the Small Business Development Center consultant who helped him with his business plan. To reach B Green Services, call 404-660-1392 or visit www.bgreenservices.com. Photo caption: Emil Bekyarov, Dorothy Yates Kirkley, Andy Fried |
