South Carolina Business Review

Recently, our next guest’s trucking company opened a 31,000‑square‑foot service center in the Midlands that will handle more than 110 million pounds of freight each year. With 84 doors, it more than doubles the capacity of their prior location in this market.  What does this tell us about freight demand in our state’s industrial economy?  Mike Switzer interviews Tim Staroba, east division presiden...

When we ask entrepreneurs what their challenges are, we often hear that it continues to be difficult in this state to find capital.  Our next guest’s nonprofit is working to alleviate that situation.  Mike Switzer interviews F.A. Johnson, CEO of CLIMB Fund in Charleston, SC.

AI is not only replacing jobs, it’s creating them.  Our next guest’s organization is staying busy training electricians who will be installing and maintaining the electrical systems behind AI data centers and other large-scale infrastructure.  Mike Switzer interviews Stephen Lipster, director of the Charleston Electrical Training Alliance in North Charleston, SC.

The question of the day for most economists right now is “Is a recession coming?”  With high oil prices, bringing inflation and probably higher interest rates, that seems like a reasonable question.  Mike Switzer interviews Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. 

Mike Switzer interviews Zach Giroux, editor of SCBiz, which publishes a monthly statewide business magazine.  Zach shares news from SC Ports, USC School of Medicine, and affordable senior housing in the Upstate.

Most people know what chiropractors do for humans, mainly for those who have back and joint issues.  But did you know that chiropractors can also provide treatments for dogs, cats, horses, and other animals?  Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Carolyn Longacre, owner of Evergreen Chiropractic and Wellness in Greenville, South Carolina.

With surging in-migration, especially from the senior demographic, the healthcare sector of our state’s economy is becoming more and more important and challenged.  Mike Switzer interviews Russell Baxley, president and CEO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, SC.

One of the factors companies look at when deciding to build or expand their business is what the community has to offer in the way of quality of life.  Our next guest’s statewide organization is part of that equation.  Mike Switzer interviews Mary Roe, executive director of the Palmetto Trail in Columbia, SC.

It is said, the two best times to plant a tree are 20 years ago and today. The value of financial planning is greatly increased if it is done - beforehand.  Mike Switzer interviews Rick Van Der Noord, a certified financial planner in Greer, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John McDermott, business editor of the Post and Courier in Charleston, SC.  John shares plenty of news about Dominion Energy, including rate hikes and its sale to NextEra which will create the world’s largest regulated utility. 

As you may have heard from our recent interview with economist Bruce Yandle, a lot of people decided to start their own business during the pandemic.  Our next guest is one example.  He started a nationwide flooring supply company in the Upstate that has since grown to over 60 distributor locations and nearly $30 million in annual revenue.  Mike Switzer interviews Ed Flanery, founder of CASE Floor...

Each June, our next guest’s company brings world class musicians to our state through their annual festival.  This year, the high level musical training and concert series will be visiting Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach.  Mike Switzer interviews Sharon Tchonev, co-founder of Varna International in Columbia, SC, host of the Muzika! Festival. 

The American Nuclear Society recently named our state third in the nation for nuclear power production. What is it about our state that puts us in such an esteemed position for nuclear energy?  Mike Switzer interviews Craig Stover, senior director for new nuclear deployment at Dominion Engineering in Fort Mill, SC.

Continuing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are leading some to believe that we are in the early years of another world wide war.  If this is indeed the case, where should investors be putting their money?  Under the mattress?  Mike Switzer interviews Tyson Halsey, a chartered financial analyst with Income Growth Advisors in Daniel Island, SC.

It’s Monday, and that’s when we like to take a look at current business issues that are trending across our state and discuss them with one of our fellow news media friends.  This week, Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.  Alan talks about the transformation Columbia has ex...

Homelessness continues to be a problem across the nation and our state.  But our next guest’s organization, which runs a homeless shelter in the Upstate, recently partnered with Furman University on a project which hopes to bring a deeper awareness to this issue and to the people whose lives it affects.  Mike Switzer interviews Lizzie Bebber, president of United Ministries in Greenville, SC. Resou...

Each year our next guest’s magazine launches an awards contest looking for unique and attractive products made in the South that they feel are set up for success.  And the deadline for entering this year’s “Made in the South” awards program is fast approaching.  Mike Switzer interviews Caroline Clements, associate editor at Garden and Gun magazine in Charleston, SC.

When it comes to poultry production, you can probably guess that our state has a lot of chicken and turkey farms.  And you’d be right, of course. But you may not know that we are also home to the oldest and largest quail farm in the country. Mike Switzer interviews Brittney Miller, second-generation owner of Manchester Farms in Columbia, SC.

Most everyone is familiar with the importance of asset allocation when building a portfolio. You know, making sure your investments are properly diversified across different asset classes. But our next guest says that placing the right investments in the right accounts is also important, especially if you’re interested in maximizing after-tax returns. Mike Switzer interviews Bailey Davis, a portfo...

It’s Monday, and that’s when we like to take a look at current business issues that are trending across our state and discuss them with one of our fellow news media friends. This week, Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Holdman, a reporter with the South Carolina Daily Gazette in Columbia, SC. Jessica tells us about Santee Cooper looking at raising rates for its electricity customers, the statehouse...

Since 2022, our next guest has led internal communications, local media relations, and community engagement for a global automotive company’s Lowcountry operations.  For her work there, she was recently honored as the 2026 South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce Association’s Manufacturing Woman of the Year.  Mike Switzer interviews Katherine Bergmann, communications and community relations dire...

Like just about every business these days, banking also continues to evolve.  Which means bank customers also may need to evolve to keep up.  Mike Switzer interviews Scott Frierson, president of The Southern Bank in Greenville, SC.

Do you remember when doctors used to make house calls?  Nope, me neither.  But we have learned recently about a lawyer who only makes house calls.  Mike Switzer interviews Aashini Shrivastav, an estate planning attorney in Charleston, SC:  Cardinal Wills

With the Iran war generating energy shocks worldwide and a higher cost of living here at home, what are the forecasters saying about the US economic outlook?  Should we fasten our seat-belts and prepare for a 2026 recession?  Mike Switzer interviews Bruce Yandle, Dean Emeritus at the College of Business & Behavioral Science and Alumni Professor of Economics Emeritus, both at Clemson University...

Mike Switzer interviews Zach Giroux, executive editor of SCBiz, which publishes a monthly statewide business magazine.  Zach tells us about MUSC expanding in Charleston, a candy company coming to Orangeburg, and a solar company coming to Laurens County.