Features
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Sam Shugart Discusses Planning For Upcoming Music and Arts Festival
July 03, 2012
Sam Shugart, president of Reynolds, Shugart & Associates, and his partners – Justin Andrews, Jeb Tabb, and Evan Barber of Threeforty Creative Group, and Bo Henry – expect to announce this week the first national acts for the inaugural Sowega Music & Arts Festival to be held at The Exchange Club Fairgrounds this October.
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It’s Half-Time!
July 02, 2012
Congratulations. You’ve made it through the first half of 2012 and I’m sure you are more than 50% complete on all the goals you set for 2012…right? If you are like me you might be surprised to find out that the year is half way done! Curt Fowler examines some ways for you to help see your goals through the rest of 2012.
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Have You Reinvented Your Business Lately?
June 29, 2012
What has it taken to keep your small business thriving—or even just surviving—for the past four years since the U.S. economy crashed? For my business, it’s been an ongoing process of reinvention.
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New Albany Ga Biz Directory Goes Live
June 27, 2012
Glennette Goodbread, owner of Premium Web Design and Hosting in Albany, launched a new online directory of Albany-based businesses this month. The Albany Ga Biz Directory, is a categorized, searchable listing of hundreds of area businesses that includes links to their websites, contact information as well as mapped locations.
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Outdoor Network to Create 112 Jobs in Albany-Dougherty County
June 26, 2012
The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission announced that Outdoor Network, one of the largest online suppliers of parts and accessories for marine and powersports enthusiasts, will relocate its Internet fulfillment center to Albany, creating 112 jobs and investing $3.2 million.
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Measuring Your Financial Progress
June 25, 2012
Many times people measure their financial progress by how much money they make, the things they acquire, or their ability to pay off debt. Although all three of these measures can contribute to a person’s financial progress, none is an accurate measure to actually determine if progress is truly being made.
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U.S. Presidential Candidates And Their Small Business Records
June 22, 2012
Focus on small business has been growing more intense as the U.S. Presidential election heats up, with each candidate stressing what they can do for the that sector. But attention to small business in U.S. policy and abroad seems heightened, too. Here’s a look at the debate over the kinds of policies that affect small businesses the most.
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Fullerton Offers Wrap-up of Legislative Session
June 20, 2012
Carol Fullerton announced last month her re-election bid for the Georgia House of Representatives, District 153. During her terms in the House, she has served on five committees for the betterment of Albany, and offers a recap of the most recent legislative session.
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Love Works at Wild Adventures Theme Park
June 18, 2012
Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta will host a special guest on Wednesday, June 20 – Joel Manby, president and chief executive officer of Herschend Family Entertainment, the owner and operator of the theme park. Manby is promoting his newly published book titled "Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders," which details the HFE framework for leadership.
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7 Ways to Make Your Small Business Stand Out Online
June 15, 2012
Fighting for mindshare in a crowded market? You’ve been fighting against your local competitors for years, trying to convince customers that your business can better serve them and that you meet their needs better than that other guy. But then the Web and social media came along and now it feels harder than ever. Whether you’re just starting out or you’d like to increase your presence in your market, we talk about seven tips to help your small business stand out on the Web.
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Large-Format Printing on the Rise at Matrix Department
June 13, 2012
At Matrix Department, Inc., a large-format printer in Leesburg, business activity is up according to President John S. Bell II. Matrix prints signs, banners, displays, posters, wall graphics and its most popular item, vehicle graphics.
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Building a Team of Professionals for Independent Business Owners
June 11, 2012
When was the last time you met with your team of professionals to help you with a key business decision? If you're like many independent business owners, you may be thinking “What team of professionals?” As a business owner, you probably handle the running of the business yourself. We highlight 4 key players to help you as a small business owner.
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Sleeping With Your Smartphone Makes Productivity and Life Balance Possible
June 08, 2012
Extending the charge for new life balance is the new book Sleeping With Your Smartphone: How to Break the 24/7 Habit and Change The Way You Work by Leslie A. Perlow. This brief book speaks to large business, but also works for small business networks that are emulating big business processes more by the day, and take a look at rethinking your professional availability.
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ANABCO Grows With Focus on Nuts and Bolts
June 06, 2012
With a new branches opening, a new status as a Bosch Systems Specialist and recent designation as a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule contractor, business is booming at Albany's ANABCO Fasteners, Inc., formerly Albany Nut and Bolt Company.
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Does Flextime Benefit You More Than Your Employees?
June 04, 2012
Are you resisting offering employees at your small business flexible working hours because you think it’ll give them an excuse to slack off? Well, some new research should convince you otherwise. It seems flextime may actually be less flexible than a regular schedule.
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Is it Time to Sell Your Business or Buy a New One?
June 01, 2012
Have you delayed retirement because the recession was preventing you from getting a fair price for the business you worked so hard to build? Have you been contemplating buying another business, but couldn’t find the financing? Small business owners in both of these situations have a lot to be hopeful about.
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Key Employee Protection: Preserving the Life of Your Business
May 30, 2012
As a business owner, you recognize the importance of insuring your building, inventory, and equipment. These assets are vital to the success of your company. But have you considered what would happen if a key employee died unexpectedly or became disabled?
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The “Half of All Workers Don't Pay Taxes” Mantra is Starting to Get Taxing
May 25, 2012
One of my concerns over the past year or so is the continued use of the phrase “half of all workers don't pay taxes.” It's one of those ideas that needs some context, and it's probably not the kind of context you've read about anywhere else.
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Mediacom Delivers Positive First Quarter
May 23, 2012
Mediacom, one of the leading cable operators focused on serving smaller cities and towns in the United States, posted its best first-quarter results in Georgia in four years, according to Mediacom Senior Marketing Manager for Georgia, Melanie Hannasch. Mediacom serves all of southwestern Georgia, passing about 300,000 homes.
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Georgia Ports Support More Than 350,000 Jobs Across State
May 21, 2012
According to the UGA Terry College of Business, Georgia ports now account for 8.3 percent of total state employment, or one out of 12 jobs. The total impact of Georgia’s deepwater ports on the state’s economy was $66.9 billion, or 9.5 percent of Georgia’s output in FY11, and some of those jobs and money flow into South Georgia.
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SBA Names Judy Randle 2012 Women in Business Champion of the Year for Georgia and the Southeast
May 18, 2012
Judy Randle, Owner and President of Central Monitoring, Inc. of Albany, Georgia has been named the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2012 Women in Business Champion of the Year for both Georgia and SBA’s Southeast Region IV.
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New Georgia Legislation Encourages Job Growth in State
May 17, 2012
Georgia citizens should soon see new job opportunities in the state thanks to aggressive measures passed this year by the Georgia legislature. Business-friendly bills signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal will benefit manufacturers, the film industry, technology and other start-up companies, the life sciences sector and businesses large and small in many other industries.
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Local Wendy’s Owner Says It’s All About People
May 16, 2012
Business is up at the four Wendy’s restaurants in Albany this year, according to owner David Ivey. Sales have been building over the past two years despite a down economy.
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How to Improve Financial Savvy
May 14, 2012
Unfortunately there’s not a mandatory class or training program each of us is required to take before we are allowed to earn our first dollar. No, we are left to our own devices. Bil Sadler talks about some ways you can improve your financial savvy.
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Win Price Negotiations on Value
May 10, 2012
You have been working a prime sales prospect for the past six months. Your product is the ideal solution, you have done a great job of selling the value and you have carefully calculated a value-based price point for this prospect. But, despite your very best efforts at winning the deal, the buyer is asking for a lower price. What do you do next?