Features
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Valdosta State University Recognized Nationally for Adult Learning Success
November 13, 2012
Valdosta State University's innovative efforts to improve access and college completion for adults has earned the university national recognition from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). VSU President William J. McKinney officially accepted the 2012 CAEL Institutional Service Award today at the organization's annual conference in Washington, D.C.
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12 Valdosta Businesses Recognized for GrowSmart Completion
November 12, 2012
Twelve local small businesses were recognized for completion of the Valdosta Small Business Development Center’s GrowSmart program this past week.
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The Five Most Important Estate Planning Documents
November 09, 2012
It may be the subject matter — death, incapacity and taxes — that causes us to avoid estate planning. However, the fact is that, no matter what your age or how much wealth you’ve accumulated, you need an estate plan to protect yourself, your loved ones and your assets — both now while you’re still active as well as after your death. Having an effective estate plan is one of the most important things you can do for your family.
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WBL Program at VHS Helps Address Skill Deficit
November 07, 2012
Ask any small-town business owner what their number one challenge is and they are likely to talk about the difficulty of finding skilled employees with a strong work ethic. The Work Based Learning (WBL) program at Valdosta High School (VHS) and other area schools is helping local employers address that challenge.
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A Case for Voting YES for SPLOST VII
November 06, 2012
Valdosta Businessman Mike Hill gives his take on why you should vote yes for SPLOST VII.
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Work Is Easier When You’re Motivated
November 05, 2012
Inspiration feels like catching a genie in a bottle — elusive and sometimes unreal. But when you tap into it for yourself, then you find a new kind of motivation. In an inspired state, every impossible question has an answer. You were probably inspired when you started your business. And if you’ve inherited something that you never wanted, then it’s time to discover the parts of the business that set you on fire — so to speak.
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Is Your Business Great to Own?
November 02, 2012
Many CEOs and business owners will agree that the benefits of ownership far outweigh the struggles and daily challenges. While entrepreneurship is still one of the best ways to fulfill the American dream, only a small percentage of companies are truly “great to own.”
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Valdosta Chamber Responds to Misguided Valdosta Daily Times Article
October 30, 2012
A recent Valdosta Daily Times editorial criticized the Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Authority for not setting the clock back 25 years to when "manufacturing and agriculture" sustained Valdosta with "well paying, solid blue collar and middle income jobs".
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The Myth of Customer Service
October 29, 2012
There’s a pervasive myth about customer service that, if you believe it, could have devastating consequences for your small business. It’s one you’ve probably heard dozens, if not hundreds, of times over the life of your business.
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5 Ways To Prepare For Success With Intelligent Forecasting
October 26, 2012
My company, Journyx, has been around for sixteen years now and during that time, we have weathered one of the biggest economic downturns in history, the emergence of the simultaneously exciting and terrifying social media sphere, and major transitions in how software is purchased and delivered. However, we were not always so hardy.
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SGMC Enters Purchase Agreement to Acquire Berrien County Hospital
October 25, 2012
The Board of Trustees of the Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia, South Georgia Medical Center and Smith Northview Hospital, and the co-owners of Berrien County Hospital, Mr. Chuck E. Jabaley and Mr. Frederick Lester, jointly announce that the Hospital Authority is purchasing Berrien County Hospital.
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Small Business Leaders: How Social Should You Be?
October 24, 2012
Social media can be an effective tool when used to help establish and promote a brand, as well as enable interactions with a company. The question that businesses must answer is: who should act as the communiqué for a company?
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Measuring Your Company Goals
October 22, 2012
I’ve been making New Year’s Resolutions for my business for years. You could also call what I compile at the start of the year goals for my company. Rather than creating a stagnant business plan that I forget to update, I simply revisit what I want for my company at the fresh start of the year.
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What Should You Do With A Dying Industry: Run or Reinvent?
October 19, 2012
Things change. The business owner knows that better than any one. Change can alter the impact of your company. And if it’s not the kind of change that you’re looking for, it can kill your bottom line. We change everyday. Our favorite items may not be our favorites any more. When we change our mind, we alter our spending to match our new taste. It’s the same for your clients, they can change their minds and their spending habits.
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Pent-Up Demand Turns to Sales at Turner's Fine Furniture
October 17, 2012
Austin Turner, co-owner with his brother Fortson of Turner's Fine Furniture, believes "things are getting ready to turn in the housing market." Business at the furniture retailer was up in August compared to the same period in 2011.
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Hiring Temporary Employees: Read This First
October 15, 2012
When your small business needs extra hands on deck during busy times, are you relying more and more on temporary employees to fill the bill? You’re not alone. NBCnews recently reported that the trend toward temporary employment is becoming a permanent feature of the U.S. economic landscape.
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Want Great Marketing: Follow Apple’s Example
October 12, 2012
On August 20, 2012, Apple surpassed Microsoft to become the largest public company in history. It’s a fact that makes it easy to forget that, not that long ago, Apple didn’t even exist. What’s contributed greatly to Apple’s success is great marketing. As most people know, Steve Jobs was a big believer in great, smart, creative marketing. It’s something he believed in from the very beginning of Apple.
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Williams Investment Company Rides I-75 to Prosperity
October 10, 2012
In the early 1960s, John L. Williams had the foresight to realize that the construction of Interstate 75 would change the way people traveled between the northern and southern United States. He set about building a business based in southern Georgia to take advantage of that travel.
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Which Retirement Plan Is Right for Your Business?
October 09, 2012
If you own a small business, there are many retirement plan alternatives available to help you and your eligible employees with retirement planning. To make an informed decision on which plan is right for your business, we take a look and review the differences in your options.
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How to Use Google+ Hangouts For Business
October 08, 2012
When Google+ launched last summer one of its most interesting features was Google+ Hangouts, especially if you were a business owner. By utilizing Google+ Hangouts SMBs could stream live broadcasts directly from their Web site, YouTube channel or Google+ profile with just a few clicks and no additional software. But now that a year has gone by, how have businesses used these Hangouts? How can we alluse them to increase engagement with our customers and to build our brands?
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Here’s What Your Employees Want: Are You Listening?
October 05, 2012
When it comes to what your employees want, too many small business owners are in denial. At least, that’s the finding of a new study by MetLife, which polled small business owners and employees and found that while employee loyalty has dropped steadily since 2008, employers mistakenly believe it’s on the rise.
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Valdosta State University Strives to be an Agent of Change
October 03, 2012
This story is one in a series of stories on the state of education in and around Valdosta. In this story, Dr. William McKinney, president of Valdosta State University shares his views on the future of public colleges and universities, and the initiatives under way at VSU.
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Georgia Creates Record Jobs and Investment in 2012
October 02, 2012
Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that jobs and investment generated by the Global Commerce division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development jumped by almost a third during the state’s most recent fiscal year. The department reported that the 403 company expansions or locations with which it assisted created 28,776 jobs.
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Dealing With “I Just Can’t Afford You”
October 01, 2012
Regardless of what you’re selling, most everyone in business has heard it: “Sorry, I just can’t afford it right now.” No one likes hearing that. In some cases it might be true. In most, however, it’s not.
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Where Do Franchisors Make Their Money?
September 28, 2012
I have a challenge for you, if you’re up to it. Ignore every pre-conceived notion you have about franchising for a few minutes. Pretend that it’s your first time learning about the franchise model. Be at one with the newness of it. Here we explore the world of franchising and how to profit from it.