How One Black-Owned Staffing Company Builds Opportunities

Key Takeaways

• Founded in 2003 by Warren Sawyers, Atlas Management is a Black-owned Nashville staffing company focused on creating opportunity through workforce development and hands-on support for job seekers.
• Beyond filling job roles, the company invests in training, mentorship, and community outreach — helping thousands of individuals build confidence, skills, and long-term careers.
• With support from Old National Bank, Atlas is expanding its impact while continuing its mission to connect people with meaningful employment.

In 2003, Warren Sawyers reached a turning point. After eight years in the staffing industry and as a partner in another firm, he knew it was time to build something of his own. And from that inkling, Atlas Management was born.

Based in Nashville and serving clients across multiple industries, the company provides workforce solutions ranging from high-volume call center staffing to large-scale manufacturing programs in the automotive sector. But Atlas was never built simply to fill positions. It was built to create opportunity.

A Different Approach to Staffing

When Sawyers initially entered the staffing world in the mid-1990s, technology was still evolving. Internet access wasn’t widespread. Many job seekers lacked basic computer skills. And for individuals from underserved communities, access to formal workplace training could be limited.

Atlas responded by doing something uncommon at the time: offering free skills training to candidates. New registrants received instruction in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, along with coaching in workplace etiquette and presentation.

“Workforce development is about helping people become more valuable in the marketplace,” Sawyers says.

That mindset became central to the company’s culture. While many staffing firms compete on speed alone, Atlas focused on connection and helping candidates understand how to strengthen resumes, address employment gaps, and prepare for interviews.

Sometimes, support looks simple but meaningful. Recently, when several new hires couldn’t afford the required safety boots for a manufacturing role, Atlas purchased them. “It may seem small,” Sawyers says, “but for someone trying to get that first paycheck, it matters.”

Over the years, Atlas has placed thousands of individuals in roles across Tennessee and other states. And for many, that first opportunity becomes a turning point.

“There’s no greater sense of worth than having employment,” Sawyers reflects. “The day you come home with a job is a good day.”

Scaling With Systems and Strategy

Atlas’ steady growth over two decades hasn’t been accidental. Sawyers studied engineering and business before launching the company, and he previously worked as an operations manager in the electrical supply industry. That experience shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, which he contends is about building strong systems first.

“Understanding your business model is critical,” he says. “Operations, cash flow, hiring processes — that’s where companies succeed or struggle.”

For Black entrepreneurs, however, growth often intersects with a very familiar challenge - access to capital. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Black-owned businesses generate approximately $249 billion in annual receipts and employ roughly 1.6 million workers nationwide. Yet many Black founders continue to face greater hurdles securing traditional financing.

Sawyers knows that experience well. “I’ve been told no more times than I’ve been told yes,” he says candidly.

But over time, he learned to view lending through a banker’s lens. Having studied lending principles in college, he began evaluating his business the way financial institutions do: understanding how risk is assessed.

Sometimes a “no” wasn’t permanent. It meant the presentation needed strengthening.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘Would I lend to myself?’” he says. “And if the answer is yes, then make sure you’re showing that clearly.”

Finding the Right Financial Partner

Sawyers first heard about Old National Bank’s Empowerment Small Business Loan through a radio ad. Later, he connected with members of the Old National team at a networking event, including bankers he already knew and trusted from previous relationships. That foundation mattered, Sawyers says.

Atlas initially submitted a loan package that wasn’t approved. Rather than abandon the effort, Sawyers revisited the structure, strengthened the financial narrative, and refined the proposal.

When the updated package was presented, it moved forward successfully. The difference wasn’t just in documentation. “It came down to relationship,” he explains. “You want a banker who understands your business and is upfront about what they’re looking for.”

Through Old National’s Empowerment Small Business Loan, Atlas secured capital to support its next phase of growth, strengthening infrastructure and positioning the company to pursue larger contracts.

For Sawyers, the experience reinforced something he believes deeply, which is that relationship-based banking still matters. “In business, you’re entrusting someone with sensitive information,” he says. “You want to know who you’re working with.”

Legacy Beyond Revenue

While Atlas has grown steadily, Sawyers measures impact differently. Early in his career, a mentor challenged him to remain visible in communities where young people rarely saw Black business owners running scalable enterprises. That conversation stayed with him.

Atlas has since partnered with local schools, delivered presentations to students in historically underserved neighborhoods, and supported scholarships through organizations such as the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council.

“Sometimes it’s the first time they’ve seen a Black business owner outside of certain industries,” Sawyers says. “Until you see it, sometimes you don’t believe you can do it.”

Today, he frequently encounters former candidates thriving in government agencies, universities and major corporations — individuals who began their journeys through Atlas.

That, he says, is the legacy he hopes to leave: a company that provided access when others wouldn’t.

For Black founders navigating growth, Sawyers offers practical advice:

• Master your industry or partner with someone who has deep expertise
• Build operational systems before chasing rapid expansion
• Cultivate banking relationships early
• Understand how lenders assess risk
• Be patient and be prepared to strengthen your presentation

Above all, he emphasizes purpose. “We don’t do this just for revenue,” he says. “What we provide is important to the community.”

More than 20 years after its founding, Atlas Management stands as an example of disciplined, service-driven growth. In a month dedicated to honoring Black history and achievement, the growth of Atlas Management underscores that impact is often built steadily, one opportunity, one relationship, and one successful placement at a time.

For small business owners ready to grow, access to the right capital and the right relationship can make all the difference. Through financing options like the Empowerment Small Business Loan, Old National Bank is committed to helping entrepreneurs navigate growth with confidence. Learn more about how Old National supports small businesses at oldnational.com.