December 2012 Features

  • i2o Technologies Wins 2012 Guardian Bank Business Plan Competition

    December 19, 2012

    Donnee Upson of i2o Technologies in Valdosta is the winner of the 2012 Guardian Bank Business Plan Competition. He plans to start the first commercial data center in Valdosta to offer IT services to companies in a wide range of industries including finance, health care and education.

  • Leadership Truths That Every Leader Needs To Know

    December 17, 2012

    Successful business leadership is about the ability to create a compelling vision that is backed up by strong values, a strong sense of purpose and that inspires other people to help you to achieve it. It sounds fairly straightforward doesn’t it? However, great leadership requires a complex set of skills which have to be continually honed and fined tuned. We touch on 5 truths that every great leader needs to know.

  • Why You Should Never Assume in Sales…

    December 14, 2012

    Valdosta CEO Contributor Doug Robinson shares another excerpt from his book "Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word." In this installment, he talks about how sales related occupations should beware the danger of assuming.

  • 4 Ways To Improve Your Business Networking

    December 12, 2012

    As small business owners and consultants, we understand the importance of networking. Your ability to schmooze, to meet people, and to create relationships will very often determine your success in business and how far you’re able to take your company. However, that doesn’t mean most of us are very good at it. We have a difficult time starting conversations and even keeping the relationships that we do start. We share 4 tips to help out the process.

  • Jason Shaw Reviews First Term Highlights, Second Term Priorities

    December 11, 2012

    In the November election, Jason Shaw ran unopposed for a second term as the Georgia House Representative from District 176, which includes the Valdosta area. He was elected in 2010 to the seat that his father held for 18 years. Shaw has a diverse background that includes experience in small businesses, economic development and agriculture. Shaw believes being well-rounded helped him be effective in his first term.

  • QR Codes: Right for Your Business?

    December 10, 2012

    Daniel Titus of DanielTitus.com recalls the hype of QR codes a while back. How they were going to be the next big thing. Now, a bit of the hype has died down, and some of the interest has too. This leaves one to wonder if QR codes ever had the potential to be good for one’s business. He discusses some things to consider before using them in your business.

  • Want to Franchise a Business? 5 Sacred Rules to Become the Next Great Franchise

    December 07, 2012

    Two experiences have helped deepen my understanding of the five Sacred Rules that distinguish great franchise opportunities. I offer them here, in case you are considering converting your business into a franchise company.

  • Coleman Talley LLP Celebrates 75 Years in Valdosta

    December 04, 2012

    Coleman Talley LLP traces its roots to 1937 when B. Lamar Tillman began practicing law in downtown Valdosta. Since then, the firm has grown to 28 attorneys, an additional office in Atlanta and a client base that extends across the Southeastern United States.

  • Senator Saxby Chambliss Talks Truth About Taxes

    December 03, 2012

    Senator Saxby Chambliss shares his views on the growing debt that our country is continuing to build, and how simply raising taxes are not the answer.