2012 SEPTEMBER ISSUE • THE CSRA’S ONLY BUSINESS MONTHLY PUBLICATION

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Palmetto Curb Design has spent the last fi ve years installing decorative

landscape curbing, which they advertise as the only permanent edging that is both highly attractive and cost-eff ective, yet has the versatility to please the most discriminating taste, and now they’re adding another service to their catalogue.

Decorative concrete overlays allow customers to rejuvenate existing concrete with attractive designs and colors that look good on driveways, garage fl oors, back patios, pool decks or even interior spaces like basement fl oors.

“We got lots of phone calls for it and a lot of my customers asked about it while

we were doing their curbing,” said John Cawley, owner of Palmetto Curb Design. “So many people started expressing an interest that we thought it would be good if that was one more service we could provide for them.”

Depending on the pattern, decorative concrete can cost between $4 and $8 a foot, with an average home driveway requiring about 250 square feet.

“Any structurally sound piece of concrete can be overlaid with any kind of pattern you want it to have, whether tile, brick, fl agstone or just a specifi c color,” said Cawley. “We can do businesses too, as we did for Clayton Homes out on Gordon Highway, but most of our work has been for residential homes all around the area as far away as Lake Murray, Wrens and Grovetown.”

One of the fi rst customers who asked for the new decorative overlay were the owners of Broad Street’s Whiskey Bar, which is opening next to the Metro Coff eehouse at the end of September

and is having their entire fl oor done with brown, red, and copper colored stains with a glossy fi nish. Cawley said that most of the prepping had been done and they began to pour the new concrete on Aug. 30.

“They’re good friends of ours and are working with us to help us make our entry into the world of overlays,” said Cawley. “We’ve also generated a lot of interest in our business just by being downtown and letting people see us work, and a lot of people have expressed interest in getting our help putting decorative fl ooring in their own homes.”

“We’re going to be one of their fi rst big clients, because I know John and have had him do work for me before on my house,” said Kenny Morrison, owner of Whiskey Bar. “This building was built in 1921 so there’s about 90 years-worth of paint layered over the fl oor that needs to be ground down, and it’s taken them about two and a half days to grind through it all. It probably would

have taken them a lot quicker, but we have some existing furniture that they have to work around. They have been very accommodating and I know they do good work.”

According to Cawley, ninety percent

Article by CHRISTOPHER SELmEK

photo by Christopher Selmek

Palmetto installers working on the concrete fl oor at the Whiskey Bar, set to open in late September.

concRete cuRb aPPeaLContinued on Page 9

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:SECTION AMain Business News

SECTION BEmployment & Education

SECTION CReal Estate Special

SECTION DSouth Carolina Biz

SECTION ELeisure & Hospitality

FREE! Take One

The budget should be

balanced, the Treasury should be refi lled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of offi cialdom should be tempered and controlled and the

assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must learn to work instead of living on public assistance.” -Cicero

Too often we look at the past through the prism of the present and make judgments based on current reality. As a child, I couldn’t fathom what people before television and in those days there were only three channels! Likewise, in solving today’s problems, we ignore the lessons of our forefathers, relegating their solutions to be archaic.

Thomas Jeff erson is generally remembered for cutting down a cherry tree and Washington for siring a child with a slave. No wait, I got that backwards. All jests aside, modern thinkers use the rationale of a “living Constitution,” citing that the people of today face challenges that our forefathers could have never foreseen. Under the guise of modernity, the framers of the Constitution were a primitive people. They rode horses to work, used an outhouse and lit the dark with candles. During their time there was no information superhighway -- there were no highways of any kind. Yet, because of the lack of modern conveniences, those people had something modern humans lack -- time.

These days, anyone wishing to fi nd political commentary can turn to thousands of choices through cable television, talk radio, blogs and even Facebook. Rather than create more opportunity to sit under the apple tree and ponder the universe, these modern conveniences actually reduce the amount of time spent critically thinking about the most important issues that aff ect lives -- plenty of time to Facebook, but little time to refl ect.

In Benjamin Franklin’s day, he couldn’t type Cicero’s name in a search engine and fi nd his ten most notable quotes. Instead, Franklin read his works and determined for himself which were most important; the framers of the Constitution did not rely on YouTube to document all failed democracies throughout civilization, they spent time studying about them in books. Likewise, when the public was presented with the

Constitution, they did not check news channels for the latest poll numbers; for clarifi cation, they had to read the Federalist Papers.

People in the 18th Century had the same basic needs of people today. They needed food, water, shelter, medical care and a way to pay for all of those things. Why then did the framers not consider those basic needs to be rights? Why doesn’t the Constitution provide for every man, woman and child to have every vital need met by the government from cradle to grave?

The simple reason is that by studying history, the framers understood that no government can ever provide every thing to every person. Modern people look at the framers with a jaundiced eye because some of them were slave holders. Yet, no one mentions the fact that the people living during the post-colonial times who had every basic need met were slaves. The downside was working 18-hour days under a whip and never leaving without permission. Revisionist historians do not like to acknowledge that the framers understood this.

The framers understood from reading Cicero that the Republic of Rome attempted to spread the wealth by creating rights to everything from food to bathhouse access. When resources ran low they conquered more territory and supported the army by taxing the rich. Once the wealthy class became the middle class and tax income ran low, the government resorted to hiring mercenaries to protect the borders; eventually, the mercenaries turned on the government and sacked the capitol. Does anyone else see a pattern here?

Rather than wasting time surfi ng channels and web pages, watching “conservatives” and “liberals” bash each other, our society needs to take stock of where we are and what we’ve become, and search for solutions. The pressing issue is the fi nancial stability of this nation. Therefore, my fellow countrymen, I beseech you to put down the i-Pad, turn off the television and go outside, sit under the apple tree and read the Federalist Papers. I promise it won’t take that much time.Th ese opinions are those of Scott Hudson and not necessarily those of Buzz Newspaper or its staff .

SCOTT HUDSON is a freelance reporter for WGAC and co-owner/operator of Cheers on Washington Road in West Augusta. Please send any comments to scott@wgac.com.

2 SEPTEMBER 2012

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hoW the constItutIon affects us In the csRa

When Inc. Magazine writes,

business people read it—and take stock in their lists. Recently, the publisher put out a list of the fastest growing 5,000 privately held

companies in the United States. Three of Augusta’s favorite sons (and daughters) made the illustrious list.

Not surprisingly, all three have a technological slant to their companies. All three are based in downtown Augusta and are not going anywhere despite the overblown concerns about First Friday.

ESI has made a huge impact philanthropically by being the major sponsor of Ironman competitions (including one at the end of September). Their team is also the go-to group for 911 type crisis software and just grew again with buzz they got a large FEMA contract.

mAU and it’s CEO Randy Hatcher keep growing by clients, temporary staff ers, employees, and states as well---leading the way in innovative ways to test, train, and hire workers for clients.

EDTS (Elliott Davis Technology Solutions) is a successful spin-off of Elliott Davis Accounting. They provide support to companies related to Information Technology.

While we’re getting national attention for our locally headquartered success stories—let’s not forget about some other great, local companies that also deserve some props.

Cudos to Weinberger’s for taking their father’s business to the next level with stores in Lake Oconee, a warehouse superstore in Augusta, a spin-off store in Grovetown, and now a move from their long-time Washington Road location to a huge offi ce park on the Riverwatch Parkway.

Continued on page 27

3SEPTEMBER 2012

NEIL GORDON | President, Buzz on Biz LLC andy jordan approved ad with address at the bottom.

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4

As an attorney representing

small businesses, I handle a lot of human relation questions. Employees are a business’s most

important asset and its greatest potential for liability. The liability issue is particularly heightened when an employee is leaving the company, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Frequently my clients present this issue with the question, “If I fi re this person, am I going to get sued?”

I’m an attorney, not a fortuneteller, so I cannot answer that question. However, there is one thing you can do that almost guarantees you will not face litigation—pay a severance pay and get a settlement and release in return.

Now the idea of paying someone for getting fi red rubs most business owners the wrong way and I get that. On the other end of the spectrum, I sometimes have clients who, because they feel bad about this person losing their job, off er a severance package without asking for a release in return and end up regretting it.

It is particularly disturbing to pay a severance only to fi nd out the employee is disparaging the company to customers or has fi led a complaint with the EEOC that you will now spend thousands of dollars to defend.

In Georgia and South Carolina there is no legal obligation to pay any severance unless it is required by a contract between the employer and employee. So as an employer, do not get ahead of yourself and give away something for nothing. Any severance should be tied to a release of claims. That release can include, for example, prohibitions against releasing confi dential company information, noncompetition provisions, and a promise not to make negative or defamatory comments about the employer.

I explain to clients that a severance agreement is, in essence, “buying your peace.” Win or lose, defending an agency investigation or a private law suit will almost certainly cost your company more in resources (time as well as money) than a severance.

So next time, before you terminate that failing employee, think about the most cost eff ective way to resolve the issue, and at least consider a severance package tied to a settlement and release.

J. EDWARD (ED) ENOCH Th is is a sponsored Law Talk article. His practice focuses on business, employment, and real estate law. He is a 1992 Magna Cum Laude law school grad from Washington and Lee School of Law. He’s served in many leadership roles for SHRM, Rotary, the Family Y and the United Way. Reach him at (706) 738.4141 or jenoch@enochlaw.com

Does seveRInG eMPLoyMent Mean a seveRance PayMent?J.EDWARD ENOCH, J.D. | Business Attorney

SEPTEMBER 2012

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Sometime this month or in October, you’ll see some successful

companies “expand the brand” in the CSRA.

American Family Insurance is going to open a high-powered sales offi ce with 10 professionals in Evans to try and tap into the Geico, Allstate, and State Farm stronghold in the area. They’ll off er auto, home, life, and some fi nancial planning as well.

The Learning Express franchise is on the move….again—this time to what we think will be the fi nal Columbia County home. Over the last 5 years or so, the Allens have slowly moved up to better spots moving from the Academy Sports Plaza to Park Place for better visibility—and soon to Mullins Crossing to hit the key Greenbrier and Evans family demo.

Edible Arrangements still remains in the Academy Sports Plaza along with a Whiskey Road location and soon—a third store in South Augusta. The franchisee says a good percentage of his delivery orders go to Fort Gordon or South Augusta, so he’s opening a store in the Colony Plaza near Sconyers.

Congratulations to the Chief Financial Offi cer of Kendrick’s Paint and Body Daniel Brown. He and a partner had good instincts that the frozen yogurt market was going to explode in the CSRA. In January he opened the fi rst store across from Fairway Ford in Evans. This month he’s open near Panera Bread and Verizon Wireless at the Augusta Exchange Shopping Center.

4 faMILy oRIenteD coMPanIes eXPanD

Tax planning is the process of

looking at various tax options in order to determine when, whether, and how to conduct business and personal transactions to

reduce or eliminate tax liability.Many small business owners ignore

tax planning. They don’t even think about their taxes until it’s time to meet with their accountants, but tax planning is an ongoing process and good tax advice is a valuable commodity. It is to your benefi t to review your income and expenses monthly and meet with your CPA or tax advisor quarterly to analyze how you can take full advantage of the provisions, credits and deductions that are legally available to you.

Countless tax planning strategies are available to small business owners. Some are aimed at the owner’s

individual tax situation, and some at the business itself; but regardless of how simple or how complex a tax strategy is, it will be based on structuring the strategy to accomplish one or more of these often overlapping goals:

•Reducing the amount of taxable income

•Lowering your tax rate •Controlling the time when the tax

must be paid •Claiming any available tax credits •Controlling the eff ects of the

Alternative Minimum Tax •Avoiding the most common tax

planning mistakesIn order to plan eff ectively, you’ll

need to estimate your personal and business income for the next few years. This is necessary because many tax planning strategies will save tax dollars at one income level, but will create a larger tax bill at other income levels. Once you know what your approximate income will be, you can then proceed with planning strategies.

There can be several approaches, and sometimes diverse scenarios need to be considered to fi nd the most benefi cial one for you.

The eff ort to come up with crystal-ball estimates may be diffi cult and, by its very nature, will be inexact. On the other hand, you should already be projecting your sales revenues, income, and cash fl ow for general business planning purposes. The better your estimates, the better the odds are that your tax planning eff orts will succeed.

Although tax avoidance planning is legal, tax evasion - the reduction of tax through deceit, subterfuge, or concealment - is not. Frequently what sets tax evasion apart from tax avoidance is the IRS’s fi nding that there was fraudulent intent on the part of the business owner. The tax planning strategies a business owner uses must have merit. If the business is ever audited there must be a way to substantiate the reasoning used for the tax planning.

Business tax planning is very complex. Careful planning involves more than just focusing on lowering taxes for the current and future years. How each potential tax saving opportunity aff ects the entire business must also be considered. In addition, planning for closely-held entities requires a delicate balance between planning for the business and planning for its owners.

Be sure to contact your CPA and get good advice before December 31st. Once the end of the year arrives it is too late for some of the most benefi cial tactics. Don’t let the opportunity slip by - it could be very costly!

HALL, HALL, & ASSOCIATES P.C is a full-service public accounting fi rm established in 1979. Th ey 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.

6

Christine Hall, CPA | Hall, Hall, & Associates P.C taX PLannInG shouLD staRt RIGht noW!

SEPTEMBER 2012

7

DON mACNEIL | Crown Point Communications at Windsor Jewelers

We’re supposed to

talk about the nuts and bolts of your marketing here, but this time out I’d like to crystallize a thought you’ve

probably had too, but perhaps never brought to paper.

It’s the gift of permission - permission to cross over into the extraordinary in whatever you do.

If you come away from this discussion with my point in hand, it can do wonderful things for your marketing.

So what do I mean by permission?It’s that moment in your professional

development when you subconsciously or openly say to yourself, “Oh! You can do that?”

Whatever you just saw or heard that made you think that thought has just transformed you…has just given you permission to do something in a way your regimented thinking was never going to invent by itself. The person who did this thing – whatever it was – you will one day look back upon as an inadvertent mentor.

Hope I haven’t lost you here. Hang on, I’m getting there!

How about an example of what I’m talking about? With any luck you’ll recognize a similar moment in your own experience.

In a former professional life, it was my job to sequester myself in a room and attempt to say interesting/entertaining things to a piece of metal. If you’re a “natural” at this you can tell your life story to a lampshade without blinking an eye, but like most folks, I was no one’s “natural.” So I was doomed to be a

career news reader until one day – while still in school – I watched a young guy about my age do a personality-driven radio show, and it changed my life.

He didn’t sit, he stood. His arms were in constant motion, gesticulating wildly. He pointed. He shrugged. He waved. He knew that out there in Radio Land you, the listener, could “hear” in his voice every stabbing fi nger and waving fi st.

“Oh!” I said to myself. “You can do that?”

That’s the immeasurable gift of permission.

And to that young guy, Bob Lacy in Charlotte, I owe a career and my deepest gratitude.

So the next time you feel compelled to cram a billboard full of too much information that no one will even feel the need to read, consider a totally white board with just your logo in one corner and, sitting modestly in this ocean of white, the words “Damn, we’re good.”

Wouldn’t you see that? Wouldn’t you read that? Wouldn’t you remember that? And if you give yourself permission to think that way, a world of wonderful and eff ective marketing things can happen.

Oh, and the First Greatest Gift? See Corinthians.

Next: Know Yourself: Are You Left Or Right Brained?

DON MACNEIL is a traditional media expert, having spent more than 30 years on-air and behind the scenes in Media and Marketing. If you have any comments or questions, email Don at windsorway@ comcast.net

the seconD GReatest GIft

BUZZ ON BIZ • INDUSTRY EXPERTS • WATERCOOLER STORIES • BUSINESS ADVICE • TRENDS

The Buzz on Biz mission: to act as an inspirational tool for those in the workplace and those who are entrepreneurs and to provide useful, practical information to help

increase companies’ bottom lines.

To submit editorial content or to order a 12 month subscription mailed to your home or offi ce for $12, mail a check to the address on the bottom of the page

Neil R. Gordon: President/Editor/Sales (706) 261-9981Matt Plocha: Group Publisher/Sales (706) 261-9981

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Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Buzz on Biz LLC, or its agents or its employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information,

which is presented for informational purposes only.

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SEPTEMBER 2012

8

In previous decades,

employees worked for one company until their retirement and received payouts from the company pension plan. However, imagine if when you

retire, you had to piece together up to nine separate 401(k) plans from your various employers. Tracking all of the companies and taking distributions could be difficult and costly tax-wise.

If you leave your job, what will you do with your 401(k)? Some companies may allow you to remain in the 401(k) even if you are no longer an employee. If you pass away, these assets may end up with the state if it has been a while and the beneficiaries are not current. You could roll that money into your next company’s 401(k). For many American workers, a rollover to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a vehicle for retirement savings when you change jobs. You may not have as many investment choices if you keep it with your new plan, but it is better than leaving it at the old company. You can also cash the money out, but if you do not follow certain guidelines, you may be subject to a 10% penalty to the IRS in addition to paying the taxes on that money. This is the least favorable choice from a planning perspective.

What do you do when you decide to request a rollover? First, you would contact your company’s benefits department about rollover procedures. Typically, you have two options when handling this transfer. You can receive a payout from the company directly or roll the funds into an IRA. If you receive the funds directly, the distribution will be subject to a

mandatory 20% withholding by the IRS and you will have to wait until you file your taxes to get this money back, even if you intend to roll the funds to an IRA within 60 days.

Looking at all pieces to the retirement puzzle can be confusing and overwhelming. It is a good idea to get an annual review on your current retirement plan just to make sure it is properly allocated for your risk tolerance. Changing jobs is stressful enough; don’t let the worries of your retirement funds add to that! Kelly Renner will help assist in determining the different solutions that are available.

*Securities offered through: H.D. Vest Investment Services SM Member SIPC, Advisory services offered through: H.D. Vest Advisory Services SM6333 North State Highway 161, Fourth Floor, Irving Texas 75038 (972) 870-6000. The views and opinions presented in this article are those of Kelly Renner and not of H.D. Vest Financial Services® or its subsidiaries.

Life Strategies Financial Partners is not a registered broker/dealer or independent investment advisory firm.

KELLY RENNER is a Certified Financial Planner™ and has a Master’s Degree in Finance. She owns Life Strategies Financial Partners and specializes in comprehensive financial planning for businesses, individuals and families. She is a veteran of the United States Air Force. She is able to work with clients in both Georgia and South Carolina. Her office is located at 3540 Wheeler Road Suite 304. She can be reached at 706-210-3535 or online at LifeStrategiesFP.com.

KELLY RENNER | Owner, Life Strategies Financial Partners

If I Leave My Job, What WILL I Do WIth My 401(k)RetIReMent account?

Center ForPrimary CareYour Prevention

SPecialiStS

SEPTEMBER 2012

Are you looking for ways to plan

for your financial future? Tired of hearing the obvious ideas like “write down your goals” and “set a budget?” Here are some other

things to consider: Look at your income source, your

expenses and your debt. How do you earn income? Do you earn it from one source? Is there real potential for your income to rise in the next few years? Now look at your living expenses, the ones you can’t avoid (such as a mortgage payment, car payment, etc.). Can any expenses be reduced? Investing aside, you position yourself to gain ground financially when income rises, debt diminishes and expenses stay relatively the same.

Decide what debt to pay and what debt to payoff. Some debt is “good” debt. A debt is “good” if it brings you income. If you buy a rental property, you’re paying a mortgage, but that’s considered a “good” debt because you’re getting income from rental payments. Credit cards are “bad” debts.

If you’ll be carrying a debt for a while, put it to a test. Weigh the interest rate

on a specific debt against your potential income and return over the term of the debt. If the interest rate on that debt looks like it will outpace your income and returns, then you should really think about paying that debt down fast.

Keep in mind that paying off your debts, paying down balances and restricting new debts all work toward improving your FICO score.

Implement or refine an investment strategy. You’re not going to retire

on small elective deferrals from your paycheck; you’re going retire on the interest that those accumulated assets earn over time, plus the power of compounding. Investing can also potentially bring you income. Consistent investing, this year and in years to come, has the potential to help you improve your financial life.

Request professional guidance for the wealth you are growing. A good financial advisor will really help to educate you about the principles of wealth building. You can draw on that professional knowledge and guidance this year – and for years to come. CSRA Credit Union partnered with Members Financial Services can provide professional guidance, free of charge. For more information contact a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ today. Larry Wajsman CFP®, or Ron Huck CFP®, at 770-326-7315.

LEAH ELDRIDGE is the Division President of CSRA Credit Union. Leah has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Augusta State University and has been in the financial industry for over 29 years. CSRA Credit Union, a Division of Associated Credit Union is a full service financial institution with four locations serving members in the CSRA since 1953. Anyone can join!

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LEAH ELDRIDGE | CSRA Credit Union, Division PresidentPLannInG foR youR fInancIaL futuRe

SEPTEMBER 2012

of the jobs they do can be completed in one day by a four-man crew, following a free estimate of materials and services. Based on their experience, the technicians may also make professional suggestions as to where and how a border should be used.“Our reputation has well surpassed the industry and we pride ourselves on being a leader where quality matters,” he said. “Our company is based on the belief that our customers’ needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals.”Cawley views the decision to begin providing decorative concrete overlays not as a challenge, but as a simple expansion of the business.“We already had most of the equipment, since we had been working with

concrete for a long time,” he said. “I needed to send my guys to a week-long course in Atlanta that gave them some more specialized information about decorative concrete, staining and overlay, but I have a really good team and I think they already had most of the knowledge as well.”In total, Cawley only needed to spend about 15 thousand dollars on training and specialized equipment, the most expensive piece of which was a $3,500 High-Efficiency Particulate Air-certified dust-free machine that preps concrete by taking off a minuscule amount in order to get to the fresh concrete underneath, which makes for a cleaner, smoother overlay.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706-831-4158 or visit www.palmettocurbs.com.

concRete cuRbcontinued from page 1

An example of what Palmetto Curb Design can do for you!

10 SEPTEMBER 2012

After working with many people over the years, I’ve noticed

what makes people likely succeed in business and life. I call these the “Golden Rules for Getting Ahead.” Remember that our business life and our personal life are quite interrelated; improving one typically helps improve the other.

Family First: Most people’s #1 goal is to have a nice, successful life. The specifics always vary. But since our family normally includes the people we are closest to, it is extremely important

to prioritize your family over your work. Include your family in major decisions that will directly and indirectly affect them – including business decisions. Our relationships with our family (and other important people in our lives) will have the greatest impact on our overall success.

Having truly caring people in our lives will improve our lives in many ways. Helping others, and maintaining a positive attitude, will improve the quality of our lives and those around us; it’s a win-win.

Know Your Goals: 3% of people write down their goals, and they own 50% of the world’s wealth. The importance of writing down one’s goals can’t be overstressed.

Continued Growth/Communications: As long as we remain mentally healthy, we’re never too old to learn. We should strive to learn something from everything we say and do. How well we communicate with others, and when we choose to communicate, will greatly impact the quality of our relationships.

Stay Focused and Balanced: When we lose focus and balance, we’re wasting time and energy, which is extremely costly. Learn to become more conscious of our goals, and whether we’re staying on course and on task.

Emotional Challenges: Most of us get depressed, have various degrees of ADD, and find it easy to procrastinate from time to time. Be aware, one can learn work-arounds for all of these challenges. And, with practice, they become good habits.

Be Grateful: It’s easy to feel sorry for one’s self. But most of us have plenty to be grateful for. See your situation as half-full rather than half-empty; this will greatly help your attitude, and will attract people to you, rather than potentially push them away.

Create a Gratitude List. Compile all of the things that are good in your life that you are grateful for. You may be surprised how many things will be on your list. Read it daily, or whenever you are starting to feel down.

Get Great Help from Others: Many people don’t realize how helpful others can be, and what a great feeling it is to help another person. There are many support groups we can join, many for free. Have one or more mentors, advisers, coaches and/or consultants that you are open with; they will help you discover opportunities you wouldn’t have likely figured out on your own. Two or more heads are better than one, but it DOES really matter who those other heads are!

Be Productive and Valued: We get ahead when we are productive, and get compensated (one way or another) by people that truly value what we do for them. One without the other is not enough.

LARRY RUDWICK This is a sponsored Business-Talk article. A lot more about this can be found on the www.BusinessTune-Ups.com website. To do an Executive Assessment requires a Word Document entitled Ten Questions That Can Improve Your Life. I would be happy to email one to you; you may request it from me at Rudwick@cox.net or calling 571-331-6102.

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Statistics say that Offi ce Products

are less than 1% of MOST companies overhead…that being said, companies spend more time comparing prices and shopping for these items than any other item. The COST of buying is more than the actual offi ce products themselves! No matter where you order, here are some effi cient tips in the process of organizing, maintaining and

ordering your offi ce products: ORGANIZE

-Create a designated space for your Offi ce Products

-Post an inventory list in this space to include: Item #, Brief Description, Person who uses product (if special item), Minimum/Maximum Qty to keep, Blank space for Order QtymAINTAIN

-Have a procedure for requesting supplies: Email purchaser, Note on your inventory list, Small marker board in your supply cabinet/closetORDER

-Create a favorites list of your most used products so that reordering will be simple! This can be done in a

word/excel document or online. Make notes of who uses what…this way “Suzie” can ask you to get her pens or cartridge and you have the item number at your fi ngertips. Order no more than once per week, which will take less of your time for receiving product and handling payables too. -Online, Email, Fax, Call

Let an Offi ce Products Professional help you be more effi cient and FOCUS on your REAL JOB!

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ROBIN BAXLEY AND SANDI SHIELDS Th e TEAM at BEST Offi ce Solutions would love an opportunity to make your work life easier. We are constantly customizing a plan for each of our customers to fi t their needs and personalities. We get excited about fi nding effi cient, economical SOLUTIONS for YOU! Call or email us today for your free ordering process evaluation. robin@bestoffi cesolutions.net – 877-533-BEST (2378)

ROBIN BAXLEY | Co-Owner of Best Offi ce SolutionsSANDI SHIELDS | Co-Owner of Best Offi ce Solutions

SEPTEMBER 2012

What does it mean to

be brilliant? You don’t have to be Albert Einstein to be brilliant. Just look at Time Magazine’s 100 Most Infl uential People of the Year, which includes a variety of individuals who demonstrate brilliance in very diff erent ways.

Here are 5 examples and what they can teach us about how we can contribute our brilliance:

Pete Cashmore – Be Daring Cashmore founded one of the most infl uential technology and social media blogs to date, Mashable.com, when he was 19. An article from Entrepreneur Magazine describes him as “having a quiet sense of urgency wherever he goes.” He saw an opportunity to be involved and he took it. Brilliance! Now Mashable.com is the No. 1 go-to site for all the latest news and opinions in digital technology. So don’t be afraid to be daring. When you see something

you want to be a part of and you’re passionate about, don’t hold back.

Warren Buff ett – Think Ahead Buff ett is known as the “legendary investor” and in 2008 he was ranked as the wealthiest man in the world. Now he has gained the title of one of Time’s most infl uential people by looking ahead! Buff et began with a simple $10,000 investment and a strategy to invest in strong potential. His forward thinking and seeing the big picture has led to incredible success. Jeremy Lin – Follow Your Values Lin took over the headlines this NBA season. His success was called “Linsanity.” Lin earned his success by working hard and following his values. Attending Harvard University, he received no athletic scholarships and was undrafted upon graduation. By sticking to his core values he elevated to idol status showing that with grit, discipline and integrity, you too can get an opportunity to overcome the odds.

Chelsea Handler – Be True to Yourself It may seem surprising that female comedian Chelsea Handler made Time’s list, but she has created her own successful media empire. Handler

has been described as “an extremely wealthy, trash-talking gal from Jersey, but her authenticity is 100 proof.” She never lost herself when she entered the fl ashy Hollywood scene. Her bright, fun personality has won the hearts of people all over the world. To be brilliant, you fi rst have to be true to yourself so others can see you shine.

Donald Sadoway – Be a mentor Sadoway is a Professor of Materials Chemistry at MIT, an energy engineer and noted expert on batteries and portable energy. His class, Introduction to Solid State Chemistry, is one of the biggest (and most popular) at the university. The special thing about Sadoway is that he cares for his students. He is not the only ‘expert’ on his research team, he involves students in all elements of the research process, using and increasing their expertise in

the process. Being a caring leader and sharing your knowledge is brilliance in itself.

What is your defi nition of brilliant?

BRENT & KELLY MALLEK Th is is a sponsored Employment article from their company, Talent Focus Consulting. Brent has over 20 years of Human Resources experience as a proven leader, coach, and teacher. His practical yet strategic approach to human capital issues provides great value to the businesses with which he works. Kelly’s successful track record spans 25 years working in sales, customer service, and business operations. Her practical approach puts others at ease while assisting others in driving their business results. Visit their website at www.talentfocusconsulting.com or call 706.945.1592 for a free consultation.

9

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PETE CASHMOREPETE CASHMORE

14 SEPTEMBER 2012

Not happy with your website’s sales

conversions? Are visitors to your website getting confused? Is your website traffi c down? Are your search engine results slumping? You know

you need to change your website up a bit – but where do you begin? What if you change the content? How about the images? Could color have a signifi cant impact? All of these are terrifi c questions! Let’s look at the science behind how you should go about changing your website and ultimately increasing conversions, improving user experiences and helping you get back towards the top in search engine results.

There is a simple methodology referred to as A/B, or split testing. Simply put, A/B testing compares a control sample in order to improve customer/user response or revenue conversion rates. Many companies, such as Amazon, eBay, Google, and Microsoft, conduct A/B experiments when making their marketing decisions. Think back to your high school science days when you would test 2 plants’ growth under completely diff erent lighting. Web design companies can employ the same

techniques with websites to maximize eff ectiveness.

Let’s look at an example: A local home appliance store is interested in fi nding the best web design for a new product they’ll be launching. A sophisticated website development company begins testing two (2) versions of a web page with live traffi c, measuring the eff ect that each version has on user interaction and conversion rates. All visitors to the website see the product image, information description and pertinent details. One version of the page has a picture of a middle-aged woman with a “BUY NOW” button below her image. The second version of the page has a picture of a middle-aged man with a “BUY NOW” button below his image. Both pages are randomly displayed to all users during a specifi ed time period.

Getting the data is critical! In this example, the website development company measures the number of visitors who viewed each version of the webpage and how many people clicked the “BUY NOW” button. In addition to identifying which picture lead to more clicks, you can also measure beyond the click to see how many users actually completed the shopping cart checkout process.

A/B testing takes the guesswork out of making changes to your website’s design and layout. The more research you do, the more impact you can have on conversions and user experiences. Businesses should continually be optimizing their websites to ensure maximum effi ciency. There are many things that can be tested using A/B techniques such as headlines for off ers, form lengths, product pricing, using a video or a static image, and much more.

JEFF ASSELIN is Director of Sales & Marketing for Powerserve, a web development company that focuses on Websites, Custom Business Soft ware, Search Engine Optimization, Graphic Design and Social Media Marketing. Let Jeff put his more than 16 years of advertising and marketing experience to work for you helping grow your business. Click (www.powerserve.net), Email (jeff .asselin@powerserve.net), Visit (961 Broad St, Augusta) or Call (c: 706-691-7189, o: 706-826-1506, Ext 122). Th is is a sponsored article.

JEFF ASSELIN | Powerserve, Director of Sales and MarketingDon’t tRust youR Gut, tRust youR custoMeRs

A/B testing takes the guesswork out of making changes to your website’s design and layout. The more research you do, the more impact you can have on conversions and user experiences. Businesses should continually be optimizing their websites to ensure maximum effi ciency. There are many things that can be tested using A/B techniques such as headlines for off ers, form lengths, product pricing, using a video or a static image, and much more.

Powerserve, a web development

asselin@powerserve.net), Visit (961 Broad St, Augusta) or Call (c: 706-691-7189, o: 706-826-1506, Ext 122). Th is

loyd DeFoor began working with John D. Eubank in 1973 to help him buy and sell small and large acreage tracts in the northern end of Columbia County and the surrounding area, leading to the official formation of DEW Land Development

Company in 1977. By 1980, Lloyd realized that there was a demand for re-sales for the properties that they had originally sold to individuals and then formed what is now DeFoor Realty.

After the formation, Lloyd started selling and re-selling the residential properties in the Columbia County area, specializing in large and small acreage tracts with ponds, streams and other water features. He also was heavily involved in acreage tracts developments throughout the CSRA. He became prolific at finding raw land and seeing the potential through timber harvesting, recreational management utilization and land sales.

In the mid 1990s, Lloyd gained the help of his oldest son, John DeFoor, and long-time family friend, Wes Fuller. Now with extra hands, DeFoor Realty sought to become a big player in real estate sales along Clarks Hill Lake. They also started selling other residential property in the CSRA and formed DeFoor Construction in order build new homes. It wasn’t long before DeFoor Realty became one of the dominant players in real estate in the northern end of Columbia County, Lincoln County and other areas surrounding Clarks Hill Lake.

Today DeFoor Realty has expanded to 10 real estate professionals and specializes in property throughout the CSRA. Our concentrations include residential homes, acreage tracts, large recreational tracts and timber tracts, and we are still one of the dominant players in Clarks Hill Lake real estate.

Call or email one of the agents below if you would like for them to email you a list of properties for sale.

D1

Lloyd DeFoor706.825.9501

Lloyd@DeFoorRealty.com

John DeFoor706.799.7558

John@DeFoorRealty.com

Jeff DeFoor706.836.2461

Jeff@DeFoorRealty.com

Wes Fuller706.836.5581

Wes@DeFoorRealty.com

www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

Lake • Land • Lifestyle

Don’t tRust youR Gut, tRust youR custoMeRs

HomesHomes

D2

Lake

Mountain

www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

We are privileged to have the magnificent Strom Thurmond Lake right at our fingertips. Whether you enjoy the lake as a primary location or second home, it’s a beautiful place to spend time with your family.

Only 3 hours away, the Smoky Mountains are a great place to get away for the weekend. Enjoy the peace and relaxation of the North Carolina mountains from your own mountain home.

Lakeside 2br/2ba furnished cottage with breathtaking views of the water! Deck and screened porch overlooking the lake. Private dock w/ over 20 ft of water depth. $449,900 MLS# 348993

Possible joint venture offering dual owner suites & living areas with almost 5,000 sqft of living space to share. This 4br/3.5ba home features glamorous baths, lavish formal dining, gourmet kitchen with over-sized island, breakfast bar and 2 lanais. Lower level offers custom built oak bar and a second living space that flows into the lower veranda. Home features double-deck double-slip aluminum dock with power boat lift in very deep water on Soap Creek.$950,000 MLS# 350482

4br/2ba lakefront home on 1-acre with pine floors and stone fireplace in the great room. Bonus room, detached garage, boat storage shed, fenced backyard. $259,900 MLS# 346297

2 lakefront lots with mesmerizing long-range views & excellent water depth for private dock. Electricity & public water available. Lot 3 $250,000 MLS# 349626 Lot 4 $179,000 MLS# 349633

30+/- acres that bordering Corps property and Lake Thurmond including 2 dockable lake lots. Great for hunting & use adjoining Corps property to hunt. $150,000 MLS# 338757

Casual elegance in a rustic setting. This upscale development is nestled on a 2 acre wooded lot with breath-taking long range views of the North Carolina mountains. 3 bedrooms + hobby room, 4.5 baths. Built in 2008. 3180 SF. $700,000

Fractional ownership is being offered for this 3700 SF home with 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. The incredible home sits on 3.7 awe-inspiring acres with a view that you have to see to believe! House features granite countertops, wide pine plank flooring, beam work inside and out, exquisite furnishings, flat screen TVs throughout, and 1600 square feet of covered porches. $250,000 for 1/4 ownership or $1,000,000 for all.

Beautiful log home with great view of the lake. Heart pine floors, granite counters, stainless appliances, two fireplaces, screened porch, 2 large decks, basement, 2-car garage. $695,000 MLS#340006

3br/3ba lakehouse on 1.37 acres with 2 bonus rooms, 2 2-car garages, & 2-car carport. Fireplace, deck, private boat dock. Covered patio with brick grill pit. $299,000 MLS#338906

Even with the low lake level, its dock is still in the water! Nice buildable lot with a view. County water. $152,800 MLS# 346858

Large 1.6 acre lake lot with boat dock, public water, and paved road frontage. Mature trees for beautiful homesite. Older development without restrictions. $49,950 MLS# 342686

Updated 4br/2ba home on 1 acre overlooking the lake. 3-car carport, stone fireplace, updated kitchen, hot tub & screened porch. Dock with boat slip. $389,000 MLS# 351355

Great 3br/2ba, 1152 sqft, lake front, like new doublewide. Large owners bathroom, laundry nook, platform dock. Boat ramp nearby. $99,900 MLS# 343415

1-acre lakefront lot that is fenced and mostly wooded with well and septic system, perfect for a homesite. Lake frontage with wooden platform dock. $65,000 MLS# 352887

2 excellent lake front lots. Approx 200 feet from Corps line to water. Can have dock & underbrushing permit. $99,000 each MLS# 270992 & 270989

900 Confederate Drive, Modoc, SC

Mohawk Drive

5843 Camellia Drive, Lincolnton

Lincoln Lane, Lots 3 & 4, McCormick, SC

1325 Buckhead Road, Tignall

90 Summit Falls Rd, Sapphire, NC 28774127 Foggy Ridge Road, Sapphire, NC 28774

1147 Maiden Cane Way, Lincolnton

6222 Keg Creek Drive, Appling

3727 White Lane, Appling

Lake Drive, Lincolnton

1085 Blackfoot Road, Lincolnton

1408 Wells Creek Drive, Lincolnton

Pawnee Drive

Ponderosa Drive, Lots 61 & 63, Lincolnton

HomesHomes www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

With over 30 homes to choose from on our website and access to hundreds more, DeFoor Realty is your gateway to finding the perfect home for you and your family. From Lincolnton to Appling to McCormick, we service all areas of the CSRA and strive for the fairest prices. Whether you’re looking for 3,000 square feet or 800, we have something that will suit your needs. Give one of our friendly agents a call today!

4br/3ba, 3690 sqft home on secluded lot overlooking pond and 5 acres. Home is great for entertaining w/ tons of outdoor space, with 1100 sqft of covered porches, breezeway & garden arbor. Features incl. lots of natural light, crown molding, glass pocket doors, masonry fireplace, spacious dining room & landry w/ mud sink. Owner suite w/ sitting room and his & her bathrooms. Three-car garage houses 2nd kitchen & bonus room. $395,000 MLS# 349563

4br/3.5ba, 4008 sqft home on 2.99 acres with garage, pool, fenced pasture, underground fence, screen porch, & much more. $299,000 MLS#340191

Bright 2br/2b townhome in Columbia County convenient to Fort Gordon. Spacious kitchen, cathedral ceiling in great room & wide open floor plan.$88,500 MLS# 350131

Quiet 3br/2ba, 1216 sqft well-maintained mobile home on 12 acres. Private, fully wooded setting w/ lots of outdoor space, including swings & fire pit. $79,900 MLS# 348930

Beautiful 5br/3.5ba, 3250 sqft, brick home in Mount Vintage. Hardwood floors, granite countertops in kitchen, 2 fireplaces, 14x32 deck, 2 HVAC units, large laundry room. Great neighborhood, numerous amenities, quiet cul de sac. Mount Vintage has a beautiful golf course, athletic club, equestrian center, and many other amenities. $360,000 MLS# 327642

This 3br/2ba, 1362 sqft home has a nice large yard surrounded by woods for privacy. The house is well maintained & built in 1994. $133,500 MLS# 334270

Nice 4br/2ba, 1782 sqft mobile home on 0.4 acre lot. Maintenance-free exterior. Spacious open floor plan w/ large rooms & big closets. $84,900 MLS# 351888

1423 Elberton Highway, Lincolnton

1054 Greenbriar Drive, Lincolnton

904 Laurel Place, Martinez

3631 Radford Gay Road, Dearing

335 James Booth Court, Edgefield, SC

160 Guillebeau Street, Lincolnton

5117 Old Magnolia Lane

D3

1085 Blackfoot Road, Lincolnton

1408 Wells Creek Drive, Lincolnton

Pawnee Drive

Ponderosa Drive, Lots 61 & 63, Lincolnton

Subdivision

Land

www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

www.DeFoorRealty.com | 706.541.0637

Start from scratch and design your own home on one of these fantastic lots. DeFoor Realty is your go-to group for large or small acreage tracts with over 100 land listings to choose from on our website.

DeFoor Realty is proud to feature lots in some of Augusta’s premier subdivisions, from lakefront communities with all the amenities to a quiet homesite with lots of acreage.

Savannah Pines is a new development in Appling near Clarks Hill Dam. Savannah Pines consists of 11 tracts with 6 remaining, acreage ranging from 7.1-10.52 acres and prices ranging from $79,000-$139,000. Savannah Pines backs up to Corps property with walking trails and hundreds of acres to hike and hunt for deer, turkey, quail, and other game. Linder McCurdy Road is the last road closest to the dam on the right going toward South Carolina on Highway 221 from Pollard’s Corner. Greenbrier School district.

Mini Farms! Great for horses! 5-10 acre estate lots with protective covenants ranging from $65,000-$135,000. Mostly beautiful, rolling, established pasture & some tracts are wooded with mature hardwoods and pines. Some tracts have pond frontage with great fishing. Property is off a county maintained paved road with public water. Minutes from Clarks Hill Lake in Columbia County. Minimum house requirements 2,500 square feet.

Dunwoody Estates is a gorgeous subdivision in Appling with 2.5 acre lots. Development has paved road and street lights. The property is located only minutes away from Clarks Hill Lake, Mistletoe State Park, & I-20. Restricted subdivision with a 2500 sqft minimum. You can bring your own builder and horses are allowed. The development has 22 lots with 15 left for sale. All lots are for sale for $29,900 each.

Prices drastically reduced! Waterfront community on Clarks Hill/Thurmond Lake with 0.62-6.17 acre lots ranging from $14,300-$100,700. Paved county roads throughout subdivision. Community includes 4 interior ponds, nature park and walking trails. Assortment of properties available within the community to include dockable waterfront lots, Ranchette lots, Nature Estate Lots and interior lots. Public water and community sewage. Underground utilities.

136+ acres with 7 ponds, subdivided with 3 gorgeous tracts left. These 3 lots can be bought individually or as a whole. Each tract has at least one pond and mature hardwoods, perfect home sites overlooking the ponds & trophy fishing and hunting.

Lot A: 8.96 acres w/ 1.5 acre pond $99,000Lot B: 9.5 acres w/ 2.5 acre pond SOLDLot C: 17.55 acres w/ 4 acre pond SOLDLot D: 23.81 acres w/ 4 acre pond & 4br/2ba Brick House $299,000Lot E: 76.24 acres w/ 4 acre pond & 2 half-acre ponds $300,000

42.77 wooded acres of property approximately 600 ft to the lake. Great for hunting with an excellent road system throughout the tract and hundreds of acres of Corps property adjacent to it available for hunting as well. Very secluded area. Only $1753/acre! $75,000

15.9 acres of commercial PUD property just outside of one of Augusta’s thriving subdivisions. Located on Columbia Road between Hereford Farm Road and William Few Parkwaynear Patriots Park, Bartram Trail and right outside of the Ivy Falls subdivision. 3 acres in a flood plain. Bank owned property, motivated seller. $967,500 MLS# 353197

Savannah Pines

Bartles Farm

Dunwoody Estates

Serenity Pointe

Rainey Morris Road, Appling Chamberlains Ferry Road, McCormick, SC

Columbia Road, Grovetown

D4

19SEPTEMBER 2012

Windows 8 Ultrabooks

and convertible tablets will soon sport specifi c sensors that will give users more ways to interact with their laptops, according to a

recent Intel blog post. There are fi ve sensors which include a compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS (global positioning system), and ambient light sensor. All fi ve of the sensors are required to be included for a convertible tablet to be branded as an Ultrabook, and three of the fi ve are recommended for a regular laptop to be branded as an Ultrabook.The fi ve sensors include a Compass

(optional for Ultrabooks) which is useful for showing directional information, such as which way you’re facing so you can automatically get details about landmarks around you. A GPS (recommended for Ultrabooks) which helps determine location so your device can deliver mapping and other relevant information. An Accelerometer (recommended for Ultrabooks) which can detect motion and gravity and can be often used to

protect the hard drive in case a laptop is moved or dropped. It can also give users information such as travel time based on movement. An Ambient Light Sensor (ALS) (recommended for Ultrabooks) which automatically detects lighting conditions so your laptop can adjust screen brightness based on the surrounding lighting. Finally, a Gyroscope (optional for Ultrabooks) is similar to the accelerometer. It detects rotation and the rate of rotation. Many games make use of this sensor for motion control.Many

of these sensors have previously been built into laptops. The Samsung Series 9, for example, has an ambient light sensor, and accelerometers have long been lifesavers for laptops plunging toward the ground. It is interesting that Intel is mandating sensors typically found in tablets

and smartphones to be included in Ultrabooks and convertible tablets.

Once these sensors become more widespread, we should see many more kinds of applications that can make use of sensor technologies.

Currently, smartphones and tablets are more capable than traditional laptops when it comes to such smart sensors, but the gap may be closing quickly with this next generation of Ultrabooks. It’s really up to Ultrabook manufacturers to decide which sensors get put in their laptops. You can fi nd out which sensors are in your current laptop by looking

under the “Sensors” section in the Windows Device Manager.Intel has big plans for Microsoft’s

Windows 8 operating system and Ultrabook notebooks according to Netbook News. The chipmaker and Ultrabook manufacturers are planning to release at least 40 notebooks with

touchscreen displays in the fourth quarter of 2012. The problem with the current-generation of Ultrabooks is the hefty price tags associated with the ultra-slim computers. This will not be the case moving forward, however. Previous-generation Ultrabooks have already had their prices reduced, but within the coming months entry-level Ultrabooks will be off ered for as little as $699 to further compete against Apple’s comparable MacBook Air notebooks. Intel has also hinted that the company’s next-generation processors will sport increased speeds and reduced power consumption. The processors will be the fi rst ‘system on a Chip’ for PCs, and will use 20 times less power than the current processor family.

KEVIN WADE Th is is a sponsored “Tech Talk” article. Kevin is founder and CEO of IntelliSystems (www.IntelliSystems.com), which has been operating in Augusta since 1993. Th e company is located at 1115 Greene Street in Downtown Augusta. Tune in Th ursdays at 12:45 on WRDW 1630 AM for “Tech Talk.” For more information, call Kevin at (706) 722-2024 or email him: Kevinw@intellisystems.com

KEVIN WADE | CEO of IntelliSystemsWInDoWs 8 uLtRabooks anD tabLets WILL featuRe sensoRs

Columbia Road, Grovetown

20

To understand current

cognitive functioning it is helpful to get an assessment of the entire processing system. Cognitive skill strengths

help us understand what we do well, and cognitive skill deficiencies identify why difficulties occur. Strong skills associated with processing speed, working memory, visual and auditory processing, logic and reasoning and selective attention allow for fast, efficient learning. In other words, better functioning comes from better processing skills. Much like a construction worker with a power saw, power drill and power screwdriver, students with strong skills make fast, efficient, effortless learners. These students’ brains are “wired” to achieve.

What happens when the “wiring” is poor? In young children difficulty in school is noticed almost immediately. Kids who struggle in preschool through second grade, who have deficient skill sets in processing speed, visual processing and selective attention, often require extra time, more hands-on instruction and minimal distractions in order to “get by”. Older children, beginning around fourth and fifth grade, who have not developed their auditory analysis, word attack and logic and reasoning skills, often experience the “fourth grade phenomenon”. Because the information is disseminated more orally now than ever before, these students require clarification, additional explanation and often the use of a tutor. But what happens if the “wiring” is poor in older students, such as those in high school or college?

Most schools do a very good job with accommodations in order to “help” students who are struggling. Take for example the student who takes too long on test. What’s the “fix”? Give the student more time; it works, right? What about the student who has a tough time taking notes? What’s the “fix” for that? Supply the student with the notes from which the teacher

is working. Again, it works because the student has the information from which to study, right? Although these examples and plenty others are helpful, they do not address the reasons why the accommodations are needed in the first place. Take these accommodations away, and students often fail. Just look at how many college students who received “extra help” in school struggle miserably when that “extra help” is not available to them in college.

Let’s take it a step further, shall we. These students become employees at some point. And just because they are no longer is school doesn’t mean their deficient processing skills are no longer a problem. The same issues experienced throughout school will be carried on into their professions. How many employers offer “extra time” on tasks, excuse missed appointments because they “slipped their employees’ minds,” or look past the fact professional exams or licensing exams are failed? Not many, right?

Improved functioning is beneficial, regardless of age, grade or profession. To improve functioning we must understand the deficient underlying cognitive skills that need to be sharpened. Careful, specific, proven processing skills training creates skills that last a lifetime. Getting help earlier may alleviate the need for help later; however, it’s never too late!

DARREN SCHEYER This is a sponsored article. Darren is a co-owner and operating officer for Partners In Achievement. PIA has offered the PACE program, which stands for Processing And Cognitive Enhancement, for more than 10 years. PIA offers a free initial screening that measures a student’s processing system, often identifying deficiencies that are at the root cause of learning struggles. Darren has a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and over 15 years of experience in psychometric testing. He is married and a proud father of two children. PIA Learning Centers is located at 454 Fury’s Ferry Road, Suite B. Stop by, visit www.pialearningcenters.com, like our Facebook page (facebook.com/partnersinachievement), or call 706-650-1877.

DARREN SCHEYER | Co-Owner, Partners In AchievementachIeve…ReGaRDLess of aGe

SEPTEMBER 2012

17JULY 2012 21JULY 2012 23JUNE 2012

south caRoLIna busInessSECTION D

www. .

When Billy Hawley, owner of South Point Construction, found an old

1954 Chevrolet pickup under a shed in Saluda it brought back memories from his childhood. He and his brother had dreamed of finding a similar truck to restore, and in January of 2012 the dream began to take shape.

Growing up, Hawley’s father owned a 1952 Chevrolet pickup, and when Billy was around the age of 9 his grandfather, Papa Porter, taught him to drive the truck in the fields. Hawley spent a lot of time on his grandparent’s farm as his mother worked in a textile mill and his father worked as a plumber. He was one of 18 grandkids and he spent his time helping his grandparents by harvesting, weeding, canning, and spreading manure in the fields. Hawley did not mind spreading the manure as it allowed him to drive the pickup truck while his grandfather threw the manure into the fields. He recalls an instance where he popped the clutch sending his grandfather into the pile of manure in the bed of the truck. “He was not too happy about that,” Hawley recalled.

Things were different in the 1950s.

“My family had to work,” Hawley commented. “Everything we got, we worked for.” When he started his construction business, Hawley’s father told him, “If you do what you say you are going to do and you treat people fairly, you will have all the business you can shake a stick at.” South Point Construction has been a successful business because of the old values for which the company stands.

When Hawley and his brother received the truck, it held more than the memories of their childhood. As they began taking apart the truck to restore it, they found items from the pickup’s former life. These included a cast iron skillet that the previous owner used to cook his lunch on everyday, oil cans and chewing gum from the 50s, a 1959 movie brochure, and the bill of sale stating that the truck was sold in 1958 for the price of 5 cows.

Finding someone to work on the truck posed some difficulty. After searching for a few months, Hawley found a shop in New Ellenton, Ray’s Rod Customs, which agreed to take on the project of restoring the truck. The project began in March

REBECCA HEADRestoRInG oLD vaLues: south PoInt constRuctIon

Continued on Page 24

22

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502 EDGEFIELD ROAD • NORTH AUGUSTA, SC 29841Open Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Family Owned and Operated Since 1964 fax -- 803.278.4831 • email -- Info@QPGraphics.com

Manuel’s Bread Café in Hammond Ferry is upgrading their wine list,

literally, with the addition of IPad’s displaying the new wine list application that can be passed out to customers in place of the old-fashioned, printed lists.

Customers can sort each one of Manuel’s roughly 80 selections of wine by price range, region and variety, as well as get suggestions about which type of food to order to bring out the fl avor.

“It takes a lot of the intimidation away from people who don’t know a lot about wine and wouldn’t normally ask questions,” said Ransom Weatherford, General Manager. “Now

they can look up the information themselves and try new things without needing to ask for help.”

Manuel believes the new lists are more user-friendly and allow the restaurant to make changes to the list instantly with their computer, but the best part is that anyone with an IPad can download Manuel’s Wine List from the convenience of their own home.

“We’ve even moved some wines our customers weren’t ordering before,” said Sara Hannan, assistant manager. “I think a lot of people aren’t inclined to ask questions when ordering wine with their meals, but this allows them to know exactly what they’re looking for.”

Article by CHRISTOPHER SELmEKMANUEL’S HIGH-TECH WINE LIST

SEPTEMBER 2012

23

Aiken regional full pager

SEPTEMBER 2012

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R E A L . Personal. H E A L T H C A R E .

24 SEPTEMBER 2012

2012 and was fi nished in July 2012. Hawley is proud to drive the truck

around town to appointments and to job sites. He restored the truck to honor Papa Porter and to be reminded of the values of his family and business. The pickup can be spotted driving around Aiken County. Hawley has enjoyed the nostalgia that the truck evokes when people see it.

Working in the construction industry, Hawley believes in the importance of real craftsmanship, quality work, and integrity throughout the process. His

company, South Point Construction, prides itself on customer service. “Customer satisfaction is the key to my business. We must be able to produce the product that our customers are looking for.” South Point Construction handles new home construction as well as renovations including kitchen and bath remodels, outdoor kitchens, room additions, roofi ng, and windows. For more information about the company or to see more photos of the truck, visit www.southpointconstruction.net

south PoInt constRuctIonContinued from Page 21

Sometime this month or in October, you’ll see some

successful companies “expand the brand” in the CSRA.

Bob Richards Toyota, which acquired Taylor Toyota in 2008 is making its mark on the community with philanthropic giving.

The dealership announced a $5,000 donation to The United Way of the CSRA and a $5,000 donation to The Salvation Army, which will also receive a matching contribution from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

The donation received by The Salvation Army will be used to make improvements at the North Leg Family Thrift Store.

The United Way of the CSRA will use their donation for a

planned giving/endowment project.

Bob Richards Toyota is one of the big contributors to the Kroc Center when it opened last August.

The Toyota Dealer Match Program enables dealer contributions to make a greater impact. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to non-profi t organizations, and has always been guided by a strong belief in serving the communities where it does business. To learn more, please visit www.toyota.com/about/philanthropy

From left to right...Salvation Army Captain Tony Perez, Jeff Richards, Bob Richards, Jr. and La Verne Gold from the United Way at the Kroc Center in late August.

noRth auGusta caR DeaLeR heLPs saLvatIon aRMy anD unIteD Way

25JULY 2012 27JUNE 2012

LeIsuRe anD hosPItaLItySECTION E

www. .

The fi rst step to becoming

a better wedge player is understanding “bounce.” “Bounce” defi ned, is the angle that is made by the metal

built-up on the sole and the front edge of the club. Players can use this to their advantage by matching the amount of bounce on their wedges to the grass and sand conditions of their home or favorite courses they like to play. As a general rule of thumb, with harder turf and fi rmer sand in the bunkers, you should be using a wedge with less bounce. This will allow the club to dig down easier to strike the ball. On the other hand, with soft, fl uff y grass and sand you

should be using a wedge with more bounce.

Now, unlike tour professionals, you probably do not have diff erent wedge options for the diff erent courses and shots that you encounter every round. So, as a result, players have to understand how to adjust the bounce of your wedge for each shot and situation.

Beginning with softer and fl uff y grass or sand, you need more bounce. To increase the amount of bounce on your sand wedge, you open up the face or the wedge. The easiest way to feel “open” is to hold the club in front of you and rotate the face to the right (for a right handed golfer) in your hands. Remember this will make the ball go a little more to the right off the club face and not as far, so adjust your feet and swing

accordingly! With tighter lies, or hard compact sand, use less bounce by keeping the face more straight or square.

If you would like to know the bounce on your wedge, the amount in degrees is usually printed on the back. (Companies will try to disguise this!) Clubs with 54 to 58 degrees of loft generally have around 8 to 14

degrees of bounce. If you are looking to purchase a new wedge, a general rule of thumb is to always go with a wedge with more bounce!

DREW BELT is an Assistant Golf Professional at West Lake County Club.A PGA of America Class A Member, Drew has been teaching golf to all levels of players for over 10 years.

CSRA REUNION$ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 26

TEAMWORK CHAMPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 29

NEW MOON MOVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 30

SWEET SPOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 31

DREW BELT | Assistant Golf Professional at West Lake County ClubunDeRstanDInG bounce

Last year, Augusta hosted the family reunion for the Posey Descendants

National Foundation, a gathering of over 1000 people who rented the Augusta Canal, including Fat Mans, the Mill courtyard and the Cotton Room. The Posey’s had such a good time in Augusta that they’ve agreed to come back in 2013, but they are only one of many family reunions which take place in Augusta throughout the year.

“Every weekend there are a few reunions going on,” said Michelle Bovian, reunion specialist for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Most are only about 80 to 100 people, and I don’t attend as many as I used to because the schedule has gotten so crazy, but if I’m invited to one I try to make an appearance.”

Bovian’s business card addresses her as “Cousin Michelle,” a nickname she has earned through working closely with many reunion planners so that by the day of the reunion she has become part of the family.

“We help from the very beginning, helping them pick their committees and set the right date, and I’m there through the day of the reunion,” she said. “For the most part someone lives here, but that doesn’t always mean the family is from here because we have a lot of military here. Even I am not originally from Augusta, but I plan on hosting a reunion one day to show off my city.”

Augusta typically hosts between 80 and 90 family reunions per season, which starts Memorial Day and ends Labor Day, during the time when school is out. Each reunion involves one reunion coordinator, which Bovian says is a very stressful, unpaid position, which is why each coordinator must select various committee heads to help them, such as a person to plan activities, food or historical research.

“Family reunions these days are like businesses,” said Bovian. “They are giving out scholarships; members are having to apply for them just like any other scholarship. They’re doing reunionships; if you have a family member who is fi nancially unable to attend, which will give him enough money to travel to and from the reunion because everybody should get to spend time with their whole family.”

Bovian believes Augusta is such a popular location for family reunions because it is aff ordable and the attractions are not expensive compared to other cities. A typical family reunion rents the hospitality room at a hotel for a meet and greet, then on Saturday visits local attractions, such as the museum, fl ea market, or canal.

“We try to intervene and get them to visit our attractions, but we also coordinate events for them to do like the Amazing Race,” she said. “We put together a scavenger hunt for

them where they have to visit diff erent locations and perform a task in order to get the next clue, which has them running all over downtown to locations like the Museum of History, the James Brown Statue or Pyramid Music.”

Saturday night usually involves an evening banquet or dinner out, and then Sunday involves a group going to church or hosting a service in their own hotel, and then the guests begin heading home.

Augusta hosts so many family reunions that Bovian hosts a family reunion workshop every other year; then takes the groups to various Augusta locations to teach them how to plan a reunion. The last one was this February, and she will be sending out invitations for another planning workshop in early 2014.

Most reunions cost about $65 per family member, which covers the cost of food, attractions, and t-shirts but not the cost of the hotel. Bovian’s services, however, are totally free.

“Especially in these times it’s that connectedness that really helps people,” she said. “Friends come and go but we realize that family will always be there.”

For more information, contact Bovian at 706-823-6600, by visiting augustaga.org or by visiting her Cousin Michelle Facebook profi le.

26

faMILy ReunIons: bIG busIness foR auGusta Article by CHRISTOPHER SELmEK

Obia Elam proudly displays his purple Descendants of Dolphus Elam family reunion t-shirt. His family came out on First Friday in August. “We came out because there’s always a lot going on at First Friday and I wanted to give my family some activities to get involved in other than just staying in the hotel,” said Obia Elam Descendants of Dolphus Elam. “I’ve seen a defi nite increase in security and there seems to be just as big a crowd now as ever there was.”

SEPTEMBER 2012

have you checkeD youR vehIcLe’s heaDLIGhts LateLy?

Are you one of those drivers that can’t see the road at night? If

so, you are not alone. Many of our customers have told us that they thought their vision was getting worse, when in fact, it was the dim, dull and faded headlights on the vehicle that were the problem. Driving with dim, dull and faded lights can be dangerous causing an unsafe condition for you and your family.

Listening to what our customers tell us, we have learned that many people don’t realize how bad their vehicle’s headlights are oxidized until someone points it out to them. I suppose it is like anything else, when you are looking at something every day, the daily changes become less evident and unnoticeable. The same holds true for your vehicle’s headlights.

What actually causes your vehicle’s headlights to become oxidized? Well, it is the combination of several things. First, headlights are made from a polycarbonate material. Headlights that are exposed to the sun for extended periods of time are subjected to UV light which causes the plastic lens to become faded, just like any other item

that remains outdoors. Secondly, the heat from the headlamp itself causes the lens to fade. Lastly, every day that the vehicle is driven the lens is exposed to dirt and debris from the road. As a result, all of these factors cause the lens to become dull and produce less and less illumination over time. It is not unusual for a vehicle’s headlights to begin showing some level of oxidation around the third year. The solution to this problem is to have your headlights restored to a like-new fi nish by a Headlights Made New (HMN) restoration specialist. HMN professionals have received extensive training and are well experienced in restoring headlights and other vehicle lights (including commercial vehicles and ambulances).

The HMN restoration process off ers a lasting solution to the oxidation problem and completely refi nishes the surface of the lens. The HMN process does not involve “buffi ng and polishing,” or spraying a clear coat product, but actually resurfacing the face of the lens with the HMN proprietary product that has a UV protective component.

BOB AND MARGARET WALTER co-own Headlights Made New. The HMN restoration product is only available from an authorized, licensed dealer. To reach Bob or Margaret to schedule an appointment, or inquire about their services call 706.840.1392 or visit www.headlightsmadenew.com

SPONSORED ARTICLE by BOB AND mARGARET WALTER

27

Odds are excellent that your janitorial contract specifically

excludes cleaning the windows. Windows are a specialty cleaning service and people who don’t clean them regularly find it difficult and frustrating to get a really streak-free job. Combined with the difficulty of accessing many windows due to height or other reasons, this means most local janitorial services exclude windows in their standard cleaning services contracts. Look at your business’ windows carefully - you may well find they haven’t been cleaned for a long time and are seriously in need of cleaning.

One local customer of Fish Window Cleaning recently completed a survey of their own clientele and found cleanliness to be their biggest source of dissatisfaction, with windows specifically being mentioned as a major factor. It makes sense – windows are the only part of your business that your customers see whether they’re approaching from the outside or waiting on the inside.

Another recent survey revealed

that 80% of those waiting for service reported spending more than half their time looking out the windows of the business where they were waiting. That’s a lot of time to form an unfavorable impression with a current or prospective customer and window cleaning is a very affordable service. Most new customers are amazed at how little it costs to have your windows regularly cleaned by a professional and ensure your business looks its’ very best.

FISH WINDOW CLEANING is the CSRA’s leader in this technology with the most capacity and experience as well as the ONLY system in the CSRA designed to allow use of de-ionized water cleaning techniques indoors.

If you or a member of your family has allergies or is concerned about reducing your environmental footprint, call Fish Window Cleaning and request a free, no-obligation “green” cleaning estimate.Call 706.205.3900 or www.fishwindowcleaning.com

“My JanItoRIaL seRvIce Does the WInDoWs - not”

Sponsored Article by Mike Rucker of Fish Window Cleaning

SEPTEMBER 2012

Offer Expires 10/05/12

Offer Expires 10/05/12

Vintage Ooollie will offer two Mehron Makeup workshops

given by Gene Flaharty, professional makeup designer and educator, on Sept. 13.

Gene Flaharty received his B.A. in Communication Arts from Park University with a minor interest in Theatre. He has been doing professional makeup for TV, film, print and theatre for over 30 years in the Kansas City area. Flaharty enjoys makeup education and design as he does lecture-demonstrations across the country in his full time position as Sales Manager/Makeup Artist for Mehron, Inc. in New York.

“Space is limited so I’m asking for a $10 demonstration fee, which will go towards a gift certificate for each attendee to buy their makeup here,” said Ooollie Bricker, owner of Vintage Ooollie. “The purpose of this is to hopefully let people in the community know about the wide variety of makeup we carry and what they can do with it.”

The first workshop, Stage Makeup

and Special Effects, will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and includes demonstrations on basic makeup application, aging, setting and effects for theater. The second, Halloween Makeup and Special Effects, will

be from 7:45 p.m. to9:15 p.m. and includes demonstrations on proper application of different makeup, ensuring makeup is waterproof, blood application, 3D gel, Rigid Collodion, latex, waxes, metallic powders and much more.

“I’ve reached out to some local theatre people, as well as to

the whole Zombie Walk community, who posted this event on their facebook page,” said Ooolliee. “With Halloween coming up

there are probably lots of people getting costume ideas, as well as professionals who use this makeup on a regular basis.”

Flaharty will be in the shop during the day to consult with special clients who reserve their time in advance. To sign up for the workshop stop by Ooollie’s or call 706-724-2597.

n.y eXPeRt to vIsIt csRa costuMe shoP you’Re InvIteD to Make-uP WoRkshoPs

Article by CHRISTOPHER SELmEK

Continued from page 3

How about Advanced Services? With their balding fearless leader, Jeff Annis at the helm—once again their near 50 employees are working together to raise money for cancer awareness—culminating in a “Bald For A Cause” event that occurred Thursday September 6th at the Walgreen’s on Evans To Locks Road. The Chief Operating Officer’s 9 year old daughter even pledged to shave her head if folks donated $25,000. Their charitable efforts increase each year as does their staff and profits.

Don’t forget about the hundreds of restauranteurs who get up early in the

morning and stay late to make sure we have good food in our bellies and their employees have great jobs. One great example are the Jacksons of RSVP Catering. They are celebrating their 20th Anniversary serving up wonderful, healthy lunches at Walton’s Corner. Lunch only. 20 years. Wow!

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, and two hyper-local, niche publications, “Buzz on Biz” and “Verge”. To learn more, visit www.buzzon.biz or email neil@buzzon.biz

coMPanIes ... “bIG-tIMe”

28 SEPTEMBER 2012

Aiken / Augusta Oral and Facial Surgery has been providing

care with excellence for patients throughout the CSRA for over sixteen years. Dr. David N. Faircloth, Dr. Richard J. Bakeman, and Dr. Jennibeth Robles-Velez received advanced surgical training in maxillofacial surgery at the Medical College of Georgia. They practice the full scope of the oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty. Some of the many services provided include removal of wisdom teeth, placement of dental implants, bone grafting, biopsy, tumor removal, jaw reconstruction, orthognathic surgery and management of temporal mandibular joint disorders (TMJ) and facial trauma. They also offer Botox and dermal fillers (JUVEDERM) for facial enhancement. Surgical procedures can be performed with the adjunct of intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Anesthesia is provided in the safe and comfortable surgical rooms on site or at Doctor’s Hospital, where all three doctors are on staff.

“All three of us have the same principles of trying to make procedures comfortable for patients, and perform most procedures with conscious sedation,” said Bakeman. “We use an IV drip to put patients into a twilight sleep from which they wake to find the procedure completely done.”

According to Dr. Faircloth, dental implants have been a major part of this practice since day one, and can be used to replace broken or missing teeth, and are aesthetically pleasing. A new technique used in

our practice is the one-stage (Nobel Active) implant procedure. With this technique, most often the teeth are removed and replaced with a dental implant and a temporary tooth placed in one surgical appointment. After the implant heals the patient is then referred back to their general dentist for the final restoration (crown). But while these types of procedures have become a main part of our practice, the most common

procedure performed is wisdom teeth removal.

Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are the last teeth to come in and the ones least needed for good oral health and function. They may not emerge from the gums until late teens or early twenties and are often impacted, or trapped in the jawbone and gums because there’s not enough room for them in a patient’s mouth. “Most often wisdom teeth are removed at an early age because the teeth are easier to remove and the recovery is easier as a teenager with less potential complications” said Dr. Faircloth.

Botox, well known for its cosmetic

purposes to hide wrinkles, can also be used safely for the management of temporal mandibular jaw disorders. It works by weakening overactive jaw muscles and relieving the discomfort related to jaw clenching or for patients who grind their teeth. “Patient comfort and safety are our number one priorities” said Dr. Robles-Velez. “I have used my splint for many years to manage my TMJ disorder but it wasn’t until

I received Botox that I achieved full relief of symptoms” said Dr. Robles-Velez.

“Orthognathic surgery, or surgical orthodontics, has to be planned with an orthodontist to correct bite and facial bone deformities,” said Faircloth. This is one of the few practices that still perform this type of reconstructive jaw surgery to correct bite deformities or for aesthetic appeal in patients. We get great satisfaction from the life changing effects patients realize after such procedures. The practice administrator, Ashley Fulmer, remembers one particular patient, a 19-year-old who hardly ever smiled

because he was embarrassed about the appearance of his mouth. Six months after his procedure he returned with a beaming grin that delighted the entire staff. “It is such a great reward when you see a patient transform from a shy introverted person to someone who is a more confident individual,” she said.

In everyday life it sometimes seems customer satisfaction has suffered, and our goal is to bring

patient satisfaction to the oral surgery practice. While attending dental school here at MCG I once had a professor tell me – “you can’t go wrong when treating every patient as though they were your own family member or friend”, said Dr. Faircloth. “That’s the philosophy we try to live by with every patient and it has never steered our practice wrong.” We work hard to provide a safe and secure environment of care for all our patients. We want them to be satisfied with their treatment before, during and

after the procedure. Aiken / Augusta Oral and Facial

Surgery participate with a large number of insurance providers, accept Medicaid, and also offer care-credit, a 12-month interest-free financing option. Surgical procedures are performed in the morning with the afternoons being dedicated to consultations and follow-up appointments. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call the Augusta office at 706-868-9500 or the Aiken office at 803-642-0020.

aIken/auGusta oRaL anD facIaL suRGeRy Advertorial by CHRISTOPHER SELmEK

Photos couRtesy: tRacIe thoMae PhotoGRaPhy

Dr. Faircloth Dr. Robles-Velez Dr. Bakeman Customer Service Area

‘

aIken/auGusta oRaL anD facIaL suRGeRy

OPEN AD SPACE

29

ED REID | Owner, Team Fit

At Team Fit, we often come

up with phrases that form an acronym that is easy to remember. The word TEAM is a perfect representation. T

– Together E – Everyone A – Achieves M- Merit. This is a powerful phrase, which can be utilized in many facets of our daily lives. Everyone has been a part of a team at sometime or another. Not just in the sports arena; but also in the business realm and personal aspects as well. When you are on a team, your ultimate goal is to achieve merit – meaning: dignity, excellence, honor, integrity, quality,…etc. On a fi tness level, this way of thinking and working together has been passed on to many of our clients. Just as we begin a small team with the private one-on-one personalized training; we encourage clients to build a supportive team in their lives to help achieve their goals.

Tiffi ne, Marissa and Amber worked together to compete at a fi tness

competition. Their goal was to be prepared and have fun doing it as a team. The picture shows they achieved merit. Dennis trained locally, but his family trained in other states. They stay connected and motivated via social networking means – ultimately all running the Peachtree Road Race this past July. This is the 1st ever such run for Dennis, who is 59 years young! Another client became a catalyst for her co-workers to become more active – often meeting after work to walk/run. Although they work late, she and her team can be seen after midnight at the track, moving toward their goals.

So, begin today with your T.E.A.M. and start working towards success!

ED REID is a Certifi ed Personal Trainer and leading fi tness expert in the CSRA. He is Retired US Navy with over 15 years experience in the health and wellness industry. Ed owns Team Fit Personal Training located at 4460 Columbia Road, Suite 10. For more information, call Ed at 706.877.0556 or e-mail him: getfi t@teamfi taugusta.com.

theRe Is Much MoRe to the WoRD “teaM”

OPEN AD SPACE

SEPTEMBER 2012

OPEN AD SPACE

OPEN AD SPACE

30

Downtown caffeine-addicts can breathe easy once more: the New

Moon coffeehouse has reopened at their new location across from Casa Blanca in the White’s Building.

“On August 1st we worked until 2:30 a.m., then came back at 5:30 a.m. and opened the doors at 9 really quietly and just told some of our friends, but it was really great to be back in the kitchen,” said Chris Allewelt, owner of New Moon locations in Aiken and inside University Hospital, plus the downtown Augusta location which has been closed since May 27. “We just wanted to keep what worked and change what didn’t work and upgrade. This is such a cool space and we just wanted to work with it. Counter seating isn’t something we’ve done before, but we had such beautiful windows and the space just called for it.”

“The contractors with the White’s Building had a lot of work to do, and the permitting process is never easy to go through for anyone,” said Allewelt. “There are electric, plumbing, and fire safety permits, plus I don’t really understand this, but there are permits you have to get for your permits. The contractors were in here doing their thing the whole time and there was a lot of construction that needed to be done.”

The new location can seat about 50 people and includes some new surprises, such as a 25- person private meeting space upstairs available

for reservation, booths and window seating, and free wireless internet access.

“At the Aiken café I love the fact that you can talk to customers over the counter and you couldn’t do that in the old Augusta location,” said Allewelt. “I missed being able to talk to my customers and I think it improves the experience for both the people working behind the counter and the people placing orders.”

Allewelt also wants to stress that the menu has not been changed, and that they continue to bake their bread, croissants and cookies fresh daily.

“If we changed out menu I think it would have caused an uproar because a lot of people were concerned they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the same food they have been enjoying for a long time,” she said. “The menu is still the same, and we’ve already started expanding the bakery.”

Local favorites include breakfast egg-sandwiches and Fat Rascals, which are like scones with locally produced buttermilk and blueberries, which have been dried at the restaurant.

The New Moon Café is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and for brunch on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.newmoondowntown.com or call 706-823-2008.

Article by CHRISTOPHER SELmEK

neW Moon Re-oPens In WhIte’s buILDInG

SEPTEMBER 2012

SEPTEMBER 2012

When mother/daughter team Brandi Lopez and Ginger

Tucker bought Edible Artistry in 2011 and changed the name to “Sweet Madness,” they dreamed of being a unique bakery in Augusta, Georgia. What they did not realize was that striving to be unique would require re-defi ning their roles in the business of baking.

Armed with a convenient location and a secret icing recipe that they inherited when they bought the business, Brandi and her mom entered the baking industry with a desire to innovate and to build relationships. However, they soon discovered that being a bakery with a “cookie cutter” business model was not a good fi t for their creative vision and their need to connect on a deep, personal level when serving customers.

So, they decided to take a big risk by completely scrapping the traditional bakery model.

They adopted a new approach to business which transforms them into problem-solvers instead of simply bakers. Sweet Madness’s new business model takes “custom” to a new level.

They’ve acquired a new capability that allows them to provide other businesses with edible branding options, including producing chocolate business cards featuring a company logo or tagline. Sweet Madness works with businesses to create the design and packaging for the custom chocolate bars at a price point that is within reach for small and medium-sized businesses. These custom chocolate bars can be a great addition to gift baskets, as Ginger points

out “these businesses incorporate their own branding each time they give customers gifts...their clients experience a ‘WOW factor’ when they discover this cool edible business card in their gift basket.”

As busy moms themselves, Brandi and Ginger also set out to be a solution for busy moms who cannot get away from work to deliver something sweet to school for a child’s birthday or a teacher’s gift. They chose select schools near-by for delivering treats to at no extra charge. Moms who

have children at those schools can now make sure that their child’s class is taken care of for special occasions without breaking the bank, and without missing work. Brandi says “we defi nitely love supporting moms in this way.”

They’ve also switched to an “appointment-only” method for ordering custom cakes, which allows them to

devote full attention to customers who value imaginative one-of-a kind cakes. They are the fi rst bakery in the world to utilize a new FDA-approved and BPA-free material that allows them to create edible versions of various artistic models that customers bring to the bakery. Although not every item can be recreated into an edible decoration on the cake, this new capability has taken their customization abilities to a level that the Augusta area has never seen before. “Our new business model gives Sweet Madness the fl exibility to be a truly unique bakery with a ‘WOW factor’,” said Ginger. Call (706) 863-6251 for a consultation!

LocaL faMILy fInDs sWeet sPot In bIZ

Article by SHARON WILSON

31

28

Tiger Woods, Michael

Jordan, Serena Williams and Michael Phelps – what do they all have in common? Besides being World champions in their respective

sports, they all engage in strength and conditioning training. The Olympic Games also showcase the best of the best in athleticism and the best in pure fitness training. If someone wants to be better (or, perhaps one day, the best) at their chosen sport, becoming stronger, agile, balanced and smart towards fitness training is paramount.

It has been publicized and spoken by both Dennis Rodman and Scotty Pippen (Hall of Fame basketball players) that Michael Jordan believed so much in strength conditioning that he would sometimes work out for up to an hour, right after playing a full, professional basketball game in Chicago!

I remember a few years ago, when my wife and I were weight training together at a local fitness center, we saw Tiger Woods and his trainer going through band resistance work

during Masters Week. Tiger was not just practicing his swing at the range; he was conditioning his muscles and possibly increasing his swing speed. Remember, not all strength and conditioning training happens in a conventional gym-like atmosphere. Jerry Rice, one of the greatest football players ever, took ballet lessons to increase his agility and balance. Ironically, he finished Second Place in Season 2 of Dancing with the Stars.

So whether you are striving to become a World-Class athlete or to just increase your stamina for both your short and long game at the local golf course, regular strength and conditioning training can help you achieve your goals.

ED REID is a Certified Personal Trainer and leading fitness expert in the CSRA. He is Retired US Navy with over 15 years experience in the health and wellness industry. Ed owns Team Fit Personal

Training located at 4460 Columbia Road, Suite 10.

For more information, call Ed at 706.877.0556 or e-mail him: getfit@teamfitaugusta.com.

ED REID | Owner, Team FittRaIn to be the best!

AUGUST 2012