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B2B Stories
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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Josh Heath November 27, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Tips on recruiting and retaining good employees

  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 recruiting good employees and the importance of retaining them. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: It seems everyone these days is looking for employees. What’s going on? Rick: We’ve always had a good relationship with the local community, but we’ve never had so many businesses, both small and large, be as proactive with us because they’re so in need

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Gary Kauffman November 27, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Simon Says: Economic value of your holiday gifts

“Father Christmas, give us the money Don’t mess around with those silly toys” The Kinks, Father Christmas At this time of gift giving, it is worth considering whether the exchange of presents is efficient. Well at least to an economist it is! Famously, if only in economic circles, Joel Waldfogel in 1993 suggested gift giving was inefficient because it destroyed about 10 percent to a third of the value of the gift. Think of the aunt or uncle that gave you that wonderful (read terrible) sweater last year. They bought

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor November 24, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Unemployment in CSRA counties slightly above state rates

Citizens of both Georgia and South Carolina are having more success at finding work than in some other states. As of October, the unemployment rate for the United States was 3.7 percent, but both Georgia and South Carolina are doing better; Georgia is at 2.9 percent, and South Carolina is at 3.3 percent. In general, the local economy performs at about the state average. Stacker, an internet news gathering site, recently listed the 50 counties with the highest unemployment rates in each state. The good news for the CSRA is

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Gary Kauffman November 22, 2022 No Comments
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