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Free Access: It’s Never Too Early for Business/Personal Finance Education

I did not really start learning about business and personal finance until my early 20’s. While I did pick up some knowledge about budgeting, mortgages/loans, and investing from my parents, it was only because I was curious, paid attention, and asked questions. In my senior year of college, having finished all of my requirements for an applied mathematics degree, I used my free electives to take some business courses to prepare myself for the MBA degree I was planning to pursue in the future. While taking those courses, I learned

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Dr. Richard Franza January 31, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Simon Says: How does Augusta stack up in the Georgia LMI?

I gave a talk to the Kiwanis Club of Augusta a couple of weeks ago and one question I received was, “How does Augusta compare to other areas of the state?” At the time, I mentioned the strength of Atlanta and Savannah, but am now in a position to present a more complete picture. Using the Labor Market Index (LMI) for all metropolitan areas in the state, and for the state as a whole, Augusta is in the middle of the pack. Over the last year (November 2021-November 2022, the

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor January 31, 2023 No Comments
Commercial Real Estate

Rezoning and use of clubhouse is at the center of Jones Creek controversy

A week after a controversy arose over the rezoning of the clubhouse building at Jones Creek Golf Club, clubhouse owner, Mark Herbert has decided to withdraw his request for a zoning change from the Columbia County Planning Commission. Herbert said that due to the lack of information available to Jones Creek residents, he has elected to withdraw his rezoning request at this time. He said the planned sale of the clubhouse is still expected to go through. Jones Creek Golf Club closed in September 2018 during an unresolved lawsuit against

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Story and photos by Gary Kauffman January 31, 2023 3 Comments
Digital Marketing

Free Access: Google AdWords Keyword Research

We are looking at a high-level approach to keyword research for Google AdWords. This is using Google’s built-in tool which is great if you are just starting out. There are many tools available for more advanced research, like SEM Rush, Spyfu, and the like. Use Google’s Keyword Planner tool to find keywords related to your business. Go to your AdWords account and click on the Keyword Planner Tool. Now, you can click “Discover new keywords” and get started. Uncovering fresh keyword concepts can be achieved in two approaches: Begin with

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Richard Brashear January 30, 2023 No Comments
Education

Local school superintendents discuss JA Discovery Center coming to Augusta

Alicia Fitts is now a successful banker, but growing up, she admits she knew little about basic financial literacy concepts, such as budgeting and managing credit. Fitts, Assistant Vice President of business development and community relations for Peach State Federal Credit Union, along with several other local business leaders, attended yesterday’s Rotary Club of Augusta meeting, which focused on the JA Discovery Center coming to Columbia County. “I’m actually a product of Richmond County schools,” she said. “I graduated from A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School.” Guest speakers

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Josh Heath January 30, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Hair salon for children and their parents to open in Evans

The CSRA is home to many hair salons and barbershops, but few specialize in children’s haircuts. A new salon coming to Evans will be designed with kids in mind. Pigtails & Crewcuts: Haircuts for Kids will be located at 4357 Washington Road, Suite C, near Kroger in the Evans Crossing Shopping Center. That suite was formerly occupied by COUNTRY Financial. According to the company’s website, Pigtails & Crewcuts offers a variety of services, including first haircuts, braids, and even cuts for moms and dads. The company has locations in 23

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Josh Heath January 30, 2023 No Comments
Housing/Construction Industry

North Augusta woman lands first federal construction job

Some CSRA businesses are dominated by women, like education, childcare and employment services, nursing, and social services. Construction is not one of the industries where you typically find women in charge. Don’t tell that to Debra Pearson. She started G & P Construction in 2015 and can wear all the hats in day-to-day operations, from operating heavy equipment to demolition. “It’s not easy for a woman in this business. I’ll be honest it’s been a struggle. Many jobs already have a contractor and it’s usually a man. Even though I’ve been

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Mitzi Oxford January 30, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

31-year-old automotive company to expand

After five years of developing Energreen America, Bob Matthews is stepping down to focus on expanding his namesake company, Matthews Enterprises. The expansion includes the launch of a new Paint and Body Operation, specifically for medium to heavy-duty trucks. The company is comprised of Matthews Motors, Matthews Truck Bodies, and Matthews Fleet Solutions, each of which has earned a reputation of integrity combined with excellent service. As part of its growth strategy, the company is pursuing aggressive initiatives in areas of acquisition and market expansion. In late 2022, Augusta Business

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Staff Report January 29, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local entrepreneur cleans up in the drywall business

Drywall is a dirty job, but Jason Staton ensures his clients’ homes remain as clean as he found them. Staton, owner of Statonez Drywall in Augusta, launched his business in Sept. 2022, but the Illinois native already has 29 years of experience in the industry. For 23 of those years, he has owned a similar business in Chicago. Staton handles renovation and remodeling jobs. The business name is a combination of his last name and his wife’s maiden name, Martinez. She manages most of the administrative work for him. One

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Josh Heath January 29, 2023 No Comments
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