B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Simon Says: Future trends: Transportation, healthcare support jobs to grow in next decade

In my annual economic forecast presentation a couple of weeks ago, I looked forward to 2023, which I covered in this column last week. I also took a longer timeline through 2031 to see what our economy would look like using Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational projections. There are 22 major occupational groups tracked by the BLS and the charts below show the changes in the top 12 major groups that account for 85 percent of jobs locally. There are several things of interest. First, the top 12 major

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B2B Stories

Holidays bring out online scammers, teens increasingly vulnerable

CSRA residents, like millions of Americans, enjoy the ease of online shopping. But that trend also brings out criminals trying to capitalize on that appeal by running scams and, surprisingly, the fastest growing victim group is teenagers. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Department (SLED) said the end of the year is especially rife with scams and fraud. According to Social Catfish, in the past five years, the number of teenage victims of scams has increased by 1,125 percent and in 2021 resulted in a loss of $101.4 million. Those over

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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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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Reflecting on 2022 to prepare for 2023

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about how to review the past year to prepare for the new year. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: 2022 is almost in the history books. The end of the year seems like a good time for business leaders to review the past year. Should we just breathe a sigh of relief at having made it through it and move

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B2B Podcasting

Free Access: Giving a gift of relaxation

Massages never get old – and they make great gifts for anyone on your list looking to unwind. Neil Gordon talks with Laurie Pratt, owner of Serenity Massage and Spa about her business and the services it provides.

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B2B Stories

Local Harley-Davidson to launch much larger Augusta dealership

About a week ago, Timms Harley-Davidson of Augusta Inc. held a ceremony to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new, much larger dealership in Augusta. The 40,000-square-foot facility will be located at 129 Mason McKnight Jr. Parkway near Gander RV, CarMax, and Northern Tool + Equipment. Construction is expected to be complete by December 2023, according to the business’s Marketing Manager, Hannah Barrs. Barrs said the current location at 4200 Belair Frontage Road is 31,000 square feet. “It’s incredibly modern with glass windows from floor to ceiling,” she said. “It’s a

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B2B Podcasting

Free Access: Cleansing from the inside out

Cheryl LaRonde, owner of Serenity Wellness in Evans tells Neil Gordon about how her treatments help attain good health – and how her services can even make a healthy Christmas gift!

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B2B Stories

A gift of sage advice to young entrepreneurs in the CSRA

This story started as a question for business leaders in the CSRA who have found success: What advice would you give your younger self? To some extent, this 411 is incorporated into the stories ABD offers every day – the “how to” of putting together a strategic plan, marketing your business or dealing with a possible recession. The interviews are with those who’ve walked the walk and the advice isn’t just for professionals looking to stay on their “A” game. Whether you are a seasoned business owner, an employee or

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