B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Augusta BizBitz

Death of a technology leader in CSRA Today’s “buzz” begins with the death of a respected former journalist and successful CSRA technology business owner Jimmy Bennett. He spent 20 years writing and editing for community newspapers in Statesboro, Eastman, Jessup and Canton. He became the editor of True Citizen newspaper in Waynesboro, GA before going into the computer business. Bennett died last week due to complications from Covid-19. My last email exchange with him showed me how much he still cared about local journalism. “Chuck Smith has joined the growing

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B2B Stories

Business leaders discuss ways to combat local unemployment

The CSRA is just like thousands of other regional business communities. There are unfilled positions, and despite recruitment, qualified candidates are hard to find. The local labor shortage was the topic of a panel discussion (photo by Kathryn Freemon) called “From Pandemic to Sansdemic: Where Are All the Workers??” at the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Member Economic Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. Specifically, the discussion centered on strategies for engaging the more than 99,000 people between the ages 15 and 64

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B2B Stories

Growing auto body shops adding mobile auto glass repair

Classic Collision with three CSRA locations and more than 150 nationwide is partnering with a company that’s been successful in other markets doing mobile auto glass repair. “All of Atlanta stores offer this and we’re starting to offer these services in the CSRA, “said Tracy Bryant who oversees the Augusta, Grovetown and Aiken stores and several more in the Southeast. Classic is partnering with Ultimate Auto Glass (see photo above with Tracy Bryant on far left) and now any Augusta area customer with windshield, back glass or door glass repair

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B2B Stories

Lessons Learned: Show up every day with integrity

Twenty-eight years… That is 10,220 days and 1,344 weeks. During this time, I experienced the death of MTV, the release of the first cell phone, the rise of social media/share culture and the beginnings of Super Savers, now known as Home Direct of Augusta, my direct mail advertising company. When I first started in the advertising industry it was the late 90’s, men’s shorts became longer, Walkmans and cassette tapes were abundant, and power suits were a thing. The advertising company I worked for was Jones Intercable’s Cable Coups, a

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B2B Stories

Communicating On the Job in the CSRA

This Thursday and Friday, Dr. Melissa Furman, MS, DBA Founder of Career Potential, LLC will host a two-day conference dedicated to enhancing, elevating and accelerating career and leadership for women. Last week, nearly 100 women got a sneak peek of just one of the components, courtesy of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s monthly, “Women in Business” series, focusing on communication styles. Nancy Powell, local Augusta Real Estate broker (pictured above in red at front table) took a D-I-S-K assessment questionnaire with other audience members. She learned her personality is

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B2B Stories

Coach Darin: Top ten reasons that marketing can fail

Editor’s Note: Yours truly considers himself a marketing professional, but I can admit it is a whole lot easier marketing for someone else than yourself! When I launched ABD in March 2021, I experimented with Facebook ads, radio and TV ads, e-blasts and more, trying to find “my lane”. I made mistakes via “trial and error”. Coach Darin enlisted the help of his TAB colleagues from all over the world!   1. Trying to expand product offerings and reaching multiple markets at the same time. There are many reasons your

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B2B Stories

Bruster’s replacement planning on a 2021 move-in

Demolition crews are working overtime on site at North Belair Road in Evans clearing the land that Bruster’s restaurant was once on. The local franchisee of many KFC’s is developing a “KFC Express” type restaurant in which the focus will be on the drive-thru, take-out and delivery, with a smaller emphasis on sit-down dining. The footprint is smaller than most KFC’s nationally, but similar to the size of the Wrightsboro Road location. Construction crews are taking an aggressive approach to developing the restaurant, with a goal of opening around the

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B2B Stories

Coach Darin: Must-do marketing!

Editor’s Note: There are many excellent CSRA digital marketing firms from Alison South to Wier Stewart to Kruhu to Tranter Grey to M3… the list goes on and on and there are plenty of free-lance social media “rock stars” as well. Can you DIY this important aspect of your business? Maybe. You must have the right tools and guidance. Coach Darin shows us the right path to take. These days, “marketing” has become synonymous with “digital marketing”, a key element of any business’s overall approach to attracting and retaining customers.

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B2B Stories

When Covid hit, Aiken already had a large PPE supply

When the Covid-19 crisis erupted nearly two years ago, most of us scrambled to find the approved types of face masks designed to keep the deadly virus out of our mouths, noses and critically, our lungs. I remember wondering in February of 2020, “Where am I going to get the effective anti-virus masks I need for myself and my family?” I had never seen any of them in a store. As it turned out, Aiken already had a wholesale and retail source for a myriad number of Personal Protective Equipment

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B2B Stories

A New Doorway to Prosperity in Aiken and Augusta

Systematech is a CSRA-wide full-service IT (Information Technology) firm, offering training, recruiting, and project management services. “It actually started in Graniteville, but when it moved into the new Cyber Center in Augusta four years ago, that became our center and we made real progress there,” said Systematech President and CEO Ashley S. Felton. “We are now bringing our message and our training back across the Savannah River in our second location next to Citizens Field, just off East Pine Log Road at 640 Old Airport Road. “Our mission is to

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