Aging and Eldercare – What’s Your Plan?
March 27, 2020By Molly Thomas FPQP® at Abacus Planning Group Benjamin Franklin wisely said, “When you fail to plan you are planning to fail”. Many of us and most of our parents…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, banking-and-finance, business-services, health-care, insurance, on-the-move
Making the most of workplace distance
March 27, 2020By Liz Ashley These are strange times for all of us, and for those now working from home, there are benefits to collaboration and productivity when working remotely. However, it…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, on-the-move
Never let a crisis go to waste
March 25, 2020By Jerry Bellune President Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel famously said in 2008, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. I mean, it’s an opportunity…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
After Uncertainty Comes Opportunity
March 24, 2020By Bryan Stange Director of Business Development, Mashburn Construction If you’ve spoken with a real estate developer over this past year, just about every one of them will have…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, construction, on-the-move
Work safer from home
March 24, 2020By Katie Ritchie Are you or a loved one working from home? Covid-19 has moved many industries into unfamiliar territory — telecommuting. This puts many businesses at risk for…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
You know what the good news is?
March 23, 2020By Taylor Kearns NP Strategy When I was a kid, my mom would ask us that question immediately following what – at the time – seemed like a soul-crushing…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Coronavirus: Facts You Should Know
March 23, 2020By Mike DuBose A fast-spreading illness called COVID-19 is sweeping across the world, bringing with it waves of fear and misinformation. Despite dire warnings from doctors in areas first…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, health-care, life
Are your employees working from home? Here’s how to keep your network safe
March 19, 2020Rob Cheng CEO and Founder, PC Matic COVID-19 has changed the way business operations are taking place in an incredibly short time, and the duration of these changes remains unclear. …
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, hi-tech-information-tech, on-the-move
Don’t eat your seed corn
March 18, 2020By Jerry Bellune Country folks know about seed corn. That’s the part of the crop you save to plant the following year. Without it, you won’t have anything to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Don’t fall for Corona virus scams
March 17, 2020By Katie Ritchie Worried about the Corona virus? Even if you’re only stressed about the toilet paper hoarders, fear of world events can make you vulnerable, according to the…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Effectively Communicating in Uncertain Times
March 17, 2020By Heather Matthews NP Strategy Silence fuels fear in a crisis, especially when the crisis is changing by the day and is something few people have experienced before. Over…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, headlines, health-care, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Terminix Warns About Increased Termite Activity Due to Warm, Wet Winter
March 12, 2020Termites thrive in warm, wet environments. Unfortunately many homeowners in the southeast, including those in Columbia can expect to see higher termite activity than normal due to the above-average temperatures…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, commercial-real-estate, environmental, on-the-move, residential-real-estate
Officials target telecom companies
March 11, 2020By Katie Ritchie Spam phone calls and Do Not Call List registrations hit records last year. Safehome.org, an organization that investigates and evaluates home and personal safety products and…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Reward your winners, ditch your losers
March 11, 2020By Jerry Bellune Which unprofitable products, services and procedures do you and your people put up with? Who are your least productive people and what do they do to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
The Ultimate Gift: A Road Map for Funeral Wishes
March 9, 2020By Laird W. Green CFP® from Abacus Planning Group “Facing death with a sense of practicality, equanimity, and clarity is the ultimate gift you can leave your children, friends, and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, banking-and-finance, on-the-move
Need to upgrade your cell phone?
March 4, 2020By Katie Ritchie How long does technology last? Last week I answered part of reader Linda Sinclair’s question. When do you need to upgrade your cell? If you listened…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Your advertising can change your results
March 4, 2020By Jerry Bellune 40 years ago, ace copywriter Denny Hatch heard Dorothy Kerr of US News & World Report say, “If you want to be successful in direct mail,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Avoid Being the Cobbler with Bad Shoes
March 3, 2020By Amanda Loveday NP Strategy For many of us, our day-to-day activities are dictated by the services we provide to our customers – so much so, that we too…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
How to cut your customer acquisition cost
February 26, 2020By Jerry Bellune Why don’t your customers refer? Here are 7 reasons from our friend Ruth King: 1. You have no active, non-pressure program so they don’t think about…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Is it time to upgrade your computer?
February 25, 2020By Katie Ritchie How long should you keep your cell phone or computer before it’s time for an upgrade? One of our readers, Linda Sinclair, emailed to ask. There…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
A Roadmap to Your Savings Journey
February 24, 2020By Curtis Loftis South Carolina State Treasurer Saving money can be like driving a car. Your desired destination may be near or far, the direction you choose might change,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, banking-and-finance, education, on-the-move
Your book can change your life
February 19, 2020By Jerry Bellune Could writing and publishing your book take your success in life to a higher level? It has in mine. 15 years ago, I was struggling to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Check scam targets Generation Z
February 18, 2020By Katie Ritchie A new scam is taking advantage of 20-somethings. The Federal Trade Commission said consumers in their twenties have been hardest hit by fake check scams. Median…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
DNA scam hits Lexington County
February 12, 2020By Katie Ritchie Have you gotten a suspicious call offering you “free” or “Medicare-funded” testing? Chronicle reader Paul Donahue recently got a suspicious call. He reached out to me…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Your advantage is always in jeopardy
February 12, 2020By Jerry Bellune You don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate 3 lessons from the Super Bowl. You may recall the year the Atlanta Falcons ran all…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Cutting-Edge Direct Primary Care and On-Site Clinics Can Save You Money
February 11, 2020By Brian Morris President, Fulcrum Risk Solutions Whether you are an employer trying to manage healthcare costs, or an employee trying to stay healthy, it’s important to stay…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Windows Defender malfunctioning?
February 5, 2020By Katie Ritchie Tech-Savvy Chronicle reader Elizabeth Lindler called me last week. She got to the Windows Update screen from the 1/23 column and was able to install the…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Don’t ruin your reputation online
February 5, 2020By Katie Ritchie and Jerry Bellune Business owners know the importance of a strong online presence, says our ace Tech Talk columnist Katie Ritchie. Even if you don’t sell…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, technology
Top reasons to embrace an education in the trades
February 2, 2020By Earl McLeod Executive Director Building Industry Association of SC If you know a student that is seeking a path that will lead to personal fulfillment, a career and technical…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, construction, education, employment, on-the-move
Give customers memorable experiences
January 29, 2020by Jerry Bellune Here’s a competitive strategy: Create memorable experiences your customers can share with friends and have everyone talking about you and your products. The Wall Street Journal…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Beware new package delivery scam
January 29, 2020By Katie Ritchie Are you expecting a package? If you get a text on your phone asking to set delivery preferences, you’ve been targeted by a new scam. Here’s…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, technology
Going the extra mile for clients: A guide
January 28, 2020By Jean Cecil Frick NP Strategy For those of us in the professional services industry, clients are our bread and butter. We are constantly looking for ways to…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
The results of being an extra miler
January 22, 2020By Jerry Bellune You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate this story and the important business lesson you will discover in it. Joe Burrow transferred from…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
‘Critical issue’ requires update
January 21, 2020By Katie Ritchie Do you use Windows 10? You may need to update your computer. The NSA alerted Microsoft to a vulnerability. The software giant released a patch to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Your 2020 whats, hows and whys
January 15, 2020By Jerry Bellune We met with our Congressman earlier this month to talk about his 2020 agenda. He is a busy man whose district covers a lot of territory…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Is your phone eavesdropping?
January 14, 2020By Katie Ritchie The secret is out: our smartphones and assistants are listening in. The default settings on devices allow our voices to be recorded. The recordings are collected,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
The Importance of Brand Reputation in a Crisis
January 13, 2020By Erin Sanders Senior Communications Advisor with NP Strategy When a crisis hits your organization – and it will – it’s important to have a solid crisis management plan…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Don’t forget your medicine
January 8, 2020By Katie Ritchie The weeks after the New Year are usually dedicated to creating new habits. Many folks want to get to the gym or eat better. The habit…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Do you have a future on YouTube?
January 8, 2020By Jerry Bellune What can you learn from an 8-year-old entrepreneur? How to sell lemonade? It’s far simpler than that. What has made Ryan Kaji highly successful is that…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
3 Steps to Improve your Public Engagement In 2020
January 6, 2020By Jesica Johnson Mackey NP Strategy 2020 is here, and if you haven’t already, now is the time to identify some New Year’s resolutions for your company or organization.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Foreign spies use your chat app
January 2, 2020By Katie Ritchie Many of us are wary of the way companies and apps use and misuse our private information. Facebook and Twitter are common offenders. Last week the…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Develop your own millionaire habits
January 2, 2020By Jerry Bellune Thomas C. Corley spent 5 years studying wealthy people. He found that they practice many of the same daily habits, such as reading, exercising, sleeping at…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Giving becomes enlightened self-interest
December 26, 2019By Jerry Bellune Last week, 15 local authors and 5 of us from our publishing company gathered at the library to autograph books. These books make unique gifts because…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
How to beat the Grinch in 2020
December 26, 2019By Jerry Bellune How do you get the Grinch to go away? Think about where you want to go, what you want to do and write it down, advises…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Shopping for CBD? Let Quality and Verifiability be Your Guide
December 18, 2019By W. Louis Miles Founder, Clarity Nutraceuticals Like many native South Carolinians I applauded when state legislators allowed industrial hemp to be legally grown here. Putting family farms back in…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, health-care, on-the-move
FTC settlements protect consumers
December 17, 2019By Katie Ritchie Every month it seems like news breaks of another big scam or data breach. This week I wanted to focus on some positive news. First is…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
5 Tips to Plan your 2020 Social Media Strategy
December 16, 2019By Sarah Robinson NP Strategy This year has flown by, and as the New Year approaches, so do the deadlines for 2020 planning. If you’re getting started with…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Google gathering your health data
December 13, 2019By Katie Ritchie Have you heard about “Project Nightingale?” It’s not a covert military operation. It’s the name of the partnership between tech giant Google and Ascension. one of…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Want to be the low price leader?
December 11, 2019By Jerry Bellune No, you don’t. Leave that to Walmart. Our friend Ruth King tells the story about Chuck the auto mechanic and Charles the Master Jaguar Craftsman. Chuck’s…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Holidays not the time for less vigilance
December 9, 2019By Sheriff Leon Lott We are in the midst of the holiday season when most of us more-deeply embrace that which we all want: “Peace on earth; good will toward…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, life, on-the-move