B2B Stories

B2B Stories

CSRA company launches AI marketing company

Chances are, your company has trouble keeping a consistent social media, newsletter, and web management presence. A local company aims to fill in the gaps by combining human strategy with AI to help businesses grow affordably without losing their authenticity. Your company would receive much more than software to make content execution easier.  Creo AI assigns each client a dedicated Business Lead who learns the business inside and out—its voice, its values, its goals—and a Creative Lead who translates that understanding into marketing that sounds like the founder.  “Capturing in-person

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B2B Stories

CSRA community leader hosting event for national podcaster

Helen Blocker Adams, longtime radio host, political leader, and businesswoman, is moving into a coaching phase of her career. She’s partnering with a podcaster with 600,000-plus followers on YouTube for a free event aimed at helping Augustans use podcasting to expand services and monetize their efforts. Below is a flyer to sign up for the Kroc Center event after the Masters in April. HBA says entrepreneurs, podcasters, content creators, and those transitioning into business will learn a lot from the host.  “David Shands has been my podcast mentor/coach for over

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B2B Stories

250,000 member group in CSRA goes high tech

An organization that is more closely associated with outdoor activities and ecology is adding high-tech to its operation. The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is opening a satellite office in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center (GCITC) in downtown Augusta.  NWTF co-CEO, Jason Burckhalter, told ABD the collaboration is a natural progression to innovate so their mission has the maximum impact. “We’re leaning heavily into innovation and technology being a key component of that, and to be more specific, on the AI front. We wanted to embed our IT

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B2B Stories

Training future pilots and techs to take flight

Augusta native, Jamail Larkins, was just 14 years old when he made his record-breaking flight as the youngest pilot to solo flight a Cessna 172. Now, he’s helping to host an event next weekend to give interested CSRA STEM students a chance to use scholarship money to carve out a career pathway. This fast-growing job sector is also propelled by internship opportunities through a few local school systems. He and another local flight expert will be teaching the future generation at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) next Saturday. His AviationStart company

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B2B Stories

Target Market: Who Are They, What Do They Value, and Where Are They?

In last week’s column on Super Bowl ads, I stressed the importance of providing a value proposition when you are advertising or marketing your goods and services.   As a reminder, a value proposition is a promise that you make to potential customers that provides them a compelling reason why they should buy your product rather than a product from one of your competitors.   Prior to developing a value proposition, you first need to understand who you are trying to sell to and what product characteristics they value. This will ensure

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B2B Stories

All I know about the Trader Joe’s Deal in Evans

The worst-kept secret in the CSRA is that Trader Joe’s is expected to build a standalone store directly behind the Columbia County Performing Arts Center, with the building facing North Belair Road. Cal Wray, the leader of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, says Trader Joe’s even looked in Richmond County a while back and decided against it. He says that Columbia County officials not being specific on active projects is not unusual. He doesn’t comment until there is a signed agreement. A Columbia County spokesperson said, not only is the

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B2B Stories

EXCLUSIVE: Grocery/Retail Center Hinges on many moving parts

A home at 8101 Sir Galahad Drive, across from the Evans Post Office and Regions Bank, is one of the complex deal points of a proposed commercial development. The Columbia County Chamber has owned that property for more than 10 years, and developers are hoping for a better result with commissioners than the Chamber had. The Chamber purchased the home on the right for $177,000 in the summer of 2015 with the intention of renovating the property as their corporate office. It was and is currently zoned residential. Back then,

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B2B Stories

Next wave of workforce in CSRA gets BIG boost

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has signed an agreement designed to streamline transfer pathways at all 22 regional campuses, including Augusta Technical College. The articulation agreement with the American College of Education (ACE) also creates tuition reductions and expanded access to undergraduate and graduate programs. The partnership is available for eligible TCSG students, graduates, and full-time employees. The news release announcing the agreement quoted TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier. “This agreement reflects our shared commitment to expanding access, affordability, and opportunity for Georgia’s workforce,” said Dozier. “By reducing barriers

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Fastest growing counties in CSRA

The fastest-growing county in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in 2024 is not in Richmond or Columbia County. It is Burke County. Real Gross Domestic Product grew at 15.6% in 2024 from 2023, according to recently released data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Columbia County grew at 3.6%, Richmond County at 1.6%, and Lincoln County at 0.6%. McDuffie County shrank by 3.5%.  In South Carolina, Aiken County grew at 2.7,% and Edgefield County shrank by 1.9% (see graph below). The state of South Carolina grew faster (4.5%) than

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Awards

500 + Chamber members get Presidential treatment at annual meeting

The incoming Columbia County Chamber President got to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to a retired Chamber President credited with being one of the key leaders behind Columbia County’s growth more than a decade ago. The new President and CEO, Heath Taylor (left), addressed the membership for the first time since starting on February 2nd.  He presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Tammy Gibbs Shepherd, who was President from 2010 to 2020. She helped strengthen local businesses, expand workforce programs, and was one of the leaders behind the push to

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