B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Simon Says: Final economic numbers for 2021 show growth in some CSRA counties

In the first week of 2023, we now know how the Augusta economy did in 2021. The Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1 percent. Real GDP is the final value of all goods and services produced in the economy in a year, adjusted for inflation. Some sectors of the economy enjoyed strong growth, admittedly from a covid-depleted 2020. For example, durable goods manufacturing was up 20 percent, and educational services by 11.1 percent. Not surprisingly, arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services increased by

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Awards

Downtown businesses win holiday decorations contest

After all the votes were counted, Tiffinie Bleu Bridal Boutique was selected as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for her business’s window display in the fourth annual Making Spirits Bright Downtown Decor Crawl. This year, 32 businesses throughout downtown Augusta participated in the month-long event, sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta and Augusta & Co. “I had such a fun time planning and decorating for the Décor Crawl,” said Brandy Gibson, owner of Tiffinie Bleu. “It was really nice that people appreciated it in choosing my

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B2B Stories

Top 10 Google searches in Augusta: Oxtails and other food

In 2022, people in the CSRA had one burning question: Where can I get oxtails? According to Google, “oxtails near me” was the most searched-for category by people in the Augusta area this past year (the answer is New York Butcher Shoppe in Surrey Center if you want to fix them yourself, or Jamaica Way and Timbuktu Café to have them served in a restaurant). Why people had such hankering for oxtails was not disclosed. The third-most searched-for item in this area, Google claims, was “colon cleanse near me” (which

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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

Columbia County Chamber accepting applications for young professional mentoring programs

Robbie King has a passion for mentoring the next generation of local business leaders. King, the founder of Lead Augusta, helps to guide young professionals participating in Young Men on the Move, a 10-month program offered by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. The program, which is designed for men between the ages of 23 and 30, teaches valuable personal and professional skills, such as networking. “It demonstrates the importance of mentoring, networking, building relationships, and giving back to the community,” he said. “Often, these relationships are created and last

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B2B Stories

Thoughts from the General: How About Some Good News

It is important to be aware of bad news, and more importantly, to take steps to deal with it. However, recognizing, celebrating, and enjoying the good news should be part of everyone’s life journey. A favorite expression in our family is “Don’t Postpone Joy” Here is some good news list from far and wide. The strength of the dollar. For the first time in twenty years, the dollar is worth almost as much as the Euro (the other important currency in the world). This news is mostly positive. It indicates

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: The 12 Days of Christmas, adjusted for inflation

The major economic concern this year has been inflation. The latest data suggest that prices have risen by 7.1 percent over the last year. This has hit consumers’ pockets hard and at this time of the year made Christmas more expensive but by how much? A whimsical take on the cost of Christmas is provided by PNC bank which calculated the cost of the presents in the 12 days of Christmas. A partridge in a pear tree is 25.8 percent more expensive due to the higher cost of fertilizer. Higher

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