Business Coaching

B2B Stories

What I learned on my summer vacation

When I was growing up on Long Island, New York, I always looked forward to summer. My father was a high school math teacher; his second career after first being a mechanical engineer. Most summers, he worked a temporary engineering job with Grumman Aerospace, but always ended that job a couple of weeks before the school year started so that we could take a family vacation. In those years from the early 1960’s through the early 1970’s, we typically took a one-to-two-week automobile vacation. In that time, we covered most

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B2B Stories

CSRA businesses catch the bells and buzz of team building

Successful businesses are built on strategy, sometimes on physical skills, many times through teamwork, or a combination of all of the above. When it comes to developing a strong team, there is nothing like a good team-building experience. This one brings together a unique combination of skills and nostalgic charm. Radioactive Pinball Arcade opened two years ago and has written a story for business development. The gaming company, located in the Holley Building at 113 Laurens Street in Aiken, was started by Eric and Erin Edwards and will soon celebrate

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Awards

SRNS earns top award for mentoring small businesses

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) was recently named the Mentor of the Year by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). This accolade, part of the Annual Small Business Awards Program, recognizes SRNS’ mentorship and support to small businesses, exceeding the expectations outlined in the DOE Mentor-Protégé agreements. Through a combination of innovative approaches and dedicated mentorship, SRNS teams have empowered their protégés to successfully compete for federal contracts. By strategically aligning the skills of small businesses with current Site demands, particularly in

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B2B Stories

While Tariffs May Hurt, Uncertainty Kills

Editor’s note: In today’s ABD, we are focusing on an article that Dr. Franza wrote about tariffs, which are essentially the same as import duties. This is especially timely for two locally based manufacturers, which just got word about a big win against Chinese imports of their products. Much to the chagrin of many of my readers, particularly those who are University of Georgia football fans, I am an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame and an avid fan of its football program. Unfortunately, although it came close this

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B2B Stories

Best of Rick Franza: Location, Location, Location

Editor’s note: Whether you are in real estate, manufacturing, or another business, you know that location has a major impact on success. In a Best Of business coaching article from Dr. Rick Franza, it’s a message that drives home the importance of location in the CSRA. The first time I moved to Georgia, it wasn’t entirely by choice. In early 1987, as a young Air Force Officer with a Master’s Degree, I was chosen for an assignment as an ROTC instructor at Georgia Tech. Although I grew up in the

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B2B Stories

How to build a healthy workplace culture

A big part of building a successful business is leading from the ground up. An upcoming workshop is geared for developing a thriving workplace culture. An engaging and interactive workshop, “Foundations of a Healthy Workplace Culture,” led by expert speaker and Leadership Coach, Sarah Harris, is coming up on September 9. This 90-minute workshop will equip you with the tools and insights to: Align communication strategies, onboarding practices, and policies with the values of a thriving workplace. Assess your current culture through grounded, real-world examples. Implement meaningful changes that enhance the employee experience from day one.   Workshop Details:

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B2B Stories

Look to MLB for Cues on How to Build Your Team and Business

The remainder of July is crucial for Major League Baseball (MLB) teams as two major events will help impact their future success. First, on July 13 and 14, MLB will hold its Annual Draft in nearby Atlanta during All-Star Week. During this draft, teams will have the opportunity to select high school and college players to sign with their organizations. Following the draft, the next big event is the July 31 trade deadline, which is the last date MLB allows teams to trade players who will be eligible to play

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B2B Stories

2025 Predictions Update: Mid-Year Status

Today, July 2, we officially move into the second half of 2025. Therefore, I thought it would be a good time to perform a “mid-year check” of the predictions I made for the year in this space on December 18, 2024. As a reminder, the title of that column was “2025 Predictions:  Trump Policies Edition.” So, in the remainder of this column, I will evaluate each of my predictions based on the promises President Trump made prior to returning to the White House by giving myself a “midterm grade,” a

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B2B Stories

Large entrepreneurship summit set for Augusta

Augusta has been selected to host a summit conference this fall to talk entrepreneurship, accelerators, and incubators. The Startup Champions Network is bringing the Fall 2025 Ecosystem Builder Summit to the Garden City, Nov. 5-7. “Startup Champions Network is one of the largest organizations made up of entrepreneur support organizations in our country,” explained Eric Parker, co-founder with Grace Belangia of theClubhou.se and Make Startups, Inc. based in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center “We will have 150 to 200 people convening in Augusta, Ga. to learn about our

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B2B Stories

Hull to host new competition

Future business leaders will have a new level of competition this fall when the Hull College of Business hosts its first contest for two high school organizations devoted to business, FBLA and DECA. Dean Thompson says the platform will provide an opportunity to hone their business skills.

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