Features
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35 of Georgia’s Brightest Come Together as Young Gamechangers
January 08, 2014
GeorgiaForward kicks off its second annual Young Gamechangers program on Thursday, January 9th convening 35 of the state’s most promising young leaders in Dublin, with the goal of revisioning the area as a vibrant 21st century community.
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Starting a Business in 2014? Here Is Your Startup Checklist
January 07, 2014
Each year, the number of new businesses spikes in January as the start of a new year seems like the most natural time to begin a new venture. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned entrepreneur, run through this startup checklist to better understand the steps needed to make your business legit.
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2013 Georgia Job Creation Hits Record High
January 06, 2014
Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that the Global Commerce Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development produced a 10 percent increase in job creation during the state’s most recent fiscal year. Statistics from the department show its 389 company expansion or location announcements generated 31,656 jobs and $6.07 billion in investment. These statistics indicate a continued trend of growth since the state’s 2009 fiscal year.
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Small Business Optimism Sees Slight Bump
December 17, 2013
November ushered in the holiday season, but it did not translate into enthusiasm among small-business owners, whose optimism increased, but only slightly—under a point (0.9)—for a total reading of 92.5, according to NFIB’s monthly Index. Of note in November is the positive trend, albeit sluggish reality, of job growth.
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Poll: Georgians Concerned About Effects of Obamacare
December 13, 2013
Healthcare Georgia Foundation today released the results of a statewide public opinion poll to gauge how Georgians perceive the cost and quality of their healthcare. According to the poll, Georgians rate the quality of healthcare in the state a modest 7.26/10, with ten being excellent and one being poor. Georgians were also surveyed about their perceptions about what the government is doing about healthcare today.
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Economic Forecast: Georgia’s Economy Will Rise More than the National Average Next Year
December 12, 2013
Buoyed by rising home prices, smart economic policies and new jobs, Georgia's economy will rise more than the national average next year. That was the message delivered by Charles B. Knapp, interim dean of the Terry College of Business and president emeritus of the University of Georgia, at the Georgia Economic Outlook luncheon held Dec. 11 in Atlanta.
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Don’t Let That Business Plan Collect Dust on a Shelf
December 10, 2013
Small business owners rank creating a business plan right up there with writing the dreaded high school term paper, college thesis, and bar exam rolled into one, says Tim Berry.
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Lawmakers To Consider State Level Healthcare Reforms
December 09, 2013
With the holiday season upon us, the thoughts of most will turn away from politics and on to things that actually matter. And yet, when the presents have been opened and the calendar turns to 2014, there will be less than 2 weeks before the start of Georgia’s General Assembly session. Thus, while most of us are celebrating and spending time with loved ones, some have already been preparing for what will likely be a short and speedy session of making laws.
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Doug Robinson on “Making Your List and Checking it Twice”
December 06, 2013
As your humble monthly contributor, I would like to suggest a great Christmas or holiday gift that would be very relevant and appreciated by your salespeople, customer service reps, or technicians/installers. For ten years, while facilitating workshops and training classes for sales and customer service reps and sales managers, I repeatedly heard many of the participants encourage me to put my thoughts on paper and publish a book. After hearing this mantra regularly for several years, I decided to go for it, and listed, “write a book” on my bucket list.
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5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Take in Investors
December 05, 2013
So I was brainstorming with a couple of my partners for a start up venture we’re about to launch. They seemed genuinely shocked when I said I didn’t want to take in any investors. I know the trendy thing today is creating a pitch that attracts VC firms. But as a rule, I usually don’t want them. Their job is to find investments they can grow and cash out. And that sometimes clashes with the best long-term objectives for a business.
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Many Americans Leaving Unused Vacation Days on the Table
December 04, 2013
Expedia.com, released the results of the 2013 Vacation Deprivation study, an annual analysis of vacation habits among 8,535 employed adults across 24 countries and five continents. Americans are now treating vacations as a luxury rather than a right: Over the past year, typical Americans could have taken 14 days of vacation and took 10, leaving four days on the table, twice as many as the year prior.
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HeritageBank of the South Thrives in Challenged Banking Industry
December 03, 2013
Where other banks see challenges, Heritage Financial Group sees opportunities. As interest rates ticked up in 2013 and mortgage-refinancing volumes dropped, big banks such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo have cut hundreds of jobs in their mortgage units. HeritageBank of the South, a subsidiary of Heritage Financial Group, is hiring.
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Georgia-Filmed Productions Generate $3.3B in FY13
December 02, 2013
The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), announced today that Georgia-lensed feature films and television productions generated an economic impact of $3.3 billion in the state during FY13.
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AAA: 43.4M Americans to Travel for Thanksgiving, a Slight Decline from Last Year
November 22, 2013
AAA projects 43.4 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the 44 million people who traveled last year. This decrease falls just shy of last Thanksgiving's four-year peak since the recession-driven declines in 2008-2009 when Thanksgiving travel fell by 25 percent. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 27 to Sunday, Dec. 1.
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Government Shutdown Causes Small Business Loan Approval Rates to Fall in October
November 20, 2013
The U.S. government shutdown in October had a significant negative impact on small business lending, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index. Meanwhile, alternative lenders seized the opportunity and picked up the slack in small business lending.
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2014 Salary Increases to Reach Highest Levels Since 2008
November 19, 2013
Research from Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc, reveals salary increases for U.S. workers in 2014 are expected to reach their highest levels in six years. Still, average increases are projected to remain modest, as employers strive to reserve the majority of their compensation budgets for merit increases and performance-based awards for high-performing workers.
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Do Men and Women Have Different Small Business Outlooks?
November 18, 2013
How are men and women entrepreneurs feeling about their businesses’ prospects for the coming year? The 5th in a series of studies by Hiscox Small Business, the DNA of an Entrepreneur (PDF), found that while both men and women small business owners are optimistic about their futures, there are some important differences in how they run their businesses.
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Second Georgia Gives Day Yields Big Wins for State's Nonprofits
November 15, 2013
As the clock struck midnight, the tally stood at $1,448,233. Today, nonprofits across Georgia celebrate the virtual outpouring of support from 11,257 Georgians who came together for the second annual Georgia Gives Day to show their support for 1,720 participating organizations across the state.
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Doug Robinson Asks: “What Do You Do?”
November 14, 2013
As you make the daily rounds in your profession I’m sure you are used to hearing this question regularly. You really ought to think about how you should respond, knowing that you will only have a very narrow time window to highlight your business to others.
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How to Protect Your Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights in Overseas Markets
November 13, 2013
Are you thinking of taking your business global this year? Whether you are a service-based business or hoping to export your products, it’s critical that you take steps to protect your trademarks, copyrights and patents overseas.
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Keep Your Best Employees With Better Benefits
November 12, 2013
To maintain the best employees for your business, it’s imperative for business owners to take necessary steps to keep current top-tier employees satisfied in today’s economy. So what can small businesses do to make sure their key players stick around instead of window shopping for new opportunities? One way to retain current personnel and attract superior applicants is by offering strong benefits packages.
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Study Suggests That Privately Owned Companies are Better Innovators
November 07, 2013
It’s easy to believe that large publicly funded companies are more innovative than their privately owned counterparts, including small businesses. But one study from researchers at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and international business school INSEAD suggests this may not always be so.
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10 Creative Ways Businesses Can Give Back
November 06, 2013
Being part of the startup community means giving back — not only to other entrepreneurs, but to causes you feel strongly about supporting.
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Georgia Named #1 State in U.S. for Business
November 05, 2013
Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Georgia’s business climate has been named No. 1 in the nation by Site Selection magazine, one of the nation’s top economic development trade publications.
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Mobile Payments are Exploding: What You Need to Know
November 04, 2013
Accepting payments via mobile device is becoming more and more mainstream. Right now, we are in the midst of a growth spurt that will see mobile payments in the U.S. hit $90 billion by 2017, according to a Forrester Research report released earlier this year. That’s up from $12.8 billion spent in 2012, the report states. It’s also easier than ever to join the party, and retailers have an almost overwhelming number of options.