December 2016 Features

  • The UGA Small Business Development Center in Athens to Host SBDC StartSMART Series

    December 16, 2016

    Beginning January 27, 2017 the Athens SBDC will hold StartSMART, its signature program for new entrepreneurs. Through the 5-week course, participants will learn how to evaluate their concept, develop plans, acquire a working knowledge of business fundamentals, build an infrastructure for business operations and processes, and develop a financial forecast.

  • Four Athens Announces New Executive Director

    December 14, 2016

    Four Athens, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving high-growth startups and educating software coders since 2011, has announced the selection of Jordan Burke as its new Executive Director.

  • Governor Caps 2016 Biennial Institute by Touting Georgia’s Economic Success

    December 07, 2016

    Georgia remains a national leader in job creation and economic development because of infrastructure improvements the General Assembly supported, Gov. Nathan Deal told lawmakers at the 30th Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators Tuesday.

  • Profile: Crystal Stevens of Creative Financial Group

    December 05, 2016

    For some people, landing a dream job right out of college and sticking with that career for a lifetime works out. But for others, we discover new career callings and evolve as we grow with a versatile company. The latter was the case for Crystal Stevens. With an early eye on business, Stevens, Certified Financial Planner and Enrolled Agent/Tax Preparer at Creative Financial Group in Atlanta, quickly discovered she had a passion for financial planning. To find out more about personal and professional satisfaction as one of Atlanta’s dynamic financial planners, Georgia CEO discusses career goals, job satisfaction and financial futures with Creative Financial Group’s Crystal Stevens.

  • Athens-based FormFree CEO Brent Chandler Receives HW Vanguard Award

    December 02, 2016

    FormFree announced that its CEO and founder Brent Chandler has been recognized by HousingWire magazine in its second annual HW Vanguard Awards program. Created to recognize outstanding leadership in the housing and mortgage finance sectors, this year’s awards honored 40 C-level and business unit executives.

  • How to Train Temporary Workers During the Busy Holiday Season

    December 01, 2016

    Many businesses hire additional workers during the holiday season to help with increased demand. This year, retailers are expected to employ between 640,000 and 690,000 temporary workers, according to the National Retail Federation. Improperly trained temporary hires can present workplace safety risks. A 2014 study conducted by Travelers Insurance found that 28% of injuries happen within the first year of employment.

  • 10 Small But Essential Ways to Boost Your Business

    December 01, 2016

    Giving your business a boost doesn’t have to be difficult or incredibly time consuming. In fact, there are some essential elements of building successful businesses that can sometimes get overlooked. These suggestions from members of our small business community include some small but important things you can do to boost your business right away.