Carey Pifer is the relocation director for Southeastern Residential and works with CSRA companies to help its employees find a great place to live. She sat down with ABD’s Neil Gordon to see how the market is as we approach the summer months.
By 2030, Frederick Griffin wants to provide enough healthy food to feed 100,000 people in Georgia and South Carolina, and his business just received funding that will help him turn that goal into reality. Griffin and his wife, Anna, own and operate a new business called Ebony Tree Farms, thanks to a 12-week entrepreneurial training program called Make Startups, which is offered by theClubhou.se. “We are a social enterprise and hydroponic farm system,” Frederick said. Hydroponics refers to growing plants in water-based nutrient solutions, not soil. Ebony Tree Farms is
Things that matter just do not appear out of nowhere. They take time, determination, and a deep sense of purpose. Tambra Wilkinson leads a team of caring people who are very practically helping those fighting Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and stroke. Tambra oversees Day One Fitness. It is a gym that exists to “Equip. Challenge. Empower.” From their specially equipped gym in Beech Island, she and her staff are making a difference daily in the lives of the hundreds who use their services. Tambra begins her story this way,
Working at Augusta National during the Masters Tournament is a unique and unforgettable experience. As a staff member at the main golf shop and bag check stand, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the excitement and energy of one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world. The main golf shop at Augusta National is a bustling hub of activity during the tournament, with thousands of patrons passing through every day. My primary role was to assist patrons with their purchases and provide exceptional customer service. This involved
Most local businesses have experienced employee shortages. Why are they continuing and what is the solution if any solution exists? Those were the million-dollar questions and the focus of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s member economic luncheon. It came as no surprise when guest speaker, Dr. Melinda Pitts, Research Center Director from the Center for Human Capital Studies at the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta, pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as being responsible for the upheaval in America’s economy. Even with the end of the public health emergency on
Natonia Tillman loves owning and operating a downtown business because it’s not too far from other parts of the city, such as South Augusta. Tillman owns 10Twenty-Eight, a business center and networking lounge located at 1028 Broad St., which was one of 47 businesses that opened in downtown Augusta last year. Those openings contributed to more than $93 million in private investments in that area. “It puts us in an area that’s centrally located,” she said. “It’s also an area where there’s a lot of foot traffic, because people are
Company: Azalea Investments 699 Broad Street www.azaleaoutdoor.com Contact: President Derek May Phone: 706.823.3302 As a former professional table tennis player, Derek May knows a thing or two about winning. May, a former national collegiate champion from Augusta College and U.S. national team member, is the current over 50 national table tennis champion. In his day job as president of Augusta’s Azalea Investments, he draws from that competitive spirit to harness success in the business world. “I like to compete,” said May. “In sports, you learn discipline.” May’s ascent at Azalea began
Editor’s note: As we salute all our ABD readers who are working moms this Mother’s Day weekend, it seemed appropriate to share again Shawna Woodward’s story about her company’s commitment to giving, especially to the Children’s Miracle Network. As the Editor for ABD, I can appreciate what Shawna went through with Braydon’s traumatic diagnosis. I almost lost my own son at five years old from bacterial meningitis. He would lose both feet from that terrible disease, but Shawna and I are both lucky. We still have our boys and are
When Benjamin Ross established a counseling business with his wife, Vivian, they had no employees and saw clients in a small office on Wrightsboro Road, but they now have 10 staff members and a larger office on Central Avenue. The couple owns and operates Elephant in the Room Counseling Services, LLC. Benjamin attributes much of their success to his completion of a business training opportunity offered through a partnership between the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce and Bank of America. Last year, he graduated from the Intensive Entrepreneurship Training
Terminating an employee is never fun. Even for the most polished and seasoned business owner, the process of letting someone go is almost universally stressful, unpleasant, and emotionally challenging. Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news or the person that squashes someone’s career goals, but as the leader of your organization, it is imperative that you lean on objectivity to guide you in the firing process. Telltales of an Unsustainable Employee While no two situations are identical, there are common signs that a worker just might not be
