Great selling means NOT selling, but listening

A lifelong newspaperman (half of that time in the newsroom, not the business office), my formative sales training focused on the close. My mission: leave no money on the table, ever. Walking away from a client meeting without a signed contract was considered an epic failure of the highest order.

The state of education in Georgia

Over the previous 11 months, I have outlined the challenges for education as described by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education with its Top Ten Issues for 2021. A number of recurring themes emerged in this column.

Elizabeth Hinesley: Message for LeBron

I have been given a message for LeBron James, having to do with insurance. Why would you believe in something which causes you to lose everything and gain nothing, your Creator is asking, when you can believe in something which causes you to gain everything and lose nothing?

Bobby Clardy: Time for Christmas

As a guy who loves the Christmas season, I wish to share two events that made even more Christmas memories for me. This spring, I watched a Clardy home movie of Christmas Day made by my Daddy in 1965. It was truly extraordinary. Later in 2021,  I watched a home movie I made in the late 1980s.

Cranberries and oranges, oh my!

I’ve been thinking about all the seasonal foods we enjoy this time of the year. You know we have yummy sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and all kinds of fresh greens and oh they are all so good. What about fresh cranberries?

When KPIs are TMI, and ROI needs help ASAP

How often have you heard an employee or co-worker fret about being bombarded with literally too much information? How often has your business plan fallen behind because there is so much to do that you just don’t know how to even start? Wait. Let me back up a bit.

Holiday drives just aren’t the same

Before our trip to Florida for Thanksgiving, I was concerned about how three boys – including two teenagers – could survive all that time in the backseat of a two-row car. I honestly expected it to be a total disaster and for a time, I considered just not even attempting it.

Court system owes accountability to public

Last week, we reported for the second time about the curious case of Judge Gerald W. Johnson. Johnson has, by most accounts, been an upstanding example of justice and integrity as Habersham County’s Chief Magistrate Judge for as long as he has held that position.

Count your blessings

One of my favorite old hymns is “Count Your Blessings.” As we approach Thanksgiving, I find myself thinking more and more about gratitude and counting my blessings; however, I wonder why it takes a month or a day to act as a reminder.

Shopping locally supports everyone

You know the math. Money spent in Habersham County stays in Habersham County. It really is that simple. Let me put it this way. When you shop locally, you’re really getting cash back in the form of lower taxes.