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One of a small-business owner’s greatest challenges is attracting and retaining talent. Often, the owner feels a special sense of investment in the company that may not be shared by employees. But what if everyone in your business worked as hard and with the level of commitment of a CEO — or even as an...

Yellow caution tape and sandbags spray-painted orange surround the front doors to the Newberry Road Books A Million. But a big, blue banner assures customers “Yes, we’re still open!” Heavy summer rains recently flooded the storefront and caused about $175,000 of damage, but a local contractor hopes to turn the tides. Chris Pickering with Gainesville...

When Hobby Lobby opened Friday in the space formerly occupied by Stein Mart, a group of protestors wanted to make sure it didn’t happen quietly. More than 50 people lined the corner of Newberry Road and Northwest 62nd Street holding signs with hand-painted slogans such as “Trust women” and “My body, my choice.” The group...

According to the General Accounting Office, only 14 percent of small-business owners provide their employees with any company-sponsored retirement plan. This is a striking figure since more than 50 percent of the private workforce is employed by small businesses, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The Business Directory of the Gainesville Chamber...

A large world map on the wall takes center stage in Pam Purvis’ office. She’s the facility manager at Sandvik Mining & Construction, a surface mining equipment assembly company branch in Alachua. The map represents the company’s global reach as it ships multi-million-dollar machines across the world. But in the last year, Purvis has been...

A local car dealership has begun offering free conference room space to nonprofits. Groups can now book meetings at Gatorland Toyota, located at 2985 N. Main St. Spokeswoman Ellen Walther said the facility, available for reservation during the dealership’s business hours,  includes a 32-seat conference room and attached kitchen with microwave, refrigerator and tables and...

With the growth of the communication industry, PR practitioners are often able to directly communicate with their public.  This could leave some folks feeling as if media relations is no longer relevant to the job. However, media now have a vast number of resources at their fingertips, and as a PR practitioner, you want to...

A local research lab has received national recognition with General Mills’ stamp of approval. Food testing and consulting facility ABC Research Laboratory, located at 3437 SW 24th Ave., announced its acceptance in early July as an approved testing site for the food-producer giant. That means it “will be noted as a preferred testing laboratory for...

When used correctly, the English language is a powerful tool to win people over. Whether you’re wordsmithing a press release, crafting a compelling email or pitching services to a potential client, grammar and word usage can either lend credibility to or detract credibility from your organization. Consider the following list a guide to running a...

A new state-of-the-art apartment complex with a unique business angle recently opened its doors near Innovation Square. Trimark Properties hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for Savion Apartments, built near the Southwest Fifth Avenue basin improvements adjacent to Innovation Square. Trimark owner John Fleming said the complex was specifically designed for and targeted at students and...