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Columbia Business Monthly

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Last Updated: Jul 05, 2022 03:29PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Cozy Covers: When Networking Meets Need

Jul 05, 2022 03:29PM ● By Amy Bonesteel

Dionne Sandiford had already managed a multifaceted career when the opportunity and vision for a new business came calling. After earning a degree in Industrial Labor Relations, her experience included work in human resources and recruiting at several colleges and running afterschool programs.

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For S.C. Homebuyers, A Double Financial Blow: First, Rising Prices, Now Rising Interest Rates

Jul 01, 2022 05:29PM ● By David Caraviello

When it comes to interest rates, a little increase can make a big difference in a potential homebuyer’s monthly mortgage payment. And for some South Carolinians, those rate increases can mean not being able to buy a home at all.

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‘We Will Bring Him to His Knees’ EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis Talks About World Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Jul 01, 2022 04:53PM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

On a recent trip to South Carolina, Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union’s ambassador to the United States, praised the strong ties between the U.S. and the EU, and lauded South Carolina for its strong economy.

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Community Foundations Pool Resources to Help Nonprofit Organizations

Jul 01, 2022 04:34PM ● By JoAnn Turnquist

High-impact philanthropy is based on the understanding that no one organization and no one tactic can adequately address a significant community issue. That’s why Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Midlands’ leader in collaborative philanthropy, harnesses collective resources and mobilizes action to further the vitality of the community. Two of our initiatives, Midlands Gives and the One SC Fund, exemplify our model best.

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How We Know Greenville Home Values Will Remain Strong

Jul 01, 2022 04:25PM ● By Dalton Elliot

You’ve probably seen the headlines about the housing shortage in America that are a big reason behind the dramatic increase in home prices. Local stories here in Greenville, along with nationwide trend pieces in the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and USA Today (to name a few) tout the massive shortage of the supply of homes, compared to demand. Realtor.com touts the gap as 5 million homes or more.

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Thinking About Buying Your First Home? The FDIC Offers Guidance

Jul 01, 2022 04:15PM ● By FDIC Consumer News

A house could be the biggest purchase you will ever make, and the process of shopping for a home and obtaining a mortgage can be overwhelming. However, there are steps you can take to make the process more manageable and the purchase more attainable.

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Greenville’s Diversity Helps to Make it a Great Place to Live and Do Business

Jul 01, 2022 04:04PM ● By Gina Bridges

Greenville is a world-class city on many “best” lists. Over the past few years Greenville has been ranked fifth by Conde Nast Travelers Readers’ Best City, 10th in Top Best Places to Live in the U.S. by Livability, fifth in Southern Living readers as Best “Foodie Paradise.”

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Workforce Challenges Likely to Outlast Pandemic, Fed President Says

Jul 01, 2022 03:49PM ● By David Dykes

We can all agree the U.S. economy is in a prolonged period of uncertainty, with inflation the focus of monetary policy, stock markets wavering in volatile sessions, and consumers trying to make sense of it all.

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Review: ‘Hamilton’ Brings History to Raucous Life at Peace Center

Jun 09, 2022 01:06PM ● By David Dykes

American Musical Captivates, Dazzles

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With CDC Warning Dropped, Charleston Cruise Industry Sets Sail Toward Recovery

Jun 01, 2022 03:25PM ● By Stan Foxworthy

On Jan. 13, when the Carnival Sunshine accepted its first passengers in nearly two years from Port of Charleston, assembled crew members applauded and banged mini-tambourines to greet guests as they stepped on board. For the Charleston-based cruise ship, it was the beginning of a sailing to the Bahamas. For the city’s cruise industry, it was the start of a journey back toward normal — for a few more years, at least.

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Workers Did Plenty of Soul-Searching in 2021

May 13, 2022 10:18AM ● By Bob Helbig

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted people to give more of themselves to their work in the spring of 2020, but 2021 was the year workers decided to focus more on what they wanted or needed. That’s evident in employee surveys analyzed by Energage, which gathers feedback from workers nationwide, year-round.

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Top Workplaces CEOs Discuss Their Employee Engagement Strategies

May 13, 2022 10:13AM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

Keeping employees engaged and interested has been a major concern of corporate leaders during the Covid-19 pandemic, and especially in the wake of the Great Resignation. Business leaders whose companies are ranked in the Top Workplaces survey understand what it takes to keep their workforce connected. Some of the CEOs and other officials from these companies discuss their tactics and strategies for employee engagement.

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What Does Appreciation at Work Really Mean?

May 13, 2022 10:07AM ● By Bob Helbig

How did you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day? It was on March 4, a feel-good celebration of workers and the workplace. If you missed out, don’t worry. Done right, workplace appreciation is not a single date on a calendar. It’s something high-performing workplaces practice year-round.

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Tips for Increasing Employee Engagement

May 12, 2022 04:30PM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

The Great Resignation has employers wondering just what they can do to retain the employees they have and recruit new ones who will be an asset to the company. Employee engagement and an inclusive workplace culture are important factors in keeping workers satisfied and not interested in seeing what else is out there, says Dan Kessler, the president and COO of Energage, the organization that surveys employees of many companies and puts together the Top Workplaces survey each year.

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#1 Small Company ‘It’s How We Interact With Others’: CBI Values Contributions of All Coworkers to Company’s Success

May 11, 2022 05:29PM ● By John C. Stevenson

Creative Builders Inc. CEO William H. “Will” McCauley III is focused on making sure that all of CBI’s more than 80 employees know they are valued and valuable parts of the company. The first step for McCauley is recognizing those people as “coworkers,” not “employees.”

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#1 Midsize Company Pinnacle Financial Partners Designed to Focus on People

May 11, 2022 05:14PM ● By David Dykes

Pinnacle Financial Partners, the No. 1 Midsize Top Workplace for South Carolina for 2022, doesn’t think of itself as just a commercial bank. It wants to be the financial partner for its clients. And to do that, bank officials say they have built a culture where associates are excited to come to work each day and they, in turn, take care of clients.

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#1 Large Company: ‘People Here Know We Care About Them’: Culture Propels Berkshire Hathaway C. Dan Joyner to No. 1 on Top Workplaces List

May 11, 2022 05:04PM ● By Donna Isbell Walker

A strong workplace culture, where employees are respected and valued and treated as family, has kept employment steady at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner REALTORS during the Great Resignation.

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The (Hopeful) Return of the Business Conference

May 11, 2022 04:49PM ● By Amy Bonesteel

Business people love to meet in Charleston: its chef-run eateries with fresh seafood, King Street shopping, and storied colonial history naturally make it a solid choice for visitors of any kind. And after a hiccup last fall (called the Omicron variant) on the road to restarting the conference and event business, the city is opening its doors once again.

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Here’s how the Top Workplaces were determined

May 11, 2022 04:13PM ● By Bob Helbig

Employers have been forced to focus harder than ever to retain and attract talent amid the disruption of the business environment during the Covid pandemic. Top Workplaces celebrates the employers that are getting it right.

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The Tiny Tassel: Builds Its Business Through Digital Marketing Strategy

May 11, 2022 03:46PM ● By David Caraviello

Mimi Striplin clearly remembers the date: June 1, 2020. That was when demand for the unique tassel jewelry she had been selling for five years took off, to the point where her website crashed. That was when she had to suddenly think about expanding her small team, of keeping more supplies on hand, of opening a brick-and-mortar storefront. That was when an online business started with $500 began the transformation into a retail force that’s now poised to exceed $1 million in annual sales.

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Despite Congressional Approval, Mental Health Parity Still Not A Reality

May 11, 2022 03:31PM ● By Liv Osby

It seemed like a simple concept – require insurers and health plans to provide coverage for mental health conditions to the same extent they cover medical conditions. But experts say that mental health parity remains elusive 14 years after Congress passed a bill calling for it, even as the need for mental health services has grown during the pandemic.

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Best Days Lie Ahead for the Rural Economy

May 10, 2022 04:23PM ● By Dr. Saundra Glover

Having spent most of my life in and around rural communities, I know firsthand the challenges many rural communities have experienced. My parents, who were both educators, left their schools every day to come home and tend to our small family farm, because they loved the land, and they understood the importance of planting and watering the land to ensure it produced good crops.

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Act 176 is Making Local Business Licenses Business-Friendly

May 10, 2022 03:43PM ● By Todd Glover

For many years, South Carolina’s business owners raised concerns with state legislators about the inconsistencies and complicated processes that they experienced when obtaining business licenses from local governments around the state. Legislators put in incredibly long hours working with the business community as well as cities to remedy these persistent issues.

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