B2B Stories

Local environment-friendly food shop to open next month

Alexia Gonzalez wants to provide food for people in downtown Augusta and protect the environment, so she’s opening a business that will allow her to do both simultaneously. At the end of September, Gonzalez plans to open The Earth Pantry at 1026 Broad St., the former home of Sew Co. The business, which she refers to as a sustainable refill store, will sell a variety of dry goods, including rice, pasta, and candy, as well as some of her homemade items, such as cleaning products, soap, and shampoo that don’t

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B2B Stories

Taking the mystery out of marketing

“If it don’t sell, it ain’t creative.” My maternal grandfather, D.J. Morris, was a serial entrepreneur who dropped out of school in the third grade to go to work, so he could help take care of his siblings when his mother died. He ran a very successful general store/service station in the small country village I grew up in (Morristown, NC). I was sharing some “clever” advertising ideas for bundling lunch meals at a modest discount for tobacco workers and logging laborers. When he rejected my brilliant concept as “unworkable”

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B2B Stories

Annual cyber conference brings big economic boost to CSRA

The 10th Anniversary of the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association International’s (AFCEA) TechNet Augusta kicks off today, bringing 5,000 attendees to the Augusta Convention Center at the Marriott. The 4-day cyber-centric conference will generate an estimated $3,990,154 in visitor spending. “TechNet, which attracts attendees from across the globe, is Augusta’s largest conference and continues to grow and expand,” said Destination Augusta’s Bennish Brown, President & CEO. Many businesses have directly benefited from this conference and visitor spending. Over the course of their 10 years in Augusta, TechNet has generated $20.8 Million

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Faith

Faith Friday: Unoffendable (Part 2)

Last week, we began our conversation with Brant Hansen about his book “Unoffendable.” It focuses on anger and forgiveness and is truly relevant to us all. If you missed the first part of our conversation, I would encourage you to go back and read that, then return here for part two. If you were going to boil the message of your book Unoffendable into a sentence or two, what would that message be? Forgiveness is the best way to live. It’s the healthiest way to live and it’s freedom! How

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B2B Podcasting

Having a healthy CSRA

CSRA leaders and the Georgia Department of Community Health are looking at ways to expand healthcare in the area. Mike Petchenik discusses how in today’s edition of Biz Bits.

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B2B Stories

Explaining what millennials want in the workplace

Millennials in the workplace, how to attract, engage and retain them were just a few of the topics highlighted in the monthly Good Morning, North Augusta breakfast session, sponsored by the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce. A panel discussion, moderated by Manpower operations manager Nate Lauger, was made up of young professionals from assorted industries. Tashara Johnson, HR generalist of Aurubis Richmond, LLC; Haley Napier, business development manager at Manpower; Jimmie Smith, workforce innovation coordinator at Shamrock Social Impact and Jeannine Steinkuhl, director of sales for Crowne Plaza, all fielded

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ABD Extra

Patrick Reynolds: How is inflation impacting the hiring process?

There’s not an easy button. Here’s a look back at May’s Employment Recruitment & Retention Panel discussion from ABD’s Conference and Expo, as Patrick Reynolds, CEO of Cross Link Consulting, explains the necessity of working together, even in difficult situations.

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Consumer Stories

Real Talk Real Estate: The Ripple Effect: School choice, ratings and real estate

When someone decides to purchase a home, there are generally specific needs and principal requirements that narrow down the selection. One often underestimated element that holds the power to significantly impact property values and selection is school zoning. School choice and school ratings launch a profound influence on the lifestyle choice, purchase location and happiness of homeowners. In the ever changing real estate market, the concept of school choice has developed into a compelling force. Homebuyers are no longer merely checking off the wish list, they’re making choices that reflect

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B2B Stories

Coach Darin: How to foster a culture of continuous learning

Talent acquisition and retention can be difficult for many businesses, even in the best of times. No doubt, these post-pandemic years have exacerbated HR challenges due to all kinds of fluctuations in the labor market and business landscape. Gone are the days, at least for the foreseeable future, in which employers have the luxury of sifting through hundreds of qualified resumes to handpick their next great hire. The good news is that current employment dynamics are compelling business owners to rethink the way they approach not just their HR, but

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Consumer Stories

Best of Business Lunch Review: Fat Man’s Café

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

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