Consumer Stories

Mondays with Rick: AU is #1 in the U.S.!

Editor’s Note: As ABD first reported on Friday, the AU Hull College of Business is ranked #1 in the U.S. for top online MBA Programs with the lowest tuition rates by the College Consensus Group, a source that aggregates information from U.S. World News and Report,  Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek and other reliable sources. Our conversation was edited for clarity and impact. ABD: What was your reaction when you heard the news? Rick: I had not heard of College Consensus before, but upon research, really liked the methodology they used. It’s

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Top Story

AU MBA ranks No.1 in the U.S. for affordability

Editor’s Note: ABD will have an extensive conversation with Dean Franza in our next edition of “Mondays with Rick.” If the high cost of earning an MBA has deterred you from going back to school, Augusta University’s Hull College of Business may have the program you want. College Consensus has ranked the College’s online degree No.1 in the U.S. on its list of affordable online MBA programs. The program was selected based on not only on the program’s cost, but also its quality. “We at AU and Hull take pride

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Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Gunshot victim experiences God’s healing and heals others

People develop their personal faith journey in different ways. Some experience triumph that solidifies belief in self, in others and in a higher power. Others survive a gunshot wound to the head. That’s Christina Riley’s testimony. It was 2009. She was 19. She was hit by a .22 bullet, a wound from which she still has fragments throughout her face, head, jaw, neck and shoulders. However, she lived to tell the tale of how God spared her life so she could help others heal theirs. “I lost vision in my

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Consumer Stories

Local business owners support Girl Scout Cookie sales

If you look forward to ordering boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas every year, you’re not alone. Several CSRA businesses have offered to give local Girl Scouts the opportunity to sell cookies in their parking lots (see photo above story). Savannah Park, a State Farm Insurance agent in Columbia County, will allow them to set up tables outside her office, located at 3961 Columbia Road in Martinez, next to Mot’s Pit Cooked Barbecue. She can be reached at 706-863-3555. “I was a Girl Scout when I was younger,” Park said.

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B2B Stories

Today is registration deadline for Women in Business event

Negotiation is a challenge for many business professionals, and that’s often the case for women. Mastering the art of negotiation is the topic of this month’s Women in Business event presented by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce. The event will be held at the Enterprise Mill Events Center, located at 1450 Greene St., Suite 600, in Augusta, on Tuesday, Feb. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The guest speaker is Wendy Perry (pictured above with her husband and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mike Perry), principal owner and co-founder

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Shawna Woodward

Real Talk Real Estate: Keep it simple!

Recently on CNN news, they stated that due to median house prices rising and lack of inventory, households earning between $75,000 – $100,000 per year only had an average of one affordable house to choose from for every 65 listings. This is a national average, but feels pretty accurate here in the Augusta area. The competition is extreme. If you are a buyer, always put your best offer forward. There are things that a seasoned agent will avoid accepting on offers. Here are a few tips that will make your

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Consumer Stories

Real Talk Real Estate: Keep it simple!

Recently, on CNN news, they stated that due to median house prices rising and lack of inventory, households earning between $75,000 – $100,000 per year only had an average of one affordable house to choose from for every 65 listings. This is a national average, but feels pretty accurate here in the Augusta area. The competition is extreme. If you are a buyer, always put your best offer forward. There are things that a seasoned agent will avoid accepting on offers. Here are a few tips that will make your

Read More »
Top Story

Business owner credits upcoming UGA program for successful growth

Robin Baxley (pictured above at right) and co-owner Sandi Shields of Best Office Solution in Waynesboro, are celebrating the number 2 these days with a little champagne at their monthly TAB meeting (The Alternative Board peer-to-peer advisory group). They say education and training for themselves and employees is key. They recently celebrated their 22nd anniversary in business. In the last 2 years they have increased their office supply and furniture business by 2x’s. Ms. Baxley said she wanted her business to grow, but she needed more training to make that

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Consumer Stories

Businesses bringing a bit of New Orleans to the CSRA

If you are looking to celebrate Mardi Gras, Aiken is the place to be this weekend. Saturday, February 12, the Aiken Downtown Development Association is offering Cajun cuisine, craft beer, live music, and a parade. Can you say Laissez les bons temps rouler? In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is celebrated between February 23 and March 1. Aiken provides a jump start for revelers and businesses with their event this weekend. Aren’t we all from New Orleans during Mardi Gras? After the past year, shouldn’t we all find a reason to

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Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Wife Saver

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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