Features
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Performance Dashboard Aids Budget Decisions for Athens Medical Practice
November 10, 2014
When Dr. Tara Merritt decided to move to Athens she had a hard time finding a practice that would support her specialty—pediatrics and sports medicine. So she decided to open an office of her own.
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Holiday Events and Happenings in Athens
November 07, 2014
The holiday season in Athens, Georgia, offers opportunity for endless celebration! Visitors can enjoy festive heritage events, artist markets for one-of-a-kind gifts and, as always in Athens, live music.
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Zaxby’s CEO McLeroy Drums Up Decades of Growth
November 06, 2014
As a youngster, Zaxby’s CEO, Zach McLeroy, dreamed of playing the drums as a rock star, or playing basketball as an all-star, but never could he have imagined becoming a superstar in the chicken business. In the relatively short span of a little over two decades, McLeroy and his grade school buddy and co-founder, Tony Townley, have taken their original Zaxby’s location in Statesboro, Georgia and replicated it more than 640 times—far exceeding their original long-term objective of 10 stores.
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12 Secrets to A+ Customer Service
November 05, 2014
You can’t run a successful business without happy customers. And while it may be impossible to please everyone all the time, there are some actionable techniques you can use to significantly improve customer satisfaction.
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Welcome the Newest Member of the Athena Industrial Park: The Southern Brewing Company
November 04, 2014
The Southern Brewing Company broke ground on the property located at 231 Collins Industrial Boulevard off US Highway 29 near Athens Tech on August 1st. The brewery plans to be operational in May 2015 and eventually grow to employ approximately 30 people. The brewery has plans for brewery tours and tastings, a music venue, a farmer’s market, an artist market, bike trails, a yeast lab, an art camp, and more.
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3 Steps to Avoid Mistaking Goals for Strategy
November 03, 2014
Mistaking goals for strategy occurs when a leader throws out a big stretch goal and attempts to motivate and inspire his troops into making it happen with no real plan or strategic advantage to accomplish the goal.
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10 Ways to Keep Up With Your Professional Network Online
October 31, 2014
Cultivating a wide professional network is great for business. However, the real key is keeping these relationships alive beyond the first meeting and connecting on LinkedIn. But how do you keep track of everyone in your network when you’re busy with your business?
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Wynfield Plantation Gives Guests a Little Something Extra
October 30, 2014
The South Georgia plantation belt running from Albany to Thomasville is home to the long traditions of hospitality and hunting. At Wynfield Plantation in Albany quail hunting and gracious hospitality merge into the picture-perfect setting for formal corporate events and informal business strategizing. Leaders in Georgia’s and the nation’s agricultural, banking, oil and gas, medical, chemical, trucking and private equity industries, as well as others, reward their best salespeople and top clients with excellent accommodations and guided hunting experiences.
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What’s the Biggest Influencer in Consumer Purchase Decisions?
October 29, 2014
There’s a lot of discussion about the ever-changing evolution of sales strategy. This evolution is strongly driven by one important factor – the customer. Have you ever wanted to know why people buy? And what influences consumer purchase decisions?
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Startup Spotlight: IS3D Interactive Science in 3D
October 28, 2014
A recent start-up company originating from UGA research, IS3D is developing interactive software tools to help K-12 students learn STEM concepts by applying critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems.
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Hannah Solar Ensures Georgia’s Place in the Sun
October 27, 2014
Georgia is one of the fastest growing solar markets in the country and Hannah Solar, winner of the 2014 Champion of Change Award, is accommodating commercial-industrial and agricultural demand for solar energy. We talk to CEO of Georgia-Based Hannah Solar Pete Marte about the growth of the industry in the state.
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Economics of Emotions: The Vital Role They Play In Business
October 24, 2014
Let me illustrate a problem that many small businesses can relate to. When we were just starting out as a “little-tech-company-that-could,” we struggled to properly market ourselves right out of the gate. For example, we once had a customer tell us, “If your company designed a Coca-Cola can, it would be a white can with black list of ingredients.” Let me be the first to say – ouch. But why did that impression exist?
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Wells Fargo Supports Georgia Small Biz in Post-Recession Economy
October 23, 2014
Wells Fargo serves 2.9 million Georgians with deposits of $29.6 billion. The reach of Wells Fargo, however, extends far beyond the customers who use its 281 bank stores distributed across the state. The bank’s leaders and staff are committed to positively impacting the whole of Georgia’s economy through small business programs available both to customers and non-customers.
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University of Georgia- An Economic Engine for Athens-Clarke County and the State
October 22, 2014
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GaMEP Positively Impacts Georgia’s Manufacturing Sector
October 21, 2014
U.S. manufacturing is experiencing a renaissance, and the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Program (GaMEP) is ensuring that Georgia’s manufacturing industry resurges with the nation’s.
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Power Partners Celebrates Manufacturing Day
October 20, 2014
Manufacturing Day, MFG DAY, is nationally recognized on the first Friday of October each year. MFG Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. Power Partners invited the community to visit their facility for a plant tour on MFG Day and learn about a wide variety of career opportunities available in manufacturing.
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6 Nifty Invoicing Solutions for Small Business
October 17, 2014
Small businesses have needs that are unique and vary from business to business. Close to 90% of all functional businesses comprise less than 5 employees, and hence cannot work with accounting solutions tailor-made for gigantic companies. Invoicing and accounting solutions specifically designed for freelancers and small businesses have grown in popularity over the last few years.
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When to Give Business Gifts and Who to Give Them to
October 16, 2014
You don’t have to wait for the holidays to send out business gifts. There are several different groups of people that might warrant gift giving. But if you’re wondering when to give business gifts and who to give them to, a general rule of thumb is to send gifts to the people who help make your company great.
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Case Study: Reimagining Our Downtown, How Greenville SC is Building One of the Best in America
October 15, 2014
In Savannah, a Critical Issues presentation by HunterMaclean featured the successful and now famous revitalization efforts in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina, and its mayor, Knox White. White, the featured presenter at the seminar held at Savannah Technical College, said, “We’ve worked very intentionally with planners to create a great city.” And a great city they did make.
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TAG Athens Hosts Technology Town Hall
October 14, 2014
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry and the TAG Athens Chapter, will be hosting a Technology Town Hall meeting 3:30 PM Tuesday October 14th at FourAthens.
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Georgia's Credit Union Celebrate International Credit Union Month
October 13, 2014
Credit unions statewide are celebrating International Credit Union Month this October. In Athens, its no different, with Robins Federal Credit Union branches in the Athens area joining in the celebration.
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Rob Betzel: Could You Take a Month of Vacation Without Work Stress?
October 10, 2014
Many of us dream of getting away to someplace exotic and staying there for weeks if not months, but most never do. There are many reasons: too expensive, not enough saved up vacation time, family obligations or our pets/plants/gardens, but the biggest reason for most of us do not take time to enjoy ourselves is work.
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Brenau’s Business School Adopts Entrepreneurial Strategy
October 08, 2014
Education costs are rising and the skills demanded in the 21st-century workplace are changing at a rapid rate. Institutions of higher education are challenged with aligning academic programs with the tuition charged and the knowledge and skills desired by employers.
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Merial Celebrates 25 Years of Animal Health Innovations & Manufacturing in Athens
October 07, 2014
Merial, the animal health division of Sanofi, is celebrating 25 years since opening its first U.S. facility in Athens, Georgia. The anniversary is an important milestone in the history of Merial in Athens and the state of Georgia – and of the company’s impact on global animal health and the local economy.
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University System of Georgia Studies Demand for Georgia Film Academy
October 06, 2014
The University System of Georgia trademarked the name Georgia Film Academy as a proactive measure in its process of determining whether the state of Georgia has need – and the exact nature of the need – for such an institution.