Business Coaching

B2B Stories

Oppenheimer: Lessons Learned from a Summer Blockbuster

This past weekend, my wife and I escaped the summer heat for a few hours and went to see the highly anticipated summer blockbuster movie, “Oppenheimer.” I had been anxiously anticipating seeing this movie since I had seen a preview months ago, and then reading reviews and interacting with others who had seen the movie only heightened my anticipation. Some of my anticipations came from my interest in how a great scientific feat is accomplished, as the movie chronicles, J. Robert Oppenheimer’s time leading the Los Alamos Laboratory efforts, otherwise

Read More »
B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Digital currency could help businesses but questions remain

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he investigates the cryptocurrency issue and how it might affect businesses. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We’re hearing a lot about digital currency, or cryptocurrency as it’s often called. Some businesses already accept digital payments but that’s not the same as digital currency. What’s the difference between digital payments and digital currency? Rick: There’s a significant difference and it’s important

Read More »
B2B Stories

Coach Darin: A Great Employee Experience Can Lead to Greater Retention

We all know about the importance of a positive customer experience. Lately, word is spreading about the employee experience, defined by BetterUp as “the interactions an employee has with people, systems, policies, and the physical and virtual workspace.” How employees feel about the organization they work for, as well as their view of its impact on their careers and wellness, has become increasingly critical in terms of both recruitment and retention. How would you rate the employee experience (EX) at your company? Do employees feel positive about the organization? Do

Read More »
B2B Stories

Government contracts and financial management. Need to know more?

Who is the world’s largest customer? Our government. The federal government alone, typically purchases $400+ BILLION in goods and services, from light bulbs to PR, and from landscaping services to food products. Last year, over $100 billion in contracts were awarded to small businesses. Small business contracts are growing by 50% within the next two years. Is your business ready to reap some of those rewards? The UGA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will present an online webinar with the 411 on what you’ll need to know on Wednesday, August

Read More »
B2B Stories

The retention wars are underway: are you well armed?

In this week’s edition of Augusta Business Daily’s “Mondays with Rick,” Gary Kauffman and I discussed the issue of retaining employees. We talked about how retention is critically important during times of tight job markets, such as those we have been experiencing in recent months and years. We had been expecting a little relief in the job market due to an anticipated recession, given the Federal Reserve’s increase of interest rates in the face of high inflation. However, recent economic data indicate an increasing likelihood of a “soft landing,” meaning

Read More »
B2B Stories

The thirteen “Cs” which define extraordinary leadership

Confidence, Consistency, Consideration, Courage, Charity, Competence, Compassion, Communication, Courtesy, Comedy, Curiosity, Creativity, and Collaboration put ordinary leaders in the extraordinary category.   Confidence. The best leaders have self-confidence unmarred by arrogance. Good examples in the military were Colin Powell and George Marshall. In industry, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, in the media, Judy Woodruff, David Gergen, David Brooks, and Tom Friedman, in the CSRA, Shell Berry, CEO of the Community Foundation and Kim Evans, CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta are among the best and brightest. Consistency.  Leaders

Read More »
B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Happy employees stick with a company

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he advises employers on how they can retain employees and keep them productive. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We’ve been in a tight labor market for several years. What does it look like now? Rick: It’s getting a little looser, but generally speaking, it’s still tight. It seems to be more industry-dependent, but overall, it’s still tight. There are some

Read More »
B2B Podcasting

Simon Medcalfe: How is inflation impacting the hiring process as a whole in the local area?

It’s on the minds of many! We’re looking back at May’s Employment Recruitment & Retention Panel discussion from ABD’s Conference and Expo, as Augusta University professor and author of ABD’s Simon Says column, Simon Medcalfe, discusses the potential of using technology to help with recruitment and possible cautions to have as well.

Read More »
Business Coaching

Coach Darin: Employee Experience Design: If you build it, they will come

A new employment trend has emerged over the last few years that is substantially changing the way businesses interact with and inspire their employees. In response to the pandemic-induced disengaged workforce, business owners had to rethink their approach to employee acquisition, engagement, and retention. As labor dynamics like The Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting made headlines and rattled businesses, many organizations recognized the need to do things differently to attract and retain the talent they need. The time was right to embrace Employee Experience (EX) Design. EX design is the

Read More »
B2B Podcasting

Simon Medcalfe: Discussing current employment statistics

Statistically speaking, everyone could have a job or two. We’re looking back at May’s Employment Recruitment & Retention Panel discussion from ABD’s Conference and Expo, as Augusta University professor and author of ABD’s Simon Says column, Simon Medcalfe explains the unemployment rate.

Read More »