Fri, April 24, 2026

Facebook-f Youtube Instagram
Newsletter Sign up
Show Support
Menu

B2B Stories
B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: The upcoming economic forecast 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 the upcoming Economic Forecast breakfast. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: On Thursday morning you’ll be hosting the 15th annual Economic Forecast breakfast at Augusta University with your economist, Simon Medcalfe. What can we expect from this event? Rick: This is endowed locally by Wells Fargo and is more community oriented rather than AU-oriented. We already have more than

Read More »
Gary Kauffman December 4, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Chamber presents its annual Best in Business awards

Next year, Nick Dickinson’s company will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Yesterday, the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce celebrated Dickinson’s professional accomplishments by honoring him as its 2022 Augusta’s Entrepreneur. Dickinson, CEO of Dickinson Architects, won one of three Best in Business awards at the Chamber’s Member Economic Luncheon. His father, Nick Dickinson Sr., founded the company in 1983. Over the last four decades, Dickinson Architects has designed several well-known buildings throughout the CSRA, including Augusta Sportswear, Savannah Rapids Pavilion, Frog & The Hen and Farmhaus’s Martinez location, as well as

Read More »
Josh Heath December 1, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce to honor top local business owner, corporation

Augusta is home to many small business owners and corporations, and each year, the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce has the daunting task of selecting the best. Every fall, the Chamber accepts applications for its Best in Business awards: Augusta’s Entrepreneur and Corporation of the Year. Winners of these awards are honored at the December Member Economic Luncheon. This year’s luncheon will be held on today, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza North Augusta. The Chamber selects winners of Augusta’s Entrepreneur, which is presented by SouthState

Read More »
Josh Heath November 30, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

U-Haul to open Augusta moving and storage facility in 2024

For nearly 80 years, movers have rented trucks from U-Haul, which has announced its plans to open a new moving and storage facility in Augusta, according to Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate. The new facility will be located on a 10.76-acre property at 1070 Claussen Road between Washington Road and River Watch Parkway. An article from the company’s website said U-Haul anticipates construction will be completed by June 2024. It will offer many products and services, including not only truck rentals, but also moving supplies, more than 700 self-storage units,

Read More »
Josh Heath November 30, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

CSRA financial advisors move practice to 128-year-old asset management firm

Local financial advisors, Jason Crane and Gerry Owen, owners and operators of Crane & Owen Financial Solutions in Aiken, have relocated their practice from Edward Jones to Ameriprise Financial. Together, they manage nearly $150 million in combined client assets. Crane and Owen began exploring options for moving their business two years ago and selected Ameriprise for several reasons, including its brand recognition, reputation, and technological resources. “Ameriprise is first and foremost an advisor-friendly firm, meaning we have the company’s full support behind us as we go above and beyond for

Read More »
Josh Heath November 30, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Thoughts from the General: The thirteen “Cs” which help define extraordinary leadership

I believe there are 13 “C” that make a great leader: Compassion, Creativity, Confidence, Consistency, Consideration, Courage, Charity, Competence, Communication, Courtesy, Comedy, Curiosity, and Collaboration. Compassion. Medal of Honor and Carnegie Medal recipients can be our guides. In many cases, these people acted heroically because of the compassion they felt for those in grave danger. Throughout the CSRA, thousands of folks are deeply compassionate as they provide care for others. Creativity. There are four aspects of creativity: Being creative yourself; recognizing creativity in others; operationalizing novel ideas; and protecting creative people from their bad

Read More »
Ret. Maj. General Perry Smith November 29, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Simon Says: Income Inequality

Income inequality, whether measured before or after taxes has been rising over the last 40 years in the U.S. as shown below. The wealthiest 1 percent have seen their share of income increase to 21 percent pretax and 16 percent post-tax. Europe has also seen an increase in inequality however, the increase is less, and income inequality remains way below U.S. levels. Traditional explanations have suggested that Europe redistributes a greater share of income to the poorest citizens. However, a new paper by economists Blanchet, Chancel, and Gethin (https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/app.20200703) turns

Read More »
Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor November 29, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local entrepreneurs plan to launch farm, event space in Columbia County

As an experienced business owner, Cricket Willis has learned that when something doesn’t work out, you pivot and try something different. Willis, owner of Artsy Me, which has locations in Evans and Grovetown, and her husband, Brad, plan to open event space on an 18.9-acre farm at 6297 Cobbham Road in Appling. In June, the couple bought the property, known as B.C. Kabat Farms, for $525,000. The Willises want to convert the barn into an event space for small celebrations with fewer than 50 guests, such as birthday parties and

Read More »
Story and photos by Josh Heath November 28, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local entrepreneur adds flavor to traditional boiled peanuts

When it comes to snack foods, boiled peanuts have long been a Southern favorite. But Jacob Lyons recently launched a business that adds unique flavors to the traditional salty snack. Lyons, owner of The Peanut Palace, a local home-based business, creates and sells boiled peanuts in a variety of flavors, such as original, Cajun, salt ‘N’ vinegar, and buttery garlic, as well as peanut brittle. So far, salt ‘N’ vinegar has been the most popular flavor. He decided to start The Peanut Palace in September after some friends in his

Read More »
Josh Heath November 27, 2022 No Comments
Load More