B2B Stories

‘Tis the growing season in the CSRA

When you get off work today, you can pick up fresh veggies and other locally produced products at the South Augusta Farmers Market at Mayor Garnett Johnson’s Headquarters, 4104 Windsor Spring Road in Hepzibah. The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the market is at 6:00 pm. They will also be open at 9:00 am on Saturday. Agriculture is Georgia’s leading industry with more than $74 billion in economic impact every year. In Augusta, agribusiness brings in more than $130 million, according to the Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA). “The event

Read More »
Shawna Woodward

Real Talk Real Estate: Choosing the optimal closing date

When purchasing a home, one crucial question you’ll face is, “What day do you want to close?” While this may seem straightforward, selecting the best closing date requires careful consideration. Here are some key factors to keep in mind, particularly for those using traditional mortgage options. The Importance of a Firm Closing Date The closing date in your contract is intended to be a firm commitment for all parties involved. It sets the timeline for everyone to work towards and signifies your agreement to strive to meet this deadline. Popular

Read More »
B2B Stories

Augusta University President delivers final State of the University address

To paraphrase the university’s slogan, “It was an address like no other.” Dr. Brooks Keel, in a speech marked by humor and poignancy, summed up the past year and then turned to the future. Keel hit all the high points of the past 12 months, beginning with increased budget allocations from the General Assembly for FY25, after a reduction a year earlier. “So, here’s an increase in our FY 25 allocation, just over $10 million in revenue earnings of $13.8 million of new money,” he said, adding that increased enrollment

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Inner Bean Café

Food Quality: 5 Service: 4 Business Meeting: 4 Value: 3 Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Inner Bean Café’s Facebook page refers to the eatery on Davis Road as “not just a place; it’s a state of mind,” and if you’ve ever eaten there, you probably know exactly what that description means. I’ve enjoyed visiting many restaurants in Augusta and beyond, but eating at Inner Bean has always been such a calming experience and a welcome respite from the chaos of the world. My wife, Rebecca, and I visited the

Read More »
Consumer Stories

In Wildcat, Flannery O’Connor’s life and words intertwine

The movie biopic has become something of a dreaded, exhausted genre; often an exploitative, surface-level travesty of a familiar personality played with predictable beats and cosmetic transformation of a leading actor hungry for an Oscar nomination (remember Mr. Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein?). Most of these films either try to capture an entire life in two hours, or laser-focus on one specific, usually climactic, period of a subject’s life with little to offer in terms of context. With the new film Wildcat, one may fear that legendary Georgia-born writer, Flannery O’Connor would

Read More »
Health Business

Becoming a Thought Leader in Health Insurance: Guiding Others Towards Protection and Peace of Mind

In the realm of health insurance, being a thought leader isn’t just about expertise – it’s about leveraging that knowledge to guide and empower others towards better protection and peace of mind. Let’s explore four key points on how I can be a trusted advisor in the world of health insurance, focused on helping and protecting new and existing clients: Educating and Empowering Others: As a thought leader in health insurance, my primary role is to educate and empower others to make informed decisions about their coverage. Whether it’s explaining

Read More »
B2B Stories

USCA gets financial boost to help cyber students

USCA has received money from a veteran-owned cybersecurity firm that will fund scholarships for students seeking a career in cybersecurity and computer science. SteelGate, LLC, a Virginia-based company with an office in Augusta, has donated $25,000 to USCA. The SteelGate Cyber Scholarships will be used to provide $1,000 scholarships to high school students in the Aiken-Augusta area. “We contacted about 15 to 18 high schools in the region. And there’s a competitive scholarship for each school, one to two scholarships,” Dr. Scott McKay, Dean of Sciences and Engineering, explained for

Read More »
B2B Podcasting

Growing your business and brand

Her grandfather built the brand. Now, Stephanie Stuckey is sharing the secrets to rebuilding the roadside stop that became an icon. Learn more from her interview with ABD Publisher, Neil Gordon at the recent Inspire 2024 Conference.

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Big donation from Columbia County merchants supports children in need

The most vulnerable infants at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia (CHOG) in Augusta are benefitting from the 4th Annual Spring Fair in Columbia County, thanks to the fair’s sponsors. The Merchants Association of Columbia County (MACC), a non-profit organization made up of active and retired business owners, presented the hospital with a check for $180,000. “We just want the community to recognize there are needs in our community, and there are associations in the community that want to help. Especially children in need,” said Carol Garner, MACC Charity Committee Chairperson

Read More »
B2B Stories

What can we learn from Trader Joe’s?

Editor’s note: As Dr. Rick Franza continues a break from the classroom, we thought a repeat of a past column was timely. If you don’t spot him on aisle 7 of Trader Joe’s, here’s a cart full of valuable business lessons. In the strategic management course that I teach in the MBA program at Augusta University’s Hull College of Business, I periodically assign my students take-home exams that are analyses of cases prepared by the Harvard Business School. In early November, I assigned my students two cases that examine the

Read More »