Key Ingredient for Achieving Outsized Business Results Is purpose just a motivating tag line or can it be a playbook for industry-beating financial success?  In part two of our conversation with Jeff Hilimire, Co-Founder and CEO of Purpose Group, we focused on how purpose drives exponential returns for business and people alike. Whether you are running a start-up or a decades old profitable business, Jeff details purpose as the key ingredient for any business interested in achieving outsized business results while operating as a force for good in the world. How do you define or ..read more

April Crews loves her family. She’s in the family business of financial advising, and she has family photos posted all over her office. Protecting and providing for her family can come at a cost, and keeping a roof over her family’s head has cost more and more each year. “Our costs have gone absolutely through the roof,” Crews said. “Since 2017, when we purchased our home, our assessed property value has increased 85%. With that, the increase in property taxes and insurance has gone through the roof.” Read more at www.11alive.com ..read more

Capitol Beat is a nonprofit news service operated by the Georgia Press Educational Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers throughout Georgia. For more information visit capitol-beat.org. Earth Day has brought an influx of federal dollars to boost the development of solar energy in Georgia. The Biden administration awarded $156 million Monday to regional nonprofit Capital Good Fund to help residents of low-income communities in Atlanta, Decatur, and Savannah install solar panels on their rooftops. The money is part of the Solar for All program, a $7 billion nat ..read more

Barracuda Networks, Inc., a trusted partner and leading provider of cloud-first security solutions, has today published the CIO report: Leading your business through cyber risk, which explores the top governance challenges facing companies trying to manage cyber risk and boost their cyber resilience. The report offers practical tools such as a checklist template, created with Barracuda's own IT and security leadership, to help companies navigate their way to resilience. Leveraging data from the international Cybernomics 101 study, the report assesses how challenges relating ..read more

Despite the rising cost of travel, travelers are sparing no expense on their summer getaways, according to Squaremouth.com, the nation's leading travel insurance marketplace. Analyzing traveler spending data from thousands of travel insurance policies purchased for trips this summer, Squaremouth reveals the top summer travel spending trends of 2024 and which top locations are the most wallet-friendly.  Over 75% of Summer Travelers Are Heading Abroad  In 2024, 77% of travelers booking summer trips through Squaremouth are heading abroad. These destinations come with a high price tag, a ..read more

Key grocery food categories remained stubbornly high in Q1 2024 while select others dipped to new lows compared to the same period in 2023. Tapping into its rich, real-time Shopper Intelligence Platform, Catalina looked at the aggregate price increase of 10 common grocery categories in the U.S. "Our latest data shows grocery inflation has dropped considerably from a year ago in these 10 categories," said Wesley Bean, US Chief Revenue Officer at Catalina. "While this is positive news overall, it's important to remember the impact isn't felt evenly. Value-conscious shoppers are still grappling ..read more

The University of Georgia is bolstering its position as a leader in the advancement of electric mobility for Georgia and its citizens thanks to a $1 million gift from Kia to the UGA College of Engineering and the Georgia Network for Electric Mobility. “The University of Georgia is thrilled to partner with Kia on our electric mobility initiative,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We are grateful for their support of UGA’s broad efforts to advance this technology, help our students become leaders in this emerging field and create new opportunities to strengthen Georgia’s economy.” The milli ..read more

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said Thursday that Athens recorded an unemployment rate of 3.1 percent in March, up two-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 3.1 percent. “Georgia’s job market is red hot with opportunity,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “This continuous growth is a strong indicator that our economic momentum is not slowing down any time soon. Once again, Georgia continues to shatter records in growing businesses statewide and creating jobs for hardworking Georgians.” The labor force increased in Athens by 468 and ended the month with&nb ..read more

I take reliability seriously. Georgia’s demand for electricity is growing and more capacity is needed to maintain essential reliability. Although we are growing our use of solar and nuclear energy, we are still dependent on a diverse mix of fuels, including natural gas, to provide energy when we really need it.  Here’s why it matters. First, people are coming to Georgia to live, work and play—and it takes ample electricity to power their opportunities.   That includes supporting community development and job providers such as manufacturers, studios, hospitality, and small b ..read more

FormFree®, a leader in financial technology since 2007, today announced significant enhancements to Passport Wallet®, an innovative app that transforms how everyday people access loans. Available now in the Apple App Store and Google Play, the latest version of Passport Wallet is designed to make it easier than ever for consumers to understand their ability to pay and match with lenders. Enhancements introduced since Passport Wallet’s initial launch in January 2024 underscore FormFree’s commitment to financial empowerment and inclusivity. These include: Streamlined User Interface: FormFree h ..read more