Entrepreneurs

B2B Stories

Local legislators celebrate business wins and discuss future challenges

The 2023 legislative session that just ended revealed great strides for CSRA businesses through small business and workforce development and growing educational opportunities to accomplish those goals, but there is much more to be done. Dozens of business and government leaders met with Columbia County’s local legislative delegation at a breakfast held yesterday morning for a post-session recap. Representatives Jodi Lott (R-District 131), Barry Fleming (R-District 125), Dr. Mark Newton (R-District 127), and Senator Lee Anderson (R-District 24) attended and much of the focus was on ways to encourage existing

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ABD Extra

Get to know Azalea Investments LLC

Azalea Investments 699 Broad Street www.azaleaoutdoor.com Contact: President Derek May Phone: 706.823.3302 As a former professional table tennis player, Derek May knows a thing or two about winning. May, a former national collegiate champion from Augusta College and U.S. national team member, is the current over 50 national table tennis champion. In his day job as president of Augusta’s Azalea Investments, he draws from that competitive spirit to harness success in the business world. “I like to compete,” May told Augusta Business Daily.  “In sports, you learn discipline.” May’s ascent

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B2B Stories

Local entrepreneur hopes to pitch golf shoes and apparel on popular business investment show

In the future, you may catch Anthony L. Griffin pitching his line of golf shoes and apparel to Daymond Johns, Mark Cuban, and the other investors on “Shark Tank.” Griffin, owner of Augusta Solution Apparel and a 30-year U.S. Army veteran, has invented and designed multifunctional golf shoes that carry all the tools a golfer needs, such as tees and magnetic ball markers. “It’s the first shoe that has an added functionality that helps golfers,” he said. “It prevents them from wondering if they have everything they need.” While Griffin

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B2B Stories

Augusta partnership offers business training and grant/loan program

The City of Augusta and the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce have unveiled plans for their new CABE Fund (City of Augusta Business Equity), an Augusta $425,000 Guaranteed Loan/Grant Training Program, funded by the City of Augusta. This program will provide entrepreneurs and minority small business owners with the needed training and capital to be successful. The program is funded through Augusta’s allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act. The CABE Fund Program will offer a comprehensive approach to assist both new and existing entrepreneurs with the following: Four

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ABD Extra

Economic Update: Charged and ready to “A.C.E.” business

Ready to “ace” it this week? Coach Dave Holdeman from The Alternative Board of the CSRA and Augusta Business Daily publisher Neil Gordon look at how a local hotel is preparing for Masters Week in the latest economic update. Holdeman also shares his A.C.E. acronym for business owners to help their employees.

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B2B Stories

Business hopes to grow during Masters

Running a business or a household and don’t have time to shop or to do a laundry list of necessary tasks? Help has arrived. Carol Shikle knows what it’s like to be a working parent with a never-ending to-do list, but she now helps her clients check off items on their lists. Shikle owns Hop 2 It Errand Service, a business she established in Nov. 2021, offering a variety of services, including picking up prescriptions, mailing packages, buying gifts, making gift baskets, and scheduling home service appointments. She also helps

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Entrepreneurs

FREE webinar today offers minority-owned business coaching in the CSRA

Whether you are an entrepreneur or you’ve been in business for decades, one of the biggest challenges is how to effectively reach and engage with your target audience. A great product or service won’t matter if you aren’t reaching the customer who needs or wants what you’re offering. As ABD recently reported there’s a large disparity in the number of minority-owned businesses in the CSRA. Less than 10% of all businesses are owned by minorities and most are sole proprietorships. In a partnership with Google, business coaches like Angelina Darrisaw

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Entrepreneurs

Can businesswomen dance their way to a better work/life balance?

In business, body language and self-confidence can often be the difference between success and failure. Dancers are trained to be masters of both. As you dance, you increase self-awareness by monitoring how your body is moving. Many professionals, including athletes and actors, take dance classes for that very reason. Several Augusta businesses are supporting an upcoming event on February 26, from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Sol Food Kitchen, 471 Highland Avenue, in Augusta. Immerse, which features dancing, self-care exercise, massages, a cocktail hour, and giveaways. Immerse is the brainchild of

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B2B Stories

Webinar to provide information on how to start a business

If you’ve considered launching your own business but have no idea where to start, the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center can help. The Center will offer a webinar called Starting a Business on Thursday, Jan. 5, 1-3 p.m. It will cover a variety of topics, including determining the feasibility of your business idea, financing, building a solid team, and planning, as well as market research and competitive analysis strategies. The SBDC offers the webinar multiple times throughout the year. Registration is required, and the cost is $39. For

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B2B Stories

Local paint company owner launches CSRA party rental business

Michael Schiebel already owns a local painting company, but he’s excited to announce he’s bouncing into a second business in the party rental industry. Schiebel, owner of A Cut Above Painting Co. in Evans, is launching A Jump Above Party Rentals. The new business will rent out various items, such as bounce houses, cotton candy machines, tables, and chairs, for birthday parties, weddings, and other events. Prior to going into business for himself, he worked for Rainbow Play Systems. “I enjoyed working with families with kids in that industry,” Schiebel

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