Features

• Aflac Recognized for Diversity

  January 16, 2015

  Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States, announced today that the company has been recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity. It is the ninth time that Aflac has appeared on this prestigious list.

• UGA SBDC Launches Digital Marketing Boot Camp in Columbus

  January 15, 2015

  The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is launching Digital Marketing Boot Camp in Columbus February 5th, followed by more Digital Boot Camps scheduled throughout the state, providing the latest marketing strategies for business. Digital Marketing Boot Camp is designed specifically for business owners and organizations who want to strategically develop marketing technologies to build loyal customers and increase profits.

• Georgia Chamber “Eggs & Issues” - Education, Transportation Initiatives Key to Georgia Maintaining Competitive Edge, Top Business Ranking

  January 14, 2015

  The state’s top three executives--Governor Nathan Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston--stayed on message and virtually read from the same page at the annual Georgia Chamber of Commerce “Eggs and Issues Breakfast” held yesterday at the Georgia World Congress Center. An attendance of nearly 2,000 executives, business owners, elected officials and Chamber of Commerce members celebrated the organization’s 100th anniversary while warmly welcoming the pro-business remarks of the state’s leadership.

• Hans Gant Joins Batson-Cook as VP of Business Development

  January 13, 2015

  Batson-Cook Construction has recently hired Hans Gant as Vice President of Business Development – Manufacturing and Industrial. A veteran economic developer with vast senior-level experience, Gant will work with existing clients and new businesses to determine partnership possibilities and business opportunities throughout the state and southeast region.

• Spending Money on Social Media: What is Worth it?

  January 12, 2015

  When it comes to finances, business owners are always talking about paid search and SEO and all of the various costs that go along with both. However, as your business begins to grow, you’ll find that looking at your online marketing in even smaller sections is a great way to keep your finances in order. This brings up social media.

• Don’t Expect To Sell Your Business To Fund That Golden Retirement

  January 09, 2015

  Business owners who are expecting to sell their companies to fund their golden retirement years may be in for a surprise. They simply may not be able to sell their businesses when they want to, or get the amount they want from the sales.

• Georgia’s Global Gateway Staged to Grow in 2015

  January 08, 2015

  Curtis Foltz, Executive Director, Georgia Ports Authority, looks forward to another year of record growth in 2015, which is slated to ring in with the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project and a continued focus on efficiency.

• Tomlinson, Flournoy 2015 BGCCV Hall of Fame Inductees

  January 07, 2015

  At a ceremony to be held at the National Infantry Museum on February 19, 2015, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley (BGCCV) will honor two community leaders whose contributions and successes have had a significant impact on the development, evolution and growth of the organization as well as the community - John F. Flournoy and Philip (Phil) W. Tomlinson.

• Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce Engages Search Firm to Find New President & CEO

  January 06, 2015

  The Board of Directors of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce is beginning its search for the Chamber’s next President & Chief Executive Officer, retaining Waverly Partners, LLC as its executive search firm.

• Is Your Business Ready to Rock and Roll in the New Year?

  January 05, 2015

  Let’s say your business has been chugging right along for several years now. You formed an LLC or incorporated in order to establish a solid legal foundation for your company. But what loose ends do you still need to tie up as you move into the new year?

• Small Business Loans Bounce Back in November

  December 18, 2014

  Big bank lending to small businesses rebounded in November and resumed a positive trend that has lasted much of the year. This latest data from Biz2Credit’s Small Business Lending Index should be good news to any small business owner seeking more capital to expand or diversify their operations.

• Right Here, Right Now: Piper App Developers Connecting Communities with iBeacon Technology

  December 17, 2014

  Piper CEO Robert Hanczor and COO Wesley Ker-Fox discuss living in the moment with iBeacon technology and how a single app has the capability to connect and engage entire communities.

• Community Foundation of Chattahoochee Valley Helps People Make a Difference

  December 16, 2014

  Community Foundation of Chattahoochee Valley provides a platform for individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits to give back to their community. The foundation will do the research and identify who is doing the best work in your area of interest.

• Tis the Season for Strategic Giving

  December 15, 2014

  With the holidays just around the corner many are focused on giving back, especially in Atlanta, the fourth most charitable large metro in the United States. Forty-three percent of wealthy donors said that they make more charitable contributions during the holiday season compared to the rest of the year, according to the recent Bank of America Study on High Net Worth Philanthropy.

• 7 Ways to Make “Write a Business Plan Month” Work for You

  December 12, 2014

  December is National Write a Business Plan Month! Every business owner needs a plan — whether you’re in startup mode, seeking financing or preparing for another year at the helm of a growing business.

• HeritageBank to Merge with Mississippi-Based Renasant Corporation

  December 11, 2014

  Renasant Corporation and Heritage Financial Group, Inc. jointly announced today the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Renasant Corporation will acquire, in an all-stock merger, Heritage Financial Group, Inc., a bank holding company headquartered in Albany, Georgia, and the parent of HeritageBank of the South, aGeorgia savings bank.

• How to Keep Your Business Running During Your Vacation

  December 09, 2014

  The holiday season is upon us, and with that comes vacation time for many entrepreneurs. If you’re on the fence about shutting down your business while you go over the river and through the woods because you’re worried you’ll miss out on sales or opportunities, keep reading.

• The Secret to Raising Capital is About People, Not Money

  December 09, 2014

  If you’re struggling to raise capital to fund your small business venture, it could be that you’re taking the wrong approach. It’s time to think people, not banks.

• Regions Bank Georgia President: Going Beyond the Brick and Mortar Branch

  December 08, 2014

  Now that the U.S. has traversed the recession and planted its feet on the banks of a new economic era, the banking industry is strengthening. Leaders within the banking industry are mobilizing to reinvigorate commercial enterprises that make the economy hum. Bill Linginfelter, Area President of Regions Bank for Georgia and South Carolina, says, “We try to take a lot of the financial management tasks off their plates so they can spend more time developing their business or making more products or innovating.”

• Georgia Chamber Task Force Focused on Growing Film, Digital Industries

  December 05, 2014

  The Georgia Chamber’s Creative and Digital Industries Initiative shared a number of recommendations for updates to the state’s existing entertainment tax credits with the Georgia House Study Committee on Georgia-Based Film and Post Production during its meeting Thursday at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

• Mediacom Business Launches Real Customer Story Series

  December 03, 2014

  We recently chatted with Kristi Salmon, Mediacom Business’ Marketing Director, to find out what the telecommunications service provider is planning for 2015, especially concerning the hot topic of Google Fiber.

• Who Do You Tip at the Holidays (and How Much)?

  December 02, 2014

  Tipping service providers during the holidays is a great way to show your appreciation for services throughout the year. Who do you tip at the holidays? And how much do you tip them? What is an appropriate gift or tip for that courier who always delivers your packages, or your hairdresser, or your landscaper?

• BCBS Georgia President Morgan Kendrick: Blue Cross Blue Shield Starts New Healthcare Discussion

  December 01, 2014

  As the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to unfold, insurance providers and businesses, particularly small to medium sized businesses, continue to adjust. Making decisions that best serve both the bottom line and employees requires knowledge and flexibility. Morgan Kendrick, President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa), acknowledges that the ACA is a response to health care costs that had risen to an untenable level.

• Facebook at Work Could Rival LinkedIn, Google Drive

  November 20, 2014

  Unless you’re updating the company page, using Facebook at work is frowned upon generally. But a new report suggests that Facebook is planning to invade the workplace with the intent of getting actual work done, not frittering away your day. The purported Facebook at Work would seek to challenge competition in the social media and cloud collaboration markets.

• Why Are Fewer Small Business Owners Feeling Successful?

  November 17, 2014

  Fewer small business owners perceive themselves as successful now than did at the start of the economic recovery, a Wells Fargo-Gallup survey of a representative sample of 601 small business owners reveals. In 2009, 43 percent of small business owners reported feeling “extremely” or “very successful as a small-business owner.” By 2014 that fraction had eroded to 37 percent.

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