George Birnbaum, our Founder & CEO at Gemstone Media, was recently named the U.S. Small Business Administration 2024 North Florida District Veteran Business Owner of The Year. He was honored at the 32nd Annual Small Business Week Celebration at the University of North Florida.
“Thank you to the Small Business Development Center for presenting me with the 2024 North Florida District Veteran Business Owner of The Year award. The SBDC has been a valuable resource for Gemstone Media for many years.” George commented. “It was a privilege to have served our country in the Air Force, and now to acquire this distinguished honor for our business!”
Among his many accomplishments while leading the Gemstone Media team, George was commended for how he kept the lights on and kept employees and freelancers working after Gemstone lost nearly $250,000 in canceled live sports and events within the first two days of the pandemic.
Since few people could travel, and even more were not gathering out of home, the timing was perfect for George to revisit an idea he’d been mulling over in the past. He contacted a major funeral services company with the proposal, “Why not live stream celebrations of life, funerals, and graveside services for families who cannot attend in person?”
This became an immediate hit with the funeral directors and their client families throughout the region, and a profit center for Gemstone and its personnel. (George even appeared on CNBC, talking about this success.) Even now, several years later, people are amenable to streaming services for family and friends who are unable or unwilling to travel.
Since 2020, many of George’s clients in the sports and events sectors have returned, along with new ones. Today, Gemstone continues to grow in projects, people, equipment, and space–with George Birnbaum in the corner office, making connections and designing custom video solutions for clients’ challenges. As George tells them, “We make it easier, we make it better, and we make it matter!”
