B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Local 9th grader selected as worldwide winner

A 14-year-old student at Augusta Christian School won the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s “You Made the Grade” sweepstakes, which recognizes academic excellence among military-connected students. He was selected out of 2,300 entrants. Trent Hall is the son of retired Fort Gordon veterans, Tamika and Robert Hall, who have served for a combined 42 years. He enjoys studying science, plays soccer, and aspires to become a professional soccer player. His grand prize in the form of a $2,000 Exchange gift card was presented to him during a presentation at

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B2B Stories

Update on CSRA multi-million-dollar investment

With an $800 million investment in Aiken, Meta is set to spark innovation throughout the CSRA. Next week, you’ll be able to get an update on exactly what that might mean for your business during the Aiken Chamber of Commerce’s State of Our Community event. Laura Warren, Meta’s Community Development Regional Manager, will be the keynote speaker for the Chamber event on Wednesday, August 20, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Aiken High’s new Performing Arts Center, 449 Rutland Drive. Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads,

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Awards/Celebrations

Deadline tomorrow for NA Chamber Award!

The number of women-owned businesses is on the rise, here in the CSRA and across the country. Who do you know that deserves recognition? Nominate a woman for the 2025 “Woman that Empowers” Award, presented at the upcoming at the North Augusta Chamber’s Women in Business Luncheon on September 23, 2025. This annual recognition honors a woman in our community who has: Demonstrated exceptional leadership Mentored or uplifted others Contributed meaningfully to her business or community Overcame obstacles and inspired those around her   We’re asking for thoughtful nominations—not just the

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B2B Stories

Multi-million-dollar expansion “connects” CSRA county

Comcast has completed a high-speed broadband expansion in McDuffie County, Georgia, as part of its $1 billion Project UP initiative. The expansion brings multi-gigabit Internet speeds with 99.9% reliability, supporting economic growth and connectivity needs for businesses and residents. The expansion delivers high-speed Internet, mobile, and security services from Xfinity and Comcast Business. The investment is helping to close the digital divide in areas that previously may not have had access. “Reliable Internet access is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for families, businesses, and communities to grow,” said County Chairman Chase

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B2B Stories

The “Hot Seat:” When to use it and how to handle it

It is August, one of my favorite times of the year for many reasons. Vocationally, it means the start of a new academic year. On Monday, we started classes at Augusta University, and I met two of my new Fall Semester classes for the first time. Students and faculty are reenergized, excited, and optimistic at this time of the year, so there is always a positive feeling in the air.  However, another reason this is one of my favorite times of the year is that the start of football season

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B2B Stories

More flexible options available for CSRA small businesses

Two area contractors will be turning the lights on at a new office park with warehouse space in Evans. It’s part of a trend ABD found offering up more space for rent to meet the needs of growing companies. Clark Develops, LLC will be the general contractor/owner of FlexSpace of Evans, and Newsome Electrical Construction LLC (NEC) will handle the electrical work from pre- to post-construction. The land is located at 4542 Washington Road in Evans between the back of the Bojangles Restaurant and the Eagle Pointe Shopping Center. That

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B2B Stories

Navigating Government Contracts

First, 95% of all businesses in the CSRA are small businesses. Government contracts can be quite lucrative for small businesses, offering a stable revenue stream and access to a large, consistent market. The U.S. government is a massive buyer of goods and services, and it’s legally obligated to consider small businesses for many contracts. In case you didn’t have a chance to access the Government Contract 101 webinar that ABD reported was available last week. Here is what you need to know. While the potential is high, the process of winning government contracts

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: More local government jobs in June

In June, several sectors in Augusta saw some big changes – the largest being government employment, which increased by 770. State employment accounting for about a third of the increase, and local government employment accounting for the other two-thirds. Federal government was unchanged. However, state and local employment were two sectors that saw big revisions at the national level, so these local numbers could eventually come in lower. The Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) employment level remained unchanged in June at 248,100. As you will no doubt of heard from

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B2B Stories

The Culture Garden: A Leader’s Guide to Growing a Thriving Workplace from the Ground Up

Why Workplace Culture Matters Why does workplace culture matter? The days of the “company man” are gone. The workplace culture in the United States used to foster an expectation that once you start with a company, you will stay with that company until you retire. Mugs, pens, and plaques were given every 5, 10, 15, and 20 years to celebrate an employee’s tenure with the company. However, those times have passed, and today’s employees are looking for respect, growth, collaboration, and opportunities to make their mark in the industry. If

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B2B Stories

Popular Restaurant Expands

A popular Columbia County neighborhood bar and grill is adding a second location outside of another Columbia County neighborhood. Ironwood Tavern’s first location is at 5117 Washington Road in a shopping center next to Subway and Publix, bordering the Riverwood Subdivision in Evans. ABD’s confirmed that Ironwood will lease Suites 1 and 2 (far right end units) outside of the West Lake Subdivision in Martinez, in a newish shopping center on Furys Ferry Road developed by Rafy Bassali, co-owner of several Swank retail stores and Escape Outdoors. Swank, Oxygen Fitness,

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