Fri, March 29, 2024

Darin Myers

Coach Darin: 7 Ways to Create a Culture of Engagement in Your Business

It’s no big surprise that employee engagement is critical to the productivity and long-term success of your business. What might be shocking though is how often engagement is overlooked, even by those organizations committed to fostering a positive company culture. Culture and engagement are not synonymous. Culture is an environment of shared values, goals, and behaviors that distinguish an organization and sets the bar for how things get done. Engagement refers to the level of employee activity and commitment to their work and the success of the organization as a

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B2B Stories

Local Chamber of Commerce to host leadership academy

Since 2019, the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce has partnered with local business and community leaders to prepare rising Aiken County ninth graders for life after high school. The Chamber is currently accepting applications for its 2023 Junior Leadership Academy. During the two-week program, which will meet in June, students will participate in a variety of activities, such as college and career exploration, a community service project, and leadership training. “It’s helping them with the transition from middle school to high school, which is stressful, I can imagine,” said Chamber

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Restaurants/Food

Business Lunch Review: BJ Country Buffet

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 the 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”.

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Consumer Stories

Birdies for Boobies tees off for a great cause

There are no green jackets involved in the 2nd annual Birdies for Boobies golf tournament but for the breast cancer survivors who benefit from the money raised, it’s a crowning achievement, literally. The tournament is hosted by the Boobie Queen Company, a nonprofit founded by cancer survivor, Whitney O’Connor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer six weeks after getting married and just a week before her 30th birthday.  She wore a crown made of a decorated bra during a breast cancer fundraising walk which inspired the Boobie Queen brand. Now,

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B2B Stories

Augusta partnership offers business training and grant/loan program

The City of Augusta and the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce have unveiled plans for their new CABE Fund (City of Augusta Business Equity), an Augusta $425,000 Guaranteed Loan/Grant Training Program, funded by the City of Augusta. This program will provide entrepreneurs and minority small business owners with the needed training and capital to be successful. The program is funded through Augusta’s allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act. The CABE Fund Program will offer a comprehensive approach to assist both new and existing entrepreneurs with the following: Four

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Consumer Stories

Progress preserves history with new bank location

The new branch of Security Federal Bank features all of the banking’s modern technology but its home is a part of Augusta’s history. The landmark structure at 1109 Broad Street has been restored, repurposed, and improved to serve the residents and businesses of downtown Augusta and the cyber district. The project’s significant community investment and attention to detail serve as a suitable celebration of Security Federal’s 100-year history as a local community bank. Constructed in 1924 as the “Uptown Branch” of Georgia Railroad Bank and Trust, the new full-service Security

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Consumer Stories

Georgia ranks 7th-best for working from home

If you enjoy working from the comfort of your home, then Georgia is the state for you. According to WalletHub.com, Georgia is the seventh-best state in the country for working from home. WalletHub says that one in eight people (12.5 percent) work from home across the nation, and another 28 percent have hybrid schedules that allow them some flexibility to work from home. Georgia’s high ranking is due to its living environment, which the website’s experts ranked as the best in the country. WalletHub considered two areas in addressing the

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B2B Stories

More seats, more events, more tourism for CSRA

A $150,000 grant has opened the door for changes to seating capacity at the Sharon Jones Amphitheater in North Augusta. The grant is through the Undiscovered South Carolina program in the state’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department. Karl Waldhaur, superintendent of Facilities and Programs in the North Augusta Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department briefed council members during the April 10 study session. “The purpose is to highlight places in South Carolina that have less than $900,000 of accommodations tax revenue,” Waldhaur explained. “So, the purpose is to kind of highlight

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Consumer Stories

CSRA bridal show rescheduled for next month

A large CSRA bridal event planned for last month has been rescheduled due to the weather. ABD previously ran a story about the first-ever Aiken-Augusta Bridal Show, which was scheduled for Sunday, March 26 at the Big Red Barn in Aiken. The new date is Sunday, May 7, beginning at 1 p.m. Magnolia Lane’s Polished Events in Evans is hosting the event, which is sponsored by Voila Bridal and Simon’s Formal Wear. The Aiken-Augusta Bridal Show will include food, live music, a fashion show, and more than 25 vendors, including

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