July 2013 Features

  • The Ugly Truth About Small Business

    July 31, 2013

    People who know me know that I love being an entrepreneur. There is absolutely nothing like the thrill of taking something that you created out to market. It’s a ton of fun, it’s challenging and it’s so rewarding to know that your future is entirely in your own hands. I really don’t know that anything helps you develop your own sense of self in quite the same way as creating your vision and then working hard to ensure its success.

  • No Ifs, Ands or Butts: Get Your Employees Fit!

    July 29, 2013

    Are your employees sitting at their desks all day? If so, chances are they’re not maximizing their productivity—and they could be racking up your health insurance costs. If you’re looking to build a healthier workforce (one that won’t have as many accidents and illnesses, and saves you money on health insurance and workers’ comp), consider ways to make yourself and your team more active at work.

  • How Are Your Road Warriors Spending the Company Dime?

    July 26, 2013

    Concur Analysis of $50 Billion in Business Expenses Reveals Small Business Travelers are More Active on the Road, Resulting in Higher Spend than Enterprise Counterparts.

  • Billion Dollar Baby: U.S. Chamber is First to Hit $1B Lobbying Milestone

    July 24, 2013

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made big news with the filing of a simple quarterly report. When the behemoth business trade group reported its lobbying numbers for the second quarter of 2013 on Monday, it set a new record: The Chamber became the first organization to report total lobbying expenditures of more than $1 billion, according to OpenSecrets.org. What has that gotten them? Not as much as they would like.

  • 7 Ways Savvy Businesses Use Mobile

    July 22, 2013

    It’s exciting to see small businesses jumping on the mobile revolution. I think it’s more noticeable with small businesses, because we’ve been conditioned to expect “old style” low tech ways of conducting business from smaller vendors. But today that’s simply no longer true.

  • How to Take a Summer Vacation From Your Business

    July 19, 2013

    Summer is a popular time for Americans to set off to their favorite vacation destinations. But for small business owners, taking time off can lead to missed opportunities and missed income.

  • Stacy Bush on Retirement Plans for Small Businesses

    July 18, 2013

    If you're self-employed or own a small business and you haven't established a retirement savings plan, what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can help you and your employees save for the future, says Stacy Bush.

  • Small Business Owners: Healthier, But Less Likely to Be Insured

    July 17, 2013

    A majority of small business owners (53 percent) believe that running a company improves their health, a recent Bank of America survey indicates. And those in business for themselves are in better shape than those who work for others, a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being survey reveals.

  • Are Tough Times Inspiring Better Leaders and Increasing Engagement?

    July 15, 2013

    Are your employees engaged in their jobs? A Gallup poll measured the growth of employee engagement and which of 12 different occupations tend to boast the highest engagement.

  • How Seamless is Your Company?

    July 12, 2013

    In this months article, Doug Robinson examines what type of employees are found in today's marketplace, and what you can do to make your company and employees more seamless.

  • GPA Inks Inland Port Deal to Ensure Growth

    July 11, 2013

    A new inland port agreement signed today by Governor Nathan Deal, the Georgia Ports Authority and Cordele Intermodal Services will create and expand international markets for regional business. The agreement, which ensures a direct 200-mile rail route to and from GPA’s Garden City Terminal in Savannah, will serve as a gateway to Southwest Georgia and adjacent regions of Florida and Alabama.

  • Riddle Completes First Year as Valdosta Tourism Authority General Manager

    July 10, 2013

    On July 9, Tim Riddle completed his first year as general manager of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority. Upbeat is the word he uses in reporting the progress the Tourism Authority has made in the past year.

  • Do Small Business Lending Programs Work?

    July 08, 2013

    You gotta love the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Their job is to do the research requested by Congress or written into legislation in order to makes sure that government programs are doing what they are supposed to be doing. The GAO was just doing its job when it recently released a report on the implementation of a couple of new Treasury Department small business lending programs created through the Small business Jobs Act of 2010. The finding were so-so.

  • Mediacom/Raycom Negotiations Part of High-Stakes Industry Dynamic

    July 03, 2013

    On June 21st, Mediacom Communications Corporation and Raycom Media, Inc., owner of WALB TV, reached agreement on a contract that had been the subject of several messages broadcast to WALB viewers. For weeks, WALB warned Mediacom cable customers they could lose access to the station if an agreement wasn't reached by June 30th, the expiration date of the existing contract.

  • Local Residents Called to Contribute to Historic Cancer Research Effort

    July 02, 2013

    Residents of Valdosta-Lowndes County have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in a historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations.

  • 6 IT Security Issues Every Business Owner Should Know About

    July 01, 2013

    Hackers. Thieves. Disgruntled employees. These are the folks who keep business owners like you awake at night. So how can you reduce the worry and keep your business locked down and secured? We hear from 3 Nexxtep engineers and managers on what precautions you should take.