Financial/Investing

In 2013, Jason Wiles wanted to get into real estate investing but didn’t have any money. So he sold his truck for $9,000. “I used that $9,000 to leverage into nearly $4 million in properties,” said Wiles, a board member and past President of Augusta Real Estate Investors Association (REIA). Now, he helps others delve into the world of property investment with a one-day, two-part seminar called the Wiles Method. His next class will be on April 16. The class is designed for the buy-and-hold residential investor to enter the

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, we take a look at Augusta University’s new strategic plan. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: As Augusta University looks at developing its strategic plan, maybe first we should talk about why a strategic plan is important. Rick: For any business to be successful, you have to create a long-term plan. It helps you decide what investments you’re going to make to

  Dr. Rick Franza, is the Dean of the Hull College of Business who discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, we take a look at how business models have changed as a result of the pandemic. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: Looking back at the last two years, what new or changed business models do you see? Rick: The pandemic didn’t necessarily create a lot of new business models but it accelerated a lot of business models. For

March Madness could cost Augusta and Aiken businesses some lost productive work time, but could gain them a tighter-knit workforce. The annual NCAA college basketball tournament kicks off today and culminates on April 4 in New Orleans. According to WalletHub.com, 29 percent of workers fill out their tournament brackets to participate in work pools. Overall, about 50 million people participate in some type of bracket pool. The downside of that is that the average worker spends six hours watching tournament games and 56 percent of Millennials say they’re willing to

When Serotta Maddocks Evans CPAs was founded, Harry Truman was President of the United States. The accounting firm recently celebrated its 70th anniversary. Founded in 1952 by Elliott Serotta, SME CPAs was originally called Bell & Serotta. What started as a two-person team with a small office in the Marion Building on Broad Street has grown into a 55-person team with offices in Augusta and Aiken. SME CPAs offer a variety of services, such as tax preparation, estate planning, and audits. In 2021, the company was named as one of

In addition to traditional school studies, area middle schoolers will soon be building a business and supporting a family. It’s all part of a new Junior Achievement center designed to teach the business and financial skills needed in the real world. In partnership with Junior Achievement of Georgia, the Columbia County School District and Richmond County School System approved a plan to build a JA Discovery Center in the CSRA. The Center, which is projected to open in fall 2023, will be built in the CCSD’s Support Department Complex on