South Carolina Business Review

Our state’s economy continues to move forward regardless of the recent rise in inflation and interest rates. How long can this scenario continue? Mike Switzer interviews Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Darla Moore School of Business at USC in Columbia, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John shares an update from the recent Innoventure Futures Festival and about the upcoming Upstate Talent Forum.

Most small companies would love to have millions of followers on social media to help them get their business to the next level. So, most entrepreneurs would be understandably envious of our next guest’s small farm that has over 4 million followers on TikTok. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Southers, co-founder of Goat Daddy Farm in Elgin, S.C.

Most people have heard of angel investors, and angel funds that invest in early stage start-up companies that haven’t quite made it to the level of venture capital funding yet. Angels are usually for-profit investors, but we recently discovered a non-profit angel fund in our state and thought you might want to learn more, too. Mike Switzer interviews Mike Gatchell, CEO and co-founder of Abundance...

As you may have heard on a previous episode of the program, Forbes magazine recently announced their “50 Over 50” Women list, and in the Lifestyle category, the owner of a distillery and women’s magazine in the Lowcountry of our state made that list. Mike Switzer interviews “Pixie” Paula Dezzutti, founder of Striped Pig Distillery and Skirt! magazine in Charleston, SC.

Not many folks can say that they have actively participated in their profession since its infancy. But our next guest has done so for nearly 40 years with a professional designation that can trace its origin to only 54 years ago. Mike Switzer interviews Rick Van Der Noord, one of the inaugural Certified Financial Planners in the nation, and he joins us from his office in Greenville S.C.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

Social media has become a major industry over the past decade and a big influence in the advertising industry. Which is keeping our next guest and his students busy at an Upstate university. Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Brandon Boatwright, director of the Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University.

According to our next guest, the real estate market in South Carolina is currently experiencing a great deal of confusion due to recent market shifts, changes in interest rates, and other developments. Mike Switzer interviews Nick Carlson, co-founder of Wilson Associates and current president of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors in Greenville, SC.

With so many foreign companies locating in our state and buying products made in our state, most people would agree that global engagement is critical to the health of the economy. Which is why our next guest’s organization holds an event for the business community in our Upstate that focuses on international business topics. Mike Switzer interviews Tracie Frese, executive director of the World Af...

Interest rates are on a lot of people’s minds these days as they continue to inch higher. So, we are going to check in with one of our resident financial advisors to see what his advice is for individuals and companies that may need some portfolio rebalancing or loan reshuffling. Mike Switzer interviews Jared Crawford, a certified financial planner in North Myrtle Beach, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John talks about a recent Post and Courier article about our state’s brain drain and how that will be addressed at the upcoming Innoventure Futures Festival in Greenville, S.C. Sept. 22, 2023.

An upstate business owner was recently named to the prestigious 50 Over 50: Impact list at Forbes magazine, recognizing the achievements of female entrepreneurs and leaders across the country over the age of 50. And that’s putting her in pretty good company alongside names such as Viola Davis, Jamie Lee Curtis and Gloria Steinem. Mike Switzer interviews Britt Vergnolle, founder and CEO of BDV Solu...

Most business owners would agree that a city’s quality of life is an important factor in the recruitment and retainment of quality employees. And that includes art and cultural events. Our next guest is working hard to maintain and grow the level of cultural activity in our state’s capital city. Mike Switzer interviews Mark Rapp, founder and executive director of ColaJazz Foundation, host of the u...

Careers in environment, agriculture, and forestry are becoming more and more popular in our state thanks to numerous job opportunities in those areas as well as to educational opportunities such as those offered by our next guest’s Upstate university. Mike Switzer interviews Kirby Player, coordinator of the Palmetto Leadership Program for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) at Clemso...

When was the last time your investment advisor suggested to you that CDs were the best place to put your money. I mean, they’re normally all about stocks, right? But our next guest says that, indeed, CDs are his favorite right now. Mike Switzer interviews Doug English, a certified financial planner with ACT Advisors in Charleston, SC.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

The start-up community in our capital city recently gained a new resource when our next guest’s nonprofit organization opened up their new facility which is providing co-working and networking opportunities and more thanks to some outside funding that they were able to attain last year. Mike Switzer interviews Caroline Crowder, executive director of GrowCo in Columbia, SC.

Like many states around the country, ours also has pockets across the state’s metropolitan areas where fresh foods are hard to come by…areas known as food deserts. Our next guest is a journalist that has been reporting on this issue and the new trend toward mobile grocery stores. Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Holdman, with the Post and Courier in Columbia, SC.

When the COVID-19 pandemic essentially shut down the international supply chain, many American businesses realized that locally sourced suppliers were going to be essential in avoiding future disruptions in the manufacturing process. As a result, our next guest’s organization decided to help bring a new tool to our state’s manufacturers in an effort to avoid this problem in the future. Mike Switze...

It’s that time again when we like to check in with one of our resident economists to get their perspective on the outlook for our state’s economy and the national picture. Mike Switzer interviews Frank Hefner, Director of the Office of Economic Analysis and Professor of Economics at the College of Charleston.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about five big advanced manufacturers in our state that will be presenting the innovation needs at the Innoventure Futures Festival in Greenville, SC Sept. 22, 2023.

A 50-year-old Midlands-area agricultural supply company recently received a $150,000 South Carolina Agribusiness Incentives Grant to help with their $1.2 million expansion into a new county. Mike Switzer interviews Robert Ethridge, president of Mixon Seed Service in Orangeburg, SC.

Over 60 years ago, our next guest’s company got its start in New York launching a line of maintenance products for boats. Then, in 1995, after a merger with a coatings and flooring manufacturer, they relocated to our state and have since expanded into products for the light aviation and recreational vehicle markets and contract manufacturing. Mike Switzer interviews Maike Kowal with Life Industrie...

You may have heard our recent interview with Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Education Association about the current teacher shortage in our state. Today, we will hear from someone affiliated with a teacher recruitment initiative funded by the SC Dept. of Education. Mike Switzer interviews Katie Crews, a senior program manager with TEACH South Carolina in Columbia. TeachSC Community I...