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Columbia Business Monthly

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Last Updated: Jul 10, 2023 04:14PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Empowering Entrepreneurship through Strategic Innovation: The CommunityWorks Women’s Business Center

Jul 10, 2023 04:14PM ● By Odeidra Williams

As the economic landscape continues to change and evolve, there is a swiftly growing need for capital support and increased education for both aspiring and seasoned business owners. Although resources exist, many entrepreneurs struggle with financial and knowledge-based obstacles that can potentially halt their course to success.

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Lessons Learned: How to Gain From What Life Has Taught You

Jul 10, 2023 04:07PM ● By Jessica Donan

Recently, I read an article that stated (and I am paraphrasing) that life is a great opportunity for learning and that people who pay attention to the lessons that life teaches tend to be the ones who attain success. This article struck a nerve because while my life has certainly taught me a great deal, have I learned from the lessons that life has been teaching me? Furthermore, how were they defining success? I just wasn’t sure, so it led me to be introspective on what actions have I taken related to the lessons I have been taught.

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Lessons Learned: Use Adversity to Build Confidence

Jul 10, 2023 03:01PM ● By Meliah Bowers Jefferson

I had a widowmaker heart attack at the age of 33, just after becoming a mother and as my legal career was taking off. That experience forever changed my perspective on what is important and taught me the most powerful, purposeful lessons of my life. Whether it’s in business or in my personal life, I rely on these lessons to stay focused and aligned with my true values and goals. I want to share some of these lessons with you, so you don’t get derailed by setbacks.

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Greenville County Leadership Helps Upstate’s Economy Soar

Jul 10, 2023 02:38PM ● By Mark Farris

At Greenville Area Development Corporation’s annual meeting in May, 2022 statistics presented to the audience revealed that $470 million in new capital investment and over 2,300 new jobs were announced for Greenville County. Many of the 22 newly located or expanded companies were of international origin, and over one-third of our total prospects last year were either European or Asian.

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Richmond Fed’s Field Visits Bring Understanding of Region’s Economic Needs

Jul 10, 2023 12:30PM ● By Tom Barkin

My Richmond Fed colleagues and I are on the ground in our district constantly, meeting and learning from community members. Last year, we had over 1,700 such engagements — with bankers, business and community leaders, workers, and public officials. These meetings take us to every corner of the states we serve. But this kind of high-touch outreach requires time and effort.

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Corporate Support Helped Illuminate International African American Museum’s Mission

Jul 10, 2023 12:08PM ● By David Dykes

The International African American Museum in Charleston is located at one of the most important historical sites in American history, the former Gadsden’s Wharf, the point of disembarkation for nearly half of all enslaved Africans. The museum seeks to honor the untold stories of the African American journey by educating visitors about the realities of the international slave trade and plantation life.

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Elastrin Aims to Battle Degradation in Critical Tissue, Improve Quality of Later Life

Jun 14, 2023 05:28PM ● By John C. Stevenson

The founders of fledgling biotech startup Elastrin Therapeutics Inc. have an ambitious goal of helping people to live healthier longer, and hope that successfully competing in the inaugural $30K PowerUp Competition will bring them closer to making their goal a reality.

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Fresh Air Founder Banking on Sweet Smell of Success

Jun 14, 2023 01:18PM ● By Lucia Jackson

Humans’ sense of smell is thought to be the oldest of the senses and has the most direct connection to the brain’s memory center, according to neuroscientists. Entrepreneur Danielle Gilmore has picked up on that trait with her new Columbia-based business, Fresh Air, purveyor of scented sprays and auto air fresheners.

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Greenville Startup Surcee Builds Bridge Between Local Shoppers, Merchants

Jun 14, 2023 12:43PM ● By David Caraviello

Allan Symonette will admit — he was a terrible gift-giver. “Just terrible, horrible,” he recalled. “Every now and then I would hit one out of the park, but I would have to live on that for a couple of years.”

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Anderson’s Manufacturing History Rooted in Textiles

Jun 14, 2023 12:12PM ● By John C. Stevenson

Attracting industries to Anderson County is nothing new; the county can trace its manufacturing roots back to the era when textiles were king in the Upstate. It has given Anderson’s residents a rich history and deserved reputation as loyal and hard workers, according to many.

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Anderson County Incubator Helps Businesses Find Their Footing

Jun 14, 2023 11:38AM ● By C. Grant Jackson

Looking to take that idea for a new business and turn it into reality or expand to a new market? Anderson County has room for you in its soft landing and incubator space. The Anderson County Incubator at 1428 offers fledgling businesses a range of options with 15,000 square feet for everything from simple co-working spaces to office suites, to 180,000 square feet for warehousing, assembly, and light manufacturing. Leases are annual and set low to assist new and expanding businesses.

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Transportation Options Abound in Anderson County

Jun 14, 2023 11:28AM ● By John C. Stevenson

At 770 square miles, Anderson County is one of the largest counties by area in the Palmetto State. So, when it comes to transportation, officials rely on a variety of innovative approaches to connect workers with jobs and make the county seem a little smaller.

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Anderson County Schools Help Prepare Next Generation of Workforce

Jun 14, 2023 11:07AM ● By Angelia Davis

Former South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt often said, “We make things in South Carolina.” The same can be said of Anderson County, according to Burriss Nelson, director of Anderson County Economic Development. The county, situated in the northwest reach of the Upstate, is home to over 200 manufacturers of tires, medical devices, automotive parts, power tools, floor care, outdoor equipment, and much more.

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Anderson County Manufacturing Base Moves Beyond Textile Heritage

Jun 14, 2023 10:42AM ● By Kevin Dietrich

Textiles dominated Anderson County’s economy for more than a century, from shortly after Reconstruction through the 1990s. But as textile jobs began moving overseas en masse toward the end of the 20th century, county officials stepped up efforts to diversify the area’s manufacturing base by attracting other industry and devising higher education opportunities to enable workers to better meet the needs of companies.

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Anderson County’s Communities Weave Rich and Diverse Tapestry

Jun 14, 2023 10:13AM ● By Angelia Davis

Anderson County is filled with small municipalities and communities, each unique in its history and modern appeal. Here are the towns and communities in Anderson and some of what makes them distinctive:

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Anderson County Provides Fertile Ground for New Industries

Jun 13, 2023 05:07PM ● By John C. Stevenson

Any way you look at it, Anderson County is positioned perfectly to draw industries from around the world to its borders. And the county wants to make sure the world knows. The global approach is even a cornerstone of the county’s economic-development messaging: #WhereTheWorldComesToWork.

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Organ Donation From Living Donors Can ‘Bridge the Gap’ for Kidney, Liver Patients

Jun 13, 2023 04:45PM ● By Liv Osby

For most of his life, Vince Schiano did what he thought was important. He graduated from college, took a job in the financial services industry, and was earning a six-figure salary by the time he was 30. But even after fulfilling a life-long dream of running with the bulls in Spain, he still felt that something was missing.

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Small Business Owners Can Benefit From Working With Wealth Advisers

Jun 13, 2023 04:28PM ● By Jennifer Osgood

As a small business owner, the decisions you make at work directly affect the success of your business, your family members and the employees who work for you. It’s imperative to be well informed about how to maximize your company’s growth potential and secure your future, both personally and professionally.

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Small Towns Face Distinct Challenges in Business and Recruiting

Jun 13, 2023 04:17PM ● By Tom Burkin

Editor’s note: Tom Barkin delivered this speech at the Investing in Rural America Conference April 12, 2023, in Roanoke, Virginia. This is a condensed version of the speech.

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Thoughts on Small Business, Home Renovations, and the Presidential Primaries

Jun 13, 2023 04:04PM ● By David Dykes

Monthly musings… It wasn’t an outright endorsement, but The Wall Street Journal said in April that U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s optimism might stand out in the presidential primaries.

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Code Red CPR Services Has Plan to Be on Call for Training Needs

May 24, 2023 12:31PM ● By Lucia Jackson

When it’s time to secure or renew CPR certification, finding a class may not be so easy. Deah Waters and Sabrina Wolfe have seen that need and plan to meet it with their new Columbia-based business

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TWP Q+A Company Leaders Discuss Culture, Work/Life Balance

May 24, 2023 12:25PM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

Q. How would you describe your company’s workplace culture?

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Three Companies Retain Top Spots in Top Workplaces Survey

May 24, 2023 12:21PM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

The South Carolina Top Workplaces survey presented by Prisma Health survey results are out, and the top three companies from last year’s survey retain their spots for this year. The No. 1 company among large businesses, those with 300 or more employees, is Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner REALTORS. Ranked No. 1 among midsize companies, businesses with 150-299 employees, is Pinnacle Financial Partners, and No. 1 among small companies, those with 149 or fewer employees in the region, is Creative Builders Inc.

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