Entrepreneurs

A path to career success is growing outside of the traditional route of entering the workforce. Studies, including one by the Bank of America Institute, find entrepreneurship has become one of the fastest-growing career pathways. Roughly 6.6. million American adults started a business in 2025.  Eric Parker, president of the Make StartUps Institute in downtown Augusta, reviewed the reports and believes entrepreneurship is an industry that’s hiding in plain sight. It has been a reversal over the last 40 years, which had seen a steady decline in entrepreneurship rates. “Starting

Venture Lab Augusta (VLA) is a collaboration among the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Make Startups, based in theClubhou.se at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, and the South Carolina Research Authority. This is part of the Aiken Innovation Corridor, which the chamber announced in August 2025.  In this time of hi-tech and smart devices, the love of reading can get lost in the hustle and bustle. Jackie Viramotes is developing TrueStoryBro, LLC. As its website explains, “Goodreads tracks what you read. We track how it felt.” “It is a

Publisher’s Note: ABD is continuing its 7-part series today on entrepreneurs vying for $500,000 in seed money. Venture Lab Aiken (VLA) is part of the chamber’s Innovation Corridor. It’s organized by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Make Startups in theClubhou.se in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center (GCITC) and the South Carolina Research Authority. The importance of engaging students of all ages in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education is at the heart of one product in the inaugural cohort of Startup Summer. Katrina Ford is the founder

Publisher’s Note: Venture Labs of Aiken is a collaboration among the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Make Startups, based in theClubhou.se at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, and the South Carolina Research Authority. This is part of the Aiken Innovation Corridor, which the Chamber announced in August 2025. Here is Part 2 of our series on entrepreneurs competing. Health and productivity are at the core of what Anthony Carlie wants to provide. His product is called Dominion Wellness Solutions. He describes it as a human performance organization. It is