Aging and Eldercare – What’s Your Plan?

  March 27, 2020

By 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…

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Posted 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, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc   Category: advice, on-the-move

Never let a crisis go to waste

  March 25, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

After Uncertainty Comes Opportunity

  March 24, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, construction, on-the-move

Work safer from home

  March 24, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

You know what the good news is?

  March 23, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Coronavirus: Facts You Should Know

  March 23, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, health-care, life

Don’t eat your seed corn

  March 18, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Don’t fall for Corona virus scams

  March 17, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Effectively Communicating in Uncertain Times

  March 17, 2020

By 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…

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Posted 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, 2020

Termites 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, commercial-real-estate, environmental, on-the-move, residential-real-estate

Officials target telecom companies

  March 11, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Reward your winners, ditch your losers

  March 11, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

The Ultimate Gift: A Road Map for Funeral Wishes

  March 9, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, banking-and-finance, on-the-move

Need to upgrade your cell phone?

  March 4, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Your advertising can change your results

  March 4, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Avoid Being the Cobbler with Bad Shoes

  March 3, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move

How to cut your customer acquisition cost

  February 26, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Is it time to upgrade your computer?

  February 25, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

A Roadmap to Your Savings Journey

  February 24, 2020

By 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,…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, banking-and-finance, education, on-the-move

Your book can change your life

  February 19, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Check scam targets Generation Z

  February 18, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

DNA scam hits Lexington County

  February 12, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Your advantage is always in jeopardy

  February 12, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Windows Defender malfunctioning?

  February 5, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Don’t ruin your reputation online

  February 5, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, technology

Top reasons to embrace an education in the trades

  February 2, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, construction, education, employment, on-the-move

Give customers memorable experiences

  January 29, 2020
Jerry Bellune

by 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Beware new package delivery scam

  January 29, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, technology

Going the extra mile for clients: A guide

  January 28, 2020
Jean Cecil Frick

  By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

The results of being an extra miler

  January 22, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

‘Critical issue’ requires update

  January 21, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Your 2020 whats, hows and whys

  January 15, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Is your phone eavesdropping?

  January 14, 2020

By 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,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

The Importance of Brand Reputation in a Crisis

  January 13, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Don’t forget your medicine

  January 8, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Do you have a future on YouTube?

  January 8, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

3 Steps to Improve your Public Engagement In 2020

  January 6, 2020

By 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.…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Foreign spies use your chat app

  January 2, 2020

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Develop your own millionaire habits

  January 2, 2020
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Giving becomes enlightened self-interest

  December 26, 2019
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

How to beat the Grinch in 2020

  December 26, 2019
Jerry Bellune

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Shopping for CBD? Let Quality and Verifiability be Your Guide

  December 18, 2019

By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc   Category: advice, health-care, on-the-move

FTC settlements protect consumers

  December 17, 2019

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

5 Tips to Plan your 2020 Social Media Strategy

  December 16, 2019

  By 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…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Google gathering your health data

  December 13, 2019

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, technology

Want to be the low price leader?

  December 11, 2019

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Holidays not the time for less vigilance

  December 9, 2019

By 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…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, life, on-the-move