Buzz on Biz Issue December 2018

City looks to boost downtown vibe. Page 29

DECEMBER 2018 • THE CSRA’S MONTHLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

SNOWFLAKES IN AUGUSTA

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

Bobbie Prescott works at caning a chair seat, one of the furniture repair jobs performed at Augusta Training Shop, which has been helping the disabled since the late 1940s. Photo by Gary Kauffman

AUGUSTA TRAINING SHOP HELPS THOSE WITH DISABILITIES SHINE

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

For Bobbie Prescott, working at Augusta Training Shop is more than a job – it’s a place of family and a blessing.

Prescott, 64, became a paraplegic when she was 28 years old, and 20 years ago she became a doubleamputee. But she knew she was still capable of some kind of work.

“I was sitting at home, just asking the Lord, ‘I know there’s something I’m able to do,’” she said.

Nearly seven years ago, while on a bus traveling to an appoint-

ment, the bus stopped at Augusta Training Shop to drop off another passenger. Intrigued, Prescott later rolled over to the shop in her motorized wheel chair and was hired.

“It’s allowed me to get out of the house, to have fellowship with others and learn a trade,” she said.

“The bonus part is I get a little money with it.”

Prescott’s story is one of many similar stories among the employees of Augusta Training Shop, where people with mental or physical handicaps are trained in

specialized skills including furniture repair, chair caning and the intricate weaving of wooden snowflakes that have become the shop’s signature product.

“It’s a second home for everybody here,” said Leah McGee, program supervisor. “It’s very nurturing and supportive. There’s a sense here that everyone looks out for each other.”

Augusta Training Shop started in 1947 as a day care for people See TRAINING on Page 2

THE

It doesn’t snow often in Augusta, but one tiny shop off Walton Way is filled with snowflakes year-round.

Augusta Training Shop has become known in the last few years for the exquisite wooden snowflakes woven by hand by employees who are physically and mentally challenged.

There are a wide variety of patterns and, since they are handmade, none of them is exactly alike, just like real snowflakes.

“It’s a piece of Augusta’s story,” said Leah McGee, program supervisor. “It makes a very meaningful gift.”

Employee Adrian Williams, who has non-verbal autism, created the first snowflake about six years ago and then trained others in the shop in the weaving technique.

“Adrian is incredibly intelligent and able to problem-solve,” McGee said.

“We saw the idea of the

snowflakes in a picture and Adrian figured out how to make them.”

Each snowflake comes with a postcard that briefly explains the story of the snowflakes and Augusta Training Shop, plus a tag with a photo and short biography of the employee who made that particular snowflake.

Eight basic styles are available, and there are a variety of sizes and degrees o f intricacy.

The snowflakes can be purchased on the organization’s website, augustatrainingshop.com/snowflakes, and are available in some area stores. Recently, they have also been featured in various catalogs and magazines.

This year, Augusta Training Shop has added handwoven Christmas trees of various sizes. Unlike the snowflakes, they cannot be shipped and have to be purchased at the shop at 1704 Franklin Lane.

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TRAINING

W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T P L A N S F O R fa m i ly

Adrian Williams, who has non-verbal autism, works on repairing a chair seat. Williams was the employee who figured out how to weave Augusta Training Shop’s signature snowflakes and taught others the technique. Photo by Gary Kauffman

Continued from Page 1 with cerebral palsy. About 50 years ago, it transitioned into a workplace to allow those with physical or mental disabilities to learn a trade and earn some money.

The shop has a capacity for 25 employees – and they are employees, paid for their work – and some have worked there for more than 30 years. Most have some form of mental challenge, while others, like Prescott, have physical handicaps.

“There aren’t always a lot of options for them,” McGee said. “Their options are incredibly limited.”

Augusta Training Shop has a variety of jobs in furniture refinishing and weaving snowflakes.

“There are some things they’re very capable of doing,” McGee said. “We find out what works best for the individual.

The trick is to find the diamond in the rough to see what really shines in that individual. We’re looking for what everyone can do instead of what they can’t do.”

The jobs the employees become experts in are the things that people without their handicaps often find difficult. Prescott, for example, skillfully performs the intricate work of caning chair seats.

“We’ve had a number of customers bring in chairs that they started caning themselves for us to finish for them,” McGee said. “They tell us, ‘It looked so easy on YouTube.’”

The employees show a concentration and dedication to their work that would make most employers envious.The joy they take in their tasks infuses the work space and is passed on to visitors to the shop.

2 Buzz on Biz December 2018

“It’s exciting for them to have that sense of accomplishment,” McGee said. “As much as anything, it instills self-esteem.

It’s important for them to feel like what they do matters, that they’re not a burden.”

The snowflakes, woven in a wide variety of styles and sizes from thin strips of wood, have become the shop’s signature item. They have also become an important revenue stream.

Like most nonprofits, funding is always critical. Augusta Training Shop still relies on outside funding, but selling the snowflakes provides a financial buffer.

“The snowflakes are a unique way to establish income we otherwise didn’t have,” McGee said.

Refinishing furniture remains an important function of the shop. Several employees strip and sand the furniture, while others work on various repairs and refinishing.

McGee believes that Augusta Training Shop is the only facility like it in the region. Visitors are encouraged to come to the shop at 1704 Franklin Lane (behind the Family Dollar on Walton Way, near the medical district).

“We’re unique in what we do,” McGee said. “It’s good for the community to come in and understand what we do here.”

What Augusta Training Shop does is provide a safe space where people often marginalized by society can thrive.

Prescott spoke what she and the rest of the employees feel.

“When you come here, you don’t want to leave,” she said. “I’m having the time of my life.”

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INSPIRATION OR PERSPIRATION?

IT TAKES MORE THAN AN IDEA TO FIRE UP A NEW BUSINESS

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

I recently received an email from a friend in another city about an idea he has to open a restaurant. The idea sounds intriguing – a high-end steak restaurant, featuring Japanese beef, that would sell memberships. Members would receive additional perks at the restaurant.

It’s a great idea, but that’s the problem – it’s only an idea, not a plan. Within the first few minutes after reading it I could see several potential problems that could sink my friend faster than the Titanic.

The most glaring one is that, as far as I know, he has zero experience in the restaurant business, not even at McDonald’s.

He simply has always enjoyed grilling steaks and developing tasty marinades for them. I’ve had some of his steaks; he really is good at it.

Running a successful restaurant, of course, requires much more than a simple love of grilling. In fact, I’ve talked to people who started a restaurant because they loved to cook but ended up having to hire cooks because the business side of the restaurant took up too much of their time.

Another problem is that, as far as I know, he has no experience at grilling the expensive Japanese beef, which requires a master’s touch. Since the beef can retail for $150 to $200 per serving, I question just how high the demand for it will be.

Just like a good steak, success in business requires the right amount of preparation.

Another glaring issue is that he has no money. He plans to use a crowdfunding platform to raise the millions it will take to get the restaurant off the ground.

There are also a few visions of grandeur dancing in his head. He has plans to expand within a few years to such high-end locations as Las Vegas, where he would be competing with the likes of chefs Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck.

There is nothing wrong with having a big dream, but I will have to see a little more solid footing under him before I part with a dime toward his financing.

In contrast, another friend of mine plans to open a donut shop in the near future. He has been researching this for more than a year, including making sev-

eral trips to another state where a friend has an established donut shop.

He has helped make the donuts and listened as the owner told him about the behind-the-scenes realities of running such a shop.

After spending several months searching, he settled on a location that is on a high-traffic route for the morning commute. It is a building that, while he will have some cash outlay in remodeling it to his specifications, is considerably less expensive than building something new.

He is experimenting with some specialty donuts that will differentiate his shop from others in the area. He has recruited other people to help him get started, and they are also invested in the success of the business. There might be plans for expansion in the future, but if so, he’s kept them low-key.

The restaurant business, whether a high-end steakhouse or a donut shop, is demanding, and, as a result, the failure rate among startups is high. Perhaps neither of my friends will end up successful, but it doesn’t take much discernment to tell which of them has the far better chance of succeeding. One has an idea; the other has a plan.

If you’re an established business owner, you know well all the headaches – as well as the joys – that come with the territory.

Features Homegrown Talent......................................4 Augusta schools are growing a cyber workforce here at home.

Openings, Closings............................. 12, 13

Buzz Bits................................................... 6-7

Businessperson of the Month.................. 20 For Rick Busby, running a business is in his blood.

Small Business Summit...............................8 Experts give advice to help small business owners be successful.

Waiting Game........................................... 11 Augusta looks to promote “good growth” in the city.

Upcoming Events................................ 14, 15

Bipartisan Issues....................................... 26 U.S. Chamber executive plans to work with divided congress.

The Play’s the Thing.................................. 28 Augusta Players bring professional-level performances to the local stage.

Columnists Tim Dalton: Traps to avoid when a business acquirer comes calling..........................................................................................10 Mark Alison: Success depends on knowing what contracts say................................................................................................................16 Tammy Shepherd: Chamber thrives with sacrificial help of its volunteers...........................................................................................18 Christine Hall: Pass-through entities qualify for new deductions...............................................................................................22 Russell Head: It’s open enrollment season.....................................23 Ed Enoch: Make the needed changes to enjoy each day........23

Dagan Sharpe: True greatness is measured by heart, not wallet..........................................................................................................24 Tony Creighton: The cheapest option could end up costing more...........................................................................................................24 Susan O’Keefe: Whistle Stop Café 573 punches ticket for good eats..................................................................................................27 Samantha Barksdale: Spend the holidays with a few good shows.........................................................................................................30 Ben Casella: Dark Brew complements the season’s chilly weather.....................................................................................................30

And, like me, you probably have had more than a few friends tell you their “idea” for a business. Hopefully, you’ve been able to steer them toward reality without bursting the bubble of their dream.

If you’re a would-be entrepreneur reading this, I encourage you to make sure you’ve turned your great idea into a great plan. At a minimum, your plan should include lots of internet research and talking frankly with others who have been successful in your field – and that should include about three times as much listening to them as you talking about your idea.

Ideally, you should work in the industry – you could even offer to work for another business owner in a noncompeting area for free for a month just to learn the inner workings of the business.

Preparation is essential. The business world is fraught with peril for those who are well-prepared; it can destroy those who have no preparation at all.

In addition to serving as editor of Buzz on Biz, Gary Kauffman is a Christian life coach working from an office in Martinez. Contact him at 803.341.5830 or kauffmancoaching@gmail.com or visit kauffmancoaching. com.

The Buzz on Biz mission is to act as an inspirational tool for those in the workplace and those who are entrepreneurs, and to provide useful, practical information to increase their companies’ bottom lines.

To order a 12-month subscription mailed to your home or office, please mail a check for $49 (includes sales tax) to cover postage to the address below.

Publisher Ashlee Duren, ashlee.duren@augustamagazine.com Editor in Chief Gary Kauffman Assistant Editor & Layout Amanda Holahan Multimedia Journalist Witt Wells, witt.wells@buzzon.biz Photography Witt Wells, Gary Kauffman Sales Manager Lisa Dorn, lisa.dorn@augustamagazine.com Sales and PR Leslie Whitney, leslie.whitney@augustamagazine.com, 706-823-3719 Ad Building Michael Rushbrook Distribution Ken Brown Opinions expressed by the writers are their own and their respective institutions. Neither Morris Media Network nor its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only.

For the latest news, visit us at buzzon.biz Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/buzz-on-biz Follow us on Twitter @BuzzonBiz 643 Broad Street, Augusta GA 30901

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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HOMEGROWN TALENT

AUGUSTA SCHOOLS ARE GROWING A CYBER WORKFORCE

BY WITT WELLS

“Cyber” is Augusta’s favorite buzzword.

For those of us whose knowledge on the subject is limited, it tends to remain just that — a word.

But industry is buying in — cybersecurity and information technology companies have started putting down roots in the Garden City, especially after the U.S. Army Cyber Command announced that it will relocate to Fort Gordon by 2020.

But perhaps the best evidence of preparation for Augusta’s new cyber economy is found inside classrooms throughout the city.

This year’s freshman class at Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School, for example, is the guinea pig for the school’s new four-year program, for which kids are bused in from around the county for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.

The hope is that four years from now, a significant portion of those students will pass a CompTIA Security+ exam, which is a globally recognized cybersecurity skills test, and receive certification that could land them an internship or an entry-level job in the local market.

“The companies here, they’re screaming for them,” said Enod Gamble, who teaches advanced cybersecurity courses at RCTCM. Education in cybersecurity has become a major point of focus over the last few years. But for Augusta to actually experience some sort of economic boom from the cybersecurity industry, there will need to be more engagement between academia and industry. A study conducted

by Augusta University in 2017 stated that there are “simply not enough individuals going into the field of cybersecurity to meet the demand.”

Local schools and businesses are now working to make those connections happen.

Gamble said that since RCTCM implemented its new cybersecurity program, representatives from entities including the National Security Agency at Fort Gordon, ADP and Jefferson Energy Cooperative, to name a few, have visited the school to take a look at the curriculum and familiarize themselves with the students and the learning environment.

“You know, Augusta University and Augusta Tech were working on the same programs at the same time, and a lot of it came from Washington, too, because there was a desire from there … to attract people to come from the cyber com-

4 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Enod Gamble teaches advanced cybersecurity courses at Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School. He said getting every student engaged in cyber education is key, and he sees a lot of potential for students’ employment opportunities. Photo by Witt Wells

mand,” said Jason Stark, program specialist for the Cyber Academy of Excellence for the Richmond County School System. “They wanted to make sure that our school systems were actually providing this as an opportunity for their children.”

Stark said that program was implemented in nine months at RCTCM, a time frame he said is “unheard of.” At most schools, it usually takes a couple years.

“But that just shows you the amount of support and also pressure coming from the state-level government to really push this through, especially with the expansion of the Army Cyber Command,” Stark said.

Now they want to see how hard they can push the students without making them drink from a firehose.

“Look, the Security Plus, that is not an easy test,” Stark said. “Even among adults, even among military that are being trained professionally, spending eight hours a day gearing up to go take that test to get that certification, (they) struggle with it.”

“On the formal level, it’s above college,” Gamble said of the curriculum.

In fact, if students show enough promise early on, extensive schooling might not be necessary.

“It’s kind of one of those industries that, if you’re talented, you get your foot in the door, you can get those certifications later,” Stark said. “If you’re good at it, and you’re willing to work at it, you might not even need the schooling part to be successful in the industry. They know who knows their stuff and who doesn’t.”

Stark said the magnet school’s cyber program curriculum was built in collaboration between Richmond and Columbia counties around three years ago. It includes an introduction to digital technology, networking, cyber and advanced cyber courses.

“When I came last year, and I saw how the students really jumped into the program, it really encouraged me as a teacher because again I could see their potential as far as getting employed,” Gamble said.

The program is not what a typical high school student might expect. It has an entirely different set of goals. Passing the class, while important, isn’t the primary purpose. The goal is to pass the CompTIA exam.

Among the seniors in Gamble’s advanced class last semester, 29 took the test. Two passed.

“I have to say out of 100 percent that signed up, we’ll probably only get like 20 percent that actually get to that exam, because it’s that tough,” Gamble said. “But the ones that get to it will be the ones that really do more than what’s required in the classroom.”

He also expects that when the current freshmen become seniors, a higher percentage of them will be prepared for the test. They’ll have had four years to learn the course as opposed to last year’s class, which only had a year and a half to prepare.

The real problem now is a lack of teachers.

“Now the problem with that is that if you have a Security Plus certification, you can step out into Augusta and prob-

ably triple your salary,” Gamble said. “So, that’s the challenge, but that’s the school board’s job, that’s on them. But they’ve got to get some more teachers, no doubt.

But you got to want to do this. If you can see the potential of what these children can do, I think that’s why these teachers are here now.”

The demand for teachers won’t stop anytime soon, because schools across the city are implementing programs, from elementary school to college. Earlier this month, the Georgia Board of Regents voted to approve three new cybersecurity programs at Augusta University: Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering, Bachelor in Cyber Operations and a Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity.

Previously, the university’s only cyberrelated program was Information Technology and Computer Science.

As Darryl Stewart, who oversees cyber education for the Richmond County School System, said in a recent interview with WRDW, schools want to introduce students to cybersecurity long before college.

Grovetown’s new Belair K-8 School, which opened this year, requires all students to visit a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lab once per week for 45 minutes and provides technology-based opportunities for students to learn coding, engineering and robotics.

Once the students reach middle school, they are more thoroughly introduced to a curriculum that will prepare them for cyber education, should they decide to take that route in high school.

Students in sixth grade take a semester course titled “Business and Computer Science.” Students in seventh grade take a semester course titled “Business and Computer Science with Coding.”

Eighth-grade students take a yearlong course titled “Introduction to Digital Technology.”

The school is also working to launch several STEM-related clubs, including robotics, science and CyberPatriot, a national youth cyber-education program.

Give students a few years in those middle school programs, and jumping into a cybersecurity curriculum like the one at RCTCM will be that much easier.

“We want to reach every student — that’s our goal,” Gamble said. “And get every student engaged. And that’s the big word that goes around the county; we want the students engaged. With that part, actually, it’s been easier than I thought.”

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December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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COUNTIES AMONG STATE ECONOMIC LEADERS The local economy is booming, and that shows up in a report from the website SmartAsset, which looks at ways to help governments and businesses invest in counties or regions.

Richmond County ranked eighth in the state and 233rd in the nation in growth in gross domestic product (GDP), which is the total value of goods and services provided in a single year.

The county’s GDP growth was $794 million, despite a negative job growth of -0.9 percent, ranking 93rd among Georgia’s 159 counties.

Columbia County ranked in the top 10 in two areas, new building permits and federal funding, and 11th in incoming investment. The county ranked ninth in federal funding at $1,149 per capita, and 10th in new building permits with 22,900.

Across the river, Aiken County ranked first in South Carolina and 33rd in the nation in federal funding, with $15,183 per person, nearly triple the amount received by the secondplace county. The top Georgia county in federal funding is Houston County, with $4,446 per capita.

Aiken County also ranks 15th out 46 South Carolina counties in incoming investment, 16th in business growth, 12th in GDP growth and 15th in new building permits.

Only one Georgia county ranked in the top 10 counties in the nation in SmartAsset’s incoming investment index: Forsyth County, in fifth place.

Dawson County was 11th.

Columbia County had the highest index ranking of any local county, 52.50, putting it in the top half of U.S. counties.

GOODWILL HELPS VETS REINTEGRATE INTO CIVILIAN WORKFORCE As a leader in providing employment, Goodwill is encouraging Geor-

6 Buzz on Biz December 2018

buzz bits GEORGIA’S ‘BRUNCH BILL’ PASSES Augustans will have an easier time ordering alcoholic beverages at Sunday brunch thanks to both Richmond and Columbia counties voting in favor of Georgia’s “Brunch Bill” at the polls in November.

Diners across Georgia will now be able to order alcoholic beverages starting at 11 a.m. on Sundays as opposed to having to wait until 12:30 p.m., and Augusta is no exception.

The new law could prove to be a nice weekend boost for some local restaurants whose customers might be willing to spend more during what many people consider the highlight meal of the weekend.

Victoria Ibarra, general manager of Fuse, a downtown restaurant and frequent brunch destination, said that Sunday brunchers often delay arriving at the restaurant until 12:30 p.m.

“We’re actually really happy it passed,” Ibarra said of the bill. “Sunday mornings will go a lot smoother.”

Ibarra said it is common for Fuse to have diners from out of town, and they’re sometimes upset that the res-

taurant can’t serve alcohol until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“It’s also beneficial for the flow of our serving staff and, I think, increases the guests’ experience,” Ibarra said.

Cary Goldsmith, owner of another popular local Sunday brunch spot, Bodega Ultima, said he expects the new law to close the gap that he sees between business on Saturdays and Sundays.

“I can say that, typically, Saturdays are probably a 20 percent improvement over Sunday,” Goldsmith said. “So, hopefully it’ll balance out the Saturday and Sunday.”

It’s not yet clear when the bill will take effect in Augusta (it already went into effect in Atlanta). But Richmond County passed an ordinance amendment over the summer, so it’s expected to take effect as soon as the approval on the referendum is verified.

According to a report from WRDW, the bill could take effect in Columbia County on Jan. 1, 2019, as the county has not yet passed an ordinance amendment.

Restaurants in Richmond and Columbia counties should soon be able to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.

gians to hire veterans. Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA is taking the lead in helping military veterans reintegrate into communities and the local economy.

Some veterans will find reintegration to be an easy task, some will experience challenges and still others – particularly those who have suffered physical injuries or emotional trauma

Goodwill Job connection helps people, including veterans, get onto solid career paths in their communities.

– will find the transition overwhelming.

Goodwill helps through its eight Job Connection centers in the CSRA and middle Georgia. There, career development specialists help to create career paths, like the one they created for John, a veteran of the Army.

John was discouraged and struggling to find a job after 13 years as a food service specialist.

Goodwill helped him apply for his GI Bill to attend Helms College’s School of Hospitality, where he is also getting hands-on experiences in various food industry settings.

Through the partnership with Helms College and Goodwill Job Connection, John is on the right path to achieve his dream of someday owning a restaurant.

According to the U.S. Census, there are more than 640,000 veterans living in Georgia. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans in Georgia is 3.5 percent – meaning there are more than 22,000 veterans in need of a job.

In 2017, Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA served 1,144 veterans and placed 345 in careers.

And now they are encouraging business owners throughout the community to consider veterans when they have open positions to fill.

“Hiring veterans is not charity – it is an investment in our community,” said James Stiff, president of Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. “Millions of dollars are spent to train our armed forces personnel, and we need to find a way to repurpose those skills.

“We hope community members will help to spread the word about services available at Goodwill for veterans and that employers will give our returning heroes a chance for gainful employment.”

Goodwill has created alliances with community partners to maximize resources, avoid duplication of services and most effectively assist veterans to transition into employment.

This effort will help to reduce or eliminate barriers to employment and provide opportunities for higher-paying positions for veterans and their

buzz bits families.

For more information about Goodwill’s services for area veterans, visit goodwillworks.org.

N. AUGUSTA PART OF DOWNTOWN RENEWAL PROGRAM A facelift may be coming soon to downtown North Augusta after it was accepted into the Main Street South Carolina program.

North Augusta Forward headed the application process for the program. The Main Street program offers a comprehensive revitalization program for local downtowns.

North Augusta will receive technical support and training to turn its downtown into a center for community and economic activity.

According to North Augusta Forward, the facelift to the downtown will be a collaboration between itself and the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce, downtown businesses, the city and the citizens of North Augusta.

T.R. Reddy has received the 2018 Fleur-de-Lis Award from the Boy Scouts of America’s Georgia-Carolina Council. The award honors outstanding community service.

BOY SCOUTS HONOR T.R. REDDY

GOODWILL LAUNCHES AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

The Boy Scouts of America’s Georgia-Carolina Council honored local businessman and community leader T.R. Reddy at its 18th annual Fleurde-Lis Gala on Nov. 2.

Reddy received the 2018 Fleur-deLis Award for providing outstanding civic service to adults and youth in the greater Augusta area.

The honor was created to recognize local citizens who have provided outstanding community service through demonstrated leadership to various organizations in the Augusta area.

“It’s exciting to see (growth) happening, good to see after so many lulls in the area in activity,” Reddy said.

“There’s a lot going here, good for everybody.”

Reddy said his work with the Salvation Army over the years has been particularly rewarding.

The first Fleur-de-Lis Award was

Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia is launching a new program across its 35-county area to engage local leaders and make them ambassadors of the organization. The program is called the Goodwill Ambassador Program.

The program has seen success at other Goodwills around the country and was honored by Goodwill Industries International as the Volunteer Program of the Year, an award which recognizes an outstanding volunteerdriven program at a member Goodwill organization that is mission-focused and outcome-oriented.

Goodwill selects a program that

has a lasting impact on the people it serves and is a model for other Goodwill organizations to replicate.

“Goodwill is the foundation to help a community grow,” said James Stiff, president of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. “With such an enriching and caring community, the Goodwill Ambassador program is a wonderful platform to leverage the resources available in our community.”

Ambassadors will be invited to attend monthly Lunch-and-Learn events held at various spots in the

given last year to retired Brig. Gen. Robert Thomas Cutting. Cutting died in October.

Reddy, an engineer by trade, is actively involved in the local Augusta community.

He is a graduate of 1991 Leadership Augusta. He serves or has served on the boards of the Augusta Chamber of Commerce, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Easter Seals of America, University Hospital Foundation, St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, and the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Reddy also was appointed by the governor of Georgia to the Georgia Medical Center Authority. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Salvation Army and Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau and is the chairman of the Trinity Hospital Board of Trustees. Reddy is also a Rotarian. community.

“The Goodwill Ambassador program is a great way to showcase how my company is providing good corporate social responsibility and helping our community, while partnering with such an amazing organization,” stated Honey Miscall, business development manager at Progressive Communication.

To register or find out more about the upcoming Lunch-and-Learn events, visit Goodwill’s website, www. goodwill.org, or call Brandi Hartness at 478-733-4201.

VOGTLE SEEKS SKILLED WORKERS FROM NORTH Plant Vogtle in Burke County is so desperate for skilled utility workers that it is going north of the border.

According to reports, the facility needs 750 electrical workers and pipefitters and is looking to bring Canadians to Georgia to fill the void.

The Georgia Department of Labor is handling the visa applications needed to secure those workers.

Local institutions are working to train more residents to do the work.

That training produces about 200 skilled workers per year, but that number falls far short of Plant Vogtle’s immediate needs.

Plant Vogtle has jobs for about 7,000 workers. It expects to add even more jobs in the near future.

Eight area Walmart stores now offer grocery delivery services. Details vary depending on the store.

WALMART STARTS LOCAL GROCERY DELIVERIES If curbside grocery pickup service at Walmart hasn’t been convenient enough, eight local Walmarts now offer a grocery delivery service. Home deliveries can be ordered through the Walmart Grocery app or at grocery. walmart.com.

Walmart joins Kroger with a grocery delivery service in the CSRA. Target also has a same-day delivery service for Augusta and some areas of North Augusta.

The delivery services are available for a fee. Details vary depending on the store.

Catch the Buzz! Follow business and economic news across the CSRA at buzzon.biz.

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT

PLANNING AND EDUCATION HELP OWNERS BE SUCCESSFUL

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

Running a small business is hard. It often takes the help of professionals in a wide variety of specialties to make it successful. On Nov. 13, representatives from five companies joined together for a two-hour Small Business Summit at the Cyberworks Academy building at the site of the former Sibley Mill.

Speaking were Ben Braxton, SME CPAs; Ed Enoch, Enoch-Tarver law firm; Mordecai Evans, Integra Business Brokers; Ryan Martin, Meybohm Commercial Properties; and Kurt Mueller, Consolidated Planning. Following are capsules of their presentations.

Ben Braxton: Mechanics of a successful small business

Since making money is the essence of successfully keeping a business running, Braxton dug into two sales methods, their strengths and weaknesses, and common mistakes businesses make that strangle their income stream.

There are two sales methods for running a successful small business: Maximizing sales, which involves producing a large quantity of product while minimizing cost, and maximizing margins, which involves charging a maximum price while managing costs. For small businesses, Braxton said, maximizing margins “is where you have to live.”

Maximizing margins, though, means charging a premium price for your product or service. The strengths of that are the ability to maintain high quality, control of service and production and higher customer loyalty.

But when things get tough, Braxton said, “Owners start freaking out. Nine times out of 10, the reaction is to cut prices and double production.” But since that increases costs, the profit margin diminishes until owners are working twice as hard for half the profit.

Ways to protect your margins are to provide a quality product at the appropriate price, provide superior customer service, control costs without compromising quality, understand that as a small business your market will be limited and, when things get tough, instead of cutting prices, look for alternative or complementary products to offer.

Braxton added that it is important to keep accurate and consistent records, find the best accounting system for your business needs and get specific about your costs.

8 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Ed Enoch: Top 10 things small businesses do wrong

Despite the heading, Enoch actually listed 11 things that can compromise business success.

Among them were: Determining accurately if you have employees or independent contractors. While it is tempting to turn employees into contractors to avoid associated benefits costs, the IRS and state and federal governments monitor this closely. He added that it is important to follow the federal guidelines in paying overtime to employees.

Enoch also advocated protecting your brand, especially your business name. This not only protects you from someone else using your business’s name, but doing research ahead of time can help you avoid violating someone else’s trademarked name.

Business owners should also do estate planning, Enoch said, since a business is usually a person’s largest asset. Such planning protects both your family and any business partners or employees you have. He added that agreements between multiple owners are vital.

As a corollary, he urged businesses to find the right insurance agent who understands the needs of a business.

Terminating employees is an area where Enoch often sees confusion and potential lawsuits. He said that documenting any employee violations that could result in termination is important, even if it’s just a text or email to yourself that can provide a date stamp.

Another issue Enoch frequently encounters with small businesses is not keeping personal and business finances separate. Paying attention to the proper paperwork is essential.

Finally, he urged small business owners to get help.

“If you don’t know, ask,” he said. “It’s much cheaper to ask than to find out later that you didn’t know.”

Mordecai Evans: How to exit on top

For most business owners, their business is their largest asset. The goal of an exit strategy, Evans said, is to empower business owners and give them control over how to get the most out of that asset.

However, statistics show that 80 percent of business owners don’t have an exit strategy, and 40 percent have no plan if the unexpected happens.

“But one statistic that makes sense is that 100 percent of business owners will transition,” Evans said. “Proper planning gives you control over this.”

There are three primary ways to set up a transition: internally, meaning within your family or to a key employee; externally, meaning selling to a third party; or liquidation, in which the business is closed and assets are sold.

The last option is usually what happens when the unexpected occurs with no plan in place.

Two key questions to ask are: Is the business ready to sell, and are you personally ready to exit? Evans added that owners usually get pushed out of a business, often by things out of their control such as health, or they get pulled out by new interests or planned lifestyle changes. Those who get pulled out are usually happier about exiting than those who are pushed out.

“Exit planning will take time and considerable resources,” Evans said.

“But I can guarantee that if you plan, it will be worth it.”

Citing a number of demographics, Martin said now is a great time to invest in Augusta, especially in the downtown area. Much of downtown was recently designated an Opportunity Zone, which carries a number of tax perks on property investments.

Downtown is important because of the influx of millennials and their general desire to avoid long commutes.

“Millennials are driving the next phase of Augusta,” Martin said. “Millennials want to live close enough to work to walk.”

That means there is a need for more housing and office space downtown.

There has already been a move to provide more offices through new buildings and renovating existing ones, but most residential building has been in small quantities.

Augusta is poised for incredible growth, Martin said. In just the second quarter of 2018, the area added 8,400 jobs, mostly in health care and cyber industries. Both of those areas are expected to continue to grow – the medical field and the military (primarily cyber) are expected to each contribute $1.6 billion to the local economy over the next five years. Augusta University is also planning to expand.

“The question is, how do we create and sustain local investment?” Martin said. “It has to be long-term in nature.

We have to plan not for tomorrow but for 10 or 20 years down the road.”

Kurt Mueller: How do you keep and retain key employees?

The millennial generation has different expectations than previous generations, expecting more from employers and planning to change jobs more frequently.

“The days of an employee working for one company for 35 years and then retiring with a pension plan are pretty much gone,” Mueller said.

So, simply offering a 401(k) won’t be enough.

Instead, he said, companies that help educate their employees on being better with their money will give more value to

their employees and help them feel more engaged with the company. Financially stressed employees underperform, while engaged employees perform better.

Retention planning is similar to exit planning, Mueller said, especially if the exit plan includes turning the business over to a key employee.

“People want to feel special,” he said.

“They don’t want a cookie-cutter, run-ofthe-mill, go-talk-to-the-401(k)-person plan.”

The best retention plans, he said, provide

Ryan Martin: Invest in Augusta

something that is economically substantial to the employee that also solves a problem or challenge for an employee and his or her family, such as paying for college. If it meets both a financial and emotional need, a plan gives employees a deeper commitment to your business.

Mueller said the bottom line is to help your employees help themselves.

“Educate, educate, educate,” he said. “You can never educate your employees enough.

That’s ultimately what gets them to stay around for the long term.”

STEP CAREFULLY

TRAPS TO AVOID WHEN A BUSINESS ACQUIRER COMES CALLING

BY TIM DALTON

You might be eager to sell your business and happy to have an acquirer at your doorstep, but what’s it like when an acquirer starts looking inside every inch of your business?

Most professional acquirers will have a checklist of questions – both objective and subjective – that they need answered before getting serious about buying your company.

Examples of objective questions include: • What are the terms of your lease, and when does it expire?

• Do you have consistent, signed, upto-date contracts with your customers and employees?

• Are your ideas, products and processes protected by patent or trademark?

• What kind of technology do you use, and are your software licenses up to date?

• What percentage of revenue does your largest customer represent?

• How are your receivables? Do you have any late payers or deadbeat customers?

• Does your business require a special license to operate? If so, is your paperwork in order?

• Do you have any litigation pending?

Once they have the answers to those questions, then they’ll try to get a subjective sense of your business, including figuring out just how integral you are personally to its success. And that requires some investigative work as well as some tricks of the trade.

Here are a few of those tricks:

Tactic #1: Making lastminute changes

By asking to make a last-minute change to your meeting time, an acquirer gets clues as to how involved you are personally in serving customers.

If you can’t accommodate the change request, the acquirer might probe to find out why and try to determine what part of the business is so dependent on you that you cannot adjust a meeting time.

Tactic #2: Checking to see if your business is vision-impaired

An acquirer might ask you to explain your vision for the business, which is a question you should be well prepared to answer. However, he or she might ask the same question of your employees and key managers.

If your staff members offer inconsistent

10 Buzz on Biz December 2018

answers, the acquirer may take it as a sign that the future of the business is in your head alone.

Tactic #3: Asking your customers why they do business with you

A potential acquirer might ask to talk to some of your customers. He or she will expect you to select your most passionate and loyal customers and will therefore expect to hear good things. The customers might be asked a question like “Why do you do business with these guys?”

The acquirer is trying to figure out where your customers’ loyalties lie. If your customers answer by describing the benefits of your product, service or company in general, that’s good. If they respond by explaining how much they like you personally, that’s bad.

Tactic #4: Doing some mystery shopping

Acquirers often conduct their first bit of research before you even know they are interested in buying your business. They might pose as a customer, visit your website or come into your company to understand what it feels like to be one of your customers.

Make sure the experience your company offers a stranger is tight and consistent, and try to avoid being personally involved in finding or serving brand-new customers. If a potential acquirer sees you personally as the key to wooing new customers, they’ll likely be concerned that business will dry up when you leave.

You might not be expecting an acquirer any time soon, but it’s never too early to ask yourself the questions an acquirer would be asking you – and your employees and customers – if he or she were thinking of buying your business.

Tim Dalton is president of Integra Business Brokers and has more than 19 years of experience in the Augusta area assisting business buyers and sellers. He is also a Certified Business Value Builder.

Additional services include targeted business acquisitions, business valuations and financing assistance.

Dalton is a licensed real estate broker in Georgia and South Carolina and can be reached at 706.650.1100 or tdalton@integrabrokers.com. Visit Integra’s website at www.integrabrokers.com.

People looking to acquire a business are going to want objective information, such as lease terms, licensing needs and ongoing litigation concerns. Equally important, though, is the subjective information that is often sought by potential buyers, especially how important the current owner is to the business’s overall success.

OFFERING SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES FOR SALE IN GA & SC • SELLING A BUSINESS • BUYING A BUSINESS • BUSINESS CONSULTING

• VALUATION CONSULTING • MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS • BUSINESS ACQUISITION RESEARCH

Mordecai Evans Michael Reagan Tim Dalton mreagan@integrabrokers.com tdalton@integrabrokers.com mevans@integrabrokers.com

4468 COLUMBIA RD, SUITE B MARTINEZ, GA 30907 | 706-650-1100

WAITING GAME

AUGUSTA LOOKS TO PROMOTE ‘GOOD GROWTH’ IN CITY

BY WITT WELLS

During the unveiling in October of what will be the biggest development project in Augusta in decades, Mayor Hardie Davis addressed the Augusta Commission, thanking it for its “willingness to stay at the table and engage in difficult conversations.”

A breakdown of communication and trust had occurred when Birmingham, Ala.-based developer BLOC Global Group, which had sought out the historic train depot on Reynolds Street as the site of a $93.6 million mixed-use development, rejected the projects’ terms after the commission voted to include a lastminute condition that the development be completed in one phase instead of two.

For a moment, it looked like the old train depot might not be redeveloped at all, and that a lifeless structure that had remained untouched for 50 years might just stay that way for years to come.

But the Downtown Development Authority and the Augusta Commission — made up mostly of individuals who were in favor of the project — were able to repair relationships to move the project forward.

On the day plans for the development were revealed, DDA Executive Director Margaret Woodard described the relationship between BLOC Global and the city of Augusta as one that had moved from a courtship to an engagement.

“I reminded Commissioner Sean Frantom that good things come to those who wait,” Davis said.

That seems to be a theme in Augusta these days. On the other side of downtown, another large and undeveloped space on Slaton Street, just off Wrightsboro Road behind the Solo Cup factory, is waiting to be made new.

Pace Burt, an Albany, Ga.-based developer who has spent around $200 million redeveloping historical buildings into residential and mixed-use spaces in Albany and Columbus, Ga.; Greenville, S.C.; Mobile, Ala.; and elsewhere around the South, discovered the former cotton distribution plant and saw potential for a mixed-use development that would rejuvenate the blighted area. He bought the complex earlier this year.

When I talked to Burt over the summer, he envisioned a $25 million project on the 24-acre lot that would include around 180 upscale apartments, co-working space, artist studios, space for markets on the weekends and possibly a brewery.

That would be a 180-degree turnaround from what the old distribution

Developer Pace Burt has a concept for bringing the unused Slaton Street property behind the old Solo Cup factory back to life. He is still working with the city’s Planning and Development Department to make it happen, and new processes could help clear the way. File photo

“We do have the politics that want to promote growth, and I completely understand that.

But you need good growth, which promotes growth itself.”

– Mary Burgess, development services manager for the Augusta Planning and Development Department center looks like now.

“Currently, the property is a disaster,” Burt said. “We’re trying to get the planning staff behind us.”

At the time, he was frustrated that the city’s Planning and Development Department didn’t seem to share the vision or enthusiasm that he was bringing to this concept.

“I’ve heard Augusta is a difficult place to do business in, and I don’t know why,” Burt said. “Maybe I’m not doing a good enough job selling myself, either.”

The department recommended an initial denial of Burt’s application as it failed to address certain concerns that staff had, such as the site’s distance from the road, lack of fire truck access on certain parts of the property, traffic flow issues, density and potential impact on the surrounding residential areas.

Burt said he was confused and disenchanted by the initial contact he had with city officials.

“Don’t work against us, work with us,” he said.

Mary Burgess, development services manager for Planning and Development, is fully aware of the perception that people have of city planning officials — that

they’d rather find an obscure reason to reject a concept than work with the developer to make a project happen.

One of Burgess’ goals is for city regulations to promote aspirations. Especially at a time when downtown Augusta is changing so much, she understands that her department will inevitably come off as a wet blanket from time to time. But that’s the opposite of what she wants.

“We don’t want you to get denied; we want to help you through the process,” she said. “We don’t like saying no. That’s what people make us out. ‘You guys always say no!’ No. We do have the politics that want to promote growth, and I completely understand that. But you need good growth, which promotes growth itself.”

Starting this month, Burgess’ organization will start streamlining the development application process with electronic submissions, allowing engineers and applicants to upload everything they need and know exactly where they stand on a project. Burgess is excited about this advancement’s potential to significantly improve the way that the city, developers and engineers work together to grow Augusta the right way.

“A lot of the times through planning a

development, the way that we promote growth is through zoning, to be creative in the way that you use your space, to promote sustainability to promote green buildings, to preserve historic architecture and buildings,” Burgess said.

One of the best ways to do this is through infill, which is defined by the American Planning Association as development that “optimize[s] prior infrastructure investments and consumes less land that is otherwise available.”

Because of the exceptional amount of historic preservation in Augusta’s central business district, the city is primed for this kind of redevelopment, especially a 350,000-square-foot space like the one on Slaton Street. But good development takes time.

“So, moving forward working with (Burt), he’s completely working with us,” Burgess said. “He wants to do a great development, he just doesn’t know which zoning would be the most appropriate.”

“When we have to say no to a project, it’s not because we want to say no. We don’t have a horse in the race,” she said.

“We want to encourage new businesses, we want to encourage old businesses.”

The waiting game is usually inevitable, but in Augusta recently, it seems that good things more often come to those who have the grit to push through frustrating circumstances and the willingness to cooperate with all parties involved.

Before the depot project was revealed in October, DDA Chairman Scylance Scott Jr. paraphrased a quote from business futurist and author Joel Barker: “Vision without action is merely a dream.

Action without vision is simply a waste of time. But vision with action is the stuff that can change the world.”

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

11

Openings, Closings and Moves

OPENINGS

needed quick-and-easy dining option on the east end of Broad Street.

Groucho’s is open from 10:45 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The new Ubora Coffee Roasters on Jones Street is open for business.

Ubora Coffee Roasters A new coffee shop and roastery opened in downtown Augusta on Nov. 10.

Ubora Coffee Roasters hosted a grand opening at its 3,300-square-foot store at 1128 Jones St. Owner Andre Leon said of the longawaited opening, “It’s happiness and relief at the same time.”

Leon, a Naval officer who relocated to the Augusta area from Hawaii, said that much of his inspiration for the business came from his travels and love for all kinds of coffee.

Ubora will roast its coffee in-house and source the beans from Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Honduras, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Indonesia. Customers will also be able to purchase bags of coffee no more than a few days from roast.

Visitors will find an open atmosphere designed for conversation and a large coffee bar with a minimalist design so customers can watch their coffee as it’s made.

Groucho’s Deli The long-awaited opening of a new sandwich shop is finally here.

Groucho’s Deli, a popular Columbia, S.C.-based restaurant franchise that also has a location in Aiken, opened downtown at the beginning of November. It is at 758 Broad St., formerly the Augusta Grooming Lounge. The restaurant is now the only Groucho’s location in Georgia, although there have been locations in Augusta, Athens and Statesboro in the past.

Groucho’s is best known for its popular subs and unique dressings created by the restaurant’s founder, Harold Miller. The restaurant also serves beer and wine. Some of the restaurant’s most popular items are the “Apollo Dipper” and “White Moose” sandwiches.

The restaurant’s owner-operator Cam Spears, an Augusta native, said

12 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Ali Musa said the growth in North Augusta prompted his family to choose the city as the home for its new restaurtant, Zack’s Pizza. Photo by Witt Wells

NEW PIZZA SHOP OFFERS AFGHANISTAN FLAVOR

A new pizza shop has opened in the heart of North Augusta.

Zack’s Pizza opened on Georgia Avenue in October and is one family’s attempt to bring Augustans a taste of pizza with a flavor that one might find similar to an Afghan kebab.

“It’s totally unique,” said the restaurant’s owner and founder, Ali Musa, who is originally from Afghanistan.

“You won’t find it in any other pizza shops around here.”

The restaurant uses an Afghan naan recipe, for example, to make dough for the pizza crust and a family recipe to marinate meats overnight.

“Each one of us takes equal part in making sure that each one of the recipes we have has the quality that we expect,” Musa said. “Right after we had our grand opening, we had customers walk in by word of mouth.”

Musa, his wife Rahila, and several other members of his family have lived in a wide variety of places in the United States ever since Ali and Rahila moved to Los Angeles from Afghanistan in 1998. From Los Angeles they moved to the Denver area, and from there they moved to Savannah. Musa, a military Groucho’s brought in around 75 people for lunch on opening day. Spears said he’s excited to be one of the few restaurants driving growth on the less developed end of Broad Street.

“As far as all of the growth and development happening downtown, it’s

contractor who works as a cultural advisor, began traveling to Augusta frequently for work in 2017. Around six months ago, his family moved here as well.

Two of Musa’s sisters (both lifelong chefs), two brothers and a sister-in-law also work at the restaurant.

After considering “quite a few” locations to start the restaurant, Musa said the potential for growth that they saw in North Augusta was too good to pass up.

The restaurant is at 515B Georgia Ave., on the road’s main stretch of retail just north of the river.

The way Musa remembers the idea for the restaurant unfolding, the family made a pizza one day and decided it was so good they needed to open a shop.

They all sat down to talk about the possible investment.

As for what gives the pizza a unique taste, Musa said the family recipe will remain a secret.

Zack’s Pizza also sells subs, salads and wings and will soon offer pita wraps.

The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Zack’s Pizza offers takeout and delivery. a little lopsided right now,” Spears said. “Everything’s around 13th to 10th Street, but I really do believe that Eighth Street and the Augusta Common is eventually going to be the center of Broad.”

The restaurant also provides a much-

The Pie Hole After officially opening in August, a new pie shop cut the ribbon in October on its location tucked away in the Verandah off Walton Way Extension.

Earlier this year, Colleen Hall, The Pie Hole’s founder and owner, turned in her notice after spending the last 25 years as a radiation therapist and went to work on opening a shop that she felt filled a need in the Augusta area.

“I have been milling my own wheat for a good many years now, seven or more,” Hall said. “You can’t go just anywhere in Augusta or in most cities and find freshly milled wheat products. So, that’s exciting for me.”

Hall said that since August, many of those who have discovered The Pie Hole have become repeat customers, even though the shop can be difficult to find.

“We have sweet and savory pies,” Hall said. “Our No. 1 seller hands down is peanut butter. We do chicken pot pie, we do a taco pie … people can tell that what they’re eating is not only good but hand-crafted and made special.”

The Pie Hole also has its own coffee blend made by Buona Caffe.

Aside from her love of making pies, Hall said a big part of the reason she decided to take a new path was because of her family. As a therapist, she would be away from her family from eight to 10 hours per day. Now she can have her family around her at work, and the two oldest of her six children work for her.

The Pie Hole is at 3604 Verandah Dr. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Riverside Smoke Bar-B-Que A new barbecue restaurant will open early next year at the former Sandwich City at the corner of 10th and Ellis streets, according to the owners, who have spent the last few years in the food truck business and will now open their first brick-and-mortar operation.

Scott Gibbs and John Johnson, the owners of North Augusta-based food truck Riverside Smoke Bar-B-Que, have been honing their craft and serving it to Georgians since 2012, when they competed in Banjo-B-Que in Evans and found enough success to feel confident buying a food trailer.

Six years later, they’ve decided to cre-

Openings, Closings and Moves ate a dynamic local barbecue spot with a “Nashville flair” in the center of downtown.

“All the components of the puzzle were there,” Gibbs said.

After locating at various food truck stops and shopping centers around North Augusta and testing their product at events like Boss Hog Cook-off in Waynesboro, Ga., and Augusta’s Rock Fore! Dough, the duo felt it was time to make another leap into something that they think will be a “unique concept for Augusta.”

While the restaurant will provide a fast-casual option for those who need to grab their food and go, the goal is for customers to stick around in a warm, communal and entertaining atmosphere. Gibbs said they plan to regularly host live music. The restaurant will seat around 75 people inside, and Johnson and Gibbs want to add outdoor seating as well. The eatery will also have a full-service bar.

When it comes to the barbecue, Johnson said Riverside Smoke’s flavor is a mix of several different styles – Memphis, Kansas City and the Carolinas – that blend well as a unique expression of their Georgia-Carolina upbringing.

Brisket and pork, specifically, have been Riverside Smoke’s flagship items thus far. Once the new restaurant opens its doors, those specialties will come with a unique rub, Gibbs said.

The building, at 302 10th St, offers more parking opportunities than the more crowded Broad Street while also being just steps from other dining and drinking hot spots such as The Hive and The Bee’s Knees, they said.

“Let’s make this thing really, really nice, and that’s what we’ve been focusing on,” Johnson said.

NEW LEXUS DEALERSHIP PUTS FOCUS ON EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY Calling the new location for Jim Hudson Lexus a car dealership is an understatement. The $17 million building is being dubbed as a “luxury destination.”

Jim Hudson Lexus opened its new 56,000-square-foot dealership at the corner of Washington and Pleasant Home roads on Oct. 15. It exudes luxury, from the Italian marble tiles in the display room to the imported German tiles in the 29 service bays.

“We want this to be a destination,” Angela Maskey, public relations manager, said. “It’s all about the experience.

We don’t want to be just a dealership but a part of the community.”

Jim Hudson Lexus opened in Augusta 17 years ago and almost immediately began to outgrow its space. The lot for the current building was purchased and used as a pre-owned lot until construction began.

The new building expands the service bays – the fastest-growing part of the business – from 12 to 29. It is a stateof-the-art service facility, starting with the computerized check-in that includes in-ground scanners to provide 3D readouts of a car’s tire treads. The brightly lit, pristine service bays provide a comfortable working environment for the service technicians.

“This building is as much for our employees as our customers,” Maskey said.

“We have 101 employees and we want them to have a great working environment. When we started we had 18 employees. Retention is critical for building

MOVES

Curtain Call Interiors A building that had been a restaurant for several decades is now home to a completely different type of business.

Curtain Call Interiors moved into the former home of The Snug, and more recently Garden City Steak and Grill, at the end of October. Curtain Call Interiors had been located on Baston Road since 1996.

Owner Stephanie Ensley said the desire to own rather than rent and the need for a more visible location prompted the move to 240 Davis Road, just north of the intersection with Pleasant Home Road.

The interior of the former restaurant/ liquor store has been transformed into

The new 56,000-square-foot Jim Hudson Lexus dealership on Washington Road offers more service bays and space for community meetings. “We want this to be a destination,” said Public Relations Manager Angela Maskey. Photo by Gary Kauffman

relationships.”

Customers will find a variety of details unique to a car dealership, in addition to the luxurious building materials. There is the standard TV waiting lounge, with a status board that gives the approximate waiting time for each vehicle, but there are also two “quiet” lounges that feature chair massages on Mondays and Fridays.

While waiting, customers can browse the small boutique that offers some branded Lexus items along with artwork from six local artists. The At Your Service gourmet café dishes up breakprovides an interior design service.

Ensley said the new location has already drawn customer interest.

“We’ve had some new walk-ins,” she said. “But we also have a lot of loyal customers.”

Curtain Call Interiors is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Curtain Call Interiors has opened a new location in the former home of The Snug on Davis Road.

a showcase for a wide selection of items for home interiors. Curtain Call sells custom draperies, furniture, lighting, bedding and interior accents. It also

EXPANSION

Creature Comforts Athens, Ga.-based brewery Creature Comforts has announced that it will expand distribution to two new markets in the state: Augusta and Columbus.

The brewery, which has a strong

fast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The waiting area is also pet friendly.

For those who don’t want to wait, Jim Hudson Lexus offers loaner vehicles.

In addition, the second floor features a conference room that area nonprofits can reserve for trainings or meetings.

Giving back to the community is an important part of the Jim Hudson Lexus experience. In December, the dealership will host a breakfast for all the charities it supports to say thank you and to provide exposure for the charities to Lexus customers. presence in both Athens and Atlanta, wrote in a recent Facebook post that it will work with Savannah Distributing to expand into Augusta and Columbus. Its distribution has been limited to Athens, Atlanta and surrounding cities since the brewery opened in 2014.

The expansion comes after Creature Comforts opened a new 40,000-squarefoot distribution facility earlier this year, increasing the brewery’s production capacity by 40 percent.

“The additional increase in production capacity will allow us to expand our current distribution footprint outside of our existing markets and into new ones – Augusta & Columbus, we’re coming for you!” the company wrote in the post.

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

13

UPCOMING BUSINESS EVENTS

Sunday, Dec. 2

North Augusta Lions Christmas Parade, 3 p.m., downtown North Augusta. This year’s theme is Christmas Around the World. For more information, visit northaugustachamber.org.

Monday, Dec. 3

Chamber Member Town Hall – Holiday Open House, 4 p.m., Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, 1 10th St., Augusta.

A thank you to Metro Chamber members, with refreshments provided by Carolina Moon Distillery and The Deft Chef.

Reservations are required.

For more information, visit augustametrochamber.com.

Chamber Jingle and Mingle, 5:30 p.m., WOW Club, SRP Park, 187 Railroad Ave., North Augusta.

Join the North Augusta Chamber

Ribbons cuttings scheduled Dec. 6: BioLife Plasma Services, 270 Bobby Jones Exp., Ste. 164, Martinez, 9 a.m.

Dec. 11: AECOM, 973 Broad St., Augusta, 4 p.m. of Commerce and Augusta GreenJackets in celebrating the holidays with live music, an ugly sweater contest, games and networking. Proceeds will benefit a local charity. Registration is required. For more information, visit northaugustachamber.org.

Thursday, Dec. 6

Chamber Economic Luncheon – 2018 Augusta’s Entrepreneur, 11:30 a.m., Oglethorpe Ballroom, Augusta Marriott, 2 10th St., Augusta. Augusta’s Entrepreneur of the Year will be announced, presented by South State Bank. Keynote speaker Jason Broadwater, founder and

president of RevenFlo, will speak on “Forward Momentum in the Augusta Region.” Reservations are required. For more information, visit augustametrochamber.com.

Business Plan Essentials, 1 p.m., Conference Room, Small Business Development Center, 2907 Professional Pkwy., Augusta.

This three-hour class guides participants through the specific components of a well-written and comprehensive business plan to position a business for stability and growth. Registration is required. For more information, visit georgiasbdc.org/augustaoffice.

Friday, Dec. 7

First Friday Means Business, 7:30 a.m., 117 Newberry St. NW, Aiken. Informative breakfast meeting with a keynote speaker.

For more information, visit aikenchamber.net.

Monday, Dec. 10

Chamber After Hours Holiday Social, 5 p.m., location to be announced. A meeting to kick off the holiday season with a little jingle and mingle.

Reservations are required.

For more information, visit columbiacountychamber.com.

Business After Hours, 5 p.m., Woodside Plantation Country Club, 1000 Woodside Plantation Dr., Aiken. Learn more about what Woodside has to offer for business functions. For more information, visit aikenchamber.net.

Catch the Buzz! Get more on upcoming events and follow business and economic news across the CSRA at buzzon.biz.

14 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Thursday, Dec. 13

AUGUSTA’S INNOVATION NEWS

Starting a Business, 5:30 p.m., Conference Room, Small Business Development Center, 2907 Professional Pkwy., Augusta. This three-hour class covers important tools and resources a business owner needs to establish a solid foundation.

For startups less than 2 years old. Free for service-disabled veterans. Registration is required. For more information, visit georgiasbdc.org/augusta-office.

THE

ACCELERATOR

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Friday, Dec. 14

Good Morning, North Augusta, 7:30 a.m., location and topic to be announced. For more information, visit northaugustachamber.org.

Tuesday, Dec. 18

Women in Business, 11:30 a.m., Legends Club, 2701 Washington Road, Augusta.

Details to be announced. Registration is required. For more information, visit augustametrochamber.com.

Electrolyte Steve Clauson OWNER

What is the business?

Electrolyte specializes in producing energy harvesting and storage systems (imagine high-tech portable/stationary battery packs) that can provide power to any home or business, as well as provide off grid functionality and/or emergency response capabilities to many environments.

Any significant experiences/ skills that influenced your business?

AT THE CLUBHOU.SE • Augusta Locally Grown has its downtown pickup location at theClubhou.se’s Telfair Street location every Tuesday, 5-7 p.m.

• Entrepreneur members of theClubhou.se meet every Wednesday morning for Founders Circle, 9-10 a.m.

Dec. 5: R6 Industries is presenting this month at 1 Million Cups Augusta, a networking event for entrepreneurs.

8-9 a.m.

Dec. 12: Tech and Startup Community, join us for a Beer & Bytes to benefit Toys for Tots! The price of admission is a new, still-in-itspackaging, unwrapped toy. 5:30-7 p.m.

Dec. 13: Augusta Developer celebrates closing out 2018. 6-8 p.m.

Dec. 24 & 25: theClubhou.se will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Dec. 26-28: Limited hours during the holidays.

Dec. 31: theClubhou.se will be closed New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

My experience as both a US Marine and an Aviation Electrician has cultivated many vital business skills. Being an adept communicator coupled with the ability to adapt and overcome any circumstance have surely played an influential role.

Any previous entrepreneurial experience? Lessons learned?

I had previously started an sUAS (Small Unmanned Aerial Systems) business that provides video and thermal imagery data to clients. I have learned that by approaching things from a “Here is a Problem:Let’s Build a Solution” viewpoint typically works better than just marketing a solution or product that doesn’t necessarily have a problem to solve. Another way to put this may be: Find your client’s needs first and then craft a solution around those needs.

What appealed to you about entrepreneurship?

The premise that an individual can lead a team and proceed to conquer some of the world’s largest problems by combining innovation with brainpower is absolutely appealing to me.

How did you get the idea?

I have long been fascinated by the principles of magnetism and electromagnetism - it is like real life magic. The alternator in a vehicle is based on these same principles. Going through life and learning more about this process and

electricity in general led me to constantly wonder if this was something that was possible. During a completely unrelated business meeting about contracting a film operation, my associate asked why I hadn’t built a device yet.

Within the next week I had constructed a prototype device that performed exactly as expected - we had a Georgia Power representative at my residence questioning me the following morning as to how I had turned our power meter backwards at 10:30 p.m. without solar panels installed on the home.

How did you fund the business?

We have personally invested funds as well as raised capital from several private investors that share our vision for the future.

What have you learned from your competitors?

I have learned that the market is ready for new energy solutions. I attribute this to the fact that Tesla has been on a consistent installation backlog since 2016.

People are clearly wanting to take control of their energy and the inability for our competition to address that need in a timely manner will be something that we capitalize on.

How has working out of theClubhou.se benefitted your company?

Working out of theClubhou.se has been a tremendous opportunity! By having access to other entrepreneurs and like minded people we have been able to collaborate and refine ideas that would have otherwise been much more difficult to achieve. I will say one of my favorite things - is that HUGE dry erase board wall! It enables me to pull things out of my brain and see them in a big picture way without feeling like wasting paper or being tied down to a screen/monitor.

WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER? VISIT www.theclubhou.se Would you like to schedule a tour?

STOP BY 100 Grace Hopper Lane Suite 3700 Augusta, Ga EMAIL heythere@theclubhou.se

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

15

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL

SUCCESS DEPENDS ON KNOWING WHAT CONTRACTS, P&L SAY

BY MARK ALISON

This is Part 2 of a multipart series for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Whether you are starting or have been in business for a few years, these insights and personal lessons may save you a load of money and regret.

I call it Blood and Guts because that’s what it takes to be a business owner. You deserve a medal. What most people think is liberation from a 40-hour workweek is often an 80-hour or more workweek, and the rewards are not always financial.

Having started multiple small businesses of my own and marketed/consulted with many others over 40-plus years, I have seen or personally experienced a lifetime of good and bad decisions. I hope these insights will be valuable to anyone who chooses to take the risk.

In the last installment we covered hiring a good CPA, joining a peer group, avoiding advancing cash or loaning money to anyone, and being careful with partnering.

Here are a few more insights, this time in dealing with employees and customers.

Create contracts for commissioned sales people. Look at it this way: When you have to go before a judge, you want the contract to be very clear so there can be only one interpretation. I had a salesperson sue me claiming (1) his pay was commission plus draw instead of draw against commission and (2) he was paid on sales, not collections.

On the first point I was clear in our contract, but on the second, even though we could show multiple months of paychecks indicating pay on collections, that was not clear in the contract. The judge awarded him pay for money we had not collected yet for the 90 days after he was terminated.

Read vendor contracts and make it clear that employees do not have the authority to sign for anything. You can make changes to vendor contracts to suit your needs. The most common contract change is “terms of payment.” Strike through and write in your own. Unless they challenge you, and I never had one to do so, the contract will be filed away and never brought up again. It is usually a formality.

And tell your staff and vendors that the only person who can sign anything is you.

One member of my peer group had an employee who signed an order that later cost her company more than $50,000.

The client she represented filed for bankruptcy, leaving her holding the bag on a large order, one that she would never have

16 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Read vendor contracts and make it clear that employees do not have the authority to sign for anything. … Tell your staff and vendors that the only person who can sign anything is you. signed off on. Because her employee had signed, her company was held responsible to pay even though she was never paid herself.

Another way to do this is to offer your own PO in place of the one offered by the vendor. It doesn’t always work, but is worth a try.

Don’t finance your customers by running 120 days on collections. This is death! It’s easy to get into a position

where you are bullied by a large account.

It happened to us.

A major hospital changed officers, and the new one told us it would pay in no less than 120 days. The suppliers we used for the account required payment in no more than 60 days. We were not allowed to pass through any late charges. Unfortunately, they had become our largest account and they knew it.

What do you do? We determined to replace them, because this was a matter of integrity. After four months we gave them notice. Your best bet is to spell out your terms and have them sign off on them so that when there is a change, you are protected.

Read your P&L (profit and loss statement) each month. Look at the general ledger for bogus vendors. If you are on accrual, set up a cash system to see income and expenses. Another large company we worked for had someone in accounting who set up bogus vendors and then submitted invoices just like any normal company. Not until there was an audit did the company catch the thief, after discovering that tens of thousands of dollars had been paid.

If you check the payables each month,

you will likely stop this from happening.

Look at the income and track the expense accounts before checks are written. We made it a policy to attach vendor accounts to each client so we always knew what we were buying and for whom.

As you grow, this information can get past you unless you have a system to catch issues before they start. If you alone sign the checks, you can watch for bogus or questionable vendors.

Watch for the next part of this series and share this with other entrepreneurial friends. Believe me, small businesses and entrepreneurs need all the help they can get. Got any good stories yourself ? Shoot me an e-mail at mrkalison@yahoo.com.

Mark Alison, the Business Accelerator, is an independent marketing counselor. He can be reached at mark9226@me.com.

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Office hours Mon-Tue, Thur-Fri 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. • Now open on Wed 8 a.m.-4p.m.

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

17

GIVING THANKS

CHAMBER THRIVES WITH SACRIFICIAL HELP OF VOLUNTEERS

BY TAMMY SHEPHERD

For the last 10 years at the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, I have always said autumn is the busiest season of the year. From August through November, the Chamber is kicking off Leadership Columbia County and the Youth Leadership programs, hosting two of our largest events of the year and meeting with top investors.

Not only are we wrapping up the third and fourth quarters, we are also finalizing the upcoming year’s business plan and budget. In a word, fall can be overwhelming.

With so much going on, I am thankful for the holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas give us a chance to shift our mindset and focus on what truly is important to each of us. Personally, it’s faith, family, friends, community and career. This time of the year encourages us to slow down and appreciate all the good in our lives.

From the career side, I am thankful for business relationships and friendships, many of which have been cultivated through those who volunteer with the Columbia County Chamber.

The Chamber, much like many nonprofits, works to forward the mission of the organization. That mission is established through the common goal of those served, our 1,000 business members. The Chamber now employs 10 full-time and part-time employees; however, the strategic goals and objectives are carried out through the engagement of the business member volunteers.

How does that work? The strategic plan is established, reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors, which is comprised of 25 business member volunteers. The time commitment, energy and effort, especially for the Board’s seven-member Executive Committee, is invaluable to the advancement of the organization. Basically, these leaders serve as an elected official, representing the constituency of the membership. They must attend monthly board meetings, serve as a liaison on a committee and attend and be engaged in many events and programs.

When you consider there is not only a Chamber Board of Directors, but also a Chamber Foundation Board, a Board of Directors for the new PAC, and a Board for the Chamber’s Holdings Company, you then begin to realize the amount of time and effort that these four groups of dedicated volunteers put in on behalf of the Chamber’s entire membership.

In terms of time, what does that look like for a year?

The Chamber’s program of work for 2019 has 344 items on the calendar! Broken down, that is 46 events, 39 program days, 123 committee meetings, an estimated 75 ribbon cuttings, and 61 other initiatives and collaborative efforts.

Obviously, this is not carried out by only our staff. The staff drives the direction set forth by the Board of Directors, but it is our awesome volunteers who carry out many of the tasks! Working on these action items brings the volunteers together, and I have seen true friendships develop alongside appreciation for the accomplishments made together. In addition, many of these volunteers have grown their businesses by doing business together.

Besides the four Boards of Directors, the business member volunteers serve on a specific committee. When you take a deeper look, each committee has a chairman and vice chairman and between 15 to 30 business mem-

18 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Much is accomplished through those who serve as volunteers.

Those accomplishments provide a strong and thriving business community and a great quality of life. ber volunteers. Here is a quick look at our committees: Ambassador Committee: Supports the Chamber’s efforts to welcome new members by delivering the membership packets, contacting the member regularly to encourage participation and involvement, and attending 50 percent of ribbon cuttings.

Events Advisory Committee: Supports the Events and Programs manager to implement programs and events, helps create and brainstorm events and programs based on members’ needs to provide opportunities for better business, and supports the set-up and breakdown at events while learning the operations of the Chamber.

Government Affairs Committee: Advocates for Chamber members regarding government-related concerns by addressing or taking action when needed on legislative issues and develops the Chamber’s legislative agenda.

Workforce and Education Committee: Focuses on workforce development initiatives with area colleges, technical schools and elementary through high schools to build a better workforce for the region.

Leadership Columbia County Committee: Directs the Adult Leadership Program, including selection of the class, planning and implementation of day and eval-

uation of program. Committee members are graduates of LCC. Youth Leadership Committee: Directs the Youth Leadership program, including selection of the class, planning and implementation of each leadership day, and evaluation of program results.

As you can see, much is accomplished through those who serve as volunteers. Those accomplishments provide a strong and thriving business community and a great quality of life for our area.

The greater Augusta area has been known to have the largest number of nonprofits for the population of the area. What that says about our area is that many citizens give of their time and financial resources to support the purpose of that nonprofit. Basically, people see a need and find a way to support it!

For the holiday season, slow down and be thankful!

Show appreciation to those who serve. Have the hospitality mentality! Give a smile and a hug and say thank you for volunteering.

You know the saying “time is money?” Well, these volunteers give generously, spending countless hours out of the office, with the end result being for the betterment of our organization and our community.

Enjoy the holidays to the fullest, spend quality time with those who mean the most to you, and be thankful for everything you have and everyone around you who makes this area such a great place to work and grow a business, and live and raise a family!

Tammy Shepherd is president of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and has worked at Disney World, Savannah Rapids Pavilion and Columbia County Magazine. Email tammy@columbia countychamber.com.

LOVE

Shop Goodwill! www.goodwillworks.org

From all of us at Team ETG, thank you for another wonderful year of serving the CSRA. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous start to the coming new year.

ELLEFSON TRANSPORTATION GROUP December 2018 Buzz on Biz

19

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE MONTH

FOR RICK BUSBY, RUNNING A BUSINESS IS IN HIS BLOOD

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

You could say that business is in the Busby blood.

Rick Busby’s widowed grandmother owned and operated several businesses, and his father opened what is now Busby’s Heating and Air Conditioning in 1945. Busby has been involved in that business for nearly four decades and is in the process of passing it along to his daughter.

Rick Busby, Busby’s Heating and Air Conditioning “I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and business people,” Busby said.

His father started Tri-County Appliance in Millen, Ga., after World War II, following the electrical lines just then being installed in the rural parts of the state. That evolved into sales of window air conditioners and floor heaters, and then the forefront of the move to central heating and air. Eventually, the business moved to Augusta and changed its name.

Like many offspring of entrepreneurs, Busby did not plan to join the family business. Instead, after high school he enrolled at Georgia Southern with a general idea of becoming a mechanical engineer.

“My father asked me if wanted to be (in the family business), but he never put pressure on me,” Busby said. “I told him I didn’t want to – but when I needed a job, I changed my mind.”

That was 39 years ago. But his father didn’t just hand him the keys to the business.

“He made me work harder and paid me less than anyone else,” Busby said. “He was tough on me, but I’m glad he was.”

To see if Busby was serious about becoming part of the business, his father had him start in sales. Then he began moving his son to different positions in the company. Only later did Busby realize it was a test to see if he had what it takes to run the company.

“He didn’t give me a job – he gave me an opportunity,” Busby said. “It was up to me to make the most of it.”

Busby passed those values on to his daughters, teaching them that their last name was a responsibility, not a privilege.

His youngest daughter, Kristen, is now

20 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Rick Busby took over Busby’s Heating and Air Conditioning from his father. He plans to pass it to his daughter. Photo by Gary Kauffman

the general manager for Busby’s Heating and Air Conditioning, and his oldest daughter, Lauren Ladun, is the sales lead coordinator.

Those values are so important to Busby that he wrote a book about them called Simple Habits that Will Change Your Life.

It consists of 40 habits that include such things as Pray, Be a Good Friend, Have a Savings Account, Write Thank You Notes, Have a Pet, Be Organized and Do Your Best.

“I’ve always been a writer, ever since I was a kid,” Busby said. “One evening I was reflecting on all the things my parents had taught me. These habits just came to me. I started writing them down as fast as I could. They didn’t come from me, they came through me.”

The 40 habits were jotted down in less than five minutes, although it took a bit longer to expand his thoughts on each one.

While his initial plan was to simply write them down for his daughters, he soon found that he had a wider audience.

“I started seeing that there are a lot of young people needing clarity and guidance,” he said. “I felt they weren’t getting the teaching of values as a whole that my generation got.”

He published Simple Habits as a small book and regularly gives it out after giving a talk.

In his own words

What are you passionate about in your business?

“My passion is in customer service, in quality and integrity, trying to make a difference. I don’t get excited about heating and air, I get excited about wowing customers, of providing an experience beyond what they expect. As I get older, my newer passion is to help grow and elevate people.”

What have you learned in your years in business?

“The toughest lesson I ever learned is that success leads to complacency and complacency leads to failure, so you can’t ever stop pushing. As soon as you think you’ve arrived, the destination gets changed. Business is a journey, not a destination. You have to find a new why.

My new why is to grow and elevate people. My initial why was to prove to my father that I could do it. My interim why was to raise and support my family in a way that showed I was a good father and provider.”

What did you learn from your father about business?

“I learned that things continually change and you’d better change with it.

He was of a generation that generally didn’t like change, but my father was just the opposite. He was always teaching me that it’s change or die.”

How do you unwind?

“I love being outdoors. I love to hunt and fish. I can sit in a deer stand or on a boat and enjoy it even if I don’t shoot anything or catch anything. Creation never ceases to astonish me. There’s never a bad sunrise or bad sunset. When I get home from work I sit on my front porch and look at the pond and the woods – I never know what I’m going to see, it’s always something different. That’s how I relax.”

How do you give back?

“Over the years I’ve served on different boards and community organizations.

That’s one of the habits in my book. It’s extremely important to give back. I teach adult Sunday school; my mother was an adult Sunday school teacher her whole adult life. Part of my growing up is that you did things to help other people. I realized a few years ago that I was doing more things for organizations outside this company, so I’m focusing more on mentoring people inside the business.”

What does the future hold for you and your business?

“For the business, my youngest daughter will probably take over. But I’ve got at least five more years of being here full time. I’m not someone who can sit and do nothing. There are a lot of good civic organizations to get involved in. I want to do more writing. I enjoy speaking, especially to young people.”

You Just Blew $10,000!

Columbia County and Augusta on Ice have reportedly signed a three-year deal to have the annual skating rink at Evans Towne Center Park.

AUGUSTA ON ICE MOVES TO LADY A Augusta on Ice will again be a separate entity this year, now taking place in Evans.

Last month, Buzz on Biz had reported on the joining of Augusta on Ice and Lights of the South into a combined extravaganza called Winterland, held on the Lights of the South property. But reported problems in getting the land prepared led to a change of venue for Augusta on Ice. The two events will be run separately again this year.

The ice skating rink, which was widely popular in downtown Augusta last year, will now be located on the bricked area in front of Lady A Pavilion in Evans Towne Center Park. Augusta on Ice will be part

of the Christmas Columbia County celebration that kicks off on Dec. 1. The celebration runs through Jan. 1, 2019.

Owner Christine Boerner said in a news release that those who already bought Winterland tickets will receive an email about the change along with tickets to the ice rink. The original Winterland tickets can be used at either Augusta on Ice or Lights of the South, which opened Nov. 16.

Augusta on Ice will stay put for the next few years. Augusta on Ice and Columbia County signed a multi-year agreement to keep the rink in Evans Towne Center Park.

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21

JUST PASSING THROUGH

PASS-THROUGH ENTITIES QUALIFY FOR NEW DEDUCTIONS

BY CHRISTINE HALL

Thanks to tax reform legislation passed in December 2017, eligible taxpayers may now deduct up to 20 percent of certain business income from qualified domestic businesses.

Eligible taxpayers can claim the deduction for the first time on the 2018 federal income tax return they file in 2019.

The qualified business income deduction (QBID), often referred to as the 20 percent deduction for passthrough entities, is officially known as the Section 199A deduction.

Although some of the details surrounding this deduction are not yet finalized, the bulk of the details are known, and taxpayers who own businesses need to make themselves aware of the eligibility requirements and benefits.

Here are seven key facts about the QBID: 1. The deduction applies to qualified business income from a qualified business (i.e. pass-through entities) such as: • A sole proprietorship • S-corporation • Partnership • LLC treated as a sole proprietorship or partnership for tax purposes

22 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Taxpayers who own businesses need to make themselves aware of the eligibility requirements and benefits (of the qualified business income deduction.)

• Non-corporate taxpayers such as trusts and estates • Real estate investment trusts (REIT) • Publicly traded partnerships 2. Qualified business income is the net amount of qualified items of income, gain, deduction and loss connected to a qualified U.S. trade or business. Only items included in taxable income are counted. Qualified business income does not include income from performing services as an employee. Capital gains and losses, shareholders wages, certain dividends and interest income are excluded as well.

3. The deduction is available to eligible taxpayers, whether they itemize their deductions on Schedule A or take the standard deduction. The deduction can be taken in addition to the

standard or itemized deductions and is subject to limitations based on the type of trade or business, the taxpayer’s taxable income, the amount of W-2 wages paid with respect to the qualified trade or business and the unadjusted basis of qualified property held by the trade or business.

4. The deduction is generally equal to the lesser of these two amounts: • 20 percent of qualified business income plus 20 percent of qualified real estate investment trust dividends and qualified publicly traded partnership income.

• 20 percent of taxable income computed before the qualified business income deduction minus net capital gains.

5. For taxpayers with taxable income computed before the qualified business income deduction that exceeds $315,000 for a married couple filing a joint return, or $157,500 for all other taxpayers, the deduction may be subject to additional limitations or exceptions. These are based on the type of trade or business (see No. 7), the taxpayer ’s tax-

able income, the amount of W-2 wages paid by the qualified trade or business, and the unadjusted basis immediately after acquisition of qualified property held by the trade or business.

6. Income earned through a C corporation is not eligible for the deduction.

7. A qualified trade or business is any trade or business except one involving the performance of services in the fields of health, law, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, consulting, athletics, financial services, investing and investment management, trading, dealing in certain assets, or any trade or business where the principal asset is the reputation or skill of one or more of its employees.

This exclusion only applies, however, if a taxpayer’s taxable income exceeds $315,000 for a married couple filing a joint return, or $157,500 for all other taxpayers.

While relatively straightforward for most businesses, for those with more complicated tax structures or multiple businesses or trades, consulting a tax professional is advised.

Christine Hall is a partner in Hall, Murphy & Associates PC, a full-service accounting firm.

For a complimentary accounting, tax or business consultation, call 706.855.7733 or email cmh@ hallmurphycpas. com.

IT’S OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON TIME FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO GROUP HEALTH PLANS

(FSA) offered under a cafeteria plan. An employer may impose its own dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to a health FSA as long as the employer’s limit does not exceed the ACA’s maximum limit in effect for the plan year.

For 2018 plan years, the health FSA limit is $2,650. The IRS has not yet announced the health FSA limit for 2019 plan years.

• Monitor IRS guidance for the health FSA limit for 2019 plan years. Once announced, confirm that your health FSA will not allow employees to make pre-tax contributions in excess of that limit.

BY RUSSELL HEAD

Ahh, fall. Cooler weather, football, and ... open enrollment? For many employers with calendar year or end-of-year benefit renewals, this season is also about open enrollment. It’s the time when employers and employees often make changes to their benefit offerings and elections. And like most things, a little preparation goes a long way.

To prepare for open enrollment, group health plan sponsors should be aware of the legal changes affecting the design and administration of their plans for the coming year and make sure their plan documents and employee materials reflect these required changes.

PLAN DESIGN CHANGES

ACA Affordability Standard Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) employer-shared responsibility rules, applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer affordable, minimumvalue health coverage to their full-time employees and dependent children or risk paying a penalty. An ALE’s health coverage is considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution to the plan does not exceed a maximum percentage of the employee’s household income for the taxable year (as adjusted each year).

For plan years that begin on or after Jan. 1, 2019, the affordability percentage is 9.86 percent.

• If you are an ALE, confirm that at least one of the health plans offered to full-time employees (and their dependent children) satisfies the ACA’s affordabil-

The annual limit on total enrollee cost sharing for essential health benefits for plan years starting on or after Jan. 1, 2019, is $7,900 for self-only and $15,800 for family coverage.

ity standard (9.86 percent for 2019 plan years).

Out-of-Pocket Maximum Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, non-grandfathered health plans are subject to limits on cost sharing for essential health benefits (EHB). The annual limit on total enrollee cost sharing for EHB for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2019, is $7,900 for self-only coverage and $15,800 for family coverage.

• Review your plan’s out-of-pocket maximum to make sure it complies with the ACA’s limits for the 2019 plan year.

• If you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) that is compatible with a health savings account (HSA), confirm that your plan complies with the 2019 out-of-pocket maximum limit for HDHPs of $6,750 for self-only coverage

and $13,500 for family coverage.

Preventive Care Benefits The ACA requires non-grandfathered health plans to cover certain preventive health services without imposing costsharing requirements (that is, deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance) for the services. Health plans are required to adjust their first-dollar coverage of preventive care services based on the latest preventive care recommendations.

• If you have a non-grandfathered plan, you should confirm that your plan covers the latest recommended preventive care services without imposing any cost sharing.

HDHP and HSA Limits for 2019 If you offer an HDHP to your employees that is compatible with an HSA, you should confirm that the HDHP’s minimum deductible and out-of-pocket maximum comply with the 2019 limits.

• Confirm that your plan complies with the 2019 HSA contribution limits of $3,500 for self-only coverage and $7,000 for family coverage.

• Confirm that your plan complies with the 2019 HDHP minimum deductible of $1,350 for self-only coverage and $2,700 for family coverage and 2019 HDHP maximum out-of-pocket expense limit of $6,750 for self-only coverage and $13,500 for family coverage.

Happy open enrollment season!

Russell T. Head is CEO of Head Capital Advisors, an Acrisure agency partner and Augusta’s largest employee benefits brokerage. He can be reached at 706.733.3459 or rthead@headca.com.

Health FSA Contributions The ACA imposes a dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to a health flexible spending account

WISHING YOUR LIFE AWAY

MAKE THE NEEDED CHANGES TO ENJOY EACH DAY

BY ED ENOCH

If you have read this column over the years, you know I tend to get philosophical at year’s end. This year is no different. These comments are directed to small business owners but apply to everyone.

On a recent Wednesday, someone who always speaks to me at the gym made the comment that he “wished it was Friday.”

Now, I do not really know this person other than to have a casual conversation in the gym. But my first thought was “Do not wish a day away.” I was put in mind of the parable of the rich fool in Luke’s Gospel.

The rich fool builds new silos to hold his plentiful crop and thinks to himself he is now set and can relax. That night God takes him in his sleep.

We do not know the number of our days.

So, we should try to avoid wishing the days away. If you own your own business and there is something you have not changed that is within your control, it must be because you do not want it to change. You are in charge!

Some of the best advice I ever heard was that 20 percent of your customers cause 80 percent of your problems. You should

fire those customers. The truth is they are a drag on your business and probably cost you money.

As a small business, it is hard to trust that you will benefit from getting rid of customers. But you will! It works.

The new year is always a time of new beginnings and resolutions. This year, resolve not to have a life where there are predictable days you do not want. Everybody has good days and bad, but living a life where you are constantly looking past the week to the weekend is simply wishing your life away.

Happy New Year!

J. Edward “Ed” Enoch has practiced law in Augusta for more than 20 years, mostly focusing on helping business owners and companies to include formation, transition, business planning, contract writing, employment law and other areas of the law. Email jenoch@ enochlaw.com.

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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MIGHTY BEYOND MONEY

TRUE GREATNESS IS MEASURED BY HEART, NOT WALLET

BY DAGAN SHARPE

Most of us instinctively aspire for greatness. We want to do well and leave a positive impact. However, it’s quite easy to run in directions that might not make the most impactful imprints we ultimately desire.

What makes people truly mighty? Is it how much they accumulate for themselves? Is it what they drive, where they live, how many houses they own and/or how much money they make?

Many people believe so and find themselves sacrificing far too much for it. This is a very limited view.

Rather, what about people who have none of these things and yet impact countless lives through their love, care and generosity?

Aren’t they mighty, too?

Indeed they are, but such sacrificial living doesn’t seem to gain the fanfare, glitz and glitter that having lots of money seems to generate.

Working in the financial industry allows me to see this defining-of-greatness dynamic played out up close and personal.

Interestingly, when you get to the root of someone’s goals and desires, that person often mistakenly attaches them to money, when in reality his or her deepest desires reach far beyond that.

More than anything, they want to provide for their families, to try and protect their loved ones from hardship, support causes that have meaning to them and

Anyone can be mighty when they choose to invest what they have – their time and talents – to benefit others and make a positive impact in their homes, communities and workplaces.

give to others in ways that help them improve others’ lives. They ultimately want to make a difference.

They assume money is the answer and the way to accomplish all this, like I once did. Clearly, in many ways it helps, but money isn’t what makes us mighty.

Genuine strength comes from what we choose to do with what we already have.

Clearly, there are some who only care about themselves and desire money solely for themselves, but this is not greatness.

Greatness is not reduced to how great we can make ourselves materially.

As we consider this concept, consider

how we currently focus, invest, use and allocate the resources we have beyond monetary terms. These assets, those that we all have some measure of, include our time, talents, treasures (possessions) and testimonies (our story).

We all have time, but how do we spend it? We all have talents, but how do we use them? We all have something tangible, but how do we put it to work? We all have a story, but how do we share it to encourage others?

We can hoard, hide, waste or invest all of these assets.

In short, being strong and mighty

reaches far beyond our money. In many ways, money is the cheapest thing we have. Everything else we possess comes from inside us. Our hearts impact our wallets.

It’s encouraging to see light bulbs go off when people realize their greatness isn’t determined by their bank account. This means anyone can be mighty when they choose to invest what they have to benefit others and make a positive impact in their homes, communities and workplaces.

Under these terms, greatness will be measured by the size of one’s heart, not the size of one’s wallet.

Dagan Sharpe is senior vice president of Queensborough National Bank & Trust and the author of Highways End and Full Disclosure. Email him at dagan. sharpe@qnbtrust.com.

THE LONG RUN

THE CHEAPEST OPTION COULD END UP COSTING MORE

BY TONY CREIGHTON

Addressing problems can be a large part of the daily schedule for a commercial property manager (PM). With issues seemingly flying at you from all directions, why create more stress for yourself by choosing the wrong contractor for exterior cleaning?

How do you go about choosing the wrong contractor? Usually by looking solely at the lowest price, and not taking into consideration all the other things that will minimize the risk of headaches.

The right exterior cleaning contractor knows the role of a commercial PM and has the knowledge and commercial property experience to help solve the PM’s

24 Buzz on Biz December 2018

problem, making his or her job easier and hassle-free!

The right contractor has the proper equipment and experience to efficiently clean surfaces such as concrete sidewalks, siding and windows without causing damage. Concrete can be scarred and damaged by trying to remove chewing gum or stains with high-pressure washing.

Instead, the experienced, properly equipped contractor knows to use hot water combined with special detergents and a controlled amount of pressure to melt gum and remove grease.

Frequently, an inexperienced contractor tries to clean surfaces by blasting away

at it with a pressure washer, which can permanently damage window seals, scar vinyl siding or blow water under siding or door jambs.

These issues can quickly create a headache for the PM, who now has to deal with fixing those costly problems.

As a commercial PM, getting the required work done within the allotted budget is always a priority. A knowledgeable PM knows that a professional, experienced and licensed contractor can be a better solution, even though that contractor might be more expensive than a “deal” found on Craigslist or on a flimsy sign stapled to a telephone pole.

In the long run, the cheaper option will

usually impact the budget – and not in a good way. Just remember, if you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur ...

Tony Creighton is the owner/operator of ALLCLEAN™ Pressure Washing LLC and its subsidiary, Augusta PROCLEAN™ — committed to providing high-quality cleanings for the CSRA’s commercial properties and homes. Call 706.651.8089 or email allcleanaugusta@gmail.com.

BIPARTISAN ISSUES

CHAMBER EXEC PLANS TO WORK WITH DIVIDED CONGRESS

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

A divided federal government does not have to create gridlock, keynote speaker Moore Hallmark told members of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 8, just two days after Election Day. Hallmark, the executive director of the Southeast Region of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Congressional and Public Affairs, spoke at the Chamber’s annual pre-legislative breakfast.

Hallmark said that the shift in majority in the House of Representatives to Democrat wasn’t unexpected. The opposing party of the sitting president often wins in the midterm elections.

“People like checks and balances in government,” Hallmark said. “The big question is, how willing are the two parties to work together ahead of the 2020 election?”

But before the majority changes hands in January, the lame duck Congress will have to avoid a government shutdown by passing some type of funding bill for the remainder of the year.

Once 2019’s legislative session is underway, though, Hallmark expects a number of business issues to be part of the agenda – issues he thinks will have bipartisan support.

“I expect the Republicans and Democrats to come together because there’s already some bipartisanship on these issues,” he said.

Among the issues the U.S. Chamber supports are increasing the federal fuel tax by 25 cents in 5-cent annual increments, creating more public-private partnerships and expanding the U.S. workforce through work-based education.

Trade is another area of concern.

Democrats won control of the House in November’s election, while the Senate retained its Republican majority. Moore Hallmark, the executive director of the Southeast Region of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that working with a divided Congress will be harder, but the Chamber will keep pushing for legislation that supports U.S. businesses.

“Trade is a major component of our economic growth,” he said. “The Chamber has serious concerns about tariffs that threaten $2.8 billion in exports.”

He added that trade is vital for Georgia, accounting for 1.2 million jobs.

Another concern is the increasing shortage of skilled workers for available jobs. Hallmark said various actions taken

by President Donald Trump’s administration, including rolling back regulations instituted during the previous eight years, have created an economic boom.

“Our economy is roaring,” he said.

“There are more jobs open than people

looking for jobs. This transformation is creating opportunities, but it also creating disruptions.”

Two gaps need to be addressed to turn the disruptions into opportunities, he said. One is a skills gap, where people lack the skills and credentials to compete for the open jobs. The other is a people gap, where companies don’t have the people they need where they need them.

Other issues he expects to come up in 2019 are more efforts to address the opioid crisis, lowering prescription drug prices, the stabilization of Obamacare and other health care issues, and trade

agreements.

Hallmark believes the U.S. Chamber will be able to continue to help businesses despite the divided Congress.

“We’ve worked with all types of majorities to advance pro-growth policies,” he said. “We will continue to urge leaders to find a middle ground and work together.”

After the meeting, Hallmark said that small businesses are a priority for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and he encouraged small businesses to become involved at the local level to enjoy some of the benefits the Chamber has for them.

Among those benefits are conferences, such as the Small Business Summit, and lobbying for policies that free small businesses from oppressive regulatory measures.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” Hallmark said. “If we can, we promote legislation that will keep government out of their way.”

Hallmark also said that working with a president who has a business background has been a benefit, especially since some former Chamber staffers now work for Trump’s administration.

“We couldn’t be more pleased,” he said.

“We have the ability to have a dialogue with the administration.”

That doesn’t mean the Chamber agrees with everything the president has done.The Chamber still has concerns about the new trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada and wants to work more with the administration on trade issues.

The new divided Congress will require more work, Hallmark said.

“We’ll continue to work with them, but the reality is that it won’t be easy,” he said. “But we won’t pull back just because there’s a divided Congress.”

STATE LEGISLATURE TO DISCUSS BUSINESS COURTS, SOFT SKILLS, TRAFFIC Business courts will be on the agenda during Georgia’s next legislative session.

State Sen. Jesse Stone, R-Waynesboro, told the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce that a provision has been passed to have business divisions in local courts, which will benefit businesses involved in a legal process.

“It’ll be streamlined and have people with expertise to resolve business disputes,” Stone said.

The Legislature will be working on defining the scope and parameters of the business courts.

26 Buzz on Biz December 2018

Also expected to be part of the legislative agenda, according to State Rep. Tom McCall, R-Elberton, will be rural health care and rural broadband internet access. But there will also be an emphasis on developing the soft skills of employment-age people.

“The soft skills are the biggest thing we need to fix and the quickest to fix,” he said.

McCall believes that schools need to develop a different mindset about post-high school education.

“Not every kid has to go to college for four years to get a career,” he said. “Not everybody fits that. Our

technical colleges are the best thing we’ve got going in the state.”

Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem, said that in education, the Legislature will work to pass a $5,000 acrossthe-board pay increase for all teachers.

Rep. Mark Newton, R-Augusta, added that he is working with the transportation committee concerning local traffic that is sure to increase around Fort Gordon and with the influx of cyber-related business.

“I want to make sure we don’t have the traffic problems here that we have in Atlanta,” he said.

ALL ABOARD!

WHISTLE STOP 573 PUNCHES TICKET FOR GOOD EATS

BY SUSAN O’KEEFE

In less than six months, a new Augusta café has laid down tracks and is rolling toward success. When the train whistle blows, think Whistle Stop Café 573, located at 573 Greene St. On a crisp fall day, it felt warm and cozy entering the neighborly nook. We chose one of the booths and enjoyed people watching the view of Greene and Fifth Streets. Reds and grays provided a pleasant backdrop to pops of yellow and black railroad paraphernalia. Inspiring signs of food, family and friends dotted the walls.

A couple of televisions displayed the latest in news, weather and sports. Easy rock played softly through the small eatery, and a dozen friendly conversations happened all at once, although none seemed to outdo the other. Chrome bar stools outfitted with red tops lined the floor next to the counter. A few folks perched there while the staff fluttered here and there. In downtown Augusta, Whistle Stop is an easy lunch choice.

Billing itself as American cuisine, Whistle Stop opens as the sun rises. To talk business over coffee, consider meeting a client here. There’s bacon and biscuits, grits and gravy, plus a hot plate called the Caboose and Conductor!

A couple of soups plus a few sandwiches, salads and wraps make for the perfect one-page menu. Not too much, not too little. Within a couple of minutes, we placed our orders, sat back and waited for the train. On the Whistle Stop website there’s a T-shirt humorously declaring “We guarantee fast service no matter how long it takes.” Well put.

Lunch was delivered before the train, however, and we eagerly dug into our cuisine.

My colleague raved about the marinated chicken breast grilled with bacon,

Whistle Stop Café 573

Rating is based on a scale of 1 (worst) to 5 (best).

Food Price Location Networking Noise Level Whistle Stop Café 573 is at 573 Greene St. in downtown Augusta. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Learn more by calling 706-426-8775 or go to whistlestopcafe573.com.

Whistle Stop Cafe 573 serves American diner fare, including soup and sandwiches like this grilled chicken breast with bacon, swiss cheese, avocado, alfalfa sprouts and red pepper mayonnaise on whole wheat toast. Photo by Susan O’Keefe

swiss, avocado, alfalfa sprouts and red pepper mayo served on toasted whole wheat bread. The mixed green side salad was a perfect compliment.

Because it’s an American diner, the burger was whistling my name and begging for a chance. It did not disappoint.

Served with traditional toppings of lettuce and tomato, the meaty burger was hot and juicy and hit the spot. To check the “I had my veggies today” box, a side

serving of broccoli, onions and peppers stepped right up.

Guaranteeing a return-trip ticket were the additional mouth-watering menu items. Piquing my curiosity were the buffalo chicken wrap, vegan sloppy joe, shrimp po’boy and Mediterranean salad. There’s also the offering of freshly squeezed juices and bottomless iced tea, lemonade or the combination known as the Arnold Palmer.

Business folks were sprinkled amidst the more casual diners. Most parties included only two to four people, as the space could be called small or intimate, depending on perspective. For a business gathering between two or three, Whistle Stop would certainly fit the bill. Patio seating is also available at the entryway.

After paying our 20 dollar-ish fare, we were out the door and planning our next stop. Maybe next time, the train schedule will coincide with our dining schedule.

Just to be sure, we’ll listen for the whistle then make tracks to the café.

Susan O’Keefe has been reviewing restaurants for Buzz on Biz since August 2015. Her restaurant visits and reviews are done with a businessperson in mind.

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December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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AUGUSTA PLAYERS BRING PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES TO THE STAGE

BY GARY KAUFFMAN

The list of actors with connections to Augusta includes Quinton Aaron, Laurence Fishburne, Hulk Hogan, Butterfly McQueen and Danielle Panabaker, but it’s the often-unsung actors who could put Augusta theater on the map in the near future.

After only 15 months as the executive and artistic director for The Augusta Players, Scott Seidl has already been deeply impressed by the local talent.

“The talent level in this city is very professional,” Seidl said.

He should know, considering his experience in producing shows around the country, including New York City and, most recently, at The Venetian on the Las Vegas strip.

In fact, it was that professionalism that made Seidl decide to take the position in Augusta. He viewed a final dress rehearsal of The Augusta Players’ production of Beauty and the Beast and realized it was better than the same show performed by some of his professional friends.

And he believes Augusta theater can be even more.

“One of the reasons I took this job is for the opportunity to take this incredible theater and grow it even more,” he said. “There is more going on here than people realize. There’s a lot of great stuff.”

The next show for The Augusta Players is A Christmas Story, set for Dec. 7-9 at the Imperial Theatre. This is the first time in a decade that the Christmas show hasn’t been A Christmas Carol, but Seidl believes audiences will love A Christmas Story. After that comes Catch Me if You Can in February and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in May. In March, the Players will announce the lineup for its 75th season in Augusta, a list of performances that Seidl believes will be worthy of a Diamond Anniversary. Included in that is the return of A Christmas Carol, this time with some new special effects and surprises.

While a theater production always brings to mind the actors, Seidl said a lot goes on backstage as well.

The people on stage are primarily from

28 Buzz on Biz December 2018

PLAYERS DO MORE THAN PLAYS

Performances by The Augusta Players have professional-level acting and impressive stage sets, like this one from recent production of The Little Mermaid. Photo contributed

the CSRA, although musicians and choreographers are sometimes brought in from other areas.

A lot of work goes into creating the backgrounds for the sets, and some of them have been impressive. For a recent production of Anything Goes, the construction staff created a two-story ship.

The set for A Christmas Story also promises to be well-crafted.

“It takes an army of people to create a show,” Seidl said. “They probably work more hours than the actors.”

A theater company in Rome, Ga., has already requested to borrow the ship from Anything Goes.

“I’m proud that the stuff we created here is getting used elsewhere,” Seidl said.

Although the actors for the productions perform at a professional level, they aren’t a closed group. Each production has open casting calls – the website lists the roles The Augusta Players are looking for.

Businesses can also get involved through advertising, marketing and promotional opportunities. Volunteers also help the barebones staff – Seidl, Roy Lewis and Jeannie Butler – with administrative duties.

“And we’re always looking for people to be involved backstage,” Seidl said.

“Right now we’re looking for three child wranglers for A Christmas Story.”

Seidl and The Augusta Players are already looking forward to celebrating the group’s first 75 years. The celebration will include a producing a short documentary about the Players. One of the board members has also spent six months digitizing all the programs from the first 74 years.

“If you look back over the 75 years at the lives that were changed, there are so many people I run into who were in the Junior Players,” Seidl said. “(Local radio personality) Austin Rhodes credits his career in entertainment from being in the Junior Players.”

With the economic changes in Augusta, Seidl anticipates continuing and increasing the value of The Augusta Players.

“When you see what’s happening in Augusta’s demographics, the downtown changing, we’re looking at how we can support that growth,” he said. “We’re looking to see how and when we can make the transition to a regional theater and how to take that to the next business level.”

Most people know about the main stage productions of The Augusta Players, but the organization does much more than just a handful of plays per year.

Included in the activities of The Augusta Players are the Junior Players, the workshops and outreach programs and Camp Wonderland, a twoweek summer arts camp for young people on the autism spectrum.

“Although we have great Broadway-style shows, we’re doing so much more,” said Scott Seidl, executive director of The Augusta Players.

The Junior Players program is for students ages 6-19. Its annual schedule includes a show for the youngest ones, a show for middle school kids, a show for high school students and one that encompasses everyone, under the direction of Roy Lewis. Participants also attend workshops and competitions in the area.

Many of the shows have an educational component. For example, in February the Players will produce a show titled Four Little Girls in Birmingham, 1963, about racial integration issues in the Civil Rights era.

Seidl is also excited about Camp Wonderland. Each camper is paired one-to-one with one of the Junior Players for the entire camp.

“It’s a transformative experience, not only for the campers but for the Junior Players as well,” Seidl said.

“We’ve seen the campers grow in their social skills. But what’s really exciting is watching the Junior Players, most who have never seen anyone with disabilities, change their perspective on life. Some have even chosen career paths now to help those with disabilities.”

FINDING ‘THE COOL FACTOR’

CITY CREATES ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT TO BOOST DOWNTOWN

BY WITT WELLS

The Augusta Commission has approved a series of downtown-focused initiatives and rule changes to make the area’s “entertainment district” a more robust and attractive destination.

As people continue to move to Augusta, there will be a growing demand for entertainment in the downtown core that is on par with cities that create excitement among young people.

Business owners and city officials want to make sure that the area is ready for those demands from locals, visitors and new residents.

Among the initiatives are more lenient laws for food trucks in the area, an allowance for drinking in designated sections on the sidewalk outside bars and changing the district’s noise ordinance from 11 p.m. to midnight.

On Nov. 6, the commissioners voted to move forward with those initiatives, which will apply to downtown’s newly designated entertainment district: The area from Fifth Street to 13th Street and from Greene Street to the Savannah River.

Downtown’s newly designated entertainment district – the area from Fifth Street to 13th Street and Greene Street to the Savannah Commission member Sean Frantom River – is meant to help businesses work together to make the area vibrant as development continues. Photo by Gary Kauffman said the city wants “to make sure we continue to have innovative things to go with performing in Augusta more frequently Kinlaw said. “And nobody wants an im- been stagnant for a while.”

Before Brown took the CEO role at ongoing development.” than they have in years. But making Au- mense police presence.”

However, the commission did vote to the CVB, he was CEO of Travel Tacoma “Part of it is having that image of the gusta a cultural hub on a weekly basis will cool factor,” said Bennish Brown, CEO require more local investment, energy and allow customers to drink in designated + Pierce County, a destination marketing sections of the sidewalk right outside organization in Tacoma, Wash. Brown of the Augusta Convention and Visi- creativity. bars, which would said that when he left Tacoma, the city tors Bureau. “That might go hand-in-hand had started to reap the benefits of capimean different things to with the smoking talizing on the opportunities it had as a different people. The food ban that will go port city. trucks are part of the cool into effect Jan. 1, Brown sees a parallel between Tacoma factor … the craft beer 2019. and Augusta and considers creative use of scene is part of the cool The purpose of the Savannah River to be a key to Aufactor. They’re part of the these initiatives gusta’s success. entrepreneurial spirit. is to create more “Those things will bring life and expe– The Bee’s Knees owner Eric Kinlaw, who is part of a You’re working with that community, inno- rience along the riverfront,” Brown said. grassroots entrepreneur.” committee that proposed the entertainment district vation and energy “When Tacoma developed access to its “I would like to see a downtown that waterfront, that was a big part of the beTasty Tuesday,” Frantom will eventually ginning of awareness of visitors to start said, referring to his idea lead to bigger and paying attention to Tacoma.” for a food truck gathering Kinlaw added that the cleanliness of that a committee has proposed. “Every “There needs to be events all the time,” better things. For example, Kinlaw said, Tuesday, people would know you can go said Eric Kinlaw, the owner of The Bee’s Augusta is missing out on a huge op- downtown has been lacking and that to the common to eat lunch.”

Knees, who was also part of the com- portunity by not hosting a James Brown- new efforts would be a big boost to the area. He said the former Clean AuThe committee that proposed the en- mittee with Frantom and Brown. “Street themed festival every year.

Plans for that kind of event could be gusta Downtown Initiative, a group that tertainment district agreed on a new or- events would be great, more than just dinance allowing food trucks to park on Arts in the Heart. There is a lot already, coming soon. In October, former Mayor complemented city initiatives in keeping the street in spaces that are not in front of but there could be more. Not enough go- Deke Copenhaver told WRDW that downtown clean until it was terminated restaurants. Frantom also proposed food ing on year-round, not enough cohesion there is $450,000 in seed money for an in 2013, is an example of the kind of viinitiative called All-in Augusta to de- sion downtown needs right now. trucks locating outside the Georgia Cy- between businesses.”

“You treat places like you see them ber Center.

The committee discussed a possible velop an “international soul festival” that When it comes to entertainment, the open container law for the entertainment would honor Brown and other legendary treated,” Kinlaw said. “If it’s dirty and Augusta musicians. filthy and doesn’t make sense, you’re not city has already seen signs of progress district but decided against it.

“I think we’re at the beginning of going to want that. I think it needs to be coming from the outside. A-list musi“Unless you have an immense police cians, comedians and other artists are presence, you’re going to have problems,” things changing,” Kinlaw said. “They’ve cared for a little better.”

“I think we’re at the beginning of things changing. They’ve been stagnant for a while.”

December 2018 Buzz on Biz

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‘TIS THE SEASON

SPEND THE HOLIDAYS WITH LOVED ONES – AND A FEW SHOWS

BY SAMANTHA BARKSDALE

I love the holiday season. Just walking into Kroger and catching a whiff of the cinnamon broomsticks takes me back to my childhood.

How I long for the days when my sisters and I would wait impatiently by the oven, peering in the window every few seconds, watching the cookies take their sweet time. My mom made all kinds of cookies and pies, and we fought over who got to lick the spoon.

But the holiday season isn’t really about the delicious snacks. It’s about spending time with the ones you love and sacrificing when we need to. This month’s reviews are dedicated to just that.

‘Tree Man’

Whether you do it in early November or on Christmas Eve, picking out a Christmas tree is one of the hallmarks of the season. Signs announc-

ing the arrival of trees pop up out of nowhere, and once-empty lots fill up with spruce, fir and pine varieties.

I’ve never bothered to consider what it takes to run a Christmas tree stand, but after watching Tree Man, I have a newfound respect for these individuals.

Francois lives in Quebec with his wife and three young children. Each year, Francois leaves his family and drives to New York City. He spends one month in the city, living in his van while making his living selling Christmas trees.

He is not alone, however. There are many others who embark on this same adventure, and Tree Man interviews many of the men and women who choose this profession.

I’ve never been to New York City, so I’ve never experienced the rain, snow and biting cold that envelopes the city during the winter months.

Through it all, however, the tree salesmen are there, standing under tents, trying to stay dry and warm, and delivering trees on their backs to homes around the city.

To be honest, this documentary is a little slow.

Watching it late at night, I fell asleep. Twice. But well-rested Sam was truly intrigued by the lives these entrepreneurs live. They leave their families and spend the month cold, wet and exhausted, and for what? To bring the Christmas spirit to the rest of us. Make sure you say thanks when you get your tree this year.

‘The Holiday Calendar’

First and foremost, I’d like to make it known that my husband chose this movie. He knew I was working on my reviews for the December issue and wanted to help. Super sweet, I know.

If you are a fan of Lifetime or Hallmark movies, The Holiday Calendar is right up your alley. Unfortunately, I’m not really a fan of that type of film.

This movie was so cliché it was painful to watch.

Even my husband, who chose the movie, left me on the couch to finish it alone because he just couldn’t take it anymore.

Here’s the rundown: Guy and girl have been friends since childhood. Girl’s family loves guy, but she says they’re just friends. Grandpa gives girl a magical advent calendar. Girl meets new guy and whirlwind romance ensues. Friend guy is jealous, and their friendship gets a little rocky. I’ll stop there and let you guess what happens next.

I’ll admit, there are a few cute things scattered throughout this film. They weren’t worth the hour and a half I lost watching it, though. It would, however, be good background noise for a nap after eating too many Christmas treats.

No matter how you celebrate this time of year, make sure you spend a little time with the ones you love. You don’t know how long they’ll be here, so appreciate them while you can. And if you don’t know what to talk about, just try bonding over a bad movie. Happy holidays!

Samantha Barksdale, “Sam the Movie Chick,” is on a mission to find the best movies and TV shows for you to stream from Netflix.

She loves good flicks, good food and good friends. Her eclectic tastes are sure to give readers a wide range of viewing choices.

BITTER END

DARK BREW COMPLEMENTS SEASON’S CHILLY WEATHER

BY BEN CASELLA

Shades of brown with hints of red and green. These are the colors that come to mind when I think of Thanksgiving. Perhaps my varying degrees of synesthesia become a bit more manifest in autumn, because I can almost taste and smell this time of year as I write this column, due a few days before the holiday.

As I pontificate on my autumn memories, I can smell wool, cinnamon and an almost earthy whiff of cool air blowing across the river and through my olfactory senses. I can taste a whole plethora of savor, but, for the sake of our theme, let’s say I can taste, well, delicious dark beer.

I’m not going to rub in the fact that I

30 Buzz on Biz December 2018

got my hands on some delicious “maple syrup” from Vermont a few days ago – specifically some “maple syrup” from the Alchemist Brewery in Stowe called Heady Topper, Focal Banger and Beelzebub. So, I’ll skip to a seasonal go-to for me that is readily attainable down South.

Southern Tier Harvest Ale

No, this beer will not knock your socks literally off your feet like Rum Barrel Aged Pumking from the same brewery does. This extra-special bitter boasts just about half the alcohol content than does the aforementioned beer. So, calm down.

It’ll be just fine.

I chose Harvest Ale for this month’s

column because it hints at chilly weather – much like our fall. The light amber appearance and white head would lead you to think you were having quite the bitter beer, and you are.

However, there exists an earthy and piney tinge throughout that gives complexity to this brew. A purist might taste it and think it silly to call this an extraspecial bitter, and I hope to have a day someday when that’s what I’ve got to be concerned over.

As for the taste, bitter hops hardly give way to citrus elements, but there’s a hint or two of sweetness from the malts that come up now and then – although as you sip you wonder how any remote echo

of sweetness can come from a brew that laces like that on the inside of a pint glass.

It’s there, however. Be sure to look for it.

Ben Casella enjoyed the cold snap we had just before Thanksgiving. It gave him a chance to break out his wool sweater. Unfortunately, the moths enjoyed it over the summer.