Augusta Industrial Services is one of the only employee-owned companies in the CSRA. Services make up four different lines of business in Augusta and across the Southeast. CEO David Beckum sat down recently with ABD Publisher Neil Gordon and shared that his employees are part of an ESOP retirement plan and his customers all come from the N.I.C.E. category!
ABD Publisher Neil Gordon continues his discussion with Augusta Industrial Services CEO, David Beckum. Today, David answers some important questions on how to set up your company to be employee-owned!
Today’s business minute is about being in the right place at the right time to launch some internal and external marketing to define your company. David Beckum had a “nice” experience in line grabbing a meal!
In a world where 70 percent or more of restaurants fail within the first year, Rae’s Coastal Café in the heart of Augusta is a rarity. The popular restaurant celebrated 30 years in business this month. Owner Walter Clay, who also owns French Market Grille, said he never thought he’d one day end up owning two restaurants. It was simply a career evolution that started as a cook at Calvert’s and progressed to being the first manager at French Market Grille after Chuck Baldwin opened it. He worked there for
When Jessica Jones realized that marketing costs transcended the budgets of many small business startups, she felt a need to create a space for those businesses to connect affordably – in this case, free. “Especially with the pandemic, new businesses and restaurants have tight profit margins and can’t afford to advertise,” Jones said. “I wanted a way to bring business owners together.” Jones, Regional Sales Manager at Elevated Payments, started a Facebook group with Tiffany Justice of Vandermorgan Realty called Augusta Business Connection and out of that grew a monthly
Editor’s Note: Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”. Food
Charles Cypress enjoys turning steel into useful multipurpose tools. As the owner of Cypress Custom Knives, he creates and sells knives for a variety of purposes, such as hunting, fishing, cooking, and collecting. Cypress has a shop in his backyard and a forge near his home in North Augusta. He launched the business about four years ago following his retirement from the South Carolina Highway Patrol. “I start with designs I thought up in my head, and I draw out a knife,” Cypress said. “The forging process is putting the
In his Business Minute, Neil Gordon reports on Mary Kay’s regional career event that will make a big impact on Augusta’s economy.
