Consumer Stories

Fun at Work for Employees and Business: A Winning Strategy for Both!

The workplace is viewed as an intense and driven environment that continuously strives to increase production while enhancing efficiencies. Push, push, push is the motto, and employees are the engine to drive success and navigate wins for any organization. All too often, however, we have all witnessed burnout, decreased teamwork, and declining morale as employees feel unenergized, isolated, and unhappy with little attention to employee mental welfare. Employees are complex and come with differing needs in the workplace, while also being preoccupied with personal situations from home. Infusing a little

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B2B Stories

Augusta businesses poised for continued long-term growth

Augusta remains one of Georgia’s economic success stories, having steady population growth, strong employment numbers, and a sturdy real estate market. Alongside this, a robust private sector and a prominent government presence in Fort Eisenhower contribute to the area’s success. The local business scene continues to thrive post-pandemic thanks to growth in private industry, government, and healthcare. While there is much to be optimistic about in and around Augusta, business owners are keeping an eye on a few trends that might impact their businesses in the coming months. Based on

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B2B Stories

Georgia’s tech colleges notch big enrollment increase

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) announced a 9.3% increase in enrollment for the upcoming academic year. Total enrollment is more than 148,000 across the system’s 22 campuses in Georgia. It is the highest enrollment since 2013. “With the highest enrollment in more than a decade, this growth underscores the strong need for technical education and skilled workers in Georgia,” said TCSG Commissioner, Greg Dozier in a news release announcing the enrollment numbers. “Our 22 colleges remain focused on delivering the kind of education that makes a real difference

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B2B Podcasting

What TV judges teach us about litigation or mitigation

Judge Judy, Judge Penny, Judge Jerry, reality or fiction? Can they teach us anything about litigation or mitigation? HR expert and Professional Mediator, TeKay Brown Taylor has the final word. For the full segment with TeKay and Neil, tune into Classy 1230 AM this Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m.

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B2B Stories

New program to boost CSRA construction workforce

There are more than 400 construction worker job listings in the CSRA and a new program at Aiken Technical College (ATC) is gearing up to help fill them. The pre-apprenticeship program offered this fall will prepare students for careers in construction. The Savannah River Site and more than 15 local trade unions have partnered with Aiken Tech for this initiative. The program is being offered at no cost to South Carolina residents, thanks to state-funded grants. The program tuition for out-of-state residents is $1,000. Free tuition for South Carolina students

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Expo Preview

Connections and Career Conference: ConceptHR

The first words you see on the ConceptHR website say: “We Know You by Name: The ConceptHR Difference.” CEO, Tim Carpenter believes strongly in that notion. “We’re very hands-on, very close to our clients. We do what we call concierge service and put our arms around our clients to give them the best service we possibly can,” he said. With seasoned expert staff and a reachable local CSRA presence, ConceptHR has a competitive advantage in the small-business market providing advanced technology with people-to-people support. Their clients don’t have to search

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B2B Stories

Facebook parent company coming to Aiken County

Meta, one of the top five U.S.-based information technology companies, will build a new data center in Sage Mill Industrial Park. Rounding out the top five are Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. “Meta’s decision to locate its newest operation in Aiken County is a major win for South Carolina’s thriving technology industry. Meta’s $800 million investment will significantly impact our economy, creating valuable jobs and further driving innovation. We look forward to building a strong partnership with Meta that will benefit our communities and enhance our state’s reputation as

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B2B Podcasting

Why mediate through your conflict

Conflicts are everywhere. At the office. With employees. Colleagues. At home. How do you solve it without going to court? TeKay Brown-Taylor of Brownstone Mediation has some solutions in this Mediation Minute. Listen to the full episode Saturday morning at 7:30 A.M. on 1230 AM.

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: SAHM rule and recession

The “SAHM” rule is named for economist, Claudia Sahm. The national U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in July, the highest since 2021. It also marked another milestone. According to the Sahm indicator, the U.S. economy is now in recession. The Sahm indicator says that if the three-month average unemployment rate rises by more than a half percentage point above the lowest three-month average for the previous 12 months, then the economy is in recession. By this measure, the Sahm indicator hit 0.53 in July. The unemployment rate for July

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Consumer Stories

Working for the Weekend: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

No matter the time of year, one of our favorite day trips is to visit Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. This zoo is the perfect size for me. It has a ton of animals and exhibits, but it’s not so big as to be overwhelming or so you feel like you can’t see it all in a day. However, when you visit in the summertime, the heat can be overwhelming. That’s why one of our favorite parts of the zoo is the splash zone in the botanical garden section. They also

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