Consumer Stories

B2B Stories

Air show infuses $ and excitement in the CSRA

Sleek, fast, and red, white, and blue. The Thunderbirds have landed in Augusta. The team arrived in Augusta on Monday to practice its aerial acrobatics and map out logistics, prior to the air show at Augusta Regional Airport this weekend. Although the focus will be on fun, watching skilled pilots do what should be impossible, the event is expected to have an important economic benefit, bringing attention to the airport and tourism dollars to Augusta. “We hope that this infuses the economy a little bit with some dollars, both from

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Consumer Stories

Major Downtown Development News

The numbers are in from 2022 and the Augusta DDA says 47 more businesses opened in downtown Augusta vs. closed, while 11 additional businesses expanded their footprint in the Broad Street corridor. The DDA says it all resulted in $93.2 million in private investment within the commercial sector. Housing wise, the DDA is partnering with investors, developers, and commercial entities to increase the options available to workforces. The DDA says in 2022, 234 new units became available in downtown Augusta, and 176 more broke ground. This trend is moving forward

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B2B Stories

CSRA “Champions” deliver huge boost to the economy

Great deeds never go unnoticed, especially when they deliver more than $44 million to the local economy. Individuals representing more than a dozen organizations brought events, conventions, and religious gatherings to the Augusta area, each with an impact on the local economy. They were recognized as champions yesterday morning by Destination Augusta and the Augusta Sports Council. Augusta Mayor, Garnett Johnson was presented with a check for $44.5 million, representing how much money came into the local economy over the past two years from their efforts. “Thank you for everything

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B2B Stories

Local photographer takes shot at business success

When she was in high school, Savanna Sorrells became interested in photography, but more than 10 years later, she turned her hobby into a business. In March, Sorrells launched Shots by Sav, a home-based photography business. She takes various types of photos, including professional headshots for local business owners, maternity sessions, and graduation sessions. “I love capturing memories and special moments for people to have the rest of their lives,” Sorrells said. She wishes she had her baby pictures, but they were destroyed in a house fire when she was

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Consumer Stories

Unusual motivation for new CSRA business

Christopher Davis, Jr. found an unusual source of inspiration for rebranding one of the services his business offers: his divorce. Davis, who just moved to Augusta from Hinesville a few days ago, owns CRXWN Home & Lawn Improvement, which he established in Feb. 2022. A couple of months ago, Davis rebranded his handyman services as Husband 4 Hire, which handles a variety of household tasks, including interior painting, flooring, drywall repair, and even dishes and laundry. “It was kind of a joke at first,” he said. “If I couldn’t be

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Consumer Stories

“Healthy” investment in CSRA telemedicine

Telemedicine is growing by leaps and bounds and Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG) Center for Telehealth will be ready. The center has received 1 million dollars in federal funding that will be used to support health care for those living in more rural areas. The MCG Center for Telehealth will use a digital network to support rural patients with the goal of reducing health care disparities. It will also train future physicians to be able to provide telehealth-related health care. U.S. Representative, Buddy Carter (R-GA1) helped secure the

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Consumer Stories

Listen up business owners: Take care of YOU!

The internet is full of articles about how to start or run your own business. But there’s a glaring hole when it comes to advice about taking care of yourself, after all, you’re juggling finances, inventory, employees, customer deadlines, and other obligations. What’s too often left out of the conversation are the potential side effects on your health, whether physical or mental, or both. Aiken Regional Medical Centers will be addressing some of those health and wellness topics this month called Better Health Forum. It’s a series of breakfasts and

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ABD Extra

Businesses want an educated, skilled workforce and education is the answer

Events touting education, partnerships between business and educational institutions, and how they prepare local residents for highly skilled in-demand careers stood center stage last week in Augusta. Three events, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Augusta University and the Savannah River Nuclear Lab, A.R. Johnson High School students getting hands-on education in cancer research and a new format for the dual enrollment program between Augusta University and the Columbia County School District will all impact workforce development and how education is the silver bullet to make this area

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ABD Extra

Simon Says: Connection between innovation and higher education?

In 2015, according to the latest year data available, there were 10 utility patents granted that originated in Richmond County. A recent study by Michael Andrews (https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20200320), examines the role of higher education institutions, such as Augusta University and Georgia Tech, in local invention. Higher education institutions may affect invention directly by conducting research or indirectly by driving population growth. Ideally, to understand the role of higher education on economic development and innovation, we would want to randomly assign universities to locations and measure innovation and economic activity before and

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ABD Extra

Mondays with Rick: Employee Retention–It’s All About Your Culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That quote from a famed management expert, Peter Drucker, is familiar to any of us who have studied how to lead modern organizations. Drucker’s quote implies that your company’s culture is what determines your firm’s success, regardless of how effective your strategy may be. However, I take issue with that interpretation. What I believe Drucker meant is that in order for a company’s strategy to be successful, it must have a company culture that allows it to execute the strategy appropriately. The bottom line is

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