April 2016 Features

  • How to Turn a Passion for Community into a Thriving Business

    April 28, 2016

    From accountant to CMO, small business owners are used to wearing a number of different hats and juggling myriad tasks. It’s easy to become so immersed in the minutia of business that you forget about your surrounding community. Don’t let this happen to you! It takes a village to run a successful business, and it takes passion for community to make a business successful.

  • Center of Innovation for Manufacturing: Developing Partnerships to Grow Georgia’s Industries

    April 27, 2016

    In an increasingly competitive global environment, Georgia’s manufacturing industry is using cutting-edge technology to develop new products for commercialization and increase the number of manufacturing-related jobs throughout the state. The Center of Innovation for Manufacturing, a program of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, is using university-led research to help the manufacturing industry throughout Georgia develop new products and processes.

  • Eclectic Energy Experts Paint Bright Green Future for Georgia's Sustainable Resources

    April 20, 2016

    A diverse panel of experts from solar, electric vehicle, natural gas and biomass industries, among others, participating in the 3rd annual roundtable meeting to discuss Georgia’s future energy needs, suggested a bright picture ahead in renewable resources for the state. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols emceed the April 12th “Brunch and Learn” session, hosted by Attorney Greg Chafee, Partner for the Energy Group of the Thompson Hine law firm.

  • AT&T Brings New Virtual Reality Simulator to Newnan High School

    April 15, 2016

    Representatives from Newnan High School welcomed AT&T and the It Can Wait campaign to campus today to address a dangerous practice—smartphone driving distractions. Research shows that 7-in-10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving. It’s no longer safe to assume that people are just texting from behind the wheel.

  • Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.5%

    April 14, 2016

    The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was 5.5 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.4 percent in February. The rate was 6.2 percent in March 2015.

  • How to Use a Stay Interview to Keep Good Employees

    April 13, 2016

    Employee retention may not be what the 50s crooner Frankie Valli had in mind when he sang that iconic line from the song “Stay,” but it is a topic of concern for every employer who fears losing top-tier talent. That is particularly the case for small businesses where the loss of a single employee may represent an entire job function or department. Add to that the strain involved in recruiting, hiring, and training a replacement — it’s a headache no employer wants.

  • Taking Care of Your Business Means Taking Care of Yourself

    April 11, 2016

    Growing up, everyone is told there’s no room for selfishness in corporate America. If you want to be successful, then you have to be a team player. Unfortunately, over the years, many of us have confused the notion of being a “team player” with the idea that you can’t do anything for yourself. This often manifests itself in unhealthy habits that aren’t healthy or productive. As a busy entrepreneur who’s grown accustomed to selflessly serving everyone’s needs but your own, here are a handful of things you to start focusing on.

  • Whose Fault Is It When Employees Fail?

    April 08, 2016

    I recently read a book that every small business owner and entrepreneur should read. “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win” is written by former U.S. Navy SEAL and current management consultants Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. I generally don’t look to martial or sports resources for today’s modern business problems, quite frankly because many of them are outdated and ineffective. These two professionals, however, provide experience from both their military and civilian background that every manager of people should have in their toolbox.

  • Lessons to Learn on Great, Terrible Customer Service

    April 07, 2016

    There’s a lesson to be learned from everything — even from horrible customer service experiences. What can your small business learn about providing better customer service from the worst customer service mistakes other businesses make? The 2016 24/7 Customer Engagement Index has some answers.

  • Rep. Lynn Westmoreland: MetLife Ruling a Devastating Blow to Dodd-Frank Bureaucratic Nightmare

    April 05, 2016

    Washington bureaucrats, overreaching regulations, and unsubstantiated labels: that’s been Dodd-Frank’s M.O. for the last six years. These truths were reinforced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer’s two-page order this week in the case of MetLife Inc. v. Financial Stability Oversight Council. Judge Collyer’s ruling in favor of MetLife delivered a devastating blow to Dodd-Frank’s “too big to fail” designation process.

  • How to Increase Employee Engagement to Boost Your Bottom Line

    April 01, 2016

    In America, only 32 percent of employees are engaged at work, and it’s costing businesses billions of dollars a year in lost revenue, from the cost of employee turnover to lost productivity and poor customer satisfaction ratings. The answer: If you want to increase profits, keep your team happy.