B2B Stories

B2B Stories

2022’s Alamo Moment

  Don MacNeil is the former Marketing Director of Windsor Jewelers and long-time on-air radio professional.   Is it just me, or… 2022’s Alamo Moment We’re blessed in this country for many reasons, and among them is the happy geographical accident of a 3,000-mile moat on either side of us, which has served us well for our 246 years. It suggests that for us it won’t one day be the Visigoths coming over the hill but a complacent rot from within that does us in, but that’s a discussion for

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B2B Stories

Skyrocketing fuel costs hurt local businesses

When Les Perry, General Manager of Riverside Refreshments of Augusta, takes a look at his gas prices from January 2022 compared to January 2021, he sees a staggering figure – a 65 percent increase. With more than 100 trucks on the road daily, the vending supply and beverage distributor is concerned about how much gas prices have increased and how much higher they may go as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. “There’s no question it’s affecting us,” Perry said. “All of our suppliers are facing the exact same

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Russia-Ukraine conflict will impact the CSRA through fuel costs, hacking

  Dr. Rick Franza, is the Dean of the Hull College of Business who discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, we’re looking at how war between Russia and Ukraine could impact CSRA businesses. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: What kind of impact will a war on the other side of the globe have on local businesses? Rick: The most immediate impact is in oil prices. The good news for us is that at 80 degrees, we won’t have

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B2B Stories

City’s street light plan will add to business tax burden

Things could get brighter in Augusta, but with the result of increased costs for area businesses. The city plans to expand street lights on various streets and neighborhoods. It will use $1.5 million of the $6 million Rescue Act Funds it received to cover the shortfall of the project. But that won’t cover the ongoing expense of keeping those lights glowing. To cover the increase in the city’s power bill, the city proposed hiking the business tax rate to $175, a 63.5 percent raise of $68. Residential rates would rise

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B2B Stories

University Hospital set to become Piedmont Healthcare

In less than a week, University Hospital will become Piedmont Healthcare and the literal signs of that were obvious this week. Sign crews were busy placing the finishing touches on the large Piedmont logo atop the roof at the front of the hospital on Thursday and changing the signage at the hospital entrance as well. Banners with the University Hospital name covered up those new signs for the time being. University starts the transition to Piedmont Healthcare on Tuesday. Piedmont announced a $1 billion partnership with University last May. It

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B2B Stories

Best-selling author and speaker highlights Chamber’s annual meeting

Best-selling author and inspirational speaker, Jon Acuff has helped such renowned companies as FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central. Now he’s coming to Augusta to offer his insights at the Augusta Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting. Acuff, author of seven books, will be the keynote speaker at the Chamber’s 113th Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 3 in the Olmstead Exhibit Hall at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the program begins at 6:30 p.m. His presentation is called “Turning

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Georgia labor market grows 2.2%, Augusta at 0.4%

The labor market in Georgia grew at a 2.2 percent annual rate in 2021 but the growth was not evenly spread around the state. Urban areas around Atlanta and coastal cities fared best. The fastest growing labor market, at 3.8 percent, was Savannah with nearby Brunswick also reporting 2.1 percent growth. Atlanta and Gainesville grew at 2.1 percent and 2.3 percent respectively. Augusta recorded growth of 0.4 percent. Two cities saw deteriorating labor markets: Albany and Columbus. Only two Metropolitan Statistical Areas beat the Georgia growth rate suggesting non-MSA areas

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B2B Podcasting

Taking Care of Business with Best Office Solutions, Part 2

In part 2, Neil Gordon talks to Best Office Solutions owners, Robin Baxley and Sandi Shields and their coach Darin about how they make their partnership work, and how the peer-to-peer The Alternative Board (TAB) helps keep them on track.  

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