Teamwork Redefined: A Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Graduate Turns Vending Opportunities into a Family Affair

In the early 1990s, Marcellius “Cassius” Hardy enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was excited about an opportunity to serve his country and was optimistic about future deployments. Unfortunately, his military service was cut short in September of 1994 when doctors informed him that he had developed open-angle glaucoma. So, at age 19, he was medically discharged from the service.

“When I was diagnosed, glaucoma had already taken 80 percent of the vision in my left eye,” explained Cassius. “I married, and my wife and I became parents to three wonderful children. After my medical discharge, I decided to be a stay-at-home dad for several years.”   

Although Cassius enjoyed raising his children, he wanted to be gainfully employed. Initially, he considered forming his own t-shirt production business but wasn’t sure where to begin. To achieve his employment goals, he sought career guidance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The vocational specialist to which he was assigned suggested that Cassius consider GVRA’s Business Enterprise Program (BEP).

BEP Courses, Assistive Work Technology set the stage for Cassius’s Success 

In 2017, Cassius was declared legally blind due to end-stage glaucoma. Five years later he applied for, and was accepted into, the BEP curriculum. “The knowledge I gained in the Business Enterprise Program has been phenomenal,” Cassius commented. “BEP instructors were awesome. I received training in hospitality, business operations, bookkeeping, and vending machine operation and maintenance. The instructors were enthusiastic, and the course content was interesting.”

When asked if he received any assistive work technology, Cassius mentioned that GVRA introduced him to Fusion software and Job Access with Speech (JAWS) software. JAWS is a screen reader software for Microsoft Windows. It helps people who are blind or low vision use computers by converting text and graphics into speech. It includes verbalized prompting and keyboard navigation. Fusion is a software that allows users to move between magnification and speech without losing their productivity. 
Cassius completed the BEP certificate requirements and became a licensed vendor in August of 2024. That same year he acquired his first snack bar, known as Café 24, at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) campus in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Not one to sit on the sidelines, Cassius has expanded his operations to two hospitals, five post offices, and a welcome center in Augusta, Georgia. Interestingly, Cassius also operates snack bars and vending machines at the Roosevelt Warm Springs (RWS) residential campus owned and managed by GVRA. At RWS, his staff operates the snack bar inside the Center for Therapeutic Recreation, and they maintain vending machines in several buildings on campus. 

The ability to chart his own course appealed to Cassius. Currently, he oversees vending operations in the Juliette Gordon Lowe Federal Building and the Chatham County Government Center, both of which are in Savannah, Georgia. In addition to Café 24, he operates snack bars and maintains vending machines in the Nathan Deal Judicial Building in Atlanta.

For Cassius, becoming a Business Owner is a Family Affair  

Cassius says his business is a family affair. “Before I talk about my family, I must recognize Amsale Zegeve, the first employee I had when I acquired Café 24,” Cassius noted. “Amsale had previously worked with many of the blind vendors in the Business Enterprise Program. She brought a unique perspective, so she was instrumental in showing me how to manage a café-type setting. Amsale has been helpful in getting my business off the ground, and she continues to offer guidance.” 

Because of the formal training he received through BEP, combined with “on-the-job” lessons he learned from Amsale, Cassius gained the confidence to grow his business. “There are so many people I need to thank, but I begin with special thanks to my wife, Lisa,” said Cassius. “She encouraged me to pursue this occupation. Lisa has truly been my rock, and I would not have been able to get this business up and running without her valuable insights and steadfast encouragement.” 

Cassius’s brother, Mathias Hardy, signed on as Cassius’s business partner. He is primarily responsible for stocking, programming, and maintaining the vending machines but he also spends considerable time working in the snack bars. Mathias says he is grateful to be a partner in the business venture. “Working side-by-side with my brother has allowed me to learn about business operations; it’s also given us a chance to employ our grown children,” he shared.  

Keeping the Business running smoothly is a Multi-generational Effort 

Both brothers agree Mathias’s wife, Christa, has contributed to expansion of the business. “Christa is our resident chef,” explained Cassius. “Her cooking skills have taken Cafe 24 from just another snack bar to the hottest destination for foodservice at the CDC.” 

Cassius’s daughters, Ashley and Brendyn, work in Augusta and Savannah alongside him. Ashley orders inventory and programs the vending machines in Augusta. Brendyn wears many hats, including bookkeeping and making salads and sandwiches for the snack bars in Savannah. Mathias’s son, Mathias Jr., also plays a pivotal role in keeping operations running smoothly. 

“I try to be as independent as possible, but due to my disability, I depend on other people,” Cassius observed. “I would not have been able to expand my business without assistance from my family and the BEP staff. From a career standpoint, BEP is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I would not be successful if they didn’t believe in my abilities. I’m just getting started!”

BEP Business Analyst Will Graham says Cassius is a highly motivated individual who accepts challenges as opportunities for innovation and growth. “As an entrepreneur with the Business Enterprise Program, Cassius leads by example and inspires others to be the best they can be. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for him.”
 

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