B2B Stories

B2B Stories

AI Classes for Small Business Owners

As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) expands, small business owners have the opportunity to gain experience in how they can use it to grow their business. Managed Nerds, an IT managed services company based in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, is offering a class on Jan. 28 called EntrepreAI Tuesday. “We help small businesses manage their IT, from planning on what their technology purchases are to maintaining the computers, ensuring that they’re regularly updated, to providing remote or onsite support, and cyber security protection to make sure

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 16, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

An Assist After Helene Results in $10k Donation

After Hurricane Helene, hundreds of Dominion Energy linemen across the country ended up in the CSRA to restore power. They got a helping hand from the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA). Dominion Energy was grateful and presented a check to them this week for $10,000. In the wake of the hurricane, USCA played a crucial role by providing housing and assistance to hundreds of Dominion Energy frontline workers who had traveled from across the country—ranging from Texas to Illinois and Iowa. These workers were essential in restoring power to

Staff Report January 16, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Governor Kemp outlines priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session

The 2025 legislative session is underway in Georgia and Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has laid out his agenda for business and education. Speaking at the annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast, sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Kemp pointed to policies that have the state ranked number one for business, according to a news release from his office. Kemp referred to the more than 193,000 jobs created in the last five years, along with $90 billion in private investments, thanks to the partnership with the state Chamber, as well as

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 15, 2025 No Comments

Awards/Celebrations

Georgia scores a win from site selection leaders

Georgia’s business climate has received another accolade from a national publication. A news release from Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced Georgia is the number one state for Best Business Climate. That came from Site Selection Magazine, which conducted a survey of site selection experts. “The Peach State racked up the most votes to dethrone last year’s winner, Texas, for Best Business Climate in the nation. North Carolina finished just behind Georgia in the runner-up spot, followed by South Carolina in third and then Tennessee and Texas in a tie for

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 14, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Driving Culture through Your Words and Actions

In last week’s column, I emphasized the importance of culture in your company. I tried to show you how I attempted to establish culture in my classroom during the first meeting of the semester and what you might learn from those efforts to apply to culture development in your organization. In this week’s column, I will continue my discussion of organizational culture through the lens of college football. Through an example near and dear to my heart, I will try to show you how a leader’s words and actions have

Dr. Rick Franza January 14, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Augusta firm hosting workshop to help companies scale and create vision

A team of experts based in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center is holding a workshop to help businesses develop a unified vision for their company. The organization, Purpose Fueled Leader, is sponsoring Unified Company Vision: Purpose Fueled Excellence on Jan. 23. “We are a business, coaching, and consulting organization, purpose, skilled leader,” Anna Bradsher, Director of Strategy, Trainer and Coach, told ABD. “We focus on how to marry strategy and people development. We will help you set your three-year and your one-year (goals), and your business objectives. You

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 13, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Simon Says: Rising unemployment rates

I have already reported that Augusta’s employment rebounded from Hurricane Helene in November, increasing by 800. But what about other labor market indicators? The unemployment rate increased for the eighth successive month to 4.8% in November, and the Sahm Indicator has been indicating a recession in Augusta for four months. The unemployment rate is the highest rate for all Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the State of Georgia. Record employment and increasing unemployment can be explained by the increase in the labor force. These are people that previously were not

Dr. Simon Medcalfe January 13, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Iconic Fast-Food Restaurant Open in CSRA

It’s a long way from here to California. Up until a couple of months ago, you would’ve had to make that trip to sample one of the state’s first fast-food chains. Fosters Freeze opened in Thomson in November at 2447 Cobbham Road and fans were quick to share the news on social media. This is Fosters’ first foray outside of California’s 62 locations. Franchise owner, Deep Takhar has family in Augusta. His sister and brother-in-law own 8 GasPro stations in the CSRA and one in Statesboro. Fosters Freeze is next

Mitzi Oxford January 12, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

Helping small businesses understand recovery assistance

The owners of this restaurant at the corner of Washington Road and Pleasant Home Road are still not able to re-open. It’s been more than three months since Hurricane Helene ripped off its roof. Whether there is serious or minor damage, organizers are calling all small businesses harmed by Hurricane Helene to attend an upcoming workshop and learn what help is available. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is organizing the Jan. 22 workshop. The workshop is organized with help from the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, the

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 12, 2025 No Comments

B2B Stories

New Year New Leadership at Columbia County Chamber

The beginning of a new year also means fresh faces on the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors. A news release from the Chamber announced six new members joining the board for a three-year term. “The new members include Jamie Wier, Director of Marketing at Blanchard & Calhoun Real Estate Co.; Quynh Spicer, Owner and Dentist at Harlem Family Dental; Matt Dial, Senior Director of Supply Chain Operations at the Augusta National Golf Club; Melissa Frank-Alston, Provost at Augusta Technical College; Stephen King, Area Manager for Georgia Power;

Dana Lynn McIntyre January 9, 2025 No Comments

AI Classes for Small Business Owners

An Assist After Helene Results in $10k Donation

Governor Kemp outlines priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session

Georgia scores a win from site selection leaders

Driving Culture through Your Words and Actions

Augusta firm hosting workshop to help companies scale and create vision

Simon Says: Rising unemployment rates

Iconic Fast-Food Restaurant Open in CSRA

Helping small businesses understand recovery assistance

New Year New Leadership at Columbia County Chamber

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