South Carolina Business Review

Last fall, our next guest became the new leader of a Midlands-based entrepreneurial assistance organization and so since he’s had some time to get settled in, we thought it was time to introduce him to our listeners and see what he’s been up to.  Mike Switzer interviews Sam Herskovitz, executive director of the Boyd Innovation Center in Columbia, SC.

The last time we interviewed our next guest, they had just started bottling and selling their pre-made cocktail mixes and they still owned a popular bar in town.  Now, several years later, they have sold the bar and their cocktail mix business has skyrocketed, selling all over the country.  Mike Switzer interviews Joe Raya, cofounder of Bittermilk in Charleston, SC. 

With all of the current geopolitical uncertainties out there right now, you would think it might be time to shy away from investing in international stocks.  However, our next guest says that a recent research report shows otherwise.  Mike Switzer interviews William Jeter, a chartered financial analyst with Abacus Planning Group in Columbia, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.  Alan tells us about cool new venues, restaurants, and hotels that have opened up recently across our state.

Our next guest’s business began in 1917 as a small shop selling Navy uniforms and various hunting and outdoor apparel. Since then, the store has evolved into a successful upscale menswear establishment on Charleston’s fashion row, also known as King Street.  How have they survived as a brick and mortar store in today’s world of e-commerce?  Gary Flynn is CEO of M. Dumas and Sons in Charleston, SC.

SC Launch, the investment affiliate of the South Carolina Research Authority, recently invested $300,000 in our next guest’s company to help them grow their health plan administration business.  Mike Switzer interviews Chad McMahon, founder and CEO of Members HQ in Charleston, SC.

After being named our state’s fastest growing company in 2024 and breaking into the top 100 of the Inc 5000 in 2025, our next guest’s Midlands-based national security company recently received an investment from a major venture capital firm.  Mike Switzer interviews Duke Hartman, CEO of Integer Technologies in Columbia, SC.

2026 is just rolling right along and we’re hearing that investors are once again beset by uncertainties such as inflation, interest rates, AI, and let’s not forget geopolitics.  So we’ve invited one of our regular market prognosticators back on the show to give us his thoughts.  Mike Switzer interviews Doug English, a certified financial planner with ACT Advisors in Charleston, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Holdman, a reporter with the South Carolina Daily Gazette in Columbia, SC.  Jessica tells us about the state commerce department releasing the numbers for 2025 and about some energy issues facing consumers early this year.

You’ve probably heard of our next guest’s company.  In fact, you may have also stopped by for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.  But you may not know that they are based in our state and have been rapidly growing across the Southeast.  Mike Switzer interviews Ricky Richardson, CEO of Eggs Up Grill in Spartanburg, SC.

If you attended any football games at Williams-Brice Stadium this year, you may have noticed our next guest’s company name flash on the Jumbotron after a great defensive play from the Gamecocks.  His company started as a guard dog security business over 50 years ago, but is now a national perimeter security company whose business has grown tenfold over the past several years.  Mike Switzer intervi...

We all know how important learning is, but our next guest says it can be more powerful and important than you may realize.  Especially when it comes to your company’s supply chain.  Mike Switzer interviews Gina Anderson, a learning scientist and CEO of Luma Brighter Learning in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

It’s a new year, and before you know it, those 1099s will start arriving, and that signals the start of tax season.  Our next guest says that getting organized now is important, and to start listing those tax items that don’t show up on those tax forms.  Mike Switzer interviews Francesca Passen, a certified financial planner with Hobbs Group Advisors in Greenville, SC.

It’s Monday, and that’s when we check in with one of our business journalist friends to get their take on the latest news across our state’s business community.  Mike Switzer interviews Ross Norton, managing editor of SCBiz, which publishes a monthly statewide business magazine.  Ross tells us about the busy industrial development environment in our state.

While the electric vehicle industry has come under attack from the current administration in Washington, which may end up hurting our own state’s economy, other areas of the sustainability movement are still going strong.  Mike Switzer interviews Jarrett Branham, president of the Branham Group in Mt. Pleasant, SC, a construction firm focused on renewable energy and sustainability.

Our next guest's Midlands performing arts venue recently announced that it has been awarded a multi-year grant of $120,000.00 in matching funds to present a free outdoor music series over the next three years.  Mike Switzer interviews Nate Terracio, director of the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, SC.

Our next guest graduated from Furman University with a degree in studio art, but then moved into the journalism industry.  In 2022, she decided to go out on her own with a creative consulting and publishing company.  Mike Switzer interviews Blair Knobel, founder of Knobel Media in Greenville, SC.

The stock market has done well since it bottomed out during the pandemic, and many investors now find themselves with big gains but also with out-of-balance portfolios.  Yet they may be reluctant to rebalance because of the tax implications of those big gains.  Our guest, however, says that there is a possible strategy to improve your portfolio’s diversification without paying those current capita...

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 John McDermott, business editor of the Post and Courier in Charleston, SC.  John tells us why power/energy is going to be the topic economic focus for SC in 2026.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Laura Ullrich, Director of Economic Research, Indeed, Inc.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Laura Ullrich, Director of Economic Research, Indeed, Inc.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Laura Ullrich, Director of Economic Research, Indeed, Inc.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Laura Ullrich, Director of Economic Research, Indeed, Inc.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Cody Thacker, Vice President of Commercial Operations, Scout Motors.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference.  Today’s excerpt comes from Doug Woodward, professor of economics, Darla Moore School of Business.