B2B Stories

ABD Extra

Simon Says: Looking at the labor market

The Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area had the worst labor market over the last year of all metro areas in the state of Georgia. The Labor Market Index (LMI) for Augusta fell 0.4 percent from March 2022 through March 2023. Only Hinesville and Warner Robins also saw declining LMIs. The Georgia LMI grew by 0.9 percent over the past year. Columbus had the best labor market over the last year. Across the state, employment increased by 2.8 percent, or 133,400 jobs over the last year. By contrast, Augusta lost 1,100 jobs

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B2B Stories

Local entrepreneurs pedal fun experiences into the CSRA

Anthony Jones and his wife, Charity loved pedaling around Atlanta and Nashville on a bar on wheels so much that they decided to bring the business concept to Augusta. In early Dec. 2022, the couple, along with Charity’s sister, Syderist Manuel, launched Pedal Pub Augusta located at 305 12th St. “We always went outside of Augusta to do fun activities, so we decided to bring a little more fun to Augusta, the city we love,” Anthony said. They have two 15-passenger bikes that they use to take customers on 90-minute

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Networking has many dimensions

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 talks about the importance of networking and peer groups. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We just held our successful business networking event, the ABD Spring Expo, last week. Why is networking important for businesses? Rick: Too often, people see networking as a direct vehicle for the benefits they can get from it, but I see it as an indirect

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B2B Stories

CSRA business owner helps customers get back on the road in tight economy

Daniel Shaffer not only repairs cars, but also strives to help his customers facing financial difficulties get back on the road as quickly as possible. Shaffer owns Keep it Rolling Automotive located at 1726-B Barton Chapel Road in Augusta. He will celebrate the business’s second anniversary on Friday, June 9, from noon to 2 p.m., by hosting a free cookout for his new and existing customers. Shaffer said Keep it Rolling specializes in vehicle restorations, but he also provides a variety of other services, including tire installations, brake repairs, oil

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B2B Stories

Young entrepreneur takes over CSRA workout business

At just 26 years old, Cody Melvin has moved from one educating job to another. He started out teaching sixth grade in Hinesville, GA. Now, his classroom is the gym, and helping members achieve their fitness goals. In February, Melvin bought the Workout Anytime franchise in Aiken. For the young man who loves teaching and grew up going to the gym, it was a great fit. “I loved teaching kids, but Covid was a huge challenge for teachers and students. That’s when I started looking for a different kind of

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B2B Stories

Patriotic company to celebrate grand opening of CSRA location

Tomorrow, a Savannah-based company that specializes in manufacturing and selling patriotic attire will celebrate the grand opening of its newest store in Grovetown. The event for Nine Line Apparel located at 284 Meridian Drive, next door to Cold Stone Creamery will begin at 9 a.m. and continue throughout the day. It will include food, a bounce house for kids, and the opportunity to meet the company’s Founder and CEO, retired Army Capt., Tyler Merritt. In February, before the store opened, ABD interviewed Merritt, who started his business in his garage

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Businesses knock it out of the park at ABD Expo

It was a networking homerun for businesses at Augusta Business Daily’s fourth Conference and Expo yesterday. Familiar faces were joined by newcomers as a broad cross-section of local businesses set up in the concourse of SRP Park in North Augusta. Participants ran the gamut from ADP to Welcome Health, ready to answer questions and share brochures and information about their respective businesses. One of the veterans was Azalea Investments, which participated in the 2021 and 2022 expos. “It’s just the fun of it. You know, it’s nice to see people

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B2B Stories

Georgia and South Carolina among top states with highest job resignation rates

As the economy has continued to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in job openings, with some employers having a difficult time filling all their open positions. Millions of Americans are quitting their jobs each month, even in the face of high inflation. The incentives available from changing jobs, as well as a desire to get away from careers impacted most by COVID-19, are two big factors driving what’s been dubbed the “Great Resignation.” As a result, new job applicants have a lot

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