Features
-
President McKinney appointed to Southern Georgia Regional Commission
August 23, 2013
Valdosta State University President William J. McKinney has been appointed to serve on the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC) by Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston.
-
Stacy Bush on Saving for Retirement
August 22, 2013
Although most of us recognize the importance of sound retirement planning, few of us embrace the nitty-gritty work involved. With thousands of investment possibilities, complex rules governing retirement plans, and so on, most people don't even know where to begin. Here are some suggestions to help you get started.
-
Community Business & Industry Partnership Tackles Local Workforce Issues
August 21, 2013
Finding job-ready new hires; helping proven employees advance, developing middle managers. These were some of the top workforce issues discussed by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Community Business & Industry Partnership in its fall-quarter event with local business and education leaders.
-
What You Need to Know About Business Licenses and Permits
August 20, 2013
If you’re launching a business, you’ve probably already looked into the option of incorporating or forming an LLC for your new company. This act registers your business with the state, and you should be all set to legally operate your business, right? Not so fast. Incorporating or forming an LLC creates a legal entity for your business, but there are most likely other permits and licenses that you’ll need to obtain.
-
Georgia Currently 23rd in the Nation for Solar Power
August 16, 2013
Today, Environment Georgia Research & Policy Center released Lighting the Way, a new report highlighting a solar energy boom across the country. The report outlines the twelve states that have made a considerable contribution to the nation’s rise in solar power. Georgia, however, missed the cut and ranks 23rd in the nation for per capita solar installations. But, Georgia should not be written off yet, in the past year the Georgia Public Service Commission has voted to expand Georgia’s solar market by over 700 MW.
-
“Jobs” Movie Chronicles the Life of a Creative Entrepreneur
August 15, 2013
Jobs, the indie biopic about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, is set to release tomorrow. The movie chronicles Jobs’s journey from college dropout to successful creative entrepreneur, taking place roughly from 1971 to 1991. Though the movie is specifically about the beginnings of Apple and, more specifically, Jobs’ rise as an innovator, entrepreneurs may find things that will inspire them in their own journey.
-
Dr. Tina Anderson Takes the Reins at Wiregrass
August 13, 2013
On July 1st, Dr. Tina Anderson became president of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, after serving as president of Moultrie Technical College for 10 years. In her first month on the job, Anderson has visited the school's four campuses, meeting with faculty and staff. She has also been learning the details of the school's budget and getting ready for the start of the fall semester on August 20.
-
How Do Your Employee Benefits Stack Up?
August 12, 2013
Are you worried about retaining your key employees as the economy heats up? Or do you need to attract new workers to help with growing demand for your product or service, or to expand your business? In either case, employee benefits are an important factor in whether employees choose to join your company, stay with your business for the long haul or jump ship. How do you know if your employee benefits measure up?
-
Doug Robinson: Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
August 09, 2013
Salespeople continually hear the mantra, practice makes perfect, but that’s not really true. As the title above emphasizes, it’s perfect practice that makes perfect, underscoring the fact that not just any practice will do.
-
Starting A Small Business: 7 Deadly Sins
August 07, 2013
A small business owner’s life can be a real roller coaster. There’s no road map, and pitfalls lurk around every corner. While making mistakes may be a great way to learn, it’s a lot better to avoid them in the first place.
-
Georgia Manufacturing Falls Below National Index for First Time in 2013
August 05, 2013
Georgia manufacturers experienced lower activity for the fourth consecutive month, falling below the national index for July, according to the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) released today by Kennesaw State University’s Econometric Center in the Michael J. Coles College of Business.
-
5 Ways Your Business Can Beat the Summer Slump
August 01, 2013
It’s the dog days of summer, and your small business might be starting to feel like a ghost town. Everybody seems to be working shorter days, or on vacation, or just not ready to shift gears from browsing to buying. You may be thinking of throwing in the towel, but your business doesn’t have to suffer from a summer slowdown.
-
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.