April 2012 Features

  • What Type of Financing Is Right For Your Business?

    April 29, 2012

    When it comes to securing money to start, expand, or just continue your business, you’ll need to choose wisely. Some options will be too complex, others too risky. Some will provide too much, and others not enough. We give a snapshot of the various financing options that might fit your needs.

  • How Small Business Can Benefit from Time Tracking

    April 26, 2012

    As a small business owner, it can be hard to justify going through the motions and controls of the larger corporations. Your time is already limited and enterprise software can be quite expensive. So when I say that you really should be comprehensively tracking employee time, you might be skeptical. Lets look at why you shouldn’t be.

  • Governor Deal Highlights Recent Legislative Session at Valdosta State University

    April 25, 2012

    Governor Deal stopped in Valdosta to commemorate the VSU Health Sciences building and to update local businesses and leaders on the recent legislative session.

  • Common Misconceptions About Salaried Employees: Who is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act?

    April 24, 2012

    Many business owners assume that if an employee is “salaried,” the employee is exempt from the minimum wage and overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Whether or not an employee is exempt depends on the employee’s actual job duties. Its important that your business stay up to date with the FLSA.

  • 4 Steps To Succeed In The Government Marketplace

    April 22, 2012

    The U.S. Federal Government buys nearly $100 billion worth of goods and services from small businesses each year – but cracking this market as a small business can be challenging. If your small business is interested in selling to Uncle Sam, we share a four-step plan that summarizes the process of entering the federal marketplace succesfully.

  • 4 Surprising Things Great Sales People Say

    April 19, 2012

    A lot of people in the sales business seem to think that there is a standard expectation of what a “good sales person” is supposed to sound like. We’ve built up this idea that a “good sales person” is supposed to be relentless, energetic, good at building relationships, always eager to close the deal, and unwilling to take “no” for an answer.

  • Lee McArthur Encourages Investors to Start Saving Today

    April 17, 2012

    With the political parties advocating very different directions for the federal government and a presidential election in November, many investors – individuals and small businesses alike – are sitting on the sidelines to see what happens. According to Lee McArthur, a registered representative of New York Life, that is a mistake.

  • Dr. William J. McKinney Named President of Valdosta State University

    April 15, 2012

    The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has appointed Dr. William J. McKinney as the next president of Valdosta State University. Dr. Mckinney comes to VSU from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) where he served as the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.

  • States Rely Heavily on Tax Incentives, But Few Evaluate Whether They Work

    April 12, 2012

    Every state offers tax incentives to attract, retain, and expand businesses and jobs. But no state ensures that policy makers rely on good evidence about whether these investments deliver a strong return, A new study examines outcomes at a time when most states are trying to rebuild their budgets and many have not regained private-sector jobs lost during the Great Recession.

  • U.S. Press Grows with a Can-Do Attitude

    April 10, 2012

    Founded 30 years ago, U.S. Press, LLC is a $5 million company providing color printing and related services that is growing at a nice clip despite the slow economy. Founder and owner Kent Buescher chalks it up to a can-do attitude.

  • Curt Fowler on Improving Outcomes Without an Increase in Skill

    April 08, 2012

    Improving and helping capture knowledge are always at a premium in organizations, and sometimes can actually help improve outcomes in your business without an increase in skill set from your employees. Curt Fowler of Fowler & Company talks about the use of checklist to help improve work outcome in your organization.

  • VSU Alumnus & TV Star Tiffany Young to Speak at Langdale Lecture April 10th

    April 03, 2012

    Tiffany Young, Valdosta State University alumnus, owner of the Pink Pastry Parlor, and star of the reality tv show "Party at Tiffany's" will speak on April 10th as part of the Harley Langdale Jr. Lecture Series at Valdosta State University.

  • The Total Package: A Marketing Message That Resonates

    April 01, 2012

    Your company focus and marketing message should be so clear that it’s driven home in every opportunity you get. There should be a consistency in the message and that’s where your branding pieces come in to play. But before you start printing things, the message has to be core and clear.