Buzz on biz issue january 15

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

JANUARY 2015 • THE CSRA’S ONLY MONTHLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Augusta tops in employment growth................... 2 Chef Belinda adds spice to life.................................. 6 Buzz Bits........................................................................8,.9 Businessperson of the Month: Jay Waldron.......12 The Internet is growing more dangerous...........16 New Year is the time to update websites............20

Park Place

Different solutions offered for downtown parking dilemma but all agree – something has to be done

By Gary Kauffman, Editor

At the back of Vintage Ooollee on Broad Street

you can find a bona fide Augusta parking meter, circa 1940, harkening back to the days when people had to have some loose change in order to park along Broad Street.

That era ended in the 1970s, but the parking situation in the downtown area has some people talking about bringing meters back. And a lot of people talking about what a bad idea that is.

While there are passionate voices on both sides of the parking meter debate among downtown business owners, one thing they agree on is that there is a parking problem, namely, not enough available spaces for customers.

“Come down here almost any morning and you’re lucky to find a parking space on our block,” said David Hutchison, owner of The Book Tavern, 936 Broad St.. “You get a lot of people circling around the block. You talk about running off customers with parking meters – nothing runs off customers like not being able to find a parking space.”

Playing the part of the villain in most business owner’s accounts is the city government – not for any action, but for what they feel is a complete lack of action and planning.

Hutchison cited a 2005 study the city commissioned about downtown parking that found the streets parked at 100 percent capacity at peak times and 80 percent in off-peak.

“If a decade ago we had a parking problem, it’s even worse now,” Hutchison said.

Ooollee Bricker, owner of Vintage Ooollee, 1121 Broad St., conducted her own study of the parking situation surrounding her store. She found that in the 1100 block of

Ooollee Bricker stands in a front of her store, Vintage Ooollee, in a parking space that is often filled. She advocates parking management but not parking meters. Photo by Gary Kauffman

Broad Street there are 100 parking spaces when both sides of the street and the median are combined. She surveyed 13 of the 18 businesses on the block and found that employees take up 59 of the spaces during the day. Residents of apartments in the block take up some of the remainder, although she didn’t have a hard count on that.

“I’ve had a resident park in front of my shop for two or three days,” she said.

She doesn’t necessarily fault the employees who park there because there are few alternatives other than parking on the streets behind the stores.

“But the problem with parking on Ellis and Jones is that it’s not safe,” she said. “They need better lighting.”

It is of particular concern at this time of year when darkness falls by the time many employees clock out and head to their cars.

“We close at 6 p.m. so it’s dark back there (Ellis Street),” said Nan Rodriguez, owner of Nan’s Collections, 960 Broad St. “I don’t want to take the chance.”

Hutchison thinks the danger is overrated, saying he and his wife have parked on Ellis for years at all hours of the night and never had an issue. But he does agree that better lighting along the streets off Broadway would encourage more people to park there.

The solutions offered by the business owners vary, but all agree that the city of Augusta has to develop a definitive parking management plan sooner rather than later.

Here are a few of the proposed solutions: Parking Meters – This is the spoon that has stirred the simmering pot of parking woes of late. Several meetings See PARKING, page 2

PARKING continued from page 1 were held between city officials and downtown business owners on Dec. 9.

The majority of business owners are opposed, some vehemently so.

“Anyone who wants to tax people to come downtown, which is what parking meters are, is wrong,” said David Jay, owner of Our Shop Men’s Wear, 1014 Broad St. “Parking management yes, but not parking meters,” Bricker said.

Rodriguez fears it will keep customers away. She carries specialty items that has people driving to Augusta from several hours away. While in the city, they often spend hours at her store and shopping at other downtown establishments.

But Hutchison adds a dissenting vote.

As a supporter of parking meters, he cites research that parking meters actually increase traffic downtown and that businesses in other cities have seen sales increase after installing meters.

“It actually increases shopping,” he said.

“This is not speculation, but the result of intense study. You cannot find a city where they put in parking meters that it has hurt business.”

Parking Decks – This was one of the most popular solutions offered by business owners. Specifically, they would like to see the old Sky City Department Store building on the south side of Broad torn down and a five-story parking deck installed.

More available parking would alleviate the issue of employees parking on the street and encourage more companies to locate downtown. Lack of parking has been cited as the top reason some companies have given for not locating in the downtown area.

Improve Conditions on Other Streets – Better lighting and increased foot patrols on the north-south streets and the streets parallel to Broad would increase the frequency of parking away from Broad, Bricker believes.

Hutchison added that the city also needs to repaint the lines on some of those streets, as well as install parking signs. Some are unmarked or so poorly marked, he said, that

many drivers – especially those from out of town – don’t know if parking is allowed on those streets.

Eliminate the Parking Wells – The parking wells installed in the median in the 800 and 900 blocks, as well as moving from angle parking to parallel parking, eliminated about 85 parking spots per block, Hutchison and Bricker said. Eliminating the wells and returning to angle parking would alleviate some of the parking issues in that area.

Add Parking Areas for Employees – Bricker said that a designated area for employees and residents, where they could park for a nominal yearly fee, would alleviate a lot of the congestion she sees in the 1100 block.

Enforcement of the Two-Hour Parking Limit – Parking in downtown spaces is already limited to two hours, but it is rarely enforced. While some owners think this would force employees and residents to find other parking spots, other owners thought this would create additional fears among potential customers.

Most of the owners agree that no one solution will solve the parking problems but will take a combination of some or all of them. They are also in agreement that it is time to hold the city officials’ feet to the fire and have them commit to a parking management plan.

“I’m really firm about tying all the parking management together,” Hutchison said.

“We need a comprehensive plan that has to be larger than meters. It has to address not just today’s issues, but the long term issues as well.”

He believes that a good parking management plan will be a boon to the city and help move Augusta toward being the kind of attraction Greenville, S.C., Charleston, Savannah and Macon have become.

But the bottom line is that something has to be done.

“The sooner they can do any one of these things, the better for us,” Hutchison said. “We cannot get the kind of growth Augusta wants by leaving parking the way it is now.”

These are not your grandfather’s meters When David Hutchison of The Book Tavern advocates the use of parking meters downtown, he isn’t talking about your grandfather’s meters, the ones where you had to fumble for change and make a dash to the curb to feed it again before your two hours ran out.

Like most other things in life, parking meters have gone high tech. Hutchison wants meters that you can control with an app on your phone.

Not only will the app tell you where the closest spaces are to where you’re going, you can also pay the meter with the app and feed more money into the meter two hours later, even if you’re sitting in a restaurant a few blocks away.

The meters could also be programmed with different prices – higher prices in the highest traffic areas, which will encourage some drivers to park further away in the lower-priced areas, thus alleviating congestion.

This has positive consequences, Hutchison said.

“When people are circling the block looking for parking, it increases traffic density, raises the risk of accidents and it uses more gas,” he said.

Five years ago, Hutchison was part of a group that fought against parking meters. Now he wishes he had fought on the other side.

He said studies have shown that, counter-intuitive as it sounds, parking meters increase store traffic.

Area employment growth tops in state During the past year, Augusta was the place to be if you needed a job.

According to statistics released by Simon Medcalfe, an economist with the Hull College of Business at GRU, Augusta’s employment grew by 3.5 percent from October 2013 to October 2014. That was tops in the state of Georgia among the 14 cities surveyed. It was also well ahead of Georgia’s overall growth rate during that time, 2.4 percent.

Trailing Augusta in the survey were Gainesville, at 3 percent; Atlanta, 2.4 percent and Savannah, 2 percent. Three cities – Warner Robins, Albany and Dalton – experienced negative employment growth during the same time.

Medcalfe also reported that Augusta’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) increased by 0.8 percent from September to October. It marked eight

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consecutive months of growth. Overall, the LEI increased by 4.9 percent from October 2013 to October 2014.

The LEI is a monthly composite of several national, regional and local indicators into a single variable. The LEI is not a forecast but may indicate future economic activity.

Augusta’s LEI provides local decision makers with timely information about future business cycle patterns. The Augusta LEI includes the Augusta metro area, as well as seven counties (Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie and Richmond in Georgia, and Aiken and Edgefiled in South Carolina).

The Hull College of Business will present its annual Economic Forecast breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 28.

When people think of parking meters, they have in mind a model like the one above at Vintage Ooollee, from about 1940, but new models are digital and look more like the one on the left.

“You cannot find a city where they put in parking meters that it hurt business,” he said.

Meters, in a 10-year period, would raise about $3million that, if reinvested into downtown, could bring about significant improvements. In one city, he said, the money was directed toward the cost of storefront improvements, which resulted in most businesses working toward more attractive facades.

The alternative of enforcing the twohour parking limit would cost the city about $2.5 million during that same 10 years, and the thought of a $20 ticket would do more to discourage shoppers than having to put a dollar in a meter, Hutchison said.

Don’t wait to solve parking issue On Saturday afternoon Dec. 13, a business colleague and I were half-an-hour ahead of schedule for a 3 p.m. meeting near River Street in downtown Savannah. After circling around the historic district for 20 minutes looking for a parking space, we gave up, fearing we’d be late for this important get together. We paid $11 (gulp) to have valet parking at an area hotel so we could attend our three-hour meeting on time.

As downtown Augusta continues its re-birth, parking challenges will only intensify. Will we ever have to pay $11 to park for an afternoon? Let’s hope not. Let’s tackle the pros and cons of the “car-nundrum” before Augusta blows up like Savannah. Our stories on the cover and Page 2 continue the dialogue. What do you think?

Whole Foods is doing a whole lot of community events at their Washington Road Store such as local live music, cooking demos and their enthusiastic local marketing team is planning a Health Expo in 2015. Whole Foods is also conscious of involving local farmers and entrepreneurs in their success. Read about Chef Belinda breaking into the Whole Foods space on Page 6.

Our Business Person of the Month is becoming a favorite feature of our readers because we get to peek beneath the balance sheet and products and services to learn what drives a successful leader and how they are successful. In Jay Waldron’s case, his path started at age 16 when he left home. He is now at the helm of a $5 million company and quietly gives back to the community and humbly leads his team of licensees who, like him, need a leg up. Read his amazing climb to the top on Page 12.

Neil Gordon is president of Buzz on Biz, LLC and produces a daily TV segment on News 12 This Morning, a daily radio show on WRDW 1630 AM, a daily website, a weekly email business newsletter and the monthly publication Verge in addition to Buzz on Biz, the CSRA’s only monthly business publication. To learn more, visit buzzon.biz or email him at neil@buzzon.biz.

THE CSRA’S ONLY MONTHLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE 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 $36 to cover postage to the address below.

Publisher Neil R. Gordon Editor in Chief Gary Kauffman/803-341-5830 Sales Manager Neil R. Gordon/706-589-6727 Sales Janine Garropy/803-480-2800 Design Gary Kauffman

Photography Gary Kauffman Melissa Gordon/sofiacolton.com Contributing Writers Alexandrea Daitch Stephen Delaney Hale Submit Information gkauffman@buzzon.biz thegordongrouppr@comcast.net

Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions.

Neither Buzz on Biz LLC or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only.

For more information, visit us at buzzon.biz or like us on Facebook

3740 Executive Center Drive, #300, Martinez, GA 30907

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Business Matters Christine Hall

Caught in a Net Tax can kick in if your investments hit limits

Certain taxpayers may be subject to the Net Investment Income Tax, which went into effect in 2013. You may owe this tax if you have income from investments and your income for the year is more than certain limits. There are a few facts that you should know about the Net Investment Income Tax. The law requires a tax of 3.8 percent on the lesser of either your net investment income or the amount by which your modified adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount based on your filing status.

Net Investment Income generally includes interest, dividends, capital gains, rental and royalty income and non-qualified annuities.

Kim Romaner

Monkey Wrench

Thinking ahead can avoid problems with business sale No business is perfect. No seller is perfect. No buyer is perfect.

That’s okay. We sell imperfect businesses with imperfect sellers to imperfect buyers every day. What you may not know is that an imperfection you may not have noticed, may not be aware of, or may not have recognized as a problem, could creep up in the selling process and create a roadblock to the sale of your business. Here’s an example.

You own an auto repair business. You’ve held it for many years. The lease expired a few months ago, and you’ve not renewed your lease because – well, hey, you’re retiring. You want to sell. Month-to-month is okay with

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Keep in mind, however, that this list is not all-inclusive. Net investment income normally does not include wages and most self-employment income. It does not include unemployment compensation, Social Security benefits or alimony. Net investment income also does not include any gain on the sale of your main home that you exclude from your income.

After you add up your total investment income, you then subtract your deductions that are properly allocable to this income. The result is your net investment income.

You may owe the tax if you have net investment income, and your modified adjusted gross income is more than the following amount for your filing status: Filing Status / Threshold Amount Single or Head of household – $200,000 Married filing jointly – $250,000 Married filing separately – $125,000 Qualifying widow(er) with a child – $250,000 If you owe this tax, you must file Form 8960 with your federal tax return. If you had too little tax withheld or did not pay enough estimated taxes, you may have to pay an estimated tax penalty.

The Net Investment Income Tax is separate from the new Additional Medicare Tax, which also went into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. You may be subject to both taxes, but not on the

same type of income. The 0.9 percent Additional Medicare Tax applies to individuals’ wages, compensation, and self-employment income over certain thresholds, but it does not apply to income items included in Net Investment Income.

As taxpayer, we all need to understand that taxes are rising. New taxes, like the ones described in this article, and the expiration of tax incentives, are the culprit. Be sure to meet with your

tax preparer before the end of the year so they can help you minimize your tax liability.

you. Why would you sign up for even one more year with your landlord?

Seems binding. Seems like something you might not be able to get out of if you tried to sell. Why be on the hook for a lease?

And then you’ve got an offer. And in the month you were planning to close, the landlord sells the property right out from underneath you. He’s not obligated to you, because you don’t have a binding lease.

Now the business needs to be relocated. Now the business might not even be a business, because auto repair requires a very specialized property.

Yikes! What to do?

Well, in this real world case, the business was still sold. It was relocated to a new and surprisingly appropriate location that just happened to be on the market at the same time. And the buyers were an amazing couple who were extremely flexible and willing to take the risk, because they believed in the business.

Given, the seller took a significant discount on the selling price. But here’s what you may not know: If the seller had had a legitimate lease on his property, the landlord could not have sold it. Buyers are looking for protection.

A solid lease that is assumable – or assignable, or transferrable – is one of the

most important assets of a consumerfacing retail business. If there had been a lease in place, the buyers would have paid more.

If the business had had a lease on the property for three years or more, it would have been more marketable as well. More buyers would have been attracted to the opportunity.

But no business is perfect. And the job of a business broker is to provide a pathway through all of those obstacles.

At Transworld, we’ve sold businesses for which the obstacles seemed insurmountable, and yet they were overcome.

In the next months, we’ll talk about other obstacles to selling your business, and how you can overcome those.

This is a sponsored employment article. Hall & Associates LLC is a full-service public accounting firm established in 1979. They have a staff of experienced professionals that stand ready to meet all of your accounting, tax and general business needs. For a complimentary consultation, call 706-855-7733 or visit hallassociatescpa.com.

Kim Romaner is president of Transworld Business Advisors of Augusta, a business brokerage that helps people buy and sell businesses, and also enter into the franchise world. With over 100 locations in the U.S. and abroad, Transworld has sold many thousands of businesses. If you’d like to talk to Kim about selling your business, buying a franchise or turning your existing business into a franchise operation, please call 706-383-2994, x802, or email her at kromaner@tworld.com.

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Business Feature Spice of Life

After starting small, Chef Belinda’s spices are now part of Whole Foods’ offerings

By Stephen Delaney Hale and Gary Kauffman When the Whole Foods store opened in Augusta on Sept. 23, one CSRA resident was there to promote her line of spices.

For Chef Belinda (Belinda Smith-Sullivan), having her products placed in the new Augusta store was just one more rung in the ladder of success that has already exceeded her expectations.

“I have exceeded my dreams at this point,” she said in an interview with Buzz on Biz radio. “I never thought that as small as I am that I could be affiliated with Whole Foods.”

A resident of Trenton, S.C., she has an impressive resume as a personal chef, food writer, entrepreneur and even pilot. She began blending her spices for her own use as a personal chef. When friends and neighbors began asking for her spices, she realized there was a market and began her spice business. Her initial marketing efforts came through the internet (chefbelinda.com) and in La Dolce on Laurens Street in Aiken.

Early in 2013 she joined the South Carolina Southern Food Association. Through that affiliation, she came into contact with a local buyer for Whole Foods.

After manning a table outside the Whole Foods store in Columbia and wading through the requisite paperwork, her spices were placed on the store shelves. She made it her next goal to reach the shelves of the Augusta store, which then was still in the planning stage.

“This was something I set my sights on,” Chef Belinda said of displaying her spices to her home audience in Augusta. “Getting into the Columbia store was a huge jump in my business. They are such a well-respected and reputable company nationwide and to be associated with a

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Chef Belinda talks about her spices to a crowd of interested shoppers at Augusta’s Whole Foods store.

store like that is exactly where I’m trying to take my business.”

Once she made it into one store, she could branch out to other stores in Whole Foods’ Southeast Region. Her products are now in 16 Whole Foods stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, and in three Southern Season stores. She has also remained loyal to La Dolce in Aiken.

Her website offers 11 spices made from natural ingredients with no preservatives. They are made to meet the needs of the “everyday gourmet.”

Chef Belinda receives a printout each week that shows how well her spices are moving. Among the biggest movers are

her new coffee spices. These are spices that can be added to coffee instead of sugar.

“It’s an alternative to sugar, and it’s also very good in baking as well,” she said.

Like any good entrepreneur, Chef Belinda was quick to recognize the potential for a new product when she received a request from a friend. The friend’s mother was diabetic and needed an alternative to sugar for her coffee. Belinda’s mind went to warming spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice.

“Warming spices are very suitable to that type of taste,” she said. “It seemed like a good marriage to put coffee and

those spices together.”

She developed three flavors, Turkish Coffee Blend, Moroccan Coffee Blend and Caribbean Coffee Blend.

All of Chef Belinda’s spices are mixed in small batches to retain their freshness. She mixes them in her laboratory beside her home where she admits she is “doing the work of 10 people!”

So with barely enough hours in the day to mix all the spices and then take them to a demonstration every weekend somewhere in the Southeast, has she reached her last big goal?

“Oh no,” she said. “I hope to be a regional vendor soon. That means placement in 30 stores!”

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Economic Outlook Series coming to city in January

The economy for 2015 will be the topic of discussion when the University of Georgia’s Terry Business College brings its Economic Outlook Series to Augusta on Jan. 15.

Dean Benjamin Ayers and Mark Vitner, an economist for Wells Fargo, will be the featured speakers at the event that will begin with networking at 11 a.m. on Jan. 15 and continue with lunch and the speakers from 12-2 p.m. at the Augusta Marriott Convention Center.

Information presented at the meeting comes from the Selig Center for Economic Growth.

Cost for the meeting is $65 for an individual, or a table of eight for $499. To register, visit terry. uga.edu/events/details/3924.

Augusta duo creates app rating clean restaurants Augustans Chris Peoples and Jake Van Dyke were concerned about the cleanliness of some of the restaurants where they liked to dine.

What they found took them by surprise.

“Several places I’ve been like trying to get my wife to go to, and then I look them up, and I’m like, oh there’s mold in the ice machine, better not go there,” Van Dyke said.

To help others determine the cleanliness rating of a restaurant, Van Dyke and Peoples created a new app called What the Health.

It combines all of Georgia’s restaurant ratings from the Georgia Department of Public Health into one free and simple app.

This easy-to-use app shows anyone the latest letter grade and number score for health ratings, along with details of the report itself. It also contains a map for any restaurant you choose.

The app creators believe it will

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help diners make more informed decisions about where to eat.

“Some of these restaurants around town, you never know what they have, and some places try to put inspection scores off to the side where you don’t really see it,” Peoples said.

The app came out in September and as already received a 4.5 rating out of 5 stars, and 4,000 downloads. Van Dyke said most of the feedback has been positive.

The app is available on Androids and IPhones.

The creators are hoping to expand this app into other states as well. Right now they are working on South Carolina.

SRG ranked first in state

by Remodeler Magazine Southeast Restoration Group (SRG) in Evans has been highlighted as the No. 1-ranked firm in Georgia by Qualified Remodeler Magazine. This is the second consecutive year SRG has received this prestigious award.

SRG specializes in fire, water, mold and storm damage. The company works with insurance restoration, commercial and residential restoration and renovation and roofing projects.

Goodwill opens donation center near mall

Just in time for seasonal giving, CSRA residents will have greater convenience for donating clothing, books and household items to Goodwill with the opening of a new attended donation center near the Augusta Mall.

Located on the site of the recently closed Mr. Furniture store at 3360 Wrightsboro Road, the CSRA’s 10th Goodwill donation location will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The attended donation center represents an expansion of Goodwill donation sites to an underserved portion of the community, providing a conve-

Charles Johnson named Metro Chamber Entrepreneur of Year The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce announced its “2014 Entrepreneur of the Year” at its December Member Economic Luncheon. The recipient is Charles Johnson, founder and CEO of EDTS. EDTS is a full-service technology consulting firm that specializes in networking, security and advanced infrastructure for business.

Among the many distinctions that contributed to Johnson and EDTS winning this year’s honor were placement on the prestigious Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America for five years in a row, revenue growth of close to 600 percent over the last five years, geographical expansion with three offices in two states and a capital investment in Augusta of more than $7 million, and a commitment to providing support to the community through philanthropic efforts.

“Charles is the quintessential entrepreneur and EDTS represents the kind of successful, iconic business our community is known for,” Chamber president Sue Parr said. “In just 15 years, Charles has positioned his company to be a distinguished and superior service provider in the industry and to his clients.

Augusta is truly fortunate to be the home of this incredible business and to benefit from nient alternative to unattended for-profit collection boxes scattered throughout the area, said James Stiff, President of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.

Kohl’s staying open 100 hours Kohl’s Department Stores announced it will keep its doors open for more than 100 hours straight from 6 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 through 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve,Wednesday, Dec. 24.

“Customers can rely on us

the significant commitments that Charles and his team make to our community.”

Judging elements for the award include business growth and performance, use of unique and innovative business development practices/ models, community image, impact, involvement and contribution as well as operational excellence. The recipient must be an owner, partner or major shareholder in the business and active in the day-to-day operations. They also must be a member in good standing with the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce.

As recipient of the award, Johnson receives a recognition package from the chamber which includes a nomination for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. around the clock for their lastminute gift giving solutions, and we are providing 24-hour access to Kohl’s stores right up to Christmas Eve,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief customer officer. “Kohl’s offers a deep assortment of national and exclusive brands to make gift giving easy and exciting this holiday. From popular gifts like toys, electronics and jewelry to great giftables such as men’s novelty items and beauty gift sets, customers will be inspired to select the perfect gift for everyone on their list and shop whenever it is most convenient for them.”

Foundation helps local groups Two local groups are among the recipients of grants from The Comcast Foundation.

Comcast Foundation announced that it has issued $110,000 in financial grants throughout Georgia. That includes $1,538 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the CSRA and $740 to Shepeard Community Blood Center.

“Comcast is proud to support our community partners across Georgia,” said Andy Macke, VP of External Affairs for Comcast.

“These grants further our efforts from our very successful Comcast Cares Day in April 2014 to be a key partner to those in need.”

John Deere makes millionth tractor John Deere recently marked a manufacturing milestone with the completion of the 1 millionth tractor built at the John Deere-Augusta factory in Grovetown. The millionth unit, a 5100M model, was recently on display at a commemorative ceremony at the local fairgrounds.

“Producing one million tractors is a significant milestone for John Deere and for the whole Augusta team,” said Mary Pat Tubb, factory manager. “We are proud of the legacy we’ve built as a company, and of the goal we’ve had here in Augusta since we started: To design and build tractors for our customers that deliver the quality and value they’ve come to expect from John Deere.”

In 1990, the factory produced its first unit – a 55 Series Compact Utility Tractor. Today, John Deere-Augusta produces 27 models of compact utility tractors and utility tractors that are distributed throughout North America, and exported to more than 40 other countries.

The facility occupies more than 400,000 square feet and employs approximately 470 employees to support the design, production and distribution of John Deere compact utility and utility tractors.

buzz bits First General Services marks 25 years in business

First General Disaster Services in Evans is celebrating its Silver Anniversary in business.

Susan Jernigan, president, and her husband, Lee, started the company in 1989, which now has 23 employees. The company rebuilds and restores homes and businesses that were damaged by such things as storms, fire and floods, as well as cleanup of meth labs and crime scenes.

The company recently started a spin-off business called Silver Linings that specializes in flooring and interior design.

Partridge Inn names new general manager The Partridge Inn announced recently the appointment of William (Bill) Mish as their new general manager. Mish will oversee the $6 million renovation that the historic property is currently undergoing and all future hotel operations.

Mish has more than 30 years of service in the hospitality industry and comes to Augusta from Chattanooga, Tenn., where he worked with the Vision Hospitality Group for more than 14 years. He most recently served as the general manager of Hilton’s Doubletree Hotel in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn.

During his 14 years with the Vision Hospitality Group, he consistently was in the top 10 per-

cent or greater in Hilton’s SALT (Service and Loyalty Tracker) service scores and achieved five outstanding quality assurance reviews in a row, which placed his hotel in the top 4 percent of Hilton Worldwide for service.

Mish has an extensive background in hotel renovations.

“I am looking forward to working at this beautiful historic property which is such a highly regarded landmark in this city,” Mish said. “The next four months promise to be an exciting time as we completely renovate this hotel. ” The historic hotel, which first opened in 1910, will undergo $6 million in improvements .

Elliott Davis plans seminar for QuickBooks Elliott Davis will hold a QuickBooks seminar on Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

The seminar, Using QuickBooks to Make the Most of Your 2014 Tax Year, is intended for QuickBooks for Windows users.

The session will provide information on balance sheet and account balance data review, including bank and credit card reconciliation, inventory, fixed assets, accounts receivable, accounts payable, long-term liabilities and miscellaneous items.

The seminar is free and lunch is provided, but seating is limited. To register, visit events.r20. constantcontact.com/register/ev entReg?oeidk=a07ea91t4x1eebf 5d81&oseq=&c=&ch=

HoneyBaked Ham partners with Kroger Rhonda True, the franchisee of HoneyBaked Hams on Washington and Wrightsboro Road, is taking her show on the road during the holidays.

Through a partnership nationally with Kroger, HoneyBaked Hams will be available in some Kroger stores. True selected the Evans and North Augusta Kroger’s as satellite locations for the holidays.

Each day from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Cryobank joins with GRU to provide reproductive hope for cancer victims

ReproTech, Ltd., the leading cryobank specializing in long-term storage of human reproductive tissue (sperm, eggs, embryos and ovarian and testicular tissue), has reached an agreement with Georgia Regents Health Care.

Georgia Regents Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Associates joins the more than 100 facilities included in ReproTech’s Fertility Preservation Network.

The growing network of fertility centers in 36 states throughout the U.S., provides much-needed Fertility Preservation services to cancer patients prior to the initiation of oncology treatments.

“This is a very valuable service for cancer patients,” said Brent Hazelrigg, President and CEO of ReproTech, Ltd. through Dec. 31, HoneyBaked Hams will staff the meat section of Kroger with a HoneyBaked Ham employee providing samples of ham spread and other holiday delectables. They will also showcase HoneyBaked Hams, turkey breast, ham\turkey spreads, honey mustard sauce and more inside of refrigerated cases. Outside of the market, True also has a kiosk set up at the Greenwood, S.C., Bi-Lo.

Wilds earns franchise credential

Local business owner and Augusta native Anna Wilds completed all the requirements for the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) credential.

Candidates are required to complete a rigorous course of study to earn the CFE credential, which includes attending institute-sponsored educational seminars and workshops. The program is designed to enhance franchise professionals’ understanding of the industry’s fundamental and complex aspects.

“With the growing success of cancer therapies and tremendous advancements in fertility treatment, cancer survivors today have an excellent chance of having families provided they are given the opportunity to cryopreserve reproductive tissue prior to their oncology treatment.”

“Georgia Regents Health Care is pleased to be a part of ReproTech’s Fertility Preservation Network. We look forward to our practice enabling patients faced with oncology treatments to have options for fertility preservation, including freezing their specimens for future family building,” said Dr. Larisa Gavrilova-Jordan, Director of IVF Service, Georgia Regents University.

According to the American

Plant Vogtle raises funds for McDonald House Georgia Power Plant Vogtle employees and volunteers recently hosted the 2nd Annual Golf and Sporting Clays tournament, which raised $80,000 to support Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Augusta. The event underscores Georgia Power’s longstanding commitment of giving back to the local communities that it serves.

This year’s event marked the second annual Sporting Clays Tournament that was held Oct. 9-10 at the Sage Valley Golf Club near Augusta. Proceeds from the event will directly support the construction of a new Ronald McDonald House that will provide housing for parents of hospitalized children receiving treatment in the Augusta area.

Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 construction partners including Georgia Power, CB&I, and Westinghouse along with other local spon-

Cancer Society, 140,000 men and women of childbearing age are newly diagnosed with cancer each year. There often is a small window of time for them to preserve their fertility; therefore, access to cryopreservation services is extremely important.

Both the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommend the education of oncology patients about the options available to preserve their fertility. In 2013 the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a policy encouraging coverage by all insurance providers of fertility preservation therapies for patients requiring cancer treatments that result in infertility. sors worked together to put on the record-breaking event. This year’s event marks the end of a two-year commitment that began with a $32,000 donation last year. The effort this year surpassed all expectations with more participants and additional sponsors. The tournament has raised more than $112,000 in support of RMHC over the last two years.

The new, larger Ronald McDonald House will allow more families to stay close to their children. In addition to the guest rooms, the facility will include a kitchen, common room, playroom, laundry facilities, outside playground and other amenities.

Construction of the new facility is expected to be complete in January 2015.

RMHCAugusta serves the pediatric patients of Children’s Hospital of Georgia and the Joseph M. Still Burn Center. The new 28,000-square-foot, 23-bedroom home will allow RMHC to serve double the amount of children and their families. Every year more than 600 families use the home while their child receives medical treatment at nearby medical facilities.

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Business openings, closing and moves Openings

The Cart Barn A company that plans to capitalize on planned communities has opened in Evans.

The Cart Barn has opened in the Riverwood Plantation community to sell golf cars and parts. They offer E-Z Go products, as well as Cushman and Bad Boy Buggies.

Woody’s Sunglasses Woody’s Spirits in Riverwood Town Center in Evans has added a second store in the same building with a separate product.

The owner has sub-divided the space, giving about 500 square feet to the new venture, Woody’s Sunglasses. The sunglass store has a separate side entrance.

Zaxby’s The fifth Zaxby’s restaurant in Augusta opened on Monday, Dec. 15 at 3680 Wheeler Road.

“As the residents in Augusta continue to show tremendous support for the Zaxby’s brand, we see this vibrant, growing area as a great opportunity to expand the business and create an additional 40 or more jobs for the market,” said J.J. DeRoy, director of market development for the new Zax. Inc., location. “Zaxby’s provides a craveable experience that brings people together for meals, tailgates, after the big game or before an event and we’re excited to bring another convenient location to the Augusta community.”

The new Augusta location is the fifth in Augusta, the sixth in Richmond County and the 16th in the Augusta metro area. Zaxby’s currently operates more than 655 locations in 15 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

With seating for 90, the new 3,847 square-foot location features Zaxby’s unique interior design — floor-to-ceiling brick walls, with modernized tables and booths, all complemented by an eclectic mix of photography. Zaxby’s also offers drive-thru services to meet the needs of customers on the go.

Prompt Care It didn’t take long to fill an empty business in North Augusta.

University Health Care System Prompt Care will be moving into Jackson Square on Georgia Avenue in North Augusta, occupying the space that until the end of October

10 Buzz on Biz January 2015

had been the home of The Men’s Refinery BarberSpa. The Men’s Refinery is in the process of moving across the river into downtown Augusta. The owner is remodeling a building that that will have increased space.

Aqua Salon and Day Spa Aqua Salon and Day Spa on Walton Way Extension in West Augusta celebrated its grand opening under new ownership on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Aqua Salon and Spa opened in 2001 in a section of the former Harris Teeter grocery store location on Walton Way Extension and has become known as one of the premier day spas and salons in Augusta. Grace Bennett joined the Aqua staff in 2012 as a Master Cosmetologist and purchased the business along with her husband, Reed Bennett, in July.

Aqua is staffed by a dedicated group of trained professionals who provide hair services, skin and nail services, massages, hand and foot care and quality beauty products for men and women.

“Nourishment for the body, mind and soul is more than just our advertising slogan, it is our philosophy, our goal and our mission,” Grace Bennett said. “We truly care about offering our clients unmatched customer service, a wide variety of treatment options, the finest products available and the most relaxing spa atmosphere in the Augusta area.”

Bojangles Bojangles, the popular restaurant chain known for its uniquely-seasoned and marinated chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits and breakfast served all day every day, opened a new store at 3360 Wrightsboro Road in Augusta on Friday, Nov. 28.

Located just minutes away from the Augusta Mall, the new restaurant is owned

by Bojland Restaurant Group, LLC., comprised of experienced restaurateurs Pat Landon, Sandra Landon, Daniel Landon, Director of Operations; Cristin LandonSmith, Controller; and Andrea Wandless, Human Resources Director. This marks the sixth Bojangles’ restaurant this franchise group owns in the Augusta market. Bojland Restaurant Group plans to open four additional Bojangles’ locations in the Augusta region, specifically two on the south side, in the next eight months.

“Our loyal, passionate following of customers are the reason why our business is doing so well today and why we are opening a sixth restaurant here in Augusta,” said Pat Landon. “We can’t thank them enough for their business, and look forward to serving them a nice warm meal for many years to come.”

Augusta’s newest Bojangles’ features drive-thru and in-store dining beginning with breakfast and continuing through dinner late into the evening. Spanning 3,800 square feet, this location carries on the family-friendly tradition of Bojangles’ in a warm, spacious environment. The res-

taurant can seat up to 88 guests and offers free wi-fi along with two flat screen televisions for guests’ viewing pleasure.

The new small business significantly contributes to the local economic landscape through investment dollars, construction projects and job creation, employing approximately 75 local residents. Bojland Restaurant Group, LLC employs more than 250 local residents across the CSRA. Aspen Dental A new Aspen Dental-branded office opened in Augusta on Dec. 11 at 3456 Wrightsboro Road. The practice will provide dental services that range from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration.

Dr. May Yang, lead dentist at the Augusta office, received her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree at the University of Missouri.

The Augusta office is one of 18 Aspen Dental-branded locations in Georgia, a state where 157 of 159 counties (including Richmond County) have dental health professional shortage areas as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Eco-Energy Eco-Energy, a leading biofuel supply chain company, is developing an ethanol unloading, storage and outbound truck loading facility in Augusta. This facility will serve the Augusta and Savannah markets.

The ethanol unit train facility will be equipped to receive up to 80 tank cars via Norfolk Southern Railway for distribution by truck to the local gasoline blending facilities. Additionally, the facility will be equipped with 3.7 million gallons of dedicated ethanol storage in order for an inbound train to be emptied, and released back to the railroad within 24 hours.

“Eco-Energy is excited to be opening this facility in the Augusta metropolitan area, as we feel the industry will benefit from a unit train operation in this growing market. As we continue to invest in ethanol distribution infrastructure, our focus is on lowering supply chain costs for our customers, and this facility accomplishes that goal,” said Chadwick Conn, Eco-Energy’s Vice President of Distribution.

Unit train operations at the site are expected to commence in December 2014, and Eco-Energy intends to employ facility operators and truck drivers that will bring new jobs to the Augusta area.

Closings Straw Hat Pizza Straw Hat Pizza in Augusta has closed its doors after less than three years in business.

The store, located in the Publix Plaza in National Hills, specialized in Californiastyle pizza, as well as ethnic pizzas. The owner reportedly tried television and direct mail advertising, but could not get enough traction to succeed in an area

shared by pizza giants like Papa John’s, Pizza Hut and Marco’s.

Neapolitan Cupcake Neapolitan Cupcake & Gift Shoppe has announced that it will close its doors on Dec. 20 after five years in business in Le Pavilion shopping plaza in Augusta.

Owner Molly Meek announced that she will be moving West after Christmas.

“While my love for my customers, the brand and my business colleagues remains strong, it is time to close the cupcake chapter of my life,” she said in a statement on her Facebook page.

Meek announced that she will continue rotating her favorite flavors and posting them on Facebook over the next few weeks.

Participants in Jingle Jam will still receive coupons for Neapolitan Cupcake but must redeem them by Dec. 20.

Moves Elanco Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company, announced a $100,000,000 investment in infrastructure and manufacturing enhancements at the Augusta Technology Center, creating 100 new jobs over the next three years.

Improvements are already underway at the site. The plant is currently operating near maximum capacity, prompting Elanco to invest in the capital expansion necessary to meet customers’ growing demand. More than 250 people are currently employed at Elanco’s manufacturing facility in Augusta, producing animal health products used by farmers around the globe.

Elanco anticipates that the number of new jobs ultimately created as a result of the expansion will be contingent on new market approvals for Elanco products.

West Fraser Timber Co. The Augusta Economic Development Authority announced that West Fraser Timber Company, Ltd. will expand its Augusta facility, with an investment of $25,000,000 and 10 new jobs.

West Fraser, a Canadian-owned facility, produces southern yellow pine lumber.

Most of the finished West Fraser products are sold by Lowe’s and Home Depot along the eastern seaboard. The original plant on Mike Padgett Highway in Augusta was built in 1969 and currently employs 150 workers.

The expansion will be for two dry kilns.

According to company officials, the new kilns are 30 percent more energy efficient, produce less waste in forest products and result in a better use of natural resources.

Construction will begin in January and will conclude in May 2015.

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Businessperson of the Month Jay Waldron Jan-Pro of Augusta

Comeback Kid

Jay Waldron’s rise from nothing to great success is the American dream

By Gary Kauffman Jay Waldron is a great example that bad circumstances in life shouldn’t keep someone from making the right choices and working hard.

He grew up in the kind of toxic family situation that is often blamed for being a path to drugs, crime and a culture of poverty. Instead of seeing his limitations, Waldron chose to see the possibilities.

“Something in life was telling me there is more out there,” he said.

Despite being an A and B student, at age 16 he chose to drop out so he could move out of his house. He first got a job washing cars, then began the dual role of working at Checkers and for a cleaning business.

While he said he probably enjoyed the restaurant job more, he wanted to be his own boss and he saw better long-range potential in the cleaning business. He worked for several cleaning businesses, to see which one did the best job.

In 1991 he and his wife, Erika, started their own business in Florida with $200 in the bank. Fifteen years after turning that into a successful business, the Waldrons decided they wanted to try something new. So they picked Augusta on a map, moved here and bought a Jan-Pro franchise.

“We wanted to try something different in another part of the United States,” Waldron said.

Today, that voice telling him there was more to life out there was right – the Waldrons own a $5-million-a-year business.

The Waldrons own the Jan-Pro cleaning master franchise territories in Augusta-Aiken and Columbia, an area that spans roughly from Athens, Ga., to Florence, S.C. Jan-Pro has 125 franchises worldwide. The AugustaAiken franchise has the best market share of any of them, has been tops among those franchises in sales three years running and in 2012 Waldron was named the Master Owner of the Year.

As a master owner, Waldron sells Jan-Pro franchises to others who want to own their own businesses, but operate them on a smaller scale. His office acts as a central hub.

His staff handles all the billing, payroll, insurance and other back-office paperwork that often hobbles people when starting their own business. That allows the franchisee to concentrate on managing their team of people and keeping their customers happy.

Jan-Pro offers complete cleaning services for everything from factories to doctor’s offices.

“If it can be cleaned, we have the equipment to clean it,” Waldron said.

On any given night, about 250 people in the AugustAiken area are cleaning businesses, with about that many in the Columbia area as well. He also operates a quality assurance team that checks to make sure things are being cleaned the way they promise their clients it would be done.

The Waldrons also recently started a cleaning product

12 Buzz on Biz January 2015

supply business. They also purchase other smaller cleaning businesses who are looking for an exit strategy, with the promise to continue providing quality service for their existing customers.

Most of the other owners of Jan-Pro master franchises come to Jan-Pro with a college degree and experience as executives elsewhere. Waldron has been asked to serve on an owner advisory board for Jan-Pro to help other owners to think less like executives.

The Waldrons have three sons, two in college, who have played integral roles in the business.

What are you passionate about in your business?

The thing that excites me the most is when I can take someone who never thought they could own their own business and see them succeed. One of my happiest moments was when I helped a lady who had only $950 to start a business and two years later saw her drive up in a brand-new Mercedes.

To what do you attribute your success?

I always learn from people. I listen to everything they say and I absorb it.

And I was smart enough to hire the right people.

I couldn’t do it on my own. My wife and I are a team. We treat our employees more like partners than employees.

We pay 100 percent of the health insurance of our staff we and pay them well, so we don’t have employee turnover.

We have such a good team that we don’t get many complaints. They do a good job keeping the customers happy.

What’s the key to owning your own business?

The two most important things in owning your own business is ethics

and the quality of work you do. If you have those two down pat, you will be successful.

We’ve always stuck with what we know. We found a passion for what we’re good at.

How do you unplug?

We go to a lot of NASCAR races and we have a boat on Clark’s Hill Lake. If we have a weekend off we’ll be at one or the other. We also try to take our three boys on vacations to cities they’ve never been before. You can learn so much more from a five-hour tour at one of the historic sites than you can ever learn from textbooks.

We don’t have a lot of expensive hobbies. Things aren’t what drive us – quality of life and family is what’s important.

Are you surprised at where you are now considering where you started from?

I do pinch myself every morning at how lucky we are, that every choice we’ve made has worked out. It didn’t come without a lot of struggles and turns, but we tried to make the best decision with every turn. But I know the odds were stacked against me the minute I walked out that door (at age 16).

I literally thought I’d be a sole proprietor, a one-man operation. If you’d told me that the business would make $500,000 in a year I’d have been jumping up and down, but $5 million….

What have you learned about yourself in running this business?

I have to be very diplomatic. I deal with so many personalities with employees and customers. I care about everything they say but I have to prioritize it. I don’t put anything too close to my heart because the stress can kill you.

Have any of your vacation trips had a

special impact on you?

The most exciting family trip for me was our Washington, D.C., trip. You see everything that you’ve ever read about or seen in movies and on TV. Just seeing all that history. Last year we went to Boston. The rest of the family will say Boston was their favorite, but for me, it was Washington.

How do you give back to the community?

We donate to the YMCA. One of the reasons we donate so much to them is because so many of those kids are at the point in life where I was, and I want them to have choices. One of the most rewarding things is to walk into the Y, to see those kids playing basketball and know that they can be there because of the donations I made.

My kids are proud of that part of their heritage. I think it will teach them to give back, too. And I think it has helped us grow in the community.

What legacy do you want to leave?

That’s a tough question because I think I’ve already accomplished my goal in life. My main goal was to give my family a life that took a different route from what my life took. To give them someone that loves them, that always has their back.

So my legacy – I’ve done it. I have great children. They’re not perfect but we’ve created a very loving family. The fact that I’m well-recognized in the community is just a plus.

A plaque provided by Cudos4u, Awards and Promotions, your hometown favorite for Awards and Promotional Products, (706) 7220010, will be given to Jay Waldron on behalf o Buzz on Biz.

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Business Advice Larry Rudwick

Fresh Start

2015 can be better, if right courses of action are taken “Oh no. Here we go again.”

Are you thinking 2014 went faster than expected? Feel you didn’t accomplish nearly what you had set out to do?

Are you perhaps a bit down on yourself and almost dreading 2015 for some reason? Do you feel you worked too hard and earned too little? If these thoughts resonate, consider taking a little action to start off 2015 with a fresh outlook!

Mike Herrington

Power Play

Power of attorney can be valuable resource If you can’t make decisions for yourself, for whatever reason, having a power of attorney document can helptake care of your personal and business needs.

14 Buzz on Biz January 2015

How about a bit of soul searching?

If you are still reading this article, perhaps you are looking for a few thoughts and ideas, and a bit of encouragement.

For many people, that’s all that’s needed to get a fresh outlook on your business, career and/or personal life.

Help yourself with or without help from others. I am a firm believer that getting some good help from someone else pays off when we just don’t seem to finish something or do well enough when left to our own devices. Some of us resist help from others for numerous reasons.

Reasons we don’t seek out help may include: 1) We don’t want to bother other people, 2) We don’t want to open up and confess our shortcomings, fears or dirty laundry, 3) We don’t want to pay money to a professional, 4) “That’s just not me,” or 5) We never have done that and don’t even know who to turn to. This list can go on and on.

Get started by helping yourself: Ask yourself a number of questions, and write down your answers so you can remember them and review them periodically.

Some questions you may ask are: 1) How has my outlook/attitude been late-

Getting some good help pays off when we just don’t seem to do well when left to our own devices.

What Is a Power of Attorney?

A power of attorney is a written document in which one person – the principal – authorizes another person – the attorney-in-fact – to act on the principal’s behalf.

What Authority Is Granted by a Power of Attorney?

The authority granted by a power of attorney depends on the type: General Power of Attorney: The authority granted is very broad...the attorney-in-fact is granted essentially the same legal authority held by the principal. This means that the attorneyin-fact can exercise such powers as making gifts, buying and selling assets and filing tax returns on behalf of the principal.

Special Power of Attorney: The authority granted to the attorney-in-fact is limited to those powers specifically defined in the document.

The authority granted by both a general and a special power of attorney is typically limited to acts performed on behalf of the principal while the principal is competent, which brings us to a third type of power of attorney: Durable Power of Attorney: The attorney-in-fact is authorized to act on behalf of the principal even if the principal becomes incapacitated. In fact, a durable power of attorney can become effective immediately, or it can become effective only if the principal later becomes incapacitated.

Why Should You Consider a Durable Power of Attorney?

In the event of future incapacitation, a durable power of attorney can be particularly useful in: • Estate Planning/Management: The attorney-in-fact acquires the authority to implement an estate

ly and what would it take to improve it?

2) What positive things happened in 2014? 3) What disappointed me about 2014? 4) What goals would I realistically expect to achieve in 2015? 5) What “things” (gadgets, software, etc.) might be really helpful and cost-effective to help me reach my goals? 6) Which people could help me achieve my goals and improve my outlook? 7) Which important patterns and habits do I notice about myself? 8) Do I often have problem starting or finishing things I really do want to accomplish? 9) Do I tend to resist help when perhaps I should seek out help more?

I hope these questions will inspire you to do this exercise. Take these questions and modify them to your particular situation. After you answer your questions, see if you can work them into an action plan that you will adhere to.

Trying to help ourselves doesn’t always work. We may honestly try our best, or maybe we give up too easily.

Don’t get down on yourself if your attempts to help yourself don’t succeed.

Don’t give up. Be open to getting some outside help.

Consider this free help: I offer a free five-step process to help jumpstart positive change. Come to my website, and click on the Step 1 button, found on each page. After completing the first four steps, the fifth step is a free consultation with me. The goal is to help you get a fresh outlook.

Larry Rudwick is a business and relationship coach. For more information, visit BusinessTune-Ups.com where you can sign up for a free newsletter or listen to podcasts. Contact him through the website or call him for a free consultation at 571-331-6102.

plan and manage the principal’s estate during a period of incompetence.

• Daily Living: A durable power of attorney can give the attorney-in-fact the authority to manage such practical issues as making living arrangements for a disabled person and paying the bills.

As with any legal document, legal advice should be obtained before entering into a power of attorney.

This is a sponsored financial column. Mike Herrington is the President of Herrington Financial Services, Inc, a Registered Investment Advisor. Mike is a Certified Financial Planner licensee(CFP), a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a Certified Estate Planner(CEP). He has been serving clients in the CSRA since 1984.

He can be reached at 706-868-8673 or mike@ herringtonfinancialservices.com

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Business Solutions Charles Kelly

Surfing with Sharks The Internet is becoming a more dangerous place

The internet has become much more difficult – and more dangerous – to navigate for the average, or even above average, user in recent months.

At first I thought it was my imagination, that maybe my perspective was skewed because I’m in the technology business. After taking an objective look, however, my first reaction was correct. The internet itself has changed significantly, just in the last 12-18 months. Everything is harder, riskier and more commercialized, making it an absolutely frustrating experience for some, landing others in jail and, in a few cases, risking lives.

Just as it is not possible to overstate the revolutionary, positive changes the internet has brought to us (the internet that we always viewed as free), if you consider the facts, you will see that I am not overstating these risks.

At our service counters we are now seeing what we only expected to see in the movies – viruses that encrypt your data, then flash a page up, stating that you must pay the ransom of $500 per device that you want freed. We had seen these over the last 18 months, and were always able to break them. As of the writing of this article, Crypto Wall 2.0 is unbreakable. We are having customers tell us that a screen popped up, stating that they had a virus infection, then moments later, their cell phone rang. The person on the other end says they are from Microsoft and they are there to help – but they are not and they want

your credit card.

Sony Pictures got digitally mugged, rolled and robbed when someone (North Korea mostly likely) hacked into their system, essentially killing their network, stealing about a dozen movies, some not released yet and now, someone with data from this mugging has threated the lives of some of the movie stars. Think about it… Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator, got his personal information stolen (along with 47,000 other celebrities and associates) and now they are threatening him.

Some speculate that North Korea was angry about the movie “The Interview,” a Seth Rogan comedy that’s plot includes a plan to kill the leader of North Korea. At the very least, we know they don’t have a sense of humor as they stated that the movie constitutes “a declaration of war.”

Locally, a professional had his email hacked, then wire transfer letters were expertly mimicked and about $50,000 went to one bank, then to dozens, scattering all over the world.

A man in a neighboring county was partying with his girlfriend and got arrested. The next day he called from jail and asked a friend to send a love note to his girlfriend from his Facebook page.

The friend did so and this message constituted a felony for the person in jail.

And now the Supreme Court has taken a free speech case involving a man who was sentenced to seven years in jail for Facebook posts that he says were venting rants, but law enforcement took a different view, considering them terroristic threats.

The terror group ISIS has threatened a father and son in the U.S. military, tracking them by using simple social media research, the kind that you or I do every day. And now families of hostages have the terrible ability to communicate with their relatives captors

and plead for mercy.

Much of this relates to social media, but the overall picture is of an internet that has a spectrum of disorders and dangers ranging from overwhelming advertising, to adware, to malware, to viruses to “black swan” events, meaning an event that destroys your data.

All of these events are avoidable with proper measures, but it takes layers of defense, a change in habits and in some cases an expensive range of protection measures. Ask Sony Pictures the cost of that digital robbery they just experienced, and they will say it’s incalculable. At every level, the threat landscape related to the internet has changed by an order of magnitude we have not seen before.

To top it off, your data is being tracked in staggering ways – it is not an accident that ads pop up for things you were googling a couple of weeks ago.

That’s the part you see; the part you don’t see makes your digital identity look like a steak being eaten by piranha. The data brokers eat your “steak” because you clicked “I agree” somewhere along the line.

Businesses and everything else have

been touched by technology and by touched, I mean torn down and rebuilt while in service. Whether new or old, our businesses have been re-forged in the normally raging fires of commerce that have been blown white hot by this never-before-seen, rapid-adaptive technology that confronts every aspect of our lives.

We just thought the rate of change had settled down, but it hasn’t. The very nature of the internet has changed and social media has added a dimension to it that’s affect on our society is staggering with a yet-to-be-seen conclusion.

I have no predictions as we are in uncharted waters, but my advice is, layer your security, keep your data safe and separated, think before you click and never post something you wouldn’t say to that person’s face. This is not your father’s internet.....

Charles Kelly is co-owner of Computer Exchange, with four locations in the CSRA: South Augusta, North Augusta, Martinez and Grovetown. Computer Exchange specializes in computer solutions for home and business. For answers to your computer questions, email him at charles@computerexchange.com.

Use caution when selling your timeshare property

Many business people are still looking for ways to reduce their expenses. One popular option is to unload any timeshares they own so they can hopefully recoup their investment and stop paying maintenance fees. Many businesses specialize in reselling timeshares, but the Better Business Bureau warns that many companies are using deceptive sales tactics to bilk thousands from already cash-strapped timeshare owners.

Many timeshare owners want to cash out now but unfortunately, not as many vacationers are buying. Timeshare sales have been steadily dropping and as a result, timeshare owners who are eager to sell are increasingly susceptible to offers that are simply too good to be true.

Some unscrupulous timeshare resellers are taking advantage of the situation by misleading timeshare owners into paying

16 Buzz on Biz January 2015

thousands of dollars in the hopes of unloading their timeshare quickly.

Many companies succeed in convincing timeshare owners that they already have interested buyers but require thousands of dollars in upfront fees – such as closing costs – from the sellers but ultimately fail to complete the promised sale.

The BBB offers the following advice: Use a Business You can Trust – Make sure the timeshare reseller you use is a BBB Accredited Business or at the very least has a good rating with the BBB. Avoid any company that fails to provide a street address and alternate contact information.

A UPS or post office box is not enough.

Confirm Licensing Requirements – Some timeshare resellers will use fake addresses or PO boxes in order to mislead timeshare owners. Confirm where the

company is located and in what states it does business. Ask if the company has salespeople licensed to sell real estate where your timeshare is located. If so, verify this with that state’s licensing board.

Get the Facts on the Figures – Find out if the business charges a commission. Do they handle the entire closing and provide escrow services? Do they charge an upfront listing or advertising fee? What does it cover and is it refundable?

Be Wary of Upfront Fees – Many complainants to BBB were burned by companies charging an advance “appraisal” fee for services or were told that they just had to pay closing costs and the timeshare would be taken off their hands.

Be Aware of the “Balloon Strategy”– Dishonest timeshare resellers may start with an outrageous fee, and then reduce it to a more

appealing number, to lure the seller to pay.

Don’t Fall for the Hard Sell or an Offer that Sounds Too Good to Be True – Don’t agree to anything over the phone but instead ask the salesperson to send you written materials; take the time to think it over and don’t be pressured. Unscrupulous timeshare resellers may claim that your property is in demand and they can sell it immediately; unfortunately, these promises are often empty.

Know the Process – Inexperienced timeshare sellers can be easily misled. Before doing business with a broker know the approximate value of what you own. Call the timeshare company itself to get the current selling price.

Find out if the agent’s fees and practices are consistent with the practices of other agencies.

To ensure the proper value of your property, use a timeshare appraisal service.

January 2015 Buzz on Biz

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Deeper Thinking Don MacNeil

Can the Cliches

Take a fresh approach when writing your ad copy Every profession sweats details that folks outside that line of work don’t even think about. Welcome to one of mine: advertising copy writing.

If you’ll hang with me, my hope is that by the end of this outing you’ll either be a better ad copywriter or be armed with the tools to rate someone else’s inspired or lackluster attempt to do it for you. Ready?

Rule 1: The gateway to superior copy writing is adopting the certainty that nobody’s going to notice this ad, nobody cares and, in fact, much like you, everyone tunes out all advertising, including this thing you’re about to compose upon which hangs the fate of your business.

Are you suitably alarmed and frustrated by that statement? Are you hearing yourself say, nobody’s going to ignore my ad!

Good. Your juices are up. So what’s next? How are you and I going to punch through all this apathy?

First, by exploding every ad cliché in the English language. Clichés aren’t just a pet peeve of your 6th grade

Eddie Kennedy

Scoring Goals

4 Disciplines can help you execute your goals for 2015 The end of the year is the time when most entrepreneurs, business owners and managers look at their goals for the year and either celebrate the achievements or pause to question where they got off track.

If you missed your 2014 goals or struggled to make them, this month’s book, The 4 Disciplines of Execution, is for you.

Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Lim Huling have written a book that shows you the four disciplines of executing the

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English teacher, they’re tune-out poison to your message. Brain wave machines flatline upon hearing them.

If, in your ad, I hear or read, “Call me for all your (insert your service here) needs,” I’m going chase you with a pitchfork.

If I see or hear, “From our family to yours,” I’m going to ask you in an edgy voice if that doesn’t sound like hollow ingratiation to you, and point out its severe overuse..

If you even think of using “Conveniently located” or, “In historic downtown…” or, “largest selection” it’ll take six guys to hold me off of you.

Can you tell that watching TV or flipping through the paper can get a little stressful for me?

There are hundreds of these ad clichés, too many to list. But your litmus test should be, if you’ve heard it before, don’t write it! The brain will always hone in on something it hasn’t heard before.

And then? Have fun.

Sketch out headlines or ad themes that pop into your mind. Make yourself laugh. If you hear your inner voice suggesting that because everyone in your line of work advertises a similar message then it must be the right thing to do, take one step back and slap yourself.

Find a fresh approach.

And whether in print or broadcast, talk to the people, don’t announce at them. Put yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself what statement writ large would grab your attention.

The biggest mistake small business owners make in marketing is believing

goals, how to install the system of execution with your team and how to get the whole organization involved in executing the goals. Based on years of research and practical application, their methods and strategy will help any company achieve the goals they have set.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution 1. Focus on the Wildly Important.

The key here is to focus on less so that the team can achieve more. This is counter-intuitive, as most leaders want to improve everything all at once. But by focusing on one or two extremely important goals, the team can understand what is the top priority.

2. Act on the Lead Measures. Define the lead measures by identifying what the team can do to impact the goal.

Probably the biggest insight in this book is the understanding of what a lead measure is and how it impacts the goal.

3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard.

This is how the team will know where they are and where they should be, but this scoreboard is not one that you, the leader makes. It’s a players’ scoreboard, where they are keeping score on their own performance, based on lead

that if they just put it out there, it’ll be noticed, read and believed. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’re daily overwhelmed with marketing messages. We tune you out unless we see something we haven’t seen before or you put it in so many places we can’t escape it.

Instead, be brutally honest with yourself about the believability of your message. Resist the temptation to unleash on the world what amounts to nothing more than a series of boasts.

We’ve heard it all before.

Rather, find a way under their skin.

Appeal to their better nature. Make stunning sense, the kind they never hear. Make yourself…gently…indispensable to their lives.

Don MacNeil is a traditional media expert, working at Crown Point Communications at Windsor Jewelers. He has spent more than 30 years on-air and behind the scenes in media and marketing. If you have any comments or questions, email him at windsorway@comcast.net.

to advance toward the goal. Discipline is required to meet daily, bi-weekly or at least weekly, but this is where the execution takes place. Team members see the scoreboard and make a personal commitment to the team to move the score forward and then following through on those commitments in a disciplined way.

The biggest challenge to reaching your wildly important goals is what the authors identify as “the whirlwind.”

This is the enormous amount of time and energy that is required to keep the organization performing at its current level of operation. Every day it seems there is crisis that requires attention, but the team must stay focused on executing the most important goals in the midst of the all the urgent tasks. measures that they helped determine.

When they know the score, they are equipped to help solve problems and make decisions that impact the goal.

4. Create a Cadence of Accountability. This is a frequently recurring meeting where past performance is reviewed and plans are made to continue

Eddie Kennedy is the owner of Great Deals on Furniture in Augusta and an avid reader of business books. Eddie believes every business owner should invest in themselves by reading, but if you can’t, then read his column every month to see what he learned. Have you read any great business books? Let Eddie know at eddie@greatdealsaugusta.com.

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Business Online Jeff Asselin

Change Up

Why you need to update your website right away The new year is a time to reflect on where we’ve been and to set goals for where we want to go. Whether your business is looking to grow or streamline, having a solid internet strategy that gets your website recognized is critically important in today’s marketplace.

I’ve put together a Top 5 list of reasons why you shouldn’t wait another day to get moving on redesigning your website. If you haven’t changed a pixel in the last two or three years, keep reading!

Search Engines Change How They Rank Results – Penguin, Panda, Hummingbird – these are names for Google’s major search engine algorithm updates. Each year, Google changes the way it organizes its search engine results about 500–600 times. Website developers keep up with these updates and can tweak websites by taking advantage of the latest search engine optimization trends and techniques.

We are a Smartphone Nation – at least that’s what Nielsen research reports. Sixty-five percent of Americans

(two-thirds of us – wow!) own one of these fancy devices. If your website is more than three years old, chances are it is not optimized for mobile visitors. Americans spend an average of 34 hours/month using their phones for mobile apps and searching websites, versus just 27 hours per month on their legacy PCs. It’s all about Social – If businesses haven’t begun a dialogue with their customers across a variety of social networks they need to catch up – and catch up quickly! Social media is the new word of mouth. Companies should have a strategy that engages people and causes them to share information about the company. Social media strategies need to align with a business’ goals and be used to drive users to their websites.

Keep it Fresh – Content on websites should be updated and changed as often as possible. Search engines reward sites that make regular changes to their content with higher search engine results.

Web pages need to load quickly and the content on a company’s website needs to be highly relevant and easy to use.

Beware of the Snake Oil Salesmen – there are countless companies that prey on non-savvy business owners promising to get websites to Page 1 of Google in 30 days. Folks, there is no “silver bullet.” Getting consistently high search engine rankings is an evolving process and takes commitment. Redesigning your website and reviewing your content strategy every few months will bring you significant rewards.

The payoff for keeping your website up-to-date with the latest design

trends, content strategies and search engine best-practices is priceless. Keep in mind that your website is your best employee – he works for you 24 hours/ day, seven days/week, 365 days/year, he often talks to hundreds of customers per day, he never files an expense report, his pitch is perfect every time and he never complains. Isn’t it time you invested in your top employee?

Jeff Asselin is Director of Sales and Marketing for Powerserve, a web development company that focuses on websites, custom business software, search engine optimization, graphic design and social media marketing. For more information , visit www.powerserve.net or his office at 961 Broad St., Augusta. Contact him at jeff.asselin@powerserve.net or706-691-7189 or 706-826-1506, ext 122.

10 tech trends: Data, drones and devices Increased data security tops the list

By Gary Kauffman If you’re old enough, you may remember the big debate about using Beta or VHS to watch movies at home. That was just 30 years ago.

Technology has obviously changed dramatically over the past three decades, and promises to continue to do so in the near future.

Juniper Research recently released a list of what it expects to be the Top 10 technology trends for 2015.

1. Beefing up data security systems – I recently received a notice from Home Depot about a security breach during which my email may have been stolen. We’ve all received such notices or heard of someone who has. It appears things will change in data security in 2015.

One new security system that we’ll hear more about is tokenization, in which the real data is hidden and replaced by a token.

Only people with the key to the token can

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reach the real data. Another growing trend will be biometrics, such as fingerprint and face scanning recognition that individualize security.

2. Smart wrist watches – Remember how cool Dick Tracy was with his walkie-talkie wrist watch? It’s only taken about 80 years to catch up to the cartoon hero’s gadget, but smart watches are now on the market.

So far they’ve been primarily used as fitness trackers, but they’re now also available to sync with other devices through Bluetooth, meaning you can make calls, play music and even take pictures.

3. Paying with your smart phone – This coming year will see a rise in the use of Near Field Technology. This is the technology that allows you to share a photo on your phone with another phone with a touch.

Now credit cards can be loaded onto your phone, and if the merchants have the right equipment, you can pay just by touching your phone to their screen. If you have stock in a wallet company, you may want to sell now.

4. Data replaces voice – Remember when you used a phone for talking to someone?

The importance of that has decreased in recent years and will continue to do so in 2015 as providers focus more on data packages than voice packages. How many gigabytes you can access will be more important than how clearly you can hear someone’s voice.

This will also increase the trend of streaming music rather than downloading it.

5. Bitcoins bounce back – Bitcoins are a form of cryptocurrency, or digital currency, that operates independently from any country or financial institution. It had been hailed as a new way to do business, but never caught on. But new forms of digital currency, superior to the bitcoin format, could increase in 2015.

6. More drones – No, this doesn’t mean more of that guy who drones on and on about his project at meetings. These are the planes that can be flown by remote control that we’ve mostly seen in military video footage. But their use is expected to grow in civilian life in such things as film making, farming, conservation and private security.

7. Digital wellness – Fitness trackers grew in use in 2014 and could boom in 2015. Not only will we be able to keep track

of our exercise, but people will be able to manage such diseases as diabetes on their own.

8. More phablets – Those hybrids of phones and tablets will increase and likely get cheaper in 2015. As cheaper models enter the market, more of us will start using them as our primary devices to access media. That could mean a decrease in the sale of tablets.

9. Tracking you indoors – Every time we enter Hobby Lobby, my wife gets an alert on her phone with coupons available to use in the store. Many companies offer this, but the ability to track where you are indoors, especially in a mall, has been problematic.

The increased use of Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons means they’ll be able to find you more accurately in 2015.

10. Deep linking with apps – Deep linking has been part of the Internet for a while – it’s what allows you to go to a specific page within a website instead of just the site’s homepage. So far clicking on an app on your smart phone has just taken you to the generic site. Creating deep links in apps will be a boon to marketers.

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Career and Education Missie Usry

Little Means a Lot

There are many ways to give even on a limited budget I recently attended a Chamber of Commerce Women in Business event where the keynote speaker was discussing philanthropy. This event took place in November, when many of us were thinking about those who are less fortunate. The presentation discussed ways that wealthier individuals throughout history, such as Carnegie and Rockefeller, donated large lump sums to specific causes, and further discussed how businesses and corporations could become involved in philanthropy.

At the end of the presentation, the audience was able to ask questions. Someone asked what small businesses and individuals with limited resources might be able to do to assist. Her tone made me think that she believed she couldn’t make a difference. However, one person with great passion or a business owner with limited funds can do great things.

Georgia Military College’s faculty and staff strive to make a difference in the lives of not only students in our classrooms, but also to others in our community. We teach giving back and community involvement to students so they can become citizens who reach out to make a difference beyond their own families and social circles. We encourage this on campus throughout the entire year, not just during this season when most people’s minds turn to helping the less fortunate.

How can a small organization or group get involved? What can one person do? GMC’s college campus conducts fundraisers for various organizations all during the year. We raise funds through bake sales, car washes, theme days and costume contests, dress-down days for staff and faculty, and selling coffee and donuts in the student lounge.

Many of our students, faculty and staff don’t have large sums of money to donate at one time, but they are willing to donate their loose change and clean out their closets to donate gently used items for various causes.

Another means of getting involved doesn’t cost anything! Donation of time can mean the world to organizations.

Volunteering time teaches students to think beyond themselves. Volunteering can also mean a new experience that develops into a career interest. That’s why our college requires volunteer hours of its first-time freshmen in their freshmen orientation course.

Overall, Georgia Military College’s students, faculty, and staff have assisted organizations like Augusta Warrior Project, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink Project, Golden Harvest Food Bank, Shepeard Community Blood Center, Salvation Army, SafeHomes of Augusta, Garden City Rescue Mission, Bon Air Apartments, and Windermere Golden Living Center, just to name a few.

Through the collection of money, goods and many hours of volunteer time, we’ve made a difference in the lives of our

community with limited resources.

Every organization or business can get involved. All it takes is one person with a passion, creativity and an idea.

The Southern Association of Colleges accredits Georgia Military College and Schools, which means that all credit earned at the institution is transferable to other accredited schools. Missie Usry heads up the Admissions department and advises the Community Involvement Club at Georgia Military College’s Augusta campus.

For questions about Georgia Military College, call 706.993.1123 or visit our website at www. gmcaugusta.com.

USC Aiken vet student center highly ranked The University of South Carolina Aiken was recently named in the Military Times 140 Best for Vets: Colleges 2015 for several reasons. This recognition only chooses the top four-year degree schools in the United States that are both public and private, and USC Aiken was the only South Carolina school on the list.

Since March 2013, when the Veteran and Military Student Success Center (VMSSC) opened on campus, the University has received rankings and recognitions from four national entities. U.S. News & World Report added a new ranking in their guide, “America’s Best Colleges,” identifying the “2015 Best Colleges for Veterans.” USC Aiken ranked as the top public regional college for veterans in the South in this category.

In addition, USC Aiken received its third Military Friendly designation, and its second Military Advanced Education (MAE) designation as a Top College and University.

Opening the VMSSC on campus has played a significant part in receiving these recognitions.

“Even as a group, we still focus on the individual. We know our people by name and face and greet them when they walk in or when we see each other around campus,” said

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Thomas Gardiner, U.S. Marine Corps Post 9/11 veteran, and VMSSC worker. “We aren’t a removed administrative-type entity but are involved with the needs at an individual level.

Everything is documented and tracked and when anyone notices a problem, like on the rifle range, they can yell cease fire and we address the problem. Whether that’s making a phone call to remind someone about certification or communicating with professors about possible concerns in the classroom.”

The VMSSC is open to USC Aiken’s military, veteran and military dependent families, and they are happy with the services it provides.

“Our center not only supports individuals

when it comes to the GI bill, but also supports them in their academic career. Individuals come in all the time with problems with their homework or tests and everyone is willing to help that person through their problems to the best of their ability,” said Caitlin Goldie, a military family member.

“As far as helping family, I know first-hand that it is not easy being a family member and trying to use your parents’ GI benefits.

You have to go through the VA, apply on ebenefits, give all information to the school so you can make sure you get certified and it can be really hectic when you don’t know what you’re doing.

“When I came to USC Aiken, I knew ab-

solutely nothing about my GI bill. I just knew the amount of months I had and that I was using my mother’s GI bill. But when I went to orientation, Rob immediately took me under his wing and took me through the process and also offered me a job at the VMSSC as a work study. We are not solely on campus to help military vets and active duty members, but we are here to help family members and anyone looking for help as well.”

“Having a staff that is actively guiding students through the maze of policies and bureaucracies that are inherent in utilizing VA benefits is definitely the most beneficial,” Gardiner agreed. “Even something like the certificate of eligibility can be confusing so having a team on your side is not only beneficial but encouraging as well.”

Robert Murphy, Director of USC Aiken’s Veteran and Military Student Success, admits that the VMSSC is special.

“Our unique feature is collaboration coupled with passion,” he said. “Our success starts with the Aiken community, its citizens, leaders, and industries. The Aiken community embraces veterans’ reintegration by assisting with scholarships, intern positions for future employment opportunities, and overall encouragement.”

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Career and Education

Career initiative examines high demand jobs Gov. Nathan Deal recently released the findings from the High Demand Career Initiative (HDCI), an initiative launched in January to address Georgia’s important workforce needs. The report highlights overall trends, high-demand careers and skills, challenges, recommendations and what Georgia businesses anticipate they will need in five to 10 years.

The High Demand Career Initiative focused on the future needs of strategic industries in Georgia, including agriculture, aerospace, automotive manufacturing, defense, film, television, interactive entertainment, healthcare, life sciences, information technology, logistics and manufacturing. More than 80 key leaders and businesses of these private-sector industries participated in the 13 listening sessions across the state.

A key trend and topic expressed by many of the participants included the value of internships and co-op programs as a method of gaining access to and training future employees, as some companies anticipate the retirement of a large percentage of their current staff in the coming years.

Many participants also emphasized the importance of cultivating soft skills in younger employees and expressed a desire to hire more veterans.

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Employers reported that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career fields need to be introduced to students at a younger age as a key part of their school curriculum and noted that partnerships with local boards of education, the Technical College of Georgia (TCSG) and the University System of Georgia (USG) have been productive.

Many ideas resulting from the HDCI are already being implemented by Georgia Department of Economic Development, USG and TCSG. Early successes include: • USG is creating a Cyber Security Initiative that will focus all of the cyber education and training resources across USG in order to meet the needs of the U.S. Army Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, the financial transaction processing industry and the health informatics/electronic medical records industry. The initiative aims to create a cyber security workforce of sufficient scale, quality, and capability to meet the needs of Georgia companies, military installations, government agencies and other institutions.

• USG is launching a campaign to address the needs of the growing film and television industry workforce. The system is currently conducting a workforce survey to identify

short- and long-term needs for the entertainment industry. Additionally, USG is reviewing its current offerings to determine present capacity and how that capacity can be utilized to address short-term needs. A taskforce comprised of individuals involved in relevant programs at USG institutions is examining how the system can best respond to the needs identified by the survey. The long-term goal is to establish a collaborative program, the Georgia Film Academy, to meet the workforce needs of the film industry.

• TCSG created numerous new relationships throughout the HDCI process and was able to further educate businesses on current resources available from its institutions.

For example, Home Depot identified a large need for computer programmers at the Atlanta HDCI meeting. As a result, Gwinnett Technical College is now working with Home Depot to explore filling this identified workforce gap.

Additionally, the college is in the process of establishing a partnership with the Jacoby Group to offer film training at the company’s Atlanta Media Campus and Studio in order to enhance Georgia’s film workforce and provide students with opportunities for hands-on-experience.

Study: Most young people don’t have credit cards

More than six in 10 millennials (63%) do not have a credit card, according to a newBankrate.com report. Comparatively, only 35 percent of adults 30 and over have zero credit cards in their wallets.

Millennials are the least likely of any age group to pay their balances in full each month. Only 40 percent of millennials pay their entire balance every month, compared to 53 percent of adults 30 and older. Three percent of millennials admit to often missing payments completely, more than any other age group.

Recent polls suggest that more Americans, not just millennials, are relying less on credit cards since the Great Recession. But millennials in particular may have a greater aversion to debt since they grew up witnessing its effects on the economy.

“Many millennials are already battling with student loans, which likely makes them even more wary of the potential for debt,” said Jeanine Skowronski, Bankrate.com’s credit card analyst.

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Health and Fitness Katie Silarek

Head Games

Your mental attitude plays a big role in physical fitness You are ready to start your fitness journey. As we learned in last month’s article, we are going to train in the proper way for our body. We are excited to get started, we feel like we are on the top of the mountain. Nowhere to go but up from here!

News flash: We are at the base of the mountain, working each day to reach the top. Do we need to be excited to start out fitness journey? Yes! Will there be parts of the mountain that we will encounter where the terrain will give us a challenge? Absolutely.

There are life terrains that will challenge you, but knowing what they are prior to starting your climb to the top will mentally help you overcome them when you are faced with them. As this year comes to an end and New Year’s resolutions are made our mind has to be prepared.

The key word is mental! We have made the decision to change our lifestyle. Mentally we are there. But what happens when we have a bad day, maybe cheat on our meal plan, the kids are sick or work took a lot longer than expected?

The mind controls the body – I say it all the time. Allowing the negative into our minds is poison. Negativity in life is far stronger than the positives in our life. The moment we allow negativity set in a downward spiral will occur – if we allow it!

When you hit the rough mental terrain of life, say to yourself, “I do not accept negativity.” Speak it out loud!

I do this often in my own life, not just for my fitness life but my business life as well. And sometimes more so in my business life than my fitness life. Having a negative mental attitude creates an aura your employees and customers can feel.

Keeping a positive attitude will be infectious to everyone you surround yourself with. Staying positive and leading by example with a healthy lifestyle will help you keep productive employees.

But we need more than just a positive mental approach. You have to move your body to move to the shape you want to be in. You will encounter physical pains, soreness and discomfort. If it felt good all the time than everyone would be fit.

You will learn how to love the burn because you will love the post-workout feeling – accomplished, stronger, lighter. But exercising can also bring feelings of defeat, weakness and the reality of how long it is going to take you to reach your goals.

These are emotions, we all know too well. During this journey you will feel many emotions. And that is OK. It is how we react to the emotions that will make all the difference.

“And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.” — Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.

This brings me to a terrain in life that can create obstacles, the spiritual.

The quote above is one of my favorites.

When we speak out loud what it is we want, we hear it and the universe hears it even if nobody is around. When we speak, we believe what we say. So speaking negativity will continue to bring negative into your life – it is what you believe because it is what you speak. Speaking positive will only bring positive. Positive words make us smile, make us laugh, make us feel joyful.

Speak out loud, everyday, what it is you want, what you desire and what it is you are working toward. Ask yourself the question, “What do I want?

And then ask, “What am I willing to give up?”

Sometimes we have to give up luxuries in life. This hits on the last obstacle you may encounter, the financial.

Find what it is you are willing to do without in order to be in a fitness program that will benefit you for life. The best way to look at it is, “Do I pay now and be healthy or pay later and be unhealthy?”

Look at it as an educational course.

My mission with all my clients is to give them all the knowledge I have about fitness so they live a healthy life. Fitness is for life, not just the time you spend with your trainer.

Katie Silarek has been a personal trainer for four years and is the owner of Be Bella Fitness Boutique in Martinez. She became interested in fitness after struggling to get back in shape after the birth of her youngest child. Her goal is to help people develop training plans and to live healthy lifestyles. She wants to inspire men and women who don’t know where to start, what to do or are scared to fail. For more information, call her at 706-589-4113.

Team Lean kicking off eighth year on Jan. 12 If the scales have not been your friend in recent weeks, the Family Y of Greater Augusta is again offering the opportunity for you and your employees to make the numbers on the scale register more favorably.

Team Lean will kick off its eighth year on Jan. 12 at all 10 Family YMCA locations in the CSRA. Last year, the 12-week weight loss competition had more than 1,650 participants who lost a combined total of 11,168 pounds.

Cumulatively, during the past seven years of the competition, the program has helped more than 9,000 participants lose around 95,000 pounds, making the CSRA a healthier community.

“At the Y, we support healthy living and

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we love to be a part of the life-changing success of our participants each year,” Janet Thornburg, Community Health Director for the Family Y, said. “We are proud of the impact the Y has made on the health of our community for these past seven years.”

The Family YMCA began Team Lean in 2008, during its 150th anniversary year. At the time, Augusta was ranked nationally in the Top 10 of the most obese cities in the country. During the first year of Team Lean, more than 1,500 participants joined the program which demonstrated a strong desire by the community for resources and motivation for becoming healthier.

Team Lean participants pay a program fee

of $50 for Y members or $70 for non-members to compete for cash prizes and must attend an initial weigh-in at the kick-off events on Jan. 12 or by Friday, Jan. 16. For the following 11 weeks, they are required to weigh-in weekly at a Family YMCA location.

Weekly health presentations taught by nutrition and fitness experts provide educational opportunities and the chance to earn bonus weight-loss. Weekly community wellness events offer a variety of fitness activities and the chance to exercise in a group setting.

Team Lean participants are not required to be Family YMCA members but may join during the program with a membership

special.

Participants in the Community Category compete for cash prizes either individually or in male, female or coed teams of four or five. There are also categories for church and school groups. The Corporate Cup Challenge is for business groups who compete against each other to win a large trophy that remains with the winning group throughout the year.

The sponsors for this year’s competition included Humana, Doctors Hospital, CocaCola, The Augusta Chronicle, Skirt Magazine, WAFJ, WBBQ and WJBF. Several of these sponsors had teams in the Corporate Cup Challenge last year and lost a total of 722.9 pounds cumulatively.

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Humor Nora Blithe

Friend in Need

Back injury leads to new friendship with therapist When you suffer an injury bad enough to land you in bed for two months, your social life suffers. Your doctor and your physical therapist become your new best friends.

When I ruptured a disc in my back earlier this year, I suddenly stopped talking on the phone. The only things I had to talk about were my doctor’s appointments, what my MRI showed and the latest episode of Doc Martin.

It made me feel a million years old.

Consequently, I temporarily avoided people I otherwise talk to on a near weekly basis.

Luckily, for me, one of my new best friends, my physical therapist, also has a great sense of humor. Over the course of my treatment, we’ve become close.

Today, I graduated from physical therapy. Naturally, that makes me happy because it means I’ve resumed a relatively normal life. But it also makes me a bit sad because Deidra and I won’t have our chats and I’ve enjoyed those.

It’s very helpful to be under the care of a medical professional who can make you laugh, especially when you have little to laugh about. Deidra was able to provide the support I needed

for both my back and my sense of humor.

It’s even more helpful when your physical therapist has suffered the same injury as you. Deidra was in the same ER on the same day for the same problem. She and I understood one another from the very beginning.

Today, at our last appointment we joked as we always do.

“How’s that weight?” she asked.

I was seated on the leg press machine with something to prove at my last appointment. We increased the weight to a new high. For safety, she was helping hold the weight until I was sure it wasn’t too heavy.

“It’s good as long as you don’t let go,” I joked.

She’d already let go and to my surprise I found I had no trouble at all. I said as much to Deidra.

“I wasn’t really holding it,” she said, “I was just standing here looking like I was doing something.”

“Some people never learn how to do that,” I joked.

“That’s sort of my job,” she laughed, “looking like I’m doing something when really I’m giving my patients all the work.”

She went on, “I sometimes wonder what they thought when they saw me limping after my back injury.” She parodied herself with a ruptured disc.

“They probably thought, ‘I don’t want that therapist. Give me one who can walk!’”

“Hey,” I shot back, “There’s nothing like firsthand experience to make you better at your job. I’ll take the limping therapist every time!”

For me, it worked wonders!

Nora Blithe is an Augusta native, an entrepreneur and a syndicated humor columnist. She lives in Greenville, S.C., with her husband, Brian, and their pets. Read her syndicated humor column Life Face First in Verge, or find her online at doorinface.com.

Business Lunch Review Big Daddy’s Bar & Grill Alexandrea Daitch

Song of the South Big Daddy’s offers food for the Southern palate

What comes to mind when you think about Southern food? Is it fried green tomatoes, smothered ribs with barbecue sauce, or perhaps hash and rice?

Now, what comes to mind when you think of the perfect atmosphere for a business meeting? Is it great food, calm atmosphere and phenomenal service?

A place that answers both of those questions exists in Augusta, on Jimmy Dyess Parkway, just off I-20 Exit 94 – Big Daddy’s Bar and Grill.

My colleague and I decided to visit Big Daddy’s because we had a hunch that it would be a great lunch spot for the surrounding businesses and Fort Gordon. We got there a bit early, but it didn’t take long before the place filled up with professionals there for lunch.

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and a side of hash and rice. The pork sandwich came out on a delicious buttered bun and a large handful of pulled pork.

Now, hash and rice is a staple food when describing Southern barbecue, and Big Daddy’s sure doesn’t disappoint. With a heap of hash piled high on rice, it makes any Southern girl happy.

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My colleague ordered the special, Wings and Teasers. Teasers are small ribs. Both the wings and teasers were drenched in barbecue sauce. The special came with a side their famous homemade chips, which he raved about.

His order arrived with two packets of wet wipes, but make sure to order extra packets way in advance, because you can never have too many hand wipes when it comes to barbecue.

Mid meal my colleague struggled with the packaging to open up the hand wipes. The waitress came over and I politely asked for more, while grinning at the fact that his hands were coated in barbecue sauce. She giggled and said, “That is the only way to eat barbecue.” Boy was she right.

The atmosphere for Big Daddy’s was just right for a business lunch. The music, featuring some of my favorite oldies, was audible but not intrusive. Even though most of the tables and booths were full, we couldn’t overhear their conversations and we could talk without worrying that we were disturbing those around us.

The price was reasonable as well.

Pulled Pork Sandwich and Hash and Rice.

With an appetizer of fried green tomatoes, soft drinks and tip, we still got out of there for under $20 a person.

Big Daddy’s is no place for a self conscious eater, so if getting messy in front of colleagues or potential business clients isn’t your style then Big Daddy’s

might not be the ideal place for a business meeting.

However, if you aren’t afraid of sauce on your chin, meat in your teeth and using an obscene amount of hand wipes, then Big Daddy’s is the place to go.

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Sports and Leisure Glenn Campbell

The Big Finish

Harvick’s win caps an exciting NASCAR season

As the NASCAR world honored the highest achievers from the 2014 season in Las Vegas, I felt it would be a good time to see which drivers either overachieved or underachieved their pre-season expectations. In an effort to end on a positive note, let’s look at the underachievers first.

Martin Truex Jr. – Martin was the lead driver at Michael Waltrip Racing but he lost his sponsor and ride at the end of the 2013 Chase. As one of the hottest drivers available, he made the move to replace Kurt Busch at Furniture Row Racing for 2014.

The ride at Furniture Row had developed into a top tier team under Busch’s time there and many expected

Truex to take it to the next level. That new level would include being a Chasecontending team. Unfortunately, that vision never came close.

With only one top five and five top 10 finishes, Truex never came close to being a Chase caliber team. Many say it was the lack of top-notch parts but most insiders know that top-level support was not the case.

The downfall was in the communication and relationship between Truex and his team. Busch had a fiery temper that demanded the team rally around what he needed or face the consequences. Truex is much more laid back, which seemed to contribute a laid back performance from the team as well.

Kurt Busch – On the flip side of the driver swaps this season, Kurt Busch was expected to return to his championship form when he moved to the well-funded team at Stewart-Haas Racing.

After an impressive season at Furniture Row where he took the underfunded team to a top 15 finish in the point standings, Busch was expected to challenge for a second Cup Series Title.

He did make the Chase after a win at Martinsville but that was about all he did for the season. The team only had six top five finishes and was eliminated early from the Chase.

No one can quite put their finger on the reason for the lack of performance

but it was evident that the communication factor played a large role. The relationship between Busch and his team has led to off-season changes in the crew chief and team members on the 41 team.

In order to live up to expectations for 2015, Busch will have to learn how to get along with people if he expects them to give him their full support.

Clint Bowyer – Bowyer became the lead driver at Michael Waltrip Racing and with the departure of Truex, he was supposed to carry the banner in 2014.

After all, he had been a consistent top five team for much of 2013.

However, for some reason Bowyer’s team never got out of the starting blocks in 2014. With only five top five finishes to their credit, the 15 team just wasn’t fast enough or consistent enough to challenge at any track.

Bowyer’s outgoing personality was not enough to pull his team together and as a result, was only able to finish 19th in the season ending standings.

I wouldn’t be too worried, though: 2015 looks much brighter for the team and with some good finishes in the Chase events this year, he could return to form in 2015.

We can’t help but end on a high note as three drivers totally overachieved their preseason expectations. Ryan Newman, Aric Almirola, and AJ All-

U.S. tops France as largest wine market Wine imports slow as domestics grow The U.S. topped France as the world’’s largest wine market last year as Americans continue to develop a greater appreciation for the libation. According to the Beverage Information and Insights Group’s 2014 Wine Handbook, the wine category increased 1.9 percent to 325.4 million 9-liter cases last year. Production and consumption levels are also at an all-time high.

Relaxed restrictions on direct winery shipments contributed to the wine industry’s success in 2013. Direct shipments increased 9.3

percent to 3.47 million cases, and dollar sales of winery-to-consumer shipments increased 7.7 percent to $1.57 billion. Shipments from Napa Valley represented almost half of the total value, with Sonoma County and Oregon experiencing the largest growth of direct shipments.

According to the Wine Handbook, table wine grew to 298.2 million 9-liter cases, a 2 percent increase over the previous year. Domestic and imported wine increased 2.5 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. Domestic table wine’s success can be credited to two leading brands – Franzia Winetaps and Barefoot Cellars. Imported table wine’s slowed growth can be partly attributed to the onpremise’s struggle to reach consumption lev-

els sustained prior to the recession.

The champagne and sparkling wine market continues to grow. The category increased 2.6 percent to 17.5 million 9-liter cases in 2013, its 12th consecutive year of growth. Interest in sparkling wine persists in restaurants and bars, as well as at home. Growth was ignited during the recession when consumers found price-friendly domestic and imported sparkling wines with good value and great taste.

The 2014 Wine Handbook is the leading source for U.S. wine sales and consumption trends.It includes consumption analysis; the top 50 metro markets; supplier performance; advertising expenditures; consumer preferences; direct shipping data; and economic/ demographic data.

Guild wants to let craft beer be sold at breweries Craft beers are increasingly popular, and Georgia has a growing market for the specialty brews. But if you visit one of these small breweries, you can’t buy any beer there.

Georgia law prohibits the breweries from selling beer directly to consumers. It is one of only five states in the country that prohibits this, and the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild would like to change that.

Some breweries have skirted around the

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law by selling glassware to consumers – if that glass happens to be filled with beer, well, at least they didn’t sell the beer.

The Guild believes selling beer directly to consumers, either by the case or in individual glasses, is vital to the continued success of some of the smaller brewers. It is also an important consideration for some of the larger craft brewers who may be looking to move or expand to Georgia.

Currently, Georgia imports almost twice

as much craft beer as it brews in-state. The Guild believes that changing the law will increase the number of craft breweries in the state, which will create more jobs and generate more revenue for the state.

South Carolina had a similar ban on direct sales until a grassroots effort convinced lawmakers to change the law.

The Craft Brewers Guild has an electronic petition to sign at gabeerjobs.com. So far nearly 10,000 people have signed it.

mendinger shocked the world with their performances.

Almirola and Allmendinger both captured their first victory on the Cup Series and made the Chase for their respective teams. Although they didn’t last long in the elimination rounds, they both raised enough eyebrows to entice new sponsors to their teams for next season.

Newman, on the other hand, was the season’s highest overachiever. With no wins during the regular season, his consistency and go-for-broke driving style propelled his new team into the Chase.

With a team that couldn’t finish higher than the high teens in 2013, Newman carried his team to five top fives, 16 top 10s and only one DNF. His driving tenacity propelled him to a second-place finish in the season Chase Championship, which was his career best finish. Look for this team to only get better.

So, there you have it the over- and underachievers for 2014, according to Lugnut. You might not agree with me but that’s what great about NASCAR. We can always debate the pros and cons of every team.

Glenn Campbell is a syndicated columnist and radio and TV show host. For more information, visit www.victorylaneonfox.com.

Third woman rumored to join Augusta National

Augusta National Golf Club has added a third female member, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, according to a report in Golf Digest.

Rometty became IBM’s first female CEO in 2012. IBM chief executives have historically been offered membership in Augusta National.

The first females to join the exclusive golf club were former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and philanthropist Darla Moore in August 2012.

IBM sponsors The Masters and runs the tournament’s website, mobile phone apps and media center technology.

Augusta National usually does not speak on its membership and did not comment on the report.

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